This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news concerning ICT, cloud computing, digital infrastructure, social media platforms, digital privacy, AI, cybersecurity, blockchain, Web3 and cryptocurrencies. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to track other GR news in adjacent industries? Don't miss this week's updates in Finance and Defence.

Dates: 2026-01-17 to 2026-01-23

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Congressional Calendar
• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Congressional Calendar

• Hearings on Connectivity: FirstNet's Role in Public Safety: The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media will hold hearings examining the front lines of connectivity, focusing on FirstNet's role in public safety. The meeting is scheduled for January 28, 2026, in the Russell Senate Office Building, Room 253.
• Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Subsea Cables, Internet Freedom, and Strategic IT Initiatives: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will convene a business meeting on January 29, 2026, to consider bills on Taiwan's energy security, undersea fiber-optic cable protection, internet freedom in Iran, and bilateral tech partnerships, alongside nominations for key State Department posts. The meeting will take place in Capitol 116 (Senate side).

Federal Government News

FCC Reverses E-Rate Funding for Off-Premises Wi-Fi Hotspots

The Federal Communications Commission issued a final order rescinding July 2024 amendments that had permitted E-Rate program funds for off-premises use of Wi-Fi hotspots and wireless internet services. Effective February 20, 2026, the Commission determined that section 254 of the Communications Act does not support funding connectivity outside of schools or libraries. The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) is instructed to deny all pending FY 2025 E-Rate funding requests related to off-premises hotspots, and associated certification forms will be revised to reflect the withdrawal. The Commission also denied related petitions for further expansion, reinstating previous eligibility rules for supported services. No new reporting burdens are imposed as a result, and affected forms and procedures will be updated to conform to the restored framework.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

OMB Approves Multilingual Wireless Emergency Alert Templates

The Office of Management and Budget has approved non-substantive changes to FCC Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) rules, referencing the Multilingual WEA Implementation Report and Order. Participating commercial mobile service providers must now support pre-scripted emergency templates in English, the thirteen most spoken U.S. languages, and American Sign Language for eighteen emergency event types. Alerts will include four customizable fields and, for non-English messages, must display the English version as well. Effective June 12, 2028, the modifications are intended to broaden alert accessibility while maintaining compliance and reporting requirements. The total annual reporting burden is estimated at 106,943 hours, with annual costs projected at $7,050,800.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

FCC Revises Information Collections under Universal Service Programs

The FCC announced revisions to information collection requirements for the Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and Connect USVI Fund, which provide high-cost support for telecommunications networks in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Following a review of legacy obligations, the Commission eliminated outdated application requirements, retaining only annual maintenance of letters of credit and disaster preparation plan documentation for recipients. Ongoing requirements relate to long-term oversight and program accountability, reflecting changes to FCC rules that concluded legacy support mechanisms.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Artificial Intelligence and the Great Divergence: White House Policy Context

The White House released a research paper comparing artificial intelligence’s transformative impact to the Industrial Revolution's 'Great Divergence' period. The analysis notes rapidly evolving metrics for AI adoption, with significant advances in economic productivity and labor displacement. The Trump administration asserts a focus on U.S. technological leadership through infrastructure, deregulation, and technology exports, with ongoing assessment of international progress. The declaration of intent points to continued efforts for U.S. competitive advantage and ongoing monitoring of global AI trends.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

DOJ Notice on Cooperative Changes: Mobile Satellite Services Association and America's Datahub Consortium

The Justice Department published updates under the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993 regarding changes in membership for Mobile Satellite Services Association and America’s Datahub Consortium. Multiple entities, including firms based in the UK, Luxembourg, and U.S. locations, joined MSSA, while one Turkish company withdrew. America's Datahub Consortium added several new member organizations in areas pertaining to data infrastructure, analytics, and related technologies. Such membership disclosures have implications for antitrust recovery limitations under federal law. Group activities and planned research projects remain ongoing.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov, www.federalregister.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• European telcos to get unlimited radio spectrum under EU draft law: The EU is proposing legislation to give telecom carriers unlimited spectrum access.
• Cisco’s AI Pivot: Rebuilding the Tech Stack From the Ground Up: Cisco discusses strategies for AI-driven network architecture.
• Public and private ownership of network utilities: Industry commentary on trends in ownership models for network utilities.
• Amazon’s $3 Billion AI Bet on Vicksburg: Amazon invests $3 billion to build an AI-enabled data center in Vicksburg.

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