The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, State E-rate Coordinators’ Alliance and Funds for Learning unveiled a Remote Learning During COVID-19 Act Thursday. The proposal mirrors SHLB’s April request for $5.25 billion in E-rate funding as part of COVID-19 legislation (see 2004280068). The House-passed Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (HR-6800) includes $5 billion for E-rate (see 2005130059). More than 1,900 entities signed a Thursday letter to Capitol Hill leaders supporting including the Remote Learning During COVID-19 Act in future pandemic legislation, including New America’s Open Technology Institute and Public Knowledge. The legislation “reflects the new reality that the traditional classroom model has had to shift to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the entities said. They said the proposal would “strengthen” the Emergency Educational Connections Act. HR-6563/S-3690 allocates less for E-rate.

House Commerce Committee ranking member Greg Walden, Ore., and Consumer Protection Subcommittee ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Wash., pressed Zoom CEO Eric Yuan Thursday about the company’s data privacy practices and potential coordination with the Chinese government. The company has drawn increasing government scrutiny amid increasing videoconferencing use during the pandemic (see 2005110041). The Republicans responded to reports that Zoom closed the account of a group of U.S.-based Chinese activists after they held an event commemorating the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. “Zoom’s recent actions and acquiescence to China raise serious concerns about your data practices, including how you protect information you collect on Americans and, importantly, who you grant access to such information,” Walden and McMorris Rodgers wrote. They want information on what “’local law’ you claim to have complied with to justify suppressing the free speech of U.S.-based Chinese activists and identify the date on which you reinstated the accounts of such activists.” The lawmakers also want the company to “explain how Zoom collects information on Americans and what specific categories of information is collected.” It didn’t immediately comment.

FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly is hopeful performance of telecom technology during the pandemic will hasten trends to allow more work from home, he told USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter Thursday. O'Rielly said he attended the USTelecom conference from his bedroom and addressed commissioners' meeting Tuesday from his children's nursery. O'Rielly said he's spending more traditional work hours on childcare, influencing his decision-making. He applauded industry for making U.S. broadband networks "the envy of the world." In the future, he said, punching a clock won't matter as much: "You'll work when you can fit it in." New technologies and devices will support the shift, he said. "I'm optimistic we're going to grow from this experience."

Oregon will temporarily increase state Lifeline discounts by nearly $9 monthly using $3.5 million in federal coronavirus relief allocated by the Oregon Joint Emergency Board, said the Oregon Public Utility Commission Thursday. The discount for about 8,000 low-income households will increase to $21.25 from $12.75 for six months starting July 1, the PUC said. “These additional funds will increase the discount for families, making telephone and broadband service more affordable during these unprecedented times,” said PUC Chair Megan Decker.

The FCC approved $20.2 million for 67 applicants to its COVID-19 telehealth program, it said Wednesday. In total, the agency has approved $104.98 million to 305 healthcare providers in 42 states and Washington, D.C., more than half the congressionally allotted budget of $200 million (see 2004010042). "We will continue processing applications as quickly as we can in order to promote worthy telehealth projects across the country,” Chairman Ajit Pai said.

Five Below e-commerce sales were four times higher in fiscal Q1 ended May 2 than the year-ago quarter, as total sales fell 45%, said CEO Joel Anderson on a quarterly call. It began reopening stores April 21 and now has about 90% of its 920 locations back in business in 36 states, he said Tuesday. The retailer sells kids-targeted headphones and tech accessories, most under $5. It began closing stores days after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11. All stores closed for most of the second half of Q1. The stock closed 9.4% higher Wednesday at $113.67.

The Library of Congress canceled all public events until Sept. 1, the LOC announced Wednesday, citing COVID-19. Buildings and facilities remain closed.

Subscription-based businesses are more “resilient” to COVID-19's economic downturn than companies that had to endure supply chain disruptions, reported Zuora. It compared the subscriber acquisition metrics of 700 businesses before and after the pandemic struck in March and found 53.3% had limited impact, while 22.5% had subscriber growth accelerate. Relatively few had subscription growth slowing (12.8%) or contracting (11.4%), said Zuora. Over-the-top video streaming companies had the most growth, up sevenfold in March compared with the growth rate over the previous 12 months, it said. “As people shelter-at-home, streaming services for entertainment have seen a spike in subscription growth.” Consumer IoT is experiencing a slowdown, said the report. Growth there in March was a third of that in the previous year, it said. Consumers under lockdown mandates were “not rushing to buy” IoT devices and services, and companies in the sector “are seeing a decline in subscription sign-ups,” it said.

COVID-19 forced cancellation of NAB Show New York, set for Oct. 21-22 at the Javits Convention Center, said the association Tuesday. It will be replaced with an all-digital event in the fall similar to NAB Show Express, it said. “This decision follows extensive surveying of our show community and consultation with state and local official." The trade group is still planning in-person events for the 2021 NAB Show and NAB Show New York, it said. The Javits show is the third in-person event NAB was forced to scrap this year due to the pandemic. It canceled the Las Vegas NAB Show March 11 (see 2003110036) and the NAB Radio Show in Nashville last week (see 2006030060). Complications for the Javits show emerged in April after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced he asked President Donald Trump to keep the facility deployed as an COVID-19 Army field hospital through the fall flu season (see 2004280001).

The APTS 2021 Public Media Summit will be “in a virtual rather than physical setting,” emailed America’s Public Television Stations Tuesday. “This decision was based on research suggesting that many station general managers have substantially reduced or completely eliminated their travel and conference budgets for the next fiscal year in reaction to the severe economic downturn” caused by COVID-19, the email said. “Congress itself is under visitor restrictions which may well last beyond February, and our traditional Capitol Hill Day at the conclusion of the Summit would have been similarly constrained.”