WASHINGTON, June 18, 2017 – Internet freedom has declined worldwide for six consecutive years, said Stuart Brotman, a nonresident fellow at the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution, citing Freedom House at a panel Wednesday. The panel about global internet freedom under the Trump administration took place at Brookings. Besides moderator Brotman, the… Keep Reading
BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: A new report from the Haas Institute raises the question that’s been lurking behind the important-to-significant fiber rollouts over the past decade by Verizon, Google and AT&T: Are these providers cherry-picking their neighborhoods? This report drills deeply into AT&T’s deployment. || Digital Divide in California, by the Haas Institute: Californians need high-speed… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, October 19, 2015 - The Federal Communications Commission on Friday announced that it had launched an investigation into the broadband pricing plans of local exchange carriers AT&T, CenturyLink, Frontier and Verizon Communications for so-called "special access services" of business data.
A coalition of competitive carriers and non-profit organizations dubbed Competify has been urging the inquiry, and praised Friday's order by the agency's Wireline Communications Bureau.
"The incumbents use inherently anticompetitive lock-up plans – which only an entity with immense market power could impose – to charge businesses and anchor institutions excessive access rates that harm competition, restrain the deployment of competitive facilities, and impede the transition to next-generation services," according to a statement released by the group.
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NEW YORK, October 13, 2015 - The battle between Verizon Communications and the Communications Workers of America escalated on Tuesday, as the union announced a new television advertisement slamming the broadband provider for failing to build-out its high-speed fiber-optic internet service here.
The advertisements come just ahead of a New York City Council hearing on Wednesday that will include the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio, customers that say they have been unable to get FiOS, and from Verizon officials.
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Editor's Note: The broadband world has lost three visionary giants over the past several months: Scott DeGarmo, Charles Benton and Don Samuelson. Each of these men had a significant impact on the world of advancing high-speed communications. Personally, each of them also had a significant impact on my professional career in broadband. I have had countless interactions with each of them over the course of many years.
SALT LAKE CITY, August 31, 2015 - I learned of the passing of Broadband Communities CEO Scott DeGarmo from pancreatic cancer two weeks ago this morning. One of my colleagues on the board of the non-profit Rural Telecommunications Congress had shared the news. His death came just one month prior to his company's next conference, "Fiber for the New Economy" in Lexington, Kentucky.
I immediately sent off my condolences -- now joined with dozens of others on the Broadband Communities web site -- to those in his company whom I have known and with whom I have interacted on my levels.
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ASPEN, August 17, 2015 - The Technology Policy Institute's Aspen 2015 Forum opened here on Sunday night with a focus on the increasing prominence that cybersecurity threats play in core national defense matters.
"A greater and greater percentage of the president's daily briefings is taken up with cybersecurity threats," said Michael Daniel, special assistant to the president and cybersecurity coordinator, speaking at the mountain resort here in a question-and-answer session with Alan Raul, a partner and global coordinator for privacy and data security with the law firm of Sidley Austin.
Michael Daniel, White House Cybersecurity Czar, and Alan Raul, at Aspen.
