Broadband's Impact
Rural Telecommunications Congress Videos and Presentations Posted
AUSTIN, May 18, 2015 – The Rural Telecommunications Congress posted the entire video and presentations made at the recent Rural Telecommunications Congress held here last month at the Broadband Communities Summit.
The original link to the sessions is at http://www.ruraltelecon.org/2015-rtc-bbc-summit.html
2015 RTC Program Agenda and Session Content
From the first community technology center (1980), the first community network (1986), to the first open gov/data initiative (1989), this presentation explores the history, themes, and future of our work.
Moderator: Jane Patterson – RTC President; President, The View Forward
Speaker: Anne Neville – Director, NTIA State Broadband Initiative, U.S. Department of Commerce
AUSTIN, May 18, 2015 – The Rural Telecommunications Congress posted the entire video and presentations made at the recent Rural Telecommunications Congress held here last month at the Broadband Communities Summit.
The original link to the sessions is at http://www.ruraltelecon.org/2015-rtc-bbc-summit.html
2015 RTC Program Agenda and Session Content
From the first community technology center (1980), the first community network (1986), to the first open gov/data initiative (1989), this presentation explores the history, themes, and future of our work.
Moderator: Jane Patterson – RTC President; President, The View Forward
Speaker: Anne Neville – Director, NTIA State Broadband Initiative, U.S. Department of Commerce
Digital Nation NTIA-SBI Highlights – session audio
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Will Gigabit networks or wireless services best meet the needs of the nation’s rural communities? What options are rural communities missing without good-quality broadband? And when commercial providers are in short supply, how do non-profits, cooperatives and municipal broadband providers help fill the void? Hear the perspectives of a range of rural Internet providers.
Moderator: Drew Clark – RTC Board Member; BroadbandBreakfast.com; Of Counsel, Kirton McConkie
Speakers:
Luis Reyes – CEO/GM, Kit Carson Electric
Will Aycock – CEO, Greenlight, Wilson, North Carolina
Ron Walters – CEO, PANGAEA, Tryon, North Carolina
Bill Shilito – President, North Carolina Wireless, LLC
Join this session to learn and discuss the state of rural broadband access. Hear actionable details about the innovative projects that are providing solutions in rural areas to create positive economic and community outcomes from broadband deployment.
Moderator: Jason Whittet – RTC Board Member; Program Officer, IDC Research
Speakers:
Tony Wilhelm – Vice President, Affiniti
Mark Dzwonczyk – CEO, Nicholville Telephone
David Salway – Executive Director, NY State Broadband Program
Luis Reyes – CEO/GM, Kit Carson Electric
Lessons from Successful Rural Broadband Deployments – session audio
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Broadband technology is an essential tool to those who are linked to the land – modern farmers and ranchers, landowners, builders, and loggers that feed and supply the nation. Their efforts and success drive a significant component of the USA and world economy. The panel will provide a commercial perspective of how broadband is needed on the farm, a state perspective on its importance to the state economy, and discussion on how fiber and wireless networks are essential infrastructure to rural America.
Moderator: Keith Montgomery – RTC Vice President; CFO Declaration Networks Group, Inc.
Speakers:
Mark Lewellen – Manager, Spectrum Advocacy, John Deere & Company
Phillip K. Brown – Director, State/Federal Policy and Broadband Planning, Connected Nation
Dan Hunter – Assistant Commissioner for Water and Rural Affairs, Texas Department of Agriculture
Your refrigerator can order groceries when you need them, your house can call the plumber when there’s a leak, share a diabetic’s blood sugar values with his doctor, and turn on the irrigation system when the soil is too dry or wait if rain is forecast. Along with medical devices and the fitness industry, these are examples of the Internet of Things that will add to our lives and integrate measurement, analysis, and even social media. Ubiquitous broadband with low latency is critical to make it happen.
Moderator: Jane Patterson – RTC President; President, The View Forward
Speaker:
Mark Johnson – CTO and VP of Data Architecture, MCNC
John Chowdhury – Director of Utility Practice, Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc.
Learn from projects that have outstanding outcomes in rural and statewide telehealth networks. There will be time to ask questions and have an interactive discussion about telehealth topics important to you. Hear about how current laws and regulations have impacts at state levels with privacy and security.
Moderator: Galen Updike – RTC Past President; Mesa, Arizona
Speakers:
David Kirby – Project Director, NC TeleHealth Network
Michael Keeling – Partner, Keeling Law Offices PC & Lobbyist for ATIC / Arizona TeleHealth
Relating adequate broadband to assure quality of life, diverse Community Anchor Institutions (libraries, schools, colleges, economic agencies, public safety, and health organizations) are challenged with finding the most effective practices for training to outcomes. Solutions are evolving across multiple platforms for innovation from mobile devices to Gigacities, across sectors from health to digital entrepreneurship, and across diverse demographics, particularly the 1:2 Americans who are low income and living in poverty.
