WASHINGTON, June 17, 2019 — Among the items passed unanimously at the Federal Communications Commission July 10 meeting was the creation of a three-year, $100 million pilot program to support the delivery of telehealth services to rural and low-income Americans. “From chronic disease management to pediatric cardiology, from PTSD to opioid dependency, this pilot has… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 25, 2019- A budget cap to the Federal Communication Commission’s Universal Service Fund will provide “plenty for all,” said FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly Tuesday. The fund is currently paid for through fees imposed by consumers’ phone bills with four sub-programs dedicated to specific groups: high-cost areas, low-income consumers, schools and libraries, and rural… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, March 8, 2017 - Despite high hopes that President Trump’s campaign promise for a trillion-dollar infrastructure bill would lead to additional investment in high-speed internet access, it appears that broadband deployment and accessibility is taking a back seat in Congress to brick-and mortar projects. At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing last week on improving… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2014 - The House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Rural Development and Credit held a hearing on coordinating the future of broadband investment. Lang Zimmerman, vice president of Yelcot Telephone Co., a member company of rural broadband association NTCA testified that funding the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service is critical for… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, Thursday, May 23, 2013 – The internet policy news and events service BroadbandBreakfast.com will co-sponsor VCXC's (Voice Communication Exchange) June 12, 2013 "Start!Forum" at Wiley Rein, 1776 K Street NW in Washington, DC. Use promocode "BBBC" for free registration at http://vcxc.org/june12th . The VCXC Start!Forum marks the first annual meeting of the telecom industry's historic transition… Keep Reading
December 18, 2012 – The year 2012 has provided significant progress in broadband within the United States. Whether through policy developments, or through technologies advancing the rate of internet speeds, the business case for making use of those higher speeds is also progressing in a meaningful way. It’s almost as if the presidential and other… Keep Reading
November 5, 2012 – In the lead-up to the 2008 presidential election four years ago, then-candidate Barack Obama repeatedly raised the importance of “expanding broadband lines across America” as part of the economic stimulus plan that become the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. During the first year of his administration, many parties honed in on… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, Thursday, July 26, 2012 - Last week, the fourth year of the Broadband Breakfast Club Series came to an end with a timely panel on “Bringing Broadband Adoption to the Nation’s Underserved Population.” Panelists from the private, nonprofit and state government sectors came together to discuss what can be done to promote broadband usage in… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, July 23, 2012 – The existence of the Federal Communications Commissions Broadband Lifeline Pilot, and the emergence of national public-private organizations focused on computer training could herald the beginning of a new age of broadband adoption and use, said panelists at the Broadband Breakfast Club last week. BroadbandBreakfast.com released the video of the event,… Keep Reading
July 12, 2012 – If 2008 marked the dawn of our national “broadband moment,” this summer and fall may well be the beginning of a new era of broadband adoption and usage. A major national initiative, dubbed “Connect2Compete,” is just beginning to find its footing. In a webinar two weeks ago, this collaboration of corporate, philanthropic and community leaders delineated their mission, goals and timetables. It is to use the “power of the internet to improve the lives of low income Americans and their ability to thrive in the global economy.” Additional, the Federal Communications Commission is in the midst of launching an exciting Broadband Lifeline pilot program. This $25 million pilot program could help pave the way for a Universal Broadband Fund. Such a fund could do for internet connectivity what the Universal Service Fund, in an earlier era, did for making the telephone an anchor of American life. [...] Keep Reading
WASHINGTON Thursday May 17 2012 – Nearly two years after the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) broadband deployment and adoption projects were funded and the National Broadband Plan was adopted, we are still dealing with 100 million Americans who do not receive broadband in the home. While 65% of the population uses broadband, only… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, Friday March 23, 2012 – On Tuesday March 20th federal regulatory administrators, state health and broadband officials and private health IT and technology experts met in Washington to discuss “Maximizing US Health IT and Broadband Investment” at BroadbandBreakfast.com’s monthly breakfast and panel discussion. In the session, the speakers agreed that there is both humanitarian and… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, January 27, 2012 – A couple weeks