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December 18, 2014 - While net neutrality captured Washington policy headlines, the most significant communications development in 2014 was the emergence of new and more viable approaches to building community and municipal Gigabit Networks. A confluence of factors in the worlds of broadband, energy, transportation, manufacturing and civic engagement have underscored the need for next-generation internet networks. Evidence of this gathering momentum behind global Gigabit Cities include the high-profile emergence of public-private financing models and a growing network of high-bandwidth computing applications. This year's fight over net neutrality is not unrelated to the push for Gigabit Networks. The Federal Communications Commission's Open Internet proceeding is a battle over scarcity: The prioritization of traffic on lower-capacity networks. From the D.C. Circuit Court's decision striking down FCC rules in January to President Obama's decision to directly intervene in the new FCC proceeding, it's been an all-consuming public battle. But viewed from the vantage point of the future, the far more significant development will be the emergence of opportunities outside of Washington for high-capacity broadband networks. It’s a world in which cities and municipalities are playing the leadership role. [more...] Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, November 19, 2014 – Although some believe that the digital divide is not a problem, there are Americans who have not adopted broadband due to the cost or lack of access. Some states have played an active role in getting their citizens online, and one such organization is the California Emerging Technology Fund, which… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, November 13, 2014 – Net neutrality has been the hottest topic in tech policy for months. Politicians on the left say their opponents stand foursquare against the tenets of a free and open internet. Politicians on the right that their adversaries are trying to apply outmoded and outdated legislation to cripple the innovative essence… Keep Reading
November 4, 2014 – Nearly a year-and-a-half ago, Verizon Communications CEO Lowell McAdam claimed in an editorial in The New York Times, “The United States built its lead because companies invested nearly $1.2 trillion, over 17 years, to deploy next-generation broadband networks.” That number is meaningless: over a period of 17 years, much of the… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, October 13, 2014 – As technology permeates society, students are growing more comfortable with learning in the technology medium. Whether it’s organizing tables in Microsoft’s Excel, learning design software, or computer programming, there are increasingly fewer excuses to avoid technology. Tech giants like Microsoft, Autodesk, Apple and Prezi are embracing this rapid evolution and… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, October 7, 2014 – Federal Communications Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and wireless industry pioneer Marty Cooper took to the opinion page of the San Jose Mercury News to offer their thoughts on the future of wireless spectrum. As they emphasized the importance and centrality of mobile devices and Internet access, the two highlighted the limited… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, September 29, 2014 – Whether or not mobile Internet providers will be subject to the same net neutrality rules as wired broadband providers has become an increasingly prominent factor in the current debate over net neutrality rules. The proposal laid out by the Federal Communications Commission in May would only be applicable to wired… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, September 24, 2014 –Verizon Communications and AT&T are urging the Federal Communications Commission to include the use of data caps in the agency’s definition of broadband. Including usage-based pricing in its definition is important because companies that use universal service funds to build networks in rural areas must accept the standards laid out in… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, September 21, 2014 – At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, critics of net neutrality warned against the negative impacts of internet regulation while supporters of net neutrality said that practices by major communications demonstrated the need for such protections. Both former Federal Communications Commissioner Robert McDowell and economist Jeffrey Eisenach said that… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, September 12, 2014 – In what would have seemed highly unlikely just a few months ago, growing support for public utility regulation is emerging. Tech companies, politicians, internet service providers, and component makers have started to outline their views regarding their policy approach to the issue of net neutrality. In order to understand the… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, September 5, 2014 – Google Fiber has been perhaps the primary driver of the current push toward high-speed internet in the United States, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler said in a speech here yesterday on the future of broadband competition. In an otherwise general speech that failed to mention major communications companies like… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2014 – Internet service providers are adopting more usage-based pricing models and consumers may be using the internet less as a result, according to preliminary results from a Government Accountability Office study. Consumers may also be neglecting benefits of lower-cost models due to confusion over data caps, the report found. “In the… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2014 – An alliance designed to serve the wireless broadband needs of rural America has partnered with Sprint to provide fourth-generation LTE service to members of the NTCA that are calling themselves the Rural Broadband Alliance, according to details unveiled in a webinar on Thursday, July 24. In a webinar hosted by… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, July 21, 2014 – More than one million comments were received by the Federal Communications Commission on net neutrality before the Friday night deadline, Reuters reported. The second round of comments will give the public until Sept. 10 to respond. AT&T pitched to the FCC its proposal that “fast lanes” could be regulatorily barred… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 18, 2014 – Most internet service providers are delivering upload and download broadband speeds as advertised, according to the Federal Communications Commission, although there is room for improvement in consistency of speed. In its “Measuring Broadband America” report released Thursday, the FCC said that, on average, ISPs are delivering 101 percent of advertised… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 17, 2014 – Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., on Tuesday introduced a bill, the Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act, that would grant the Federal Communications Commission the authority to bar so-called “paid prioritization” agreements between internet service providers and content providers over the last-mile of a broadband connection.… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 16, 2014 – In the midst of Netflix’s quarrels with Verizon Communications, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler said in a statement Friday that the commission will investigate slowdowns in traffic to ascertain whether there’s harm to consumers. “To be clear, what we are doing right now is collecting information, not regulating. We… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 10, 2014 – The proposed merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable continues to stir up controversy. The Computer & Communications Industry Association, whose members include internet giants Google and Yahoo, sent a letter to Sen. Al Franken asking regulators to stop the acquisition as it would give the merged entity “increased incentive… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 9, 2014 – The head of the leading trade association for the electronics industry on Wednesday weighed in against classifying broadband as a utility and subjecting it to extensive government regulation. Instead, regulators should follow a “minimal harm first” principle, said Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, in a speech at… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, June 2, 2014 – In an interview on C-Span’s “The Communicators,” Verizon’s senior vice president of Craig Silliman said that the tech giant will likely not pursue a lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission over net neutrality rules – provided that the agency doesn’t attempt to reclassify broadband as a public utility under Title… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, May 27, 2014 – The House Energy and Commerce Committee recently released a white paper that seeks public comment on competition in the communications and technology sectors, as well as what role the FCC should have in regulating the sectors. The paper pointed to a rapidly evolving digital landscape in the 21st Century and… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, May 19, 2014 – The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the Federal Communications Commission’s last two efforts to enshrine network neutrality. So what makes current chairman Tom Wheeler feel as though he can succeed where two of his predecessors failed? The answers lie in the details of the 85-page order – called a “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” in the legalese of Washington telecommunications bureaucrats – released late on Thursday. At its core, Wheeler aims to regulate broadband providers without having to treat them as regulated entities. [...] Keep Reading
This press release caught our eye, signaling the end of Intel’s venture in interactive television. Where is the next major advance in television going to come from: the technology industry, entertainment industry partners, or communications companies like Verizon Communications and Comcast? NEW YORK and SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 21, 2014 — Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE,… Keep Reading
Wall Street and K Street are separated by a mere 225 miles, but for many companies they are worlds apart. In particular, industry observers would do well to compare everything said to policymakers with statements by the same competitors made to Wall Street investors. Defense companies, for example, warned policymakers that sequestration would spell the… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, January 14, 2014 – The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a setback for the Federal Communications Commission, on Tuesday stuck down the agency’s Open Internet Order, issued in 2010. The open internet rules built upon a prior policy statement issued by the FCC in 2005. In 2010, former agency chairman Julius Genachowski attempted… Keep Reading
September 9, 2013 – Monday marks the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals’ long-awaited oral arguments in Verizon Communication’s challenge to Federal Communications Commission’s 2008 rules governing network neutrality, or rules requiring that internet companies not offer discounted services for web businesses that prioritize traffic over their particular internet networks. On Friday, the New America Foundation’s… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, May 23, 2013 — Wireless provider MetroPCS moved last Friday to dismiss its claims in the lawsuit challenging the Federal Communication Commission’s net neutrality laws. In the motion, MetroPCS, which recently merged with T-Mobile, noted that the FCC and the Department of Justice had already consented to the dismissal. Additionally, Verizon Communications, which is… Keep Reading
May 15, 2013 – Gigabit-level connectivity is all the rage. It seems that everyone is asking, What Can Gigabit Do for Me? More and more companies and communities — from established communications companies to new market entrants — have announced plans for deployment that cross that psychological Gigabit-level threshold. But its also important to ask:… Keep Reading
March 18, 2013 – At the Broadband Breakfast Club, we strive to introduce our readers and club members to the most timely developments in broadband services. Think of your participation in our events as a vital early warning system to what you need to know about new directions in high-speed connectivity. The March 19, 2013,… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, January 13, 2013 – Starting the New Year off by attending the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas provides a wonderful lens with which to focus on the year ahead in technology. Today, broadband is the driver for almost all of today’s digital technologies. Of the hundreds of examples of digital technologies that I… Keep Reading
LAS VEGAS, January 9, 2013 – Broadband is now so thoroughly integrated within electronic devices, and broadband providers have done so much to advance faster internet connectivity, that now has become the time to apply broadband to solve society’s toughest problems: health care, educational improvement, and environmental sustainability. That was the message that the CEO… 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
WASHINGTON, Thursday, September 20th, 2012 – The internet policy news and events service BroadbandBreakfast.com held its September 2012 Broadband Breakfast Club event “Measuring Broadband Performance: What Have We Learned in Four Years?” on Tuesday, September 18th, 2012 at Clyde’s of Gallery Place, 707 7th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 from 8 am – 10 am. You can see highlights… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, Monday, September 17th, 2012 – The internet policy news and events service BroadbandBreakfast.com will hold its September 2012 Broadband Breakfast Club event “Measuring Broadband Performance: What Have We Learned in Four Years?” on Tuesday, September 18th, 2012 at Clyde’s of Gallery Place, 707 7th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 from 8 am –… Keep Reading