The Broadband Breakfast Club produces exclusive reports for Breakfast Club Members.

Donald Trump’s 2024 victory in the presidential election will change public policy in Washington on many fronts. Broadband will be particularly impacted.

Utilities have not complied with FCC rules requiring updated lists of approved third-party contractors for pole work, broadband ISP said.

Twenty-three states choose to regulate their own pole attachment processes.

U.S. lawmakers recently said they're worried about the infrastructure being sabotaged.

Local approaches may resolve cost and delay challenges, experts say.

Company says it can take years to access poles in the Bay State.

The debt-burdened ISP countered claims of undervaluation coming from New Street Research and shareholders.

Vertical Bridge will receive more than 6,000 towers across the U.S

Providers would be able to use the company's DNS resolvers for free.

The bill's opposers argue it threatens the work of local governments and ISPs in preparation for BEAD.

Across local, state, and federal levels efforts to streamline broadband permitting are intensifying.

The agency's looking to help the sector expand to keep pace with surging demand.

Permitting changes are accelerating the expansion of semiconductor fabs and solar developments.

Artificial intelligence only tech or telecom issue mentioned by Harris in acceptance speech.

'If it weren't for these investments, you wouldn't be seeing economic comeback in cities across the country.'

The platform links together investments in broadband infrastructure with policies promoting semiconductors and green energy.

Biden's infrastructure czar among the four political leaders tapped to chair the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

These vast, climate-controlled facilities, housing thousands of servers, support cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and data-driven decision-making.

ACA Connects pushed the FCC to adopt firm make-ready timelines and enhance self-help remedies for pole attachments.

The trade group called for negotiable make-ready timelines to address challenges beyond pole owners' control.

Internet Exchange Points are distinct from data centers, and affect latency, cost and resiliency of a network.

The NTIA recently announced self-certification process for domestic manufacturing requirement on federally funded projects.

NCTA proposed the FCC extend the 45-day make-ready timeframe for orders of up to 6,000 poles.

Walz has been lauded for his commitment to infrastructure development and broadband expansion in Minnesota.

The coalition wants utility pole replacement costs split between pole owners and attachers.

Just as crypto has emerged as a tech and infrastructure issue with a heavily Republican tilt, advanced energy may serve a similar role for Democrats.

As AI technology adoption increases, legislators are looking at cracking down on copyright concerns.

The idea behind 'Made in America' is to combine reindustrialization, national security, reviving left-behind places, cheering up blue-collar workers and reducing carbon emissions.

During the Trump era, GOP lawmakers emerged as vocal advocates for cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.

President Joe Biden has made attacking 'junk fees' a key focus of his administration.

Telecommunications companies describe barriers preventing faster deployment of broadband networks

At issue is the FCC’s reliance on Weiss ratings to evaluate the safety and soundness of banks that have issued letters of credit to ISPs.

Damages to underground infrastructure are estimated to cost $30 million annually.

'The challenges are not new… We haven't really progressed to the point where we have solutions,' infrastructure provider says

While supporting the momentum behind open access networks, Sumofiber president lays out some challenges.

The market is set to grow by $4.5 billion over the next 8 years

Officials warned the resolution would create confusion and uncertainty for local governments on infrastructure projects.

Fiber connectivity – particularly middle mile connectivity – is the future of rural communications.

There is a renewed focus on how best to protect personal information in an increasingly digital world.

An Omaha Tribe representative shared the impact middle mile development has had on his community.

The enhanced service will allow for speeds operating three times faster than the current national averages, Comcast said.

The company also plans on expanding through a route between Dallas and Central Mexico.

The proposal would represent a setback to the state's broadband ambitions.

The new measure is set to come with substantial economic benefits for the state, proponents say.

The deal is set to close in the second quarter of 2024.

At play in Smart Cities: Data collection, smart infrastructure, IoT, communications technologies, regulations and more.

The pushback on the FCC's plans to ban bulk billing has been substantial, with resistance coming from industry but also from minority, civil rights, and educational groups.

The new initiative will enhance broadband access for rural Alabama

The chips are expected to give users faster services and help broadband reach homes and workplaces

Top controversies include 5G network slicing, paid prioritizing and exempting broadband providers from Universal Service Fund contributions.

The new initiative aims to boost broadband workers by at least 200,000

The state senate thwarted bills aiming to enhance local autonomy and mandate ISP accountability for advertised speeds.

The ruling won't affect 'rip and replace' targets Huawei and ZTE.

The new venture is expected to produce more than 21,000 new jobs.

Vivacity's new CEO has 25 years of experience in the industry.

The new deal should help bolster American semiconductor manufacturing capacity and supply chain independence.

Tech research firm says fixed wireless will grow to 265 million locations by 2029

At the center of the battle over the airwaves in the United States is the question of spectrum sharing.

The policy and law surrounding the program to remove Chinese telecommunications equipment from U.S. networks.

The controversies and details surrounding the FCC's rules to prevent and eliminate digital discrimination.

Seven telecom organizations oppose an electric utility association's petition to the FCC, which seeks to overturn pole attachment changes.

Since 2022, companies have had to amortize R&D expenses over a 5-year period.

Key objectives include streamlining permitting applications to facilitate wireless and fiber deployment.

The checklist covers fair and reasonable costs, timely permitting reviews, greater transparency and innovative deployment processes.

The wireless association is asking for more time because of technical complexities of new rules.

The rapidly expanding open access network has historically faced consistent opposition from anti-muni groups.

As states rush to outline their BEAD spending plans, time is of the essence.

At the Digital Infrastructure Investment Summit, five experts debate the essence of 'open access networks'.

The high cost of data transport and high latency could hinder fiber builds in rural areas.

Existing infrastructure is insufficient to handle extra traffic from the 2024 Republican National Convention: Verizon.

Proposed rules would also put more limits on when utilities can pass full replacement costs to telecom companies.

Telecom and utility companies have been clashing on replacement costs.

The industry has been working to train students and others to take on jobs in broadband-related fields.

The FCC approved on Wednesday new policies to address gaps in broadband access.

Main considerations for wireless tower builders are Tribal sites, airports and endangered species

Problems accessing poles could delay fiber builds funded by the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program.

Comcast, Conexon, and Cox received $247 million in Florida broadband grants.

Speaking at the Global Aerospace Summit Wednesday, Jessica Rosenworcel shared a space-themed update.

Will the program’s matching funds requirement stretch federal dollars, or hinder smalller providers?

State can offer grant application points and recognition for adhering to permitting guidance.

Representatives asked industry leaders to communicate their deployment concerns.

Manufacturers can self-report products are Buy America compliant to be included on NTIA public list.

More broadband investment will result in overbuilding of networks.

Manufacturer Nokia claimed its fiber-optic electronics equipment will meet Build America, Buy America rules.

