FCC to Consider High Cost Update at May Meeting

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission will vote at its May 20 meeting on an item exploring reforms to its High Cost program.

The program spends about $4.5 billion each year on the building and maintenance of rural broadband networks. It has more than 15 programs under its umbrella according to a 2025 annual report.

“We will vote to launch a High-Cost Modernization initiative that explores how the agency’s legacy high-cost programs can be refreshed to reflect today’s marketplace,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr wrote in a Tuesday blog post. “As sunset dates for some of the programs approach, this proposed item would encourage a conversation on approaches to updating a subset of legacy support mechanisms to align them with the modern communications landscape.”

Learn more about the Broadband Community...

                        Start Your Broadband Journey Here
                    

This post is for subscribers only

Become a member to get access to all content

Subscribe now