*HomeU.S. Government Accountability Office*
Menu

      close


          
          
                          	
				
				
	
	
					Reports & Testimonies
									
																				
				
				
	
	
								Reports & Testimonies
													
																												
																						
							
																Recommendations Database
							
																												
																						
							
																Month in Review
							
																												
																						
							
																Order Copies
							
																												
																						
							
																Restricted Reports
							
																												
																						
							
																View Topics
							
																												
																						
							
																View Agencies
							
																												
																						
							
																Bid Protests & Appropriations Law
									
																				
				
				
	
	
								Bid Protests & Appropriations Law
													
																												
																						
							
																Bid Protests
							
																												
																						
							
																Appropriations Law
							
																												
																						
							
																Federal Vacancies Reform Act
							
																												
																						
							
																Other Legal
							
																												
																						
							
																About
									
																				
				
				
	
	
								About
													
																												
																						
							
																What GAO Does
							
																												
																						
							
																U.S. Comptroller General
							
																												
																						
							
																Careers
							
																												
																						
							
																Contact UsFor Congress
                                
                          
        
                Press Center
                                
                          
        
                Careers
                                
                          
        
                BlogSearch Breadcrumb
        Home
                            Reports & Testimonies
    Reports & Testimonies Reports & Testimonies
              
                          
                          
        
        
        Recommendations Database
              
                          
                          
        
        
        Month In Review
              
                          
                          
        
        
        Order Copies
              
                          
                          
        
        
        Restricted Reports
                                      
                                                            Filter Reports & Testimonies
        Skip to search results
    
    Publicly Released DatePast WeekPast MonthPast 6 MonthsPast Year
Custom Date Range
    
      StartEnd
By Topics(-)
Telecommunications
  (1919)< Clear
  (7637)Agriculture and Food
  (20)Auditing and Financial Management
  (795)Budget and Spending
  (523)Business Regulation and Consumer Protection
  (223)Economic Development
  (276)Education
  (57)Employment
  (377)Energy
  (25)Equal Opportunity
  (138)Financial Markets and Institutions
  (97)GAO Mission and Operations
  (24)Government Operations
  (424)Health Care
  (268)Homeland Security
  (228)Housing
  (54)Human Capital
  (136)Information Management
  (139)Information Security
  (115)Information Technology
  (162)International Affairs
  (140)Justice and Law Enforcement
  (666)National Defense
  (292)Natural Resources and Environment
  (62)Retirement Security
  (31)Science and Technology
  (24)Space
  (116)Tax Policy and Administration
  (77)Transportation
  (135)Veterans
  (41)Worker and Family Assistance
  (53)
By Agency NameBureau of Indian Affairs
  (1)Bureau of Land Management
  (9)Bureau of Prisons
  (5)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  (10)Department of Agriculture
  (88)Department of Commerce
  (153)Department of Defense
  (350)Department of Education
  (23)Department of Energy
  (39)Department of Health and Human Services
  (101)Department of Homeland Security
  (136)Department of Housing and Urban Development
  (18)Department of Justice
  (152)Department of Labor
  (22)Department of State
  (138)Department of the Air Force
  (137)Department of the Army
  (140)Department of the Interior
  (38)Department of the Navy
  (80)Department of the Treasury
  (130)Department of Transportation
  (105)Department of Veterans Affairs
  (43)Environmental Protection Agency
  (33)Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
  (3)Executive Office of the President
  (203)Federal Aviation Administration
  (45)Federal Bureau of Investigation
  (23)Federal Communications Commission
  (287)Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
  (15)Federal Emergency Management Agency
  (13)Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
  (7)Federal Trade Commission
  (25)Food and Drug Administration
  (20)Forest Service
  (13)General Services Administration
  (62)Internal Revenue Service
  (56)National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  (24)National Institutes of Health
  (12)National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  (11)National Park Service
  (10)National Science Foundation
  (4)Nuclear Regulatory Commission
  (11)Office of Management and Budget
  (171)Office of National Drug Control Policy
  (1)Office of Personnel Management
  (6)Small Business Administration
  (17)Social Security Administration
  (13)Transportation Security Administration
  (4)United States Coast Guard
  (19)United States Customs and Border Protection
  (37)United States Fish and Wildlife Service
  (11)United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement
  (14)United States Marine Corps
  (24)United States Postal Service
  (41)United States Securities and Exchange Commission
  (46)GAO’s reports and testimonies give Congress, federal agencies, and the public timely, fact-based, non-partisan information that can improve government operations and save taxpayers billions of dollars.Jump To:
    Jump ToElder Abuse
          Services for Older Adults
          State and Local-Level Drivers and Trends
          State and Local Fiscal Projections
          Federal Borrowing
          Managing the Debt
          Summary of Funding Provisions
          Auditing the Government's Books
          Unpacking the Financial Report
          Highlights
          Recommendations
          Background
          About This Work
          About This Work
          Trends
          About the Center
          Why It's High Risk
          What Remains To Be Done
          Key Reports
          Newest COVID-Related Reports
          AI Use Cases
          Flood Insurance
          Past Pandemic-Related Reports
          CARES Act Oversight Reports
          All COVID-19 Reports
          Report Suspected Fraud
          Subjects
          How to Get Notified
          Past Reports
          Public Health Threats
          Explore the FY 2022 and 2023 Funds
          Lessons Learned
          Agency Reports
          Recent Reports
          Recommendations
          Supplemental Material
          Full Report
          Additional Data
          View Decision
          Downloads
          Previously Identified Actions
          Related Pages
          Associated Agencies
          Tough Choices and Opportunities Ahead
          Americas Fiscal Future Key Areas
          Retirement Security Key Areas
          Current List
          About The High Risk List
          Area Ratings
          Previous High Risk Products
          Search Federal Vacancies
          Past Federal Vacancies
          Violation Letters
          About the Yellow Book
          Advisory Council
          Related Resources
          Comment Letters
          Related Publications
          Contacts and Resources
          Major Issues Facing the Nation
          Meeting Strategic Challenges
          Additional Resources
          Resources
          GAO Contacts
          Mission Teams
          Operations and Staff Offices
          Organization Chart
          Why a Career at GAO?
          Am I Qualified?
          Company Culture
          Reasonable Accommodations
          Video Gallery
          Paid Internships
          Student Volunteers
          Professional Development Program
          Advancement
          Executive Candidate Program
          Summer Associates
          Externships
          Benefits
          Contacts
                    Most Recent Reports**1 - 20 of 1919 Reports**
	