The permitting council is working to streamline more broadband projects.

New SiFi FiberCity live with two more to be announced soon.

Nokia’s bundle package sources a wide range of networking equipment from the U.S. for BEAD builds.

Possible BEAD waivers are expected to be announced by end of summer, an official told Broadband Breakfast.

Tickets for the day-long BEAD Implementation Summit are available for $145 until August 21.

Communication technology may go beyond the scope of easements, lawyer warns.

Public-private partnerships have seen success in several states, officials said.

Both the federal and state governments need to step up their support for apprenticeship programs.

Experts suggested hiring consultancies and engaging in practice applications for projects.

How will prior broadband programs impact BEAD Implementation?

What’s next for BEAD implementation?

A crucial step would be for the NTIA to provide Buy America waivers for BEAD-funded projects, panelists said.

Key solutions addressing permitting for clean energy projects include interagency coordination and hiring more people.

Permitting delays could make the five-year deployment timeline difficult to meet, panelists said.

Broadband Breakfast hosts Tuesday summit at Samsung Executive Center after White House announcement.

Texas is the highest awarded state, as 19 states set to receive more than $1 billion from BEAD.

State broadband officers are prepared to leverage BEAD money to connect all Americans to the internet.

Growth of 5G fixed wireless technology contingent on service providers having sufficient spectrum.

Private investments need to support federal money going to infrastructure projects across the United States.

With government action, America can reindustrialize itself, bolster national security, revive left-behind places and reduce carbon emissions.

When President Biden talks about his economic program, the CHIPS Act is the star of the show.

The ability to balance the grid’s supply and demand in real time will become extremely complex.

Former FCC commissioners pushed Congress to extend the spectrum auction of the agency.

Strict domestic manufacturing requirements may hinder the success of the $42.5 billion BEAD Program.

States are facing increasing costs and difficulties in deploying IIJA-backed broadband projects.

Energy and Commerce subcommittee voted on 28 bills, most related to reducing permitting barriers.

Support from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment last mile program may cover middle mile gaps.

Federal agencies are equipped to support sectors dealing with cybersecurity concerns.

Faster speeds enabled by XGS-PONs are in high demand, say network operators.

Cost modifications will reduce the efficiency of the program, agree experts.

Register by June 9 to purchase a day-long pass for just $199; Breakfast Club members pay just $49.

Getting access to and cooperating with the right government agencies can be a big delay with infrastructure projects.

The middle mile waiver comes ahead of the awarding of grants from the $1B program.

The NTIA is on the cusp of announcing the award winners to the states by June 30, 2023.

How will domestic procurement requirements shape the future of U.S. infrastructure development?

Lawmakers considered more than 30 legislative drafts targeting potential regulatory obstacles.

‘We aren’t doing the blanket waivers of the past,’ said Kevin Gallagher, a top Commerce Department Official.

The FCC approved a comment period to address the issue over a year ago.

The event will examine how domestic procurement requirements will impact a historic wave of federal funding for infrastructure.

What opportunities and challenges do MDUs present for service providers?

Advances for the green economy in the Inflation Reduction Act rely upon smart grid infrastructure.

Broadband Breakfast evaluated 14 submissions to the White House’s proposal on Build America, Buy America rules.

If managed effectively, the BEAD program could play a key role in allowing our economy to weather the storms ahead.

Sohn was first nominated in October 2021.

The group also recommended a more streamlined complaint process for digital discrimination issues.

These communications providers reported engaging equipment on the agency’s blacklist.

Our comprehensive report examines the extremely timely issue of content moderation and Section 230 from multiple angles.

The FCC is proposing to include in E-Rate tribal colleges that separately function as public libraries.

By working with existing entities like utilities, states can establish more effective state offices.

AT&T said it should pay a similar rate to other telecommunications attachers.

A new law presents an opportunity to reuse existing infrastructure for fiber broadband deployment.

Will providers be required to use equipment that is not readily available within the United States?

Panelists are concerned that states may not have had the prescriptive guidance needed to maximize funding.

‘Utilities have been willing to perform these voluntary pole replacements because they have been compensated for it.’

Friday’s cutoff applied to availability challenges, but it was already too late for location challenges.

NTCA and the Rural Wireless Association are backing a petition to double time to enter emergency agreements.

15% of applicants said they still haven’t begun work to remove equipment as of October.

The Broadband Breakfast Report for January 2023 lays out the things to know about the challenge process.

More comprehensive data-sharing is made possible by the reduced latency of 5G, CES hears.

Cities and states are still in the midst of challenging the accuracy of the FCC’s maps.

Experts have warned that the BABA mandate raises the cost of broadband deployment.

Between supply chain disruptions and the rising price of goods, the increased costs of fiber deployment could be pushed onto consumers.

Government funding should be invested in new, modern infrastructure that provides reliable broadband at a lower cost to more people.

The controversy is about the rates that internet companies seeking to put fiber on utility poles need to pay.

Panelists sought streamlined permitting processes on federal lands and in local communities, and reasonably priced pole access.

Sleeper issue could derail a state’s ability to spend its broadband infrastructure allocation effectively

Broadband Breakfast presents the first of its annual '12 Days of Broadband' series about the top 12 stories of the year.

Panel 1 video. Join the Broadband Breakfast Club to watch the full-length videos from Digital Infrastructure Investment.

Multi-dwelling units often pose challenges for expedited broadband deployment, calling for innovative solutions.

Featuring Phil Murphy, Senior Advisor to the NTIA. Join the Broadband Breakfast Club to watch the full-length videos from Digital Infrastructure Investment.

Communities need to be involved in decision-making when it comes to broadband builds.

Christopher Ali wrote a book about the failures of rural broadband policies and leadership last year.

It is exactly one year since the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act became law.

One day before the release of the broadband map, Digital Infrastructure Investment could not come on a more appropriate date.

At least $70 million will be committed to get Americans signed up to the Affordable Connectivity Program.

Two states will allow midterm voters to chime in on state funds for broadband deployment.

Learn about Digital Infrastructure Investment–Washington on November 17, and register to attend.

‘There are just an incredible amount of even management positions that would be well-suited to develop through an apprentice program.’

‘Red tape really does have the possibility to kill project,’ argued a House subcommittee chief counsel.

The Breakfast Club produces exclusive, Premium Reports on actionable topics of broadband policy and internet technology.

Applications are due mid-November, state officials said, and awards will likely be announced by early December.

How can states sustain and expand the dwindling broadband workforce?

Florida A&M University, the University of the Virgin Islands and Morgan State University will measure broadband speeds in underserved communities.

The number of 100-degree days has almost doubled in the past 40 years and may double in the next decade.

Biden-Harris administration implements new action plan to expedite infrastructure projects, including a new “dig once” policy.

