Former Reporter Ben Kahn is a graduate of University of Baltimore and the National Journalism Center. His work has appeared in Washington Jewish Week and The Center Square.
FCBA
March 8, 2021—Experts are divided about how the 12 GigaHertz (GHz) spectrum should be utilized in the wake of the historic C Band auction, which would primarily be used by satellite technologies. Representatives from some of the largest wireless providers quarreled in a lively exchange on March 4 as
E-Rate
March 8, 2021—Democrat senators praised their chamber’s passing of a massive stimulus bill that includes money to expand the E-Rate broadband subsidy. The Senate passed on March 6 the $1.9-trillion relief bill, which includes $7.6 billion for the Emergency Connectivity Fund that will go toward exten
FCBA
March 4, 2021—Artificial intelligence is present in most facets of American digital life, but experts are in a constant race to identify and address potential dangers before they impact consumers. From making a simple search on Google to listening to music on Spotify to streaming Tiger King on Netfl
Rural
March 3, 2021—Vantage Point Solutions is questioning whether wireless providers can deliver on their contractual obligations following the announcement of $9 billion in federal award for the first phase of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. The concerns, outlined by CEO Larry Thompson in a white pa
ECF
March 1, 2021—The House of Representatives on Saturday morning passed a bill that would fund $7.6 billion, out of the $1.9 trillion care package, to prop-up the E-Rate program and extend it to homes. The bill would expand the internet subsidy program for libraries and schools by shuttling the money
Infrastructure
February 25, 2021—Customer service strategies are being used to separate smaller carriers from bigger ones during the pandemic, according to company executives speaking at the third general session Thursday at the conference of NTCA, the Rural Broadband Association. In the session, industry members
COVID
February 25, 2021—As the demand for broadband continues to grow during the pandemic, so too must the workforce responsible for deploying it. One avenue for growing this workforce is apprenticeships facilitated by broadband providers, often in conjunction with universities or trade organizations, suc
ECF
February 25, 2021— Municipalities and the nation’s carriers must work together to deploy and extend networks as the era of 5G quickly approaches, experts said Wednesday. Tensions have been picking up between industry and local governments about access to infrastructure to extend broadband networks b
defense
February 23, 2021—Amid the search for more spectrum, Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Tuesday released a draft order that would clear spectrum for 5G deployment and auctioning. Rosenworcel shared her plan for opening and auctioning the 3.45-3.55 GigaHertz (G
FCC
February 24, 2021—Some experts suggest that the future of wireless connectivity is in open radio access networks, but the window of opportunity for the U.S. to lead the way in this endeavor is closing. Radio access networks comprise physical pieces of equipment – such as antennae or other hardware –
Education
February 23, 2021—During the COVID-19 pandemic, television broadcasting stations have implemented datacasting technology to assist in the distance learning that many American children now face, though issues persist. Datacasting refers to the practice of using radiofrequency spectrum currently occup
Spectrum
February 22, 2021—Wi-Fi capacity at home has become a focal point during the pandemic, which makes getting ahead of the next-generation of the technology crucial, experts said at a panel on February 9. That includes releasing valuable spectrum to enhance capacity of the new sixth-generation and beyo
FCC
February 22, 2021—House Republicans have introduced a bill this past week that would outlaw municipally-owned broadband networks because, they argue, they would stifle competition and harm private telecom investment. Introduced on February 16, the bill called “Communities Overregulating Networks Nee
defense
February 18, 2021—The United States must institute a spectrum sharing policy to maximize efficient use of the critical airwaves, the director of New America’s Wireless Future project said Thursday. Michael Calabrese, of the non-profit foundation long-standing project focusing on radio frequency spec
Rural
February 18, 2021— Electrical cooperatives that own their own fiber are filling in the broadband gaps that telecoms have left, said panelists at a Broadband Breakfast Live Online event on Wednesday. The locally-owned businesses that have traditionally only provided electricity are now owning their o
Rural
February 16, 2021—While SpaceX touts Starlink as the answer to the world’s dearth of broadband coverage, experts are not convinced that it will be able to meet increasing demand. Elon Musk’s SpaceX began launching a constellation of small satellites early in 2018 with the goal of providing affordabl