	

	
	  **Released on   Apr 10, 2024**
          Broadband Deployment: Agencies Should Take Steps to Better Meet Deadline for Processing Permits
    GAO-24-106157
      Published:   Apr 10, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Apr 10, 2024
.
    The federal government is investing billions of dollars in expanding broadband access. Some new infrastructure—such as broadband towers—will be situated on federal lands. Federal agencies are required to process applications for such permits within 270 days. The Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service process most of these applications. Between 2018-2022, both agencies missed the deadline for some applications and for others couldn't determine...
      **Released on   Mar 19, 2024**
          Spectrum IT Modernization: Incorporating Leading Practices Could Improve Planning Effort
    GAO-24-106634
      Published:   Mar 19, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Mar 19, 2024
.
    The radio-frequency spectrum is vital to a variety of commercial and government activities—such as broadcast television and air traffic control. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration manages federal use of this spectrum, and it uses multiple IT systems to do so. The agency is working to modernize these IT systems. For example, it established a team to lead the effort, started market research, and identified...
      **Released on   Oct 19, 2023**
          Broadband Infrastructure: Middle-Mile Grant Program Lacked Timely Performance Goals and Targeted Measures
    GAO-24-106131
      Published:   Oct 19, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Oct 19, 2023
.
    Broadband internet is critical for work, school, and daily life. "Middle-mile" infrastructure connects networks serving homes and businesses with global networks to deliver broadband. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration was authorized to set up a $1 billion grant program to improve this infrastructure's nationwide availability. While NTIA followed some leading practices for the program, it didn't set measurable goals with specific targets—which would allow...
      **Released on   Aug 24, 2023**
          Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program: Feedback Should Be Provided to Applicants Receiving Equitable Distribution Grants
    GAO-23-106824
      Published:   Aug 24, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Aug 24, 2023
.
    The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has a new program offering grants for projects that increase tribal access to broadband internet. Some applicants received full project funding in the first round of funding, while others received "equitable distribution grants"—grants up to $500,000 instead of the amount they requested. But NTIA didn't provide constructive feedback to the equitable distribution grant recipients. Feedback could help them improve...
      **Released on   May 16, 2023**
          Emergency Alerts: NOAA Should Take Additional Actions to Help Ensure Tsunami Alerts Reach Those at Risk
    GAO-23-105961
      Published:   May 16, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   May 16, 2023
.
    It's critical that the public receive alerts about destructive tsunamis. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration sends tsunami alerts to the public via: Emergency broadcast messages on TV and radio Emergency texts on mobile devices Social media posts and website alerts NOAA has taken steps to improve how it alerts the public, such as updating its website to allow easy access to critical information during...
      **Released on   May 10, 2023**
          Broadband: A National Strategy Needed to Coordinate Fragmented, Overlapping Federal Programs
    GAO-23-106818
      Published:   May 10, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   May 10, 2023
.
    Broadband internet has become critical for work, school, and other parts of daily life. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the "digital divide" and the disadvantages people without access to broadband face. We testified about our work on the federal government's efforts to expand broadband access. The government has subsidized costs in underserved areas, largely through 25 programs dedicated to broadband access—administered by 7 agencies. But the...
      **Released on   Apr 25, 2023**
          Broadband Speed: FCC Should Improve Its Communication of Advanced Telecommunications Capability Assessments
    GAO-23-105655
      Published:   Apr 25, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Apr 25, 2023
.
    The Federal Communications Commission ensures access to broadband—high-speed internet—is deployed across the U.S. It uses a speed benchmark to assess whether broadband speeds are adequate and may take action to improve availability in areas where they aren't. FCC annually assesses and reports on whether the benchmark should be updated to meet public needs. But FCC's reporting has been inconsistent over the years. For example, the...
      **Released on   Jan 25, 2023**