FCC should not ‘wait for Congress to sort through these complex issues.’

‘Everyone says, ‘Oh, there’s going to be a workforce shortage,’ but no one is really focusing on it.’

The NTIA is proposing a limited-equipment, limited-time exemption to purchasing American-made products.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s proposal for increased auction authority would allow the agency to support infrastructure investment.

Many of the commenters urge the FCC to change the standards it uses for cost-sharing of pole replacements.

T-Mobile is focusing on its wireless business, while Cogent wants to eventually replace its leased network.

The cable companies lead in total awards from multiple states.

Arkansas, Connecticut, Indiana, Nebraska and North Dakota are the latest recipients.

Regional Fiber Connect conferences are bringing the industry’s technology and community leadership together.

Issues in contention include choice of technology for broadband deployment, labor rules, and interconnection agreements.

Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr doubled-down on previous criticism of the agency’s exclusion of Starlink.

State officials discussed working with academic, community and industry partners to craft its broadband maps.

The length of time and expense of building out infrastructure make electric utilities uniquely suited to the task.

‘Advertising around gig speeds is doing tremendous damage to our public policy.’

Opponents say increasing coverage and speed obligations of the ACAM program may be unnecessary with new federal broadband money.

Settles suggests tactics for communities to effectively deploy telehealth services while marketing the Affordable Connectivity Program.

Detroit’s Hope Village experienced an internet outage for 45 days in the early days of the pandemic.

The commission said it is helping communities prepare to apply for some of the $42.5B NTIA BEAD program.

Poles should be assessed for integrity to carry additional equipment, says director at engineering consulting firm.

‘We definitely saw [pole attachments] as one of the major risks for ConnectALL.’

Unprecedented federal spending on broadband is helping drive the need for more broadband workers.

‘You have to take a serious look at red tape.’

Governor Kathy Hochul announced a $10-million grant award for the state’s first foray into municipal broadband.

Real convergence has taken hold in the fiber, wireless infrastructure and data center asset class categories.

The NTIA’s notice of funding opportunity stops short of explicitly endorsing municipal broadband as the preferred model.

The GAO report found many different federal broadband programs prone to inefficiencies.

Cox said it will invest $400 million to bring symmetrical gigabit broadband across country over the next three years.

Rysavy argued that it would take an “all of the above” approach to meet the coming need for spectrum.

‘We want to make sure that the FCC has to…detect, problems long before they become crises.’

Expanding access to broadband has been at the top of many of Colorado’s local, state and federal legislators’ agendas.

Barriers to closing the divide including awareness of programs, resources and increasing digital literacy.

The lawsuit comes years after Facebook was found to have been used to harvest personal data for political purposes.

FCC will consider raising the speed standard for certain carriers that receive fixed monthly funding from the agency.

Such state action could potentially the delay the implementation of the broadband policy, says Fiber Broadband Association counsel.

The issue of pole attachment costs to place broadband equipment is being examined by the FCC.

The FCC recognizes pole access for the barrier that it is.

The long awaited notice of funding opportunity laid out the system for how each applicant program will be scored.

The commitment is separate from the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program.

ISP challenge was holdout after Department of Justice dropped a similar suit.

“Some communities are way ahead of others,” Illinois Broadband Office Director Matt Schmit said about quest for IIJA funds.

Both the GSCA and Yellowstone Fiber are using UTOPIA’s techniques to provide open access broadband over fiber.

ATS will test technology allowing LEO satellites to provide direct connectivity to cellphones.

The funding priorities of IIJA has created the false perception that middle mile is not as important as last mile, experts say.

Delays in supply chain movement means providers should ‘know what you need six to nine months out.’

Workforce funding for infrastructure expansion has been allocated under the infrastructure bill.

Though the technology could help cut costs in some areas, it should not be considered “an end all be all solution.”

This year, online registration is available for free.

One of the nation’s top broadband conferences is right around the corner.

Alan Davidson urges the importance of state activity in deploying broadband funds.

Digital literacy gap and lack of outreach are part of the digital divide.

AT&T executives emphasized role of fixed-wireless as crucial to serving rural Americans.

Broadband Breakfast’s annual Digital Infrastructure Investment conference unites broadband officials with fund managers, institutional investors and private equity.

The open access project will span 38 counties.

Charter is applying for millions in broadband money to build in Tennessee.

Comedian John Oliver wants the federal government to work on federal privacy legislation.

Gary Bolton and Shirley Bloomfield called on NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson to prioritize applicant investing in “future-proof” fiber.

When it comes to broadband “nutrition” labels, experts say less is more.

Sarah Oh Lam of the Technology Policy Institute says high speed thresholds could shift funds toward better-connected areas.

Some state laws, as written, may run counter to IIJA language and constrain the use of federal funds.

Some lawyers say their clients are having a difficult time getting access to the legal system without connectivity.

The NTIA held a webinar urging local partnerships for applicants of the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act.

Increasing taxes on internet service providers would be counterproductive in the quest to close the digital divide.

The FCC said it will “likely” be the last opportunity for schools and libraries to get funding before money runs out.

Wireless and wireline technologies play their own roles in helping connect the country, the head of WISPA said.

Senator Wicker is asking for a review of how funds set aside for broadband during the pandemic are being used.

Kamala Harris was initially slated to visit Louisiana last month, but cancelled due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

President Biden received a standing ovation during address.

‘You should build a relationship with your telecommunications field representative,’ Edyael Casaperalta said.

The playbook was discussed in a webinar Friday afternoon.

The Commerce agency will hold pre-funding technical assistance hearings for infrastructure bill money starting this month.

Ting said government partnerships with ISPs to fill connectivity gaps and improve adoption rates.

The Government Accountability Office rejected LightBox’s bid to protest CostQuest’s award to build the map.

The organization is concerned that access to federal money will come with burdensome reporting.

Callers claimed they are ‘electromagnetic field refugees.’

The ATIS report outlines major steps that need to be taken to “ensure North American wireless leadership.”

Those interested in federal money should engage in outreach, build solid teams, Broadband.Money head Jase Wilson said.

The plan addresses availability and adoption of a high-speed internet connection for disadvantaged communities.

The program, previously the Emergency Broadband Benefit, was extended by the infrastructure bill.

Kinetic, a Windstream business, is plowing millions for broadband expansion in Georgia.

Accurate maps will allow federal dollars to target unserved and underserved areas.

Ernesto Falcon of the EFF says the state’s current plans, assisted by the IIJA, will connect everyone in the state.

AT&T now has a 5 gigabit speeds for residential and business customers in 70 additional markets.

Funneling of infrastructure funds through states differs from Obama-era broadband programs.

If adopted, the FCC’s regulations would increase broadband options for tenants.

Some are warning that federal infrastructure money should not go toward subsidizing old networks.