ago, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced the FCC's Order to modernize the Universal Service Fund’s Lifeline Program. In a week where almost all of the media’s attention was focused on new technologies and innovative gadgets at the International Consumer Electronics Show, Genachowski reminded the public… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, November 25 2011 – As we all sit and digest post Thanksgiving, Broadband Breakfast can finally wrap up some stories that we have been interested in over the past couple of weeks but have not had time to get around to. We wanted to draw attention to a couple of the stories below and… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, Friday October 28, 2011. The Federal Communication Commission unanimously voted to overhaul its outdated the Universal Service Fund and reform its intercarrier compensation fund at yesterday morning’s Open Commission Meeting. The FCC predicts that an effort to expand high speed internet to rural America over the next six years, will increase economic growth by… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, DC October 24, 2011 - Forbes Mercy, President of Washington Broadband Inc and WISPA VP/ Legislative Chair shared some thoughts and comments with BroadbandBreakfast.com after our panel on “Bringing Broadband Infrastructure to Rural Areas: Where is the Progress?” You can watch the video of the panel or check out Broadband Breakfast's summary below: http://broadbandbreakfast.com/2011/10/broadband-infrastructure-to-rural-areas-is-on-the-move-at-the-broadband-breakfast-club/… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 22, 2011 - The beauty of the internet has always been the disconnection of content and infrastructure. Landline phone service was a one-to-one medium. It required the phone company's infrastructure of wires and switches and telephones. Broadcast television was one-to-many. It relied upon the towers and transmitters of the broadcasters, plus a standard-issue television. Let alone the fact that today we largely watch televisions connected to wires, and largely talk into mobile phones untethered to Ma Bell's cords. There is the wealth of many-to-many communication through the multiplicity of applications that make the internet what it is today. None of this, of course, is new – until one considers Washington's subsidization schemes. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, Monday, July 18th, 2011 – The internet and intellectual property policy news and events service BroadbandBreakfast.com will hold its July 2011 Broadband Breakfast Club event, “Making The Universal Service Fund into a Universal Broadband Fund” on Tuesday, July 19th, 2011 at Clyde’s of Gallery Place, 707 7th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 from 8… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, April 19, 2011 - The National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA) and the Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies (OPASTCO), in conjunction with 30 state and regional associations released to the FCC their recommendations to fix the Universal Service Fund on Monday. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON February 16, 2011 - Officials from the Federal Communications Commission updated the telecommunications subcommittee of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners on the current state of wireless, public safety and wireline competition at the Association's yearly convention Tuesday. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON February 15, 2011 - On Monday, the Telecommunications Subcommittee of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners gathered a diverse group of experts to discuss the Proposed Rulemaking on Universal Service Fund Reform the Federal Communications Commission recently issued. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, November 8, 2010 - A key policy goal of FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s is the reform of the Universal Service Fund, which is a program designed to help bring communications service throughout nation. The recent National Broadband Plan proposed the creation of a mobile broadband fund to help achieve universal service by providing access to users in the most remote areas of the nation. In early October, the FCC issued a notice of proposed rulemaking which would launch this new fund. Keep Reading
ARLINGTON, Va., October 2, 2010 – Federal Communications Commissioner Mignon Clyburn emphasized the need for quality research in policy making, particularly with regard to reforming the universal service fund for telephone and internet connectivity. Speaking at the Friday evening dinner session at the Telecommunications Policy Research Conference, a top telecom research conference here, Clyburn also said that she expected the FCC to propose changes to the USF system, and to propose funding for universal broadband, by the end of 2010. Keep Reading