          Affordable Broadband: FCC Could Improve Performance Goals and Measures, Consumer Outreach, and Fraud Risk Management
    GAO-23-105399
      Published:   Jan 18, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 25, 2023
.
    Access to broadband—high-speed internet—has become critical for everyday life. But its cost may keep some people from having access to it. To make it more affordable for low-income Americans, the FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program offers monthly discounts on broadband service to eligible households. As of Sept. 2022, over 14 million households had enrolled—about a third of the estimated eligible households. FCC could strengthen the program's...
      **Released on   Jan 24, 2023**
          Broadband Funding: Stronger Management of Performance and Fraud Risk Needed for Tribal and Public-Private Partnership Grants
    GAO-23-105426
      Published:   Jan 24, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 24, 2023
.
    Tribal, rural, and economically disadvantaged areas are more likely to not have access to broadband service—which is vital for things like remote learning, telework, and telehealth. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) manages two grant programs that work to expand broadband access. We found that for one of these programs the agency's goals include extending reliable, affordable broadband to 200,000 households. However, NTIA doesn't...
      **Released on   Jan 5, 2023**
          Local Journalism: Innovative Business Approaches and Targeted Policies May Help Local News Media Adapt to Digital Transformation
    GAO-22-105405
      Published:   Jan 5, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 5, 2023
.
    The internet has fundamentally changed how local news media operate—particularly by reducing the circulation and revenue of many local newspapers. We convened a 2-day workshop and interviewed journalists, academics, and other experts about the future of local media. The participants discussed strategies news outlets use to adapt to the digital environment and policy proposals to boost the viability of local journalism. For example, direct government...
      **Released on   Dec 15, 2022**
          Telecommunications Workforce: Additional Workers Will Be Needed to Deploy Broadband, but Concerns Exist About Availability
    GAO-23-105626
      Published:   Dec 15, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 15, 2022
.
    Recent legislation included big increases in federal funding for the deployment of broadband, which is increasingly critical to daily life, but unavailable in some areas. Our analysis found that thousands more skilled workers will be needed to deploy broadband and 5G funded by recent federal programs. If this work is spread over 10 years, at its peak, the funding would support about 23,000 additional workers...
          GPS Disruptions: DOT Could Improve Efforts to Identify Interference Incidents and Strengthen Resilience
    GAO-23-105335
      Published:   Dec 15, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 15, 2022
.
    GPS improves transportation safety, but is vulnerable to interference from radio signal jamming or other sources. The Department of Transportation is responsible for identifying GPS interference incidents and improving the transportation sector's ability to withstand and recover from them. We found that DOT's process for identifying incidents doesn't produce accurate or complete information and isn't documented. Also, DOT has efforts underway to improve the sector's...
      **Released on   Dec 8, 2022**
          National Security Space: Overview of Contracts for Commercial Satellite Imagery
    GAO-23-106042
      Published:   Dec 8, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 8, 2022
.
    Commercial satellite imagery and data can play a key role in national security. For example, the war in Ukraine has drawn attention to how governments are using commercial satellites to track troop movement and the impact of attacks. The commercial space industry is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, and therefore may be able to address more of the federal government's imagery needs...
      **Released on   Nov 30, 2022**
          Broadband: USDA Should Set Performance Goals and Improve Fraud Risk Management for Funding Program
    GAO-23-105265
      Published:   Oct 31, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Nov 30, 2022
.
    Since 2019, the Department of Agriculture's ReConnect program has awarded millions of dollars in grants and loans to broadband providers for expanding service in rural areas. But USDA hasn't set specific goals for what it wants this program to achieve or for how it will measure how well the program is working. In addition, protecting the program from fraud is critical to ensure that federal...
      **Released on   Nov 2, 2022**
          Satellite Licensing: FCC Should Reexamine Its Environmental Review Process for Large Constellations of Satellites
    GAO-23-105005
      Published:   Nov 2, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Nov 2, 2022