Treasury Department departed from its original proposed rule, granting recipients flexibility on broadband download and upload speeds.

A California mayor said her city is thriving by prioritizing community needs in technology and infrastructure projects.

The bottom line reason for state interest in autonomous vehicles is safety, says Utah transportation official.

Leading figures in telecom media share thoughts on what the next year will hold for the industry.

Broadband Breakfast is kicking off a year-in-review with key developments in digital infrastructure.

According to data from Ookla, Starlink’s median speeds in the U.S. dipped below 100 Mbps download, the speeds required for federal infrastructure bill money.

Businesses should think about inventory purchases beyond next year.

Generic radio components could provide the flexibility and versatility needed to bring broadband access to those in need.

Keller and Heckman Partner Jim Baller says model could lead to a race to the bottom, but UTOPIA CEO disagrees.

The committee did not raise Gigi Sohn’s nomination during its meeting.

Gary Bolton and Nicol Turner Lee debated technology use to tackle the digital divide.

Industry also debated merits of fiber versus other technologies, and speeds.

Report recommends policymakers streamline access to poles as ‘most efficient’ means of broadband expansion.

Leaders addressed strategies and importance of private spending.

Gigi Sohn explained her positions on issues facing the FCC.

TPI released their broadband map, which tracks speeds, availability, and adoption rates across the country.

The registration comes after the company rebranded to Meta, taking it beyond its social media origins.

President Biden celebrated $65 billion for broadband deployment.

Raimondo said to expect relatively quick turnaround on broadband affordability and job creation, longer timeline on fiber buildouts.

Bluepeak is investing $25 million in a high-speed broadband network in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Ting Internet said it will continue expanding its fiber infrastructure throughout the rest of the year.

Republican senators can tolerate FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, but not Commissioner-nominee Gigi Sohn, says Politico.

Speaking at US Telecom forum, Raimondo also raised concerns about supply chain’s impact on broadband rollout.

And experts weigh in on the benefits of crowdsourcing data for better broadband maps.

FCC said it disbursed an additional $269 million in the first round.

Report says Acting Chair Jessica Rosenworcel will be permanent and Gigi Sohn will break the party tie on the FCC.

Broadband Breakfast interviews Pierre Trudeau, president and chief technology officer of Positron Access, about reaching multi-tenant units.

Cybersecurity experts are concerned about space hacking, USTelecom elects new board, USDA makes $1B for rural broadband.

The more detail, the better, NTIA officials said of program.

The FCC is looking at how to promote broadband competition and access in buildings.

Funds targeted towards internet providers in areas with poor digital access across 19 states.

Mediacom petitioned the FCC to stop a Google-West Des Moines deal, but Google said it’s not exclusive.

Netflix hit’s traffic struggle, Virginia expects $2B from P3, op-ed says FCC expects states to get good maps before FCC.

Fiber builder says it has been denied permits that have harmed it and its customers, despite an existing city agreement.

AT&T copper facilities suffered significant damage after Ida, FCC’s second round of ECF, and Comcast’s expanded plans for low-income Utahns.

A league of municipalities rep told Senator Amy Klobuchar that some small cities with lots of tourists need connectivity.

Concern that pandemic only temporarily heightened broadband awareness in Washington.

Former FCC commissioner confused by Biden, China Mobile only choosing Huawei and ZTE, and AT&T partners with Frontier.

The company is putting millions more into fiber infrastructure in the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia areas.

The agency said it hopes to better target areas in need of adequate connectivity.

More mid-band spectrum is being auctioned off, Facebook says no evidence of monopoly, BAI gets regulatory approval for Mobilitie buy.

For companies to have successful builds, they need to ensure they know how to interpret their data.

Infrastructure bill does not see expected vote Thursday, Facebook’s whistleblower reveals herself, GDPR has huge fines.

Some experts believe that public-private models may provide answers for municipalities struggling to narrow the digital divide.

Muninetworks.org has put together a handy overview of broadband programs – current and pending.

Author of Farm Fresh Broadband talks considerations for infrastructure funding, FCC approves 72 telehealth apps, Boost Mobile’s 5G device.

The Broadband Communities Summit heard stories from coops, including the obstacles and keys to success.

Conference, which hosted the Digital Infrastructure Investment show, digs into pressing connectivity issues.

Broadband expansion can happen fast if grant money includes stipulations to share infrastructure, Jonathan Adelstein says.

Open access to middle mile infrastructure will help deliver services at the last mile, CETF says.

Infrastructure bill could be up for vote Thursday, senators ask Biden to make Rosenworcel permanent FCC chair, JSI buys Mid-State.

Broadband money programs and a need for connectivity is driving capital into the space.

Even if you are not at the Broadband Communities Summit, you can still participate in Digital Infrastructure Investment 2021.

Christopher Ali discusses his solutions to bridge the rural-urban digital divide in his most recent book, “Farm Fresh Broadband.”

“Farm Fresh Broadband” explains the world of broadband policy and provides solutions to bridge the digital divide.

Apple will not reinstate Fortnite after court fight, T-Mobile expands in 4 states, Ajit Pai on Virginia’s broadband success.

Topic 4 explores the past and future of the shared infrastructure model with more smart city deployments.

Advisory panel includes leaders in broadband and a chief economist at the FCC.

Partnerships for broadband need to emphasize community engagement to improve connectivity

Companies, industries, and associations chime in on FCC equipment blacklist proposal.

FCC head talks spectrum and network strategy, broadband policy book released, and it’s Lifeline Awareness Week.

Topic 3 focuses on the way that municipalities’ infrastructure projects has changed the conversation around public private partnerships.

Brad Smith said information sharing is critical for preventative measures against cyberattacks.

Thirteen additional bidders approved for RDOF, Blue Ridge going full fiber, YouTube Premium growing but trails other streaming apps.

Broadband Breakfast briefly breaks down the topics to be discussed at the TPRC conference.

The Broadband Connectivity Index uses multiple datasets to try to get a better understanding of well- and under-connected areas in the U.S.

Topic 2 at DII2021 will consider new ownership models of digital assets. What role will cities and operators play?

The number of states restricting municipal broadband networks has dropped during the pandemic.

Dish is partnering with IBM for 5G, ConnectMaine’s community broadband grants, Intuit to buy Mailchimp, STL hires Paolo Colella.

A Mattey Consulting report finds broadband revenues can help sustain the fund used to connect rural and low-income Americans.

Topic 1 at DII2021 considers debt and equity financing for digital infrastructure investment.

Senate-passed legislation for broadband investment inspired by Colorado’s experience, says senator.

FCC Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel said EBB will benefit tremendously from local outreach efforts.

NCTA said the FCC should deny exclusive access to these buildings, but not exclusive wiring agreements.