With the advent of continued proliferation from wireless coverage throughout the U.S., and the projected exponential growth in mobile access, adoption and affordability through LTE to 4G technology; the realities of serving less populated areas becomes increasingly more likely. The strides being made in technology within the mobile arena can significantly impact the broadband community. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON July 22, 2010- Representative Rick Boucher (D-VA) Chairmen of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet, and Lee Terry (R-NE) introduced a new bill to update the Universal Service Fund. This update will include broadband as a mandatory serve, modify the contribution requirements and add new accountability measures. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON July 15, 2010 – The American Cable Association has publicly endorsed the Federal Communications Commission’s plan for the creation of the Connect America Fund. "Like the FCC, ACA is convinced that the time has come for the USF to focus on the infrastructure technology of the future: Broadband," ACA President and CEO Matthew M. Polka said. The National Broadband Plan calls for the creation of the Connect America Fund, and proceedings for the repurposing of the High Cost Fund began in March. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON July 15, 2010- Rural America lags the rest of the country in both access to quality healthcare and high speed broadband but today’s action by the Federal Communications Commission seeks to change that. In a unanimous vote the commission supported expanding the Universal Service Rural Health Care Fund. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 17, 2010 –Commissioner Mignon Clyburn spoke at the Mid-America Regulatory Conference in Kansas City about the National Broadband Plan’s goal to have every American have access to affordable, dependable broadband service at home. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 14, 2010 – The National Broadband Plan recommends that the current Universal Service Program be updated and split into two separate programs the Connect America Fund and the Mobility Fund. To achieve this shift the FCC has created a Universal Service Working Group to be headed by Sharon Gillette, Chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, May 3, 2010 - Chapter 8 of the National Broadband Plan deals with the fundamental issue of availability. The chapter sets out a very systematic and long-term set of policies intended to expand availability. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, April 23, 2010 - Qwest Communications has announced a merger with CenturyLink. The new firm will span 37 states with 5 million broadband customers, 850,000 wireless consumers and 17 million access lines. The new firm will maintain the CenturyLink name and maintain prominent visibility in the Midwest and the South. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, April 22, 2010 - The Federal Communications Commission has kicked off its latest efforts to reform the much-maligned Universal Service Fund, which was created to help bring communications services to all Americans. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, April 9, 2010 - Aiming to stem a rising swell of concern over a recent court decision curbing the Federal Communications Commission’s regulatory authority, the agency has released an ambitious agenda for implementing key recommendations of its National Broadband Plan. Keep Reading
The National Broadband Plan submitted by the FCC is a window into the possibilities of creating a Gateway of economic growth for America. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, March 15, 2010 - The Federal Communications Commission will present its congressionally mandated plan to bring high-speed Internet access throughout the United States to lawmakers tomorrow, outlining six long-term goals and detailing its views on better ways to encourage broadband competition, free up available spectrum and modernize health care, among other things. Keep Reading
Representing a congressional district that includes Omaha, Nebraska, Republican Rep. Lee Terry knows first hand the benefits of advanced telecommunications. Omaha is home to four Fortune 500 companies and as highlighted in Stephen Colbert’s “Better Know a District,” Omaha is the teleservices capital of the country. Omaha is the teleservices capital not because Omahans lack of a notable accent as Colbert notes, but rather because Omaha has benefited from a very robust telecommunications network. In fact, Omaha has consistently maintained its place at the forefront of new telecommunications technologies. In the early 1980’s, Omaha was one of the first cities in the U.S. to develop a fiber optic cable network. By 1992, multiple carrier fiber optic networks provided service to the Omaha metro area, giving rise to a proliferation of teleservices operations in Omaha. Keep Reading
Washington, February 16, 2010 - Federal Communications Commission chief Julius Genachowski previewed the agency’s upcoming plan to outfit the nation with broadband access at a winter committee meeting of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, January 29, 2010 - The Independent Telephone & Telecommunications Alliance is urging the FCC to adopt its price-cap plan so that its members, which are largely mid-size local exchange firms, can get better support from the Universal Service Fund. Keep Reading
Predictions for 2010 for Broadband, Cable TV, Telecom, and Wireless seen through the eyes of The Cable Pipeline. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, December 18, 2009 – An association representing locally owned and controlled telecommunications cooperatives and commercial companies in rural America sent a letter Friday to members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce urging lawmakers to oppose a recent request by a number of tech companies to ban state regulation of internet protocol-based services. Keep Reading