Moderator: Frank Odasz – RTC Secretary; President, Lone Eagle Consulting
Speakers:
John Windhausen – Executive Director, Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB)
Myra Best – Executive Director, DigiLEARN
Gene Crick – Executive Director, Metropolitan Austin Interactive Network (MAIN)
The ability to drive the economy and enable business from anywhere can happen no matter where you live. The digital divide is not only about access, but more about having the resources and awareness to effectively utilize broadband and its ever-changing solutions to business. The session will highlight current research with examples across the nation to get a look into how rural homes and businesses are utilizing broadband, and offer solutions to drive economic improvements where you live.
Moderator: Eric Ogle – RTC Treasurer, Baker Center for Public Policy, University of Tennessee
Speakers:
Michael Curri – President, Strategic Networks Group, Inc.
Monica Lynn Babine – Senior Associate, Program for Digital Initiatives, Washington State University
Maria Alvarez-Stroud – Director, Broadband and eCommerce Education Center, University of Wisconsin
This session will focus on how cross-sector partnerships provides broadband to rural communities. This will be an opportunity to interact with a rural electric cooperative moving towards providing their customers broadband (North Carolina), and with Sunset Digital Communications, the oldest rural Fiber-to-the-Premises company in the USA , partnerships with Powell Electric (Tennessee and Virginia) and a major health initiative (the Northeast Texas Medical and Educational Fiber Optic Network).
Moderator: Joel Mulder – RTC Board Member; Senior Director of Business Development, G4S Technology
Speakers:
Marshall Cherry – COO, Roanoke Electric Cooperative
Mickey Slimp – Executive Director, Northeast Texas Consortium of Colleges and Universities, UT Health Northeast
Paul Elswick – Owner, President & CEO, Sunset Digital Communications, Inc.
Broadband's Impact
Tech Trade Group Report Argues for USF Funding from Broadband Companies
Consulting firm Brattle Group said in a report the move would be economically sound.

WASHINGTON, September 19, 2023 – Tech company trade group INCOMPAS and consulting firm Brattle Group released on Tuesday a report arguing for adding broadband providers as contributors to the Universal Service Fund.
The USF spends roughly $8 billion each year to support four programs that provide internet subsidies to low-income households, health care providers, schools, and libraries. The money comes from a tax on voice service providers, causing lawmakers to look for alternative sources of funding as more Americans switch from phone lines to broadband services.
The Federal Communications Commission administers the fund through the Universal Service Administration Company, but has left it to Congress to make changes to the contribution pool.
The report argues that broadband providers should be one of those sources. It cites the fact that USF funds are largely used for broadband rather than voice services and that broadband adoption is increasing as phone line use decreases.
“The USF contribution base needs to change to account for the fact that connectivity implies not just voice telephone services, but predominantly broadband internet access,” the report says.
It also rebuts arguments for adding tech companies like INCOMPAS members Google and Amazon to the contribution pool, saying they represent a less stable source of income for the program and that added fees for services like streaming could affect .
The report is the latest salvo in an ongoing dispute between tech companies and broadband providers over who should support the USF in the future, with broadband companies arguing big tech should be tapped for funding as they run businesses on the networks supported by the fund.
Sens. Ben Lujan, D-N.M., and John Thune, R-S.D. established in May a senate working group to explore potential reforms to the program. The group heard comments in August from associations of tech and broadband companies, each outlining arguments for including the other industry in the USF contribution base.
Broadband's Impact
Florida Broadband Grants, Support for Microsoft-Activision, IQ Fiber Investment
Comcast, Conexon, and Cox received $247 million in Florida broadband grants.

September 18, 2023 – Service providers Comcast, Conexon, and Cox are receiving the biggest awards totaling $247 million in Broadband Grants in the state of Florida, Telecompetitor revealed Thursday.
Cox is receiving $80 million for 11 projects, Comcast is getting $60 million for 34 projects, and Conexon is receiving roughly $40 million. Additional companies receiving funding include, Charter Communications, AT&T, CenturyLink, Suwanee Valley Electric Cooperative, Consolidated, TDS, IBT, and Myakka, Telecompetitor noted.
The state announced the $247 million in broadband grants this July, but did not include the names of the providers who would be providing the services.
The grants were made possible through Florida’s Broadband Infrastructure Program, which received funding through the Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund.
Nine Amicus briefs filed in support of Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard
Nine amicus briefs were filed Thursday in support of Microsoft’s $68.7 billion purchase of Activision-Blizzard by a group of parties that included the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Communications Workers of America among others.