SiFi is getting an injection of funds to deliver open fiber to cities.

By creating open infrastructure systems, states can reduce the barriers to entry and foster increased broadband competition.

Panel with broadband and wireless industry lobbyists wrestle with need for symmetrical internet, and press for fiber.

Texas House passed partisan legislation on social media censorship, Adtran’s $931M ADVA buy, Nokia worries about U.S. sanctions via association.

The bipartisan infrastructure framework faces hurdles before it because law. We’ll discuss the process in Congress.

City is yet another in a growing field of municipalities aiming for a municipal fiber network.

It’s worth focusing on other broadband programs run by NTIA, including Tribal Connectivity, and Connecting Minority Communities.

State broadcasters associations want a proceeding in light of proposed fees it said unduly burdens the industry.

The FCC extends Form 477 comment deadline, AT&T secures State Department contract, mobile wireless driving equipment demand.

And lawmakers hope to iron out some wrinkles in infrastructure bill.

The program is designed to help schools, libraries and students.

The NTIA said $2.5B requested for broadband program, SpaceX ships 100K terminals, AMC appoints interim CEO.

Webinar hears how critical mapping is to bridging the digital divide.

Both emerging and established internet service providers will stand to gain from SiFi Networks’ shared broadband model.

T-Mobile sued over breach, Google hopes judge reconsiders data reveal, UTOPIA Fiber expands into Syracuse City.

Party squabbles to delay infrastructure spending in the House.

August 20, 2021 – Pro-crypto House Democrats pushed back against the Senate Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s inclusion of crypto regulatory language, seeking to make it less broad. The additions of cryptocurrency taxes aim to generate revenue to pay for part of the infrastructure spending. I

Experts agreed that outreach and marketing to historically underserved and marginalized communities must be a part of the discussion.

Brendan Carr noted concern about possible overbuilding and lack of accountability in infrastructure bill.

In an interview with Broadband Breakfast, Technology Policy Institute President Scott Wallsten blamed bad mapping for RDOF mess.

Jamestown is hoping an open access network would make internet more affordable.

T-Mobile said millions subject to info hack, $61 billion to be spent on 5G phones, more Americans get affordable access.

Virginia’s $700 million toward broadband, T-Mobile accused of lying about ending 3G services, and is accused of not paying tax.

Muninetworks’ Sean Gonsalves cracks open and investigates the infrastructure bill.

American Enterprise Institute fellow says app bill could harm, Arizona looking at broadband speeds, Verizon 5G expansion.

It’s time to consider and look forward to Digital Infrastructure Investment as a part of Broadband Communities Summit.

Defaulters say new FCC mapping data shows areas they bid to connect are already adequately served.

Mountain Connect looks to determine if the industry still has the stomach for in-person interactions as infections rise.

Senate votes to finish infrastructure bill debate, FCC releases new 4G map, report says Altice could buy Mint Mobile.

For broadband success, argues esteemed broadband consultant Craig Settles, “tain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it”

Democratic lawmakers want end to calls to recuse Lina Khan, dissatisfaction with prices, Starlink comparable to fixed-wireless.

At Fiber Connect, Garry Bolton said he is optimistic fiber will prevail over other tech for connectivity.

Bipartisan senators package infrastructure deal, the White House employs influencers to fight vaccine disinformation, YouTube CEO wants platform independence.

The past year has demonstrated that even the most basic activities can be conducted virtually.

The agency is scrutinizing the winning bids for the $9.2-billion fund, and asking companies to consider withdrawing.

White House announced infrastructure bill to include $65B, Fiber Connect 2021 wraps up, Washington State community broadband bill becomes law.

Company head says scalable, gigabit future is a priority now to deal with future broadband challenges.

Industry association reps discussed changing attitudes in Washington about broadband and concerns about political action.

Companies disagree about what fiber providers should prioritize, and whether hard standards should be set.

Wireless push by FCC has led to higher capacity broadband throughout multi-tenant buildings.

Hu Meena argued for fiber as preferred technology, as debate rages about what Congress should focus on.

Fiber Connect 2021 panel breaks down how open access models work, and how discussion can be framed.

FCC prioritizes mid-band spectrum, proposed antitrust bill will damage startups, Amy Klobuchar’s proposed Section 230 reform takes on heat.

FCC investigating radio interference on island, Euro court to decide on Google in November, FSF says passive infrastructure access needed.

Debate has pitted certain tech over others, but the WIA says all broadband tech must be considered.

Government officials say inflationary pressures may make connecting rural America harder than previously anticipated.

The Communications Workers of America is accusing Lumen of underinvesting in broadband while taking public money.

Satellite service provider Dish, which is open to 12 GHz for mobile, recently signed a network sharing deal with AT&T.

Biden admin accuses China of hacking, FCC’s minimum broadband insufficient for small businesses, Jessica Rosenworcel says midband is priority.

Experts say telework is here to stay, so long as broadband disparities are fixed.

The high cost of pole attachments can deter broadband providers from providing service to the anchor institutions and residential consumers.

Will the 12 GHz band be opened for 5G uses or remain exclusively for satellite services?

Experts argue for significant changes in order for broadband mapping efforts to be successful.

New campaign to make internet prices transparent, Google fined $593 million in France, global survey talks WFH lessons.

The Communications Workers of America wants provisions in broadband bills barring hiring of subcontractors.

FCC gridlock could hobble president’s wishes, FTC opens investigation into Amazon buy, law professor raises questions about Carr’s USF proposal.

Greater availability of mid-band spectrum has kick-started 5G through better signal propagation, penetration and carrying capacity.

Google faces another antitrust lawsuit, ILSR calls for state lead on broadband, LA Times suggests focus on network future.

David Brin said infrastructure spending key for economic recovery — and the future of the workplace.

New, easier fiber installations could address shortage in trained staff.

Without further word on what to expect in the bipartisan infrastructure framework, Doug Dawson examines what direction it could take.

Many in Washington aren’t holding their breath for the broadband infrastructure deal to collapse.

Though the FCC has claimed that broadband figures are improving, BroadbandNow’s data paints a less favorable picture.

Experts suggest states and municipalities should have more leeway with federal broadband funds.

Musk looks at mobile backhaul for Starlink, two education entities merge, governors look back at telehealth success.

Join Broadband Breakfast for a deep dive into into making sure that our nation’s broadband maps are better.

Experts call $65 Billion for Broadband a “down payment,” remain skeptical infrastructure bill will accomplish what is necessary.

Artificial intelligence can help manage an increasingly growing network with the advent of new devices on 5G networks.

New Section 230 legislation introduced, BIA to buy Mobilitie, and nominations for the NATOA awards are now open.

Joe Biden reveals bipartisan infrastructure package during press conference in front of White House.

More experts weigh in on the fiber debate, but point to other technologies as important for the future of connectivity.

