News and Publications

Today, NTIA has filed on behalf of the Executive Branch of the United States Government a recommendation that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) terminate and revoke the Section 214 international authorizations of China Telecom (Americas) Corporation (China Telecom) to provide international voice traffic between the United States and foreign countries.

Federal agencies have made significant progress across government to improve broadband access for Americans in the year following the launch of the American Broadband Initiative (ABI), said speakers in a recent NTIA BroadbandUSA webinar.

Statement from Douglas Kinkoph, performing the delegated duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information:

“We congratulate the FirstNet Board for its decision to name Ed Parkinson as Executive Director. Ed’s energy and enthusiasm for the FirstNet mission, and deep roots in the public safety community, make him the right person to oversee the successful deployment of a world-class dedicated public safety communications network.”

This year’s International Symposium on Advanced Radio Technology (ISART) conference will take place Aug. 11-13 in Boulder, Colorado. The conference will focus on what a “zero trust” network environment means from a 5G perspective. The symposium, which is co-sponsored by NTIA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, will include panel discussions, presentations, tutorials, and demonstrations from subject matter experts from U.S. and international organizations. Visit the ISART website for more information.

NTIA’s State Broadband Leaders Network is a powerful forum for connecting local government, industry and stakeholders across the country that are focused on broadband activities. NTIA has spent many years building up these relationships, and recently updated our website with detailed information on state broadband offices and funding opportunities.

America’s technology leadership in secure and reliable 5G communications is critical to the nation’s economic and international competitiveness. Delivering on these goals, President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget calls for increased funding to modernize the nation’s spectrum management system; improve the security of our telecommunications infrastructure; and upgrade advanced communications research.

Spectrum sharing strategies hold great promise for meeting the growing needs of commercial and federal users.  This is an area of intense study at NTIA as we seek to protect critical federal missions while enabling new commercial opportunities.

As we close the books on 2019, NTIA took stock of strides made in the past year on key Administration priorities. Topping the list is our work to make spectrum available for 5G, including completing engineering work to put critical mid-band spectrum to use in the 3.5 GHz band. NTIA also is proud of our work with government partners to enhance broadband connectivity, improve technology equipment in 911 call centers, and secure networks from cyber threats.

Ensuring U.S. Leadership in 5G, Broadband Opportunities

Participants in NTIA’s software security multistakeholder effort made significant progress this year, publishing the first set of community-drafted documents to offer guidance around the practice of a software bill of materials (SBOM). The SBOM functions as a “list of ingredients” for software that can help organizations keep track of the underlying components that make up almost all software today.

We’re excited to celebrate the quarter-century birthday of our partnership with the Census Bureau on a survey about consumer use of computers and the Internet! Last month, across all fifty states and the District of Columbia, Census interviewers talked to 52,000 households for this comprehensive survey, which collects data every two years on who goes online, what computing devices and technologies people use, and what challenges prevent some Americans from taking full advantage of the digital age.

Remarks of Diane Rinaldo
Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information​
Council to Secure the Digital Economy​ (CSDE) Forum
Washington, D.C.
November 21, 2019

-- As Prepared for Delivery --

Thank you, Jonathan. It’s a pleasure to be here. I also want to thank Robert Mayer, USTelecom staff, and all of the members of CSDE for making today possible.

Every initiative to expand spectrum use and efficiency relies on predictions of how far a wireless signal will travel, or propagate, before interfering with another user or fading away. Unlocking the full potential of spectrum resources requires a deep understanding of radio wave behavior, and accurate propagation models, so that systems can be designed to coexist in a crowded environment.

Remarks of Diane Rinaldo
Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information
2019 Carolinas Alliance for Success in Education Summit
Charlotte, N.C.
November 15, 2019

-- As Prepared for Delivery --

Good morning. It’s an honor to be here, and welcome you to the 2019 CASE Summit. We are proud to be partnering with Johnson C. Smith University, and the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, to bring you today’s program.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Today, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) launched a new Minority Broadband Initiative (MBI) focused on solving broadband deployment challenges in vulnerable communities. NTIA announced the initiative at the 2019 Carolinas Alliance for Success in Education (CASE) Summit held at Johnson C. Smith University.

TESTIMONY OF DIANE RINALDO

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION (ACTING)

NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION (NTIA)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

HEARING ON SUPPLY CHAIN SECURITY, GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS, AND 5G

COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

UNITED STATES SENATE

October 31, 2019

Chairman Johnson, Ranking Member Peters, and Members of the Committee:

Internet use among Hispanic Americans has continued to grow, according to NTIA data, narrowing a racial disparity that has existed since NTIA began tracking adoption through its Internet Use Surveys in 1998.

The proportion of Hispanic Americans using the Internet has risen from 61 percent in 2013 and 66 percent in 2015 to 72 percent in 2017, NTIA data show.

Remarks of Diane Rinaldo
Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information
Mobile World Congress Americas
Los Angeles, California
October 23, 2019

-- As Prepared for Delivery --

Thank you. I’m thrilled to be in Los Angeles for this exciting conference – and discussions about our technology future.

Remarks of Diane Rinaldo
Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information
SHLB Coalition Annual Conference
Arlington, Virginia
October 18, 2019

-- As Prepared for Delivery --

Thank you. I’m very excited to be here to share NTIA’s support for connecting anchor institutions around the country.

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the appointment of two leaders in public safety and law enforcement to serve on the Board of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority).

One of the most significant challenges to expanding broadband connectivity is determining which parts of the country remain unconnected. Getting this information would help states and local communities – and the providers they work with -- more accurately understand where new infrastructure is needed.