The briefs come in response to the Federal Trade Commission’s attempt to appeal its loss against Microsoft to prevent the sale in the United States, alleging that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard would allow it to manipulate access to Activision’s products for rival gaming consoles to Microsoft’s Xbox, therefore suppressing competition in the gaming industry.
“This Commission’s hostility to the procompetitive and efficiency-enhancing prospects of mergers is well-known—but the Commission’s position is not supported by merger case law,” said Bilal Sayyed, TechFreedom senior competition counsel, former director of the FTC’s Office of Policy Planning.
Among the briefs released, five independent publishers and studios that included Curve Digital, Finji, iam8bit, Strange Scaffold, and Studio Wildcard – going under “amici”’ in support of the acquisition – hint the deal will positively benefit the development community.
“Amici are five independent companies, of all shapes and sizes, that publish or develop video games for a range of game-streaming platforms, including Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass service on Xbox,” the brief stated. “Thus having first-hand experience with Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription and its effects on the market for independently published and developed games.
“While the FTC argues that the merger will stifle competition, amici have had precisely the opposite experience with Microsoft’s Game Pass service.”
In June 2022, the CWA was able to enforce a Labor Neutrality Agreement with Microsoft if the acquisition were approved. Under the agreement, workers with Activision Blizzard would be able “to freely make a choice about union representation.”
“While the labor neutrality agreement at Activision does not take effect until the merger closes, Microsoft has already proven its commitment to abide by the agreement by extending its provisions to its own employees,” CWA wrote on their website.
IQ Fiber starts construction of fiber-optic network in northwest Gainesville, $40 million invested in phase one of project
IQ Fiber has started its first phase of construction Friday, a $40-million investment to bring a fiber-optic network to the Northwest Gainesville and Alachua County in Florida.
The company, based in Jacksonville, is bringing its services to Florida’s Alachua, Duval, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns counties, which is its “first major network expansion outside of the Jacksonville region.”
IQ Fiber expects online service to be available for “a few” Northwest Gainesville neighborhoods near the start of 2024.
Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward said in a press release that extending broadband competition in the community was always a priority and is hopeful that IQ Fiber’s presence will provide a plethora of opportunities for the neighboring communities.
Since starting in 2021, the company has developed over 600 miles of fiber-optic cable across North Florida.
Digital Inclusion
Broadband Association Argues Providers Not Engaged in Rollout Discrimination
Trade group says telecoms are not discriminating when they don’t build in financially difficult areas.

WASHINGTON, September 18, 2023 – Broadband association US Telecom sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission last week saying internet service providers don’t build in certain areas because it is financially difficult, not because they are being discriminatory.
The FCC proposed two definitions of digital discrimination in December 2022: The first definition includes practices that, absent technological or economic constraints, produce differential outcomes for individuals based a series of protected characteristics, including income, race, and religion. The second definition is similar but adds discriminatory intent as a necessary factor.
“To make business determinations regarding capital allocation, an ISP must consider a host of commercially important factors, none of which involve discrimination,” said the September 12 letter from USTelecom, which represents providers including AT&T, Verizon, Lumen, Brightspeed, and Altafiber.
“As the Commission has consistently recognized, such deployment is extremely capital-intensive…This deployment process is therefore subject to important constraints related to technical and economic feasibility” added the letter.
US Telecom explained that ISPs’ will choose to invest where they expect to see a return on the time and money they put into building broadband.
The association added that factors like population density, brand reputation, competition and the availability of the providers’ other services all go into deciding where broadband gets deployed.
“The starting point of the Commission’s approach to feasibility should be a realistic acknowledgement that all ISPs must prioritize their resources, even those that invest aggressively in deployment,” added the letter.
The association also highlighted the fact that it hopes to see as little government intervention in broadband deployment activity as possible, a concern that has been echoed by lobbyists before.
“Rather than attempting to use Section 60506 to justify taking extra-statutory intrusive actions that could paradoxically undermine ongoing broadband investment, the Commission must enable ISPs to make decisions based on their own consideration of the kinds of feasibility factors discussed above” read the letter.
Section 60506 of the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act says that the FCC may implement new policies to ensure equal access to broadband.
The FCC is also looking to develop guidelines for handling digital discrimination complaints filed against broadband providers.
USTelecom said that ISPs should be allowed to demonstrate financial and logistical concerns as a rebuttal to those claims, in addition to disclosing other reasons for directing investment elsewhere to demonstrate non-discriminatory practice.
Reasons for investment elsewhere would include rough terrain, low-population density, MTE owners not consenting to deployment, zoning restrictions, or historical preservation review.
“To aid in the success of the Infrastructure Act and facilitate equal access, the Commission must continue to foster an environment conducive to ISP investment in the high-speed broadband infrastructure that Congress rightly views as central to our connected future,” concluded the letter.
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