FCC renews equity and diversity commission, Chicago mayor renews free internet program, Render partners with Wessex.

AT&T is now labelling over 1 billion spam calls, NTIA updated broadband guide, FBA says speeds inadequate.

Open access provisions in municipal builds could alleviate fears of competition concerns with ISPs.

Congress should invest in wireless and wired broadband to provide resilient, affordable broadband.

Christopher Mitchell of ILSR talks federal programs and the need for longer-term and more targeted solutions.

The FCC approves ban on Chinese telecom companies, NTIA map has ‘limited value,’ open access conduit key to bridge divide.

Now is the time in Congress for all good (and bad) broadband bills to be introduced.

A House hearing debated the need for broadband and the higher speed thresholds currently before Congress.

Experts are calling for a transatlantic partnership to protect 5G infrastructure internationally.

The NTIA unveils new broadband map, a new cybersecurity bill against equipment buys, U.S. and EU partner on tech council.

Municipalities are raving about gigabit internet speeds as key to attracting businesses to their cities.

Emergency Connectivity Fund will begin accepting apps June 29, Dish taking 5G signups, NTIA updates fed program guide.

Three Senators have reintroduced the BRIDGE Act with a proposed $40 billion to expand broadband access across the nation.

Sen. Murray re-introduces bi-partisan that would provide grants to states pushing for digital equity.

John Stankey said the amount would completely cover rural and remote America — if “done right.”

An expert panel convened by US Telecom agreed that public/private telecom partnerships are an effective use of federal broadband funds.

A new White House order could further push Huawei and other Chinese firms to be more self-sufficient, executive says.

Start Your Own ISP founder discusses how WISP technology enables rural communities to access broadband.

Biden signs order banning investments in 59 Chinese companies, Nigeria bans Twitter, top court rules on hacking.

Some fear that there is no real plan to close the digital divide with Biden’s new infrastructure proposal.

Consultancy says fiber deployment costs are going down, which could mean more pure fiber plays.

Biden in meetings on broadband infrastructure, new INCOMPAS campaign, EarthLink focusing on price over speed.

The report on new technologies and data lays out importance of data security and satellite communications.

Experts say efforts to convince lawmakers of the importance of broadband are finally bearing fruit.

Study finds income doesn’t exactly explain adoption among minorities, lawmakers criticize Amazon-MGM, Benton awards.

Brendan Carr said big tech companies have benefitted from the internet — so they should contribute.

AT&T settles for $1.5 million, DeSantis signs social media law, Ohio broadband fund, and broadband for all.

The Biden administration aims to support broadband as the New Deal measure provided electricity in isolated rural areas.

Experts argue the 5G core network may need to be open to fully realize goals of next-gen wireless networks.

May 24, 2021– Positron Access Solutions aims to provide fixed wireless networks to areas where it may otherwise be to costly or difficult to deploy fiber infrastructure, through a device they refer to as “Gigabit Access Multiplexer,” or a “GAM” for short. In this interview with Positron Access Solut

Biden willing to go $65B on broadband, Republican infrastructure plan, gigabit opportunity zone bill, David Ige’s telecom past.

Panelists share experiences of building broadband projects with the backing of the community.

Ernesto Falcon of the EFF says expansion of fiber is the only way California keeps up with demand for broadband.

The NTIA will prioritize projects that bring broadband to greatest number of homes.

Fed funding prioritizing trusted network supplies, Frontier sued for speed claims, Charter wants waiver on areas, Internet Explorer support ending.

NTCA’s Shirley Bloomfield on driving improvements for rural broadband.

SpaceX signs Google cloud deal, NTIA adds states to maps, 77 percent of Alaskans getting 2 gig internet by 2022.

The NARUC Broadband Task Force said mapping, better funding program coordination and support for non-traditional providers key for broadband roll-out.

If fiber speeds don’t increase — and 5G meets the hype — consumers could use wireless for the home.

Mediacom goes after Google muni deal, majority of Americans want broadband supports, FCC data over-reports broadband availability.

AT&T spins out WarnerMedia, California putting $7B in broadband, tribal lands get licences, and TPRC events virtual for now.

Experts argued for clearer communications and training for Americans not used to connectivity.

Carr credited the U.S.’s success in telecom to policies that were implemented by the FCC under the Trump administration.

Lina Khan continues toward FTC role, Biden makes cybersecurity order after Colonial Pipeline, and U.S. joins the Christchurch call.

Vermont looks to expand broadband, California looks at passive infrastructure, AT&T gets DoT contract, and Cisco to buy Sedona.

In the first in a series of explainers, Broadband Breakfast has hand-picked the debate on net neutrality to bring readers up-to-speed on its history and future.

Ivey announces $17 million to deploy broadband, Microsoft data for broadband map, and “Robin Hood” group involved in pipeline attack.

$10 billion dollars are being made available to communities in need to better connect their communities.

The House Energy and Commerce committee heard arguments that open access to networks is crucial for competition and affordability.

Industry groups ask for 5G space on 12 GHz band, new hotline for vaccines, NAB on Fox free speech case.

The speed of the broadband service used was only one component of the issues students faced.

Chairwoman Rosenworcel has been a longtime supporter of spectrum sharing, and these actions advance that aspect of her agenda.

This was not the first time Darth Vader strode into a council chamber, but this time he had positive news.

Air Force signs with OneWeb, few Americans want muni build ban, N.C. bill wants electrical co-ops paying for ISP-ready poles.

New York sued over $15 internet, Apple faces EU antitrust allegations, California surveys conclude, and 5G device adoption grows.

Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Friday released rules for the Emergency Connectivity Fund, answering many questions about the program.

Biden has assigned Vice President Kamala Harris with the broadband portfolio.

Experts discuss the short- and long-term need for gigabit speeds.

Keynote speakers at Day 2 of WISPA America tackled broadband speed thresholds, infrastructure and federal programs.

Washington State’s head of broadband says mapping to the premises paying dividends in the state.

FCC acting chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said she hopes state legislatures change stance on muni builds.

Cox agrees to buy fiber company Segra, Eutelsat is taking 24% in OneWeb, and Maine proposes broadband agency.

Critics are unhappy about President Joe Biden’s $2.3-billion plan that includes prioritizing local builds.

Why deregulation isn’t pro-competition, the case for repealing Section 230, and the breakup of AT&T.

Experts say it’s difficult to get an understanding of cost for connecting rural regions without quality maps.

Associations want inclusion in infrastructure plan, BroadbandNow report on state of broadband, and report says U.S. leads EU on broadband.

Verizon is expanding 5G in California and Texas, the U.S. and E.U. see differently on facial tech, FAA drone rules.

A survey released earlier this month illustrates opportunities for remote work and care.

