As the FCC considers ending the E-Rate program, which subsidizes telecom services for schools and libraries, a recent study shows that losing the program would cost the US economy $4.2 billion annually. Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/3VY3rgn

Amid efforts to obtain an FCC exemption on new Wi-Fi 8 routers, TP-Link has signed a letter of intent with Key Tronic to assemble those devices in the US starting next year. Key Tronic recently exited manufacturing operations in China. Read more: bit.ly/3VW0Fs3

Univastu India has doled out just $5.1 million to acquire pieces of Cambium that Airspan did not acquire last month. Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/4i7Gw9I

#TheBuildout: Kit Carson signs $27 million BEAD agreement in New Mexico; Fidium grows in Maine, New Hampshire; TDS builds in Tennessee, Wisconsin; Kinetic expands in Kentucky – and more. Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/4hNzfgt

A NY federal judge has blocked Cable One's deal to acquire the rest of Mega Broadband after a lender sued to halt the $480 million transaction, arguing that the cable op 'is trending towards a bankruptcy proceeding.' Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/4hEK0Se

When Comcast witnessed what it labeled 'irrational' pricing by fiber rivals, it and others responded with promos and price cuts. The price pendulum is now swinging the other way, but it's too early to call it a trend or an aberration. Read more: bit.ly/4yLDtvc

#TheBuildout: REV Fiber breaks ground in Louisiana; Oklahoma's IEC wraps last- and middle-mile work; GoNetspeed heads to Haverhill, Massachusetts; Spectrum brings Wi-Fi to California's Silverwood – and more. Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/4yb8KGu

After UK authorities raise 'counterfactual' objections to Nexfibre's takeover of Netomnia, Nexfibre's Rajiv Datta questions the logic. Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/4AWaeav

#TheBuildout: LiveOak Fiber to expand in Chatham County, Georgia; Comcast comes to more Floridians and Pennsylvanians; Spectrum marks rural milestones; Kinetic connects Concord, North Carolina – and more. Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/3VIp9Vp

As NTIA opens a supplemental BEAD program funding round, former FCC official and industry consultant Carol Mattey shares some open questions and potential complications for terrestrial providers. Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/4dccErd

After opening the door to DOCSIS 4.0 certification testing more than three years ago, suppliers are 'very close' to obtaining the certification stamp, says incoming CableLabs CEO Mark Bridges. Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/4jenDV1

Tarana Wireless sees opportunity to boost FWA capacity in UK ahead of technology trials as Ofcom moves to open upper 6GHz band and is expanding in Europe. Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/4hU6pLa

At this week's SCTE TechExpo, AOI will demo a prototype 3GHz amp to show the art of the possible, but says big barriers remain in area, particularly with respect to network power, before such tech will be ready for prime time. Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/3V5Ltbv

#TheBuildout: New Mexico awards broadband funds to Pueblo of Zia; eX² feeds fiber to Holland, Michigan; Spectrum grows reach in Midwest; Comcast expands in Minnesota and New Hampshire – and more. Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/4z1qmWs

In comments to the FCC, industry groups continue pushing for lower fees and shorter shot clocks for approving broadband permits, while local governments call such changes 'harmful policies that would endanger public safety.' Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/46KhOXN

In a letter to the Commerce Secretary reiterating a request for the NTIA to 'correct course' on the BEAD program, NRECA said that 20 of 63 BEAD-winning co-ops have declined awards while 'many others are considering withdrawal.' Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/4xzcKQM

#TheBuildout: Kinetic rolls through Sugar Land; Kinetic expands in Sugar Land, Texas; Wire 3 reaches 'thousands' in Deltona and DeLand, Florida; GoNetspeed goes live in Guilford, Connecticut – and more. Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/4yCj1fI

John Deere is shipping autonomous trucks and factory-fitted satellite connections. Iowa State University waited two years and nine months for a spectrum answer. Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/4yIJGHQ

FCC's 'longstanding support of technological neutrality and its policy limiting subsidies to locations that are not served by unsubsidized competitors compel the conclusion that High-Cost support should be retired,' said SpaceX. Read more: bit.ly/4AjRqBA

Harmonic expects revenues to grow 10% to 13% by 2030 as it expands its fiber business with both cable operators and telcos while branching into areas such as edge AI compute. Read more on Light Reading: bit.ly/4hsUcgm