Digital Infrastructure
Digital infrastructure covers the physical and technical systems that carry data across the country, including towers, cables, networks, and the radio airwaves that wireless devices use. Several federal agencies share oversight, along with states and private providers.
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Topics in Digital Infrastructure
Wireless and airwaves
5G and Wireless Networks covers mobile communication, and Spectrum Policy covers how the government divides up radio frequencies.
All Articles on Digital Infrastructure
FCC Spectrum Rules Weren’t Built for Satellite Mega-Constellations
SpaceX operates over 9,400 satellites. When Elon Musk announced the company's acquisition of xAI in a deal valued at $1.25 trillion, the combined entity…
Is the FCC Ready for the Digital Age? A 90-Year-Old Agency Faces Modern Challenges
In the heart of the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Communications Act of 1934, a piece of legislation from…
Who Controls the Internet?
The internet feels like a lawless frontier where information flows freely across invisible borders. That impression masks a complex reality: your online experience is…
NTIA and the US Internet
The internet is run by organizations, agreements, and institutions. America's role in this system is supported in part by the National Telecommunications and Information…
America’s Hidden Spectrum War
Your smartphone, GPS navigation, and weather forecast all depend on invisible radio waves. Behind the scenes, a quiet battle rages over these airwaves between…
The National Broadband Map: A Picture of Internet Availability
Access to high-speed internet has become as essential as electricity or running water. Yet millions of Americans still lack reliable broadband service, creating what…
The Agency Building America’s Digital Future
Few government agencies touch the daily lives of Americans as directly as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Housed within the U.S. Department of…