A House bill raising the minimum connectivity threshold will need to convince lawmakers it is necessary, Steve Perry says.

Digital liaisons who speak multiple languages can help guide multilingual communities for the digital future.

Andrew Cuomo signs $15 internet bill, Benton calls for better broadband availability and adoption, and T-Mobile has best availability in 45 cities

The Chinese telecom giant is finding greater financial success on home turf, keeping it away from the U.S.

Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist said telecoms should be right there alongside new road builds and improvements.

Openreach aims to get 20 million fiber-to-the-premise connections by later this decade.

AP releases infrastructure report cards, Washington passes bill removing muni networks limits, AEI says fair use case win for programmers.

Launched last week, virt.com hopes to take advantage of the rise in virtual events by crowdsourcing them in one place.

Delgado’s speed and mapping bills, 500M LinkedIn accounts for sale, and 16,000 Facebook groups axed for fake reviews.

April 12, 2021 – Senator Josh Hawley, R-MO, shared with Axios a new proposal that would bar corporate giants from acquisitions and strengthen century-old antitrust laws. “This country and this government shouldn’t be run by a few mega-corporations,” Hawley told Axios. The Republican Party “has got t

This installment of Broadband Breakfast Live Online explores innovative solutions that increase the capabilities of infrastructure already in place.

April 8, 2021 – President Joe Biden’s new broadband plan, which emphasizes the importance of municipal-owned networks, is likely to cause tensions with states that have restrictive rules in place against those kinds of builds, according to a new report. That focus on local networks in Biden’s infras

Experts at the Broadband Breakfast Live Online event debated what “future-proofing” broadband would look like.

April 8, 2021 – President Joe Biden wants America to think more broadly about what infrastructure means, countering Republican criticism against his new American Jobs Plan. In a Wednesday speech, Biden reiterated his goals for the $2.3-trillion infrastructure package and urged a broader view of what

April 7, 2021 – Libraries should monitor their broadband speeds and ensure they are getting quality connections, according to library consultants. Carson Block from Carson Block Consulting and Stephanie Stenberg of the Internet2 Community Anchor program told a virtual conference hosted by the Americ

April 7, 2021 – Despite criticism levied against President Joe Biden’s new infrastructure plan, some broadband industry experts are excited about what it could mean for municipal and co-op networks. Biden’s “American Jobs Plan” would dedicate $100 billion for broadband infrastructure improvements ac

April 7, 2021 – The German Marshall Fund is calling for broadband to be considered part of the civic infrastructure to draw more public and private partnerships and funding to connect more citizens. Equity issues in communications policy have only worsened during the coronavirus pandemic, and redefi

April 6, 2021 – In a webinar last week hosted by the Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB), panelists discussed opportunities schools and libraries have to better serve their communities with the recent $7 billion provided through the American Rescue Plan, a $1.98 trillion corona

April 5, 2021 – A new survey released late last month suggests Californians are adopting more devices as smartphone-only connections in the state continue to drop. The California Emerging Technology Fund, a non-profit foundation focused on digital equity in the state, and the University of Southern

April 5, 2021—The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Google on Monday morning in a copyright dispute that has spanned more than a decade, setting precedent for the fair use of programming. In a 6-2 decision (the case was heard before Justice Amy Coney Barrett had been confirmed), the Supreme Court agre

A bill dedicating $150 million of anticipated federal funding to create a new state broadband office to coordinate and accelerate the expansion of high-speed Internet access throughout Vermont passed the State House of Representatives last week with overwhelming bipartisan support. On March 24th, th

April 1, 2021 – Experts are concerns about the long-term implications of the $3.2-billion Emergency Broadband Benefit program (EBB) running out of money without a plan for what happens after. The fund, created by Congress in December, provides up to $50 in a monthly internet discount for families an

April 1, 2021 – In response to President Joe Biden’s new infrastructure “American Jobs Plan,” including $100 billion for broadband projects, many in the broadband industry are applauding the administration’s effort to bridge the digital divide, but with some caution and criticism as well. “We share

March 31, 2021 – President Joe Biden unveiled his administration’s next major spending plan Wednesday, which includes $100 billion toward a target goal of providing all Americans with affordable access to broadband by 2030. The broadband promise makes up a large chunk of the $2.3-trillion “American

March 31, 2021—The United States can be a world leader in 5G networks by leveraging emerging technologies such as open radio access networks and low-earth orbit satellites, according to the director of the Reconnecting Asia Project. Jonathan Hillman, who is also a senior fellow at the Center for Str

March 30, 2021 – Despite expanded funding for the E-Rate internet subsidy program for schools and libraries, the Michigan State program coordinator said there’s an awareness problem that is causing those institutions to miss out on money in the state. “I don’t know any school or library that feels t

March 30, 2021 – The Federal Communications Commission is focusing on objectives of President Joe Biden’s $1.9-trillion American Rescue Plan, which includes $7 billion for the E-Rate internet subsidy program, Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said last week. The E-Rate program – which provides i

March 29, 2021 – A new study has found that 95 per cent of Americans believe internet access should be accessible to all, but only 33 per cent would be prepared to pay more taxes to make that a reality. Another 33 per cent said they were “definitely unprepared” to make additional taxes and 34 […]

March 29, 2021—Judge Laurence Silberman has worn many hats throughout his career—diplomat, lawyer, jurist—and he may now add “staunch critic of big tech” to his list of titles. Silberman wrote the dissenting opinion in Tah v. Global Witness Publishing, released on March 19 by the D.C. Circuit Court

March 25, 2021 – Wireless broadband providers need more regulatory support to meet broadband gigabit needs on a large geographic scale, including access to poles and expanding federal programs to more providers, said Wireless Internet Service Providers Association CEO Claude Aiken. Aiken took to the

The disaster in Texas resulting from an electric grid that was deliberately left exposed and likely to fail in rare cold weather events has received a lot of dramatic coverage, as well it should given the loss of life and damage to so many homes and businesses. It also raised some questions in my mi

March 24, 2021 – Partnerships between cities and tech companies have not only allowed municipalities to acquire technology to get online quickly during the pandemic, but it’s also helped city staff absorb technological training to address challenges in the future, a virtual town hall heard Tuesday.

March 24, 2021 – Educators must come up with ways to enhance the online learning experience or students will end up suffering from “Zoom fatigue” and falling behind, the Broadband Breakfast live event heard Wednesday. David Weinberger, senior researcher at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet

March 24, 2021 – The biggest challenge for broadband right now is coming up with a national plan for its funding and classification as a utility, David Gilford, co-founder of the Broadband Equity Partnership, said in an interview with Broadband Breakfast. Gilford was asked what are the major roadblo

March 24, 2021 – The University of Southern California and the California Emerging Technology Fund announced a partnership on Monday to determine internet access in California based on demographics and location. The two organizations hope to identify the impact a lack of broadband causes for those w

March 23, 2021 – A former Federal Communications Commissioner and a former chairman of the agency exchanged disagreements Monday over a large broadband funding bill re-introduced in the House of Representatives on March 11. During a House Energy and Commerce Committee virtual hearing on the Leading

Guests include Jeff Johnston of CoBank, Tim Herwig of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Lauren Mathena of Mid-Atlantic Broadband and Christopher Mitchell or the Institute for Local Self Reliance. Moderated by Drew Clark of Broadband Breakfast.

