Ellis Scherer
@EllisScherer
Followers
98
Following
174
Media
23
Statuses
251
He/Him #Broadband, #Spectrum, & #Space Policy for @ITIFdc + Bay Area sports, global footy. All views are expressly my own; likes & reposts ≠ endorsement.
Washington DC
Joined July 2024
My largest report yet for @ITIFdc analyzes regulatory roadblocks to a competitive space industry in the United States. Maintaining the edge in space innovation over China is crucial for the U.S.'s economic and security goals. Read the report here:
itif.org
Competitiveness in the global space economy should be a priority for the United States, but ineffective regulations weigh down the American commercial space industry. While last year’s executive...
0
1
2
Blocking smart broadband consolidation risks higher costs and slower upgrades. ITIF urges California regulators to approve the @CoxComm and @Ask_Spectrum merger to unlock scale, accelerate next-gen networks, and expand affordable high-speed access.👇
itif.org
This merger will be a win for consumers, and regulators should not stand in the way. Critics contend that mergers and acquisitions like this undermine competition. But that is far from the case in...
0
0
0
David Don is right on once again, op-ex spending in USF is bad policy.
0
0
0
On the question of USF reform posed at #SOTN2026, targeted reforms to the High Cost program can reduce unnecessary spending on deployment and reallocate funds to address key problems like affordability that drive the digital dive. See more here:
itif.org
While distribution reform is the best way to shrink the contribution factor, Congress should also reform USF funding to come from general appropriations, or some other method of encompassing the...
1
0
1
David Don is right that siloed regulations are outdated and don’t reflect the broadband market or consumer demand in today’s highly connected world.
0
0
0
Spoiler alert: convergence is driving competition, and consumers are the beneficiaries.
1
0
0
For anyone curious about the tech neutral debates with BEAD, see @thejoekane’s installment in @ITIFdc’s Broadband Myths series on LEO satellites:
itif.org
Critics have claimed low-Earth orbit satellites will not be able to meet the BEAD program’s broadband capacity requirements, that LEO networks lack scalability, that they’re more expensive to...
0
2
4
@Space_Station A gap in orbit would invite China & Russia to set the rules while the US scrambles to catch up. @Ellisscherer argues America needs permanent space stations and a faster handoff to commercial platforms.
itif.org
Congress confirmed Jared Isaacman to lead NASA in late 2025. He should begin his tenure by finalizing NASA’s plan to transition from the ISS to commercial space stations, because the United States...
0
1
1
Great hearing from industry and government leaders about the future of U.S. tech policy and innovation. Thanks to @ITI_TechTweets for a stellar event. #TheIntersect2026
0
1
1
@BrendanCarrFCC @ITIFdc's proposed plan of eliminating the High Cost fund would save $20 billion through 2031. All of that money could go to bolstering and modernizing the Lifeline program, which would help Americans who have broadband access but cannot afford it.
1
0
0
While Chairman @BrendanCarrFCC is right that recipients of federal $ should be living, breathing people, Lifeline is not USF's biggest problem. Instead, obsolete deployment programs and spendy op-ex programs are far more costly, and are certainly not "Good Governance."
1
0
0
The @FCC and Chairman @BrendanCarrFCC are thinking about Lifeline reform. Since the topic of USF reform is top-of-mind at the moment, I'd like to recirculate this report that @thejoekane and I wrote on how to maximize the effectiveness of USF dollars.
itif.org
Congress should reform and refocus the Universal Service Fund. It spends too much money, prioritizes the wrong problems, and funds it all with a high, sector-specific tax rate. Congress should reduce...
1
0
0
Good that EU is avoiding the newspeak "fair share" proposals for now. They should put it to bed for good and let the 2 sides of the market work: ISPs should invest their own capital and recoup it at market prices; not run to the government for handouts.
france24.com
The EU will not force the world's biggest tech companies to pay for the overhaul of Europe's telecoms infrastructure despite pleas from the industry, Brussels announced on Wednesday.
0
2
0
Modern telecom shakes the old idea that tech is bad for the environment. Evidence shows that deploying advanced wireless networks like 5G is associated with lower greenhouse gas emissions over time—despite a short-term emissions bump during initial infrastructure deployment.
1
1
3
Some prominent voices claim broadband prices are going up. Those claims don't hold up to scrutiny. The real trends show falling prices. Affordability gaps remain, but we should address them with sensible policy, not ideological cooking of the data
itif.org
Claims that broadband service is becoming less affordable rely on selective data and abstract comparisons, while consumer-level price trends show the opposite—and point to targeted solutions to...
0
1
3