.
    By 2030, tens of thousands of commercial satellites are expected to join the thousands of satellites already in orbit. Scientists and others have raised concerns about the potential environmental and other effects of large quantities of satellites. Companies submit satellite launch proposals to the Federal Communications Commission for licensing. FCC reviews potential environmental effects—unless the proposal is in a category that FCC has excluded from...
      **Released on   Oct 5, 2022**
          Diversidad en la fuerza laboral: Los trabajadores hispanos están infrarrepresentados en los medios de comunicación y se necesitan más datos para aplicar la normativa federal
    GAO-22-105886
      Published:   Sep 29, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Oct 5, 2022
.
    To see the version of this page in English, see GAO-22-104669 . También, la transcripción del episodio de podcast relacionado incluye versiones en inglés y español. A pesar de que muchas empresas de medios de comunicación ahora reconocen la importancia de la diversidad en pantalla e impresa, los trabajadores hispanos están infrarrepresentados en la fuerza laboral de los medios de comunicación de 2010 a 2019...
          Workforce Diversity: Hispanic Workers Are Underrepresented in the Media, and More Data Are Needed for Federal Enforcement Efforts
    GAO-22-104669
      Published:   Sep 29, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Oct 5, 2022
.
    Para la versión de esta página en español, ver a GAO-22-105886 . También, la transcripción del episodio de podcast relacionado incluye versiones en inglés y español. While many media companies now recognize the importance of diversity on screen and in print, Hispanic workers were underrepresented in the media workforce from 2010-19. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Federal Communications Commission share responsibility for protecting...
      **Released on   Sep 22, 2022**
          Broadband: Needs of Rural Small Businesses and Federal Programs to Support Them
    GAO-22-106116
      Published:   Sep 22, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Sep 22, 2022
.
    According to the Federal Communications Commission, 96% of the U.S. population has access to broadband at or above the FCC's benchmark for minimum speed. But overall access may be overstated and access rates are lower in rural areas. In 2021, we reviewed whether broadband is fast enough for small business owners, federal efforts to improve rural broadband access, and more. We briefed Congress with updates...
      **Released on   Aug 2, 2022**
          Spectrum Management: Improved Planning and Interagency Collaboration Could Strengthen Spectrum Reallocation Efforts
    GAO-22-106170
      Published:   Aug 2, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Aug 2, 2022
.
    The FCC and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) regulate use of radio-frequency spectrum in the U.S. to help ensure there's enough for emerging 5G networks, satellites, and everything else. When there could be interference, FCC and NTIA coordinate with other agencies. We testified about our reviews of the spectrum reallocation process and how agencies collaborate on potential spectrum interference issues. We found: NTIA...
      **Released on   Jul 22, 2022**
          Tribal Broadband: National Strategy and Coordination Framework Needed to Increase Access
    GAO-22-104421
      Published:   Jun 22, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jul 22, 2022
.
    Broadband is critical to modern life. Despite federal efforts, broadband access on tribal lands has lagged behind the rest of the country. In 2020, 18% of people living on tribal lands couldn't access broadband service, compared to 4% of people in non-tribal areas. Numerous federal programs are working to increase broadband access on tribal lands. However, tribes have struggled to identify which federal program meets...
    
		Go back to search filters
	  1
              2
              3
              4
              5
              6
              7
              8
              9
                          ...
                          Next
                          Last
 Receive GAO Updates
  Stay informed as we add new reports & testimonies.

  Federal Depository Library Program member and GPO digital preservation partner.

    GAO Logo
      U.S. Government Accountability Office


                                   Column 1
                            Press Center
                              Contact Us
                              Inspector General
                              Restricted Reports
                              Column 2
                            Copyright & Terms of Use
                              Privacy Policy
                              Accessibility
                              Sitemap
                              Column 3
                            FOIA Requests
                              Scam Alerts
                              No FEAR Act Data
                              Health Care Advisory Committees