Panelists include Carri Bennet of of Womble Bond, Gary Bolton, Doug Brake, and Matt Wood of Free Press. Moderated by Drew Clark of Broadband Breakfast.

March 22, 2021 – Three bills, worth $100 billion dollars and introduced in the House, will change the nation’s definition of served and unserved by dramatically upping the threshold for broadband speeds. The bill will create new categories including unserved, low-tier and mid-tier for federal fundin

March 18, 2021 – Should the Federal Communications Commission update its definition of high-speed broadband to account for overall faster connections? Industry experts at the Broadband Breakfast Live Wednesday event responded: “It’s complicated.” For BroadbandNow’s Tyler Cooper, the simple answer wa

March 17, 2021 — Officials administering the Coronovirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) prioritized immediate digital learning over long-term broadband deployment to help close the digital divide, according to a study released Monday by the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coali

March 16, 2021 – Democratic lawmakers have introduced a $312 billion bill that would boost broadband, clean energy and public health infrastructure. The Leading Infrastructure For Tomorrow’s America Act, or LIFT America Act, was introduced Monday and is backed by all Democratic members of the House’

March 15, 2021 – Demand for the $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit program of is likely to strong, said Jodie Griffin, deputy division chief in the Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau at, said during Wednesday’s Broadband Breakfast Live event. Griffin said she saw t

March 15, 2021 – Gigi Sohn, former president of advocacy group Public Knowledge, said authorities at the Federal Communications Commission and the states need to start with good broadband maps to see where connectivity gaps exist. “Start at square one, and that is with good data and good maps,” said

March 15, 2021—The Federal Communications Commission on Friday announced that it would raise the contribution to the universal service fund to 33.4 percent, representing another record amount. This would increase the current fee charged to the telecom companies’ voice services from 31.8 percent, whi

March 11, 2021 – The Center on Rural Innovation is recommending telecom companies engage with local communities and invest in hyper-local programs. Speaking at the second general session of the National Rural Broadband Association last month, Matt Dunne, executive director at the Center on Rural Inn

March 10, 2021 – Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, reintroduced bipartisan legislation that would provide Central Virginia customers with new broadband networks that would have sufficient upload and download speeds. Called the Speedy Updates Act, it “would require a report on how best to update s

March 9, 2021 – Different departments in the federal government have different broadband maps, which has caused a lack of unity on a response to the United States’ rural broadband problem, experts said last month. Gigi Sohn, a distinguished fellow at Georgetown Law, said at the Michelson 20MM Build

March 9, 2021 – The Open Technology Institute and New America’s Education Policy program released a new report this month on visible minority experiences at public libraries and how those institutions are combatting the digital divide during the pandemic. Over 2,600 people were surveyed on how they

March 9, 2021 – The Senate’s approved version of the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill includes nearly $2 billion for cybersecurity and technology modernization programs. Of the $2 billion, half will go toward the Technology Modernization Fund, intended to help the federal government launch new cyber and

Panelists include Scott Rudd, Indiana Broadband Office, Teresa Ferguson, Colorado Broadband Office, Matt Schmitt, Illinois Office of Broadband, Kenrick Gordon, Maryland Office of Rural Broadband, Burt Lum, Hawaii Broadband Initiative, Moderated by Drew Clark, Editor and Publisher, Broadband Breakfas

Panelists include Jonathan Chambers of Conexon, Tyler Cooper of BroadbandNow and Christina Mason of WISPA. Moderated by Drew Clark, Editor and Publisher at Broadband Breakfast.

March 8, 2021 – Lawmakers should not rush to paint big technology companies as monopolists and should carefully analyze what is worth regulating, according to commentators speaking at a Thursday Law and Economics Center webinar. The fallacious notion that big tech companies don’t have much competiti

March 8, 2021 – The California Emerging Technology Fund, a nonprofit foundation focused on digital equity in the state, called on internet service providers and business leaders to form public-private partnerships to close the digital divide under President Joe Biden. “America can close the Digital

“Everybody ought to have access to a computer; everybody ought to have access to the internet; everybody ought to know how to use it.” President Bill Clinton said this more than 20 years ago to an auditorium full of students at Frank W. Ballou Senior High School in Washington, D.C. Much of the speec

March 4, 2021 – The benefits of telehealth, especially during the pandemic, is being offset by the enhanced security requirements and the increased costs to adapt, a professor of Harvard’s medical school said at a House hearing Tuesday. Ateev Mehrotra said at the House Energy and Commerce Committee

March 3, 2021 – The internet and competitive networks association, INCOMPAS, announced Tuesday that Ken Williams, CEO of Allied Telecom Group, and Brandon Reed, government relations at Zayo, have joined the association as members of its board of directors. INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering praised Allied

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

March 2, 2021 – Federal block grants are an effective way of deploying broadband quickly, and the federal government needs to hear local stories to understand that, said the CEO of network builder Tilson. Joshua Broder said at an Incompas event on February 9 that the historic debate about whether fe

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

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

February 24, 2021 – It used to be that technology had to keep up with the deployment of the growing ubiquity of broadband innovations. But the pace of technological advancements in the home is starting a conversation about whether connectivity can keep up. That’s according to Shawn DuBravac, an acco

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 –

February 23, 2021 – AT&T CEO John Stankey said on Tuesday afternoon that the E-Rate program that subsidizes internet for libraries and schools should be extended to homes, following a call by other leaders who say the pandemic has made this an obvious move. Stankey said the pandemic should be an opp

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

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

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

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

February 16, 2021 — After being abruptly removed from web servers by tech giants on January 10, the controversial social network Parler returned online on Monday.   Parler is a social network dominated by right-wing users which, following the removal of former President Trump from Twitter, grew in p

February 11, 2021—Broadband providers are becoming increasingly vocal in their concerns over some of the winning bidders in the first phase of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund that was completed last year. In late 2019, the Federal Communications Commission announced that it would put more than $2

February 10, 2021— House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said the committee he heads will be focusing on broadband expansion, affordability and adoption. He said that the committee will focus on three primary goals: Universal broadband, particularly insofar that inner-c

February 10, 2021—While the world continues a work-from-home orientation, broadband providers are searching for new and innovative solutions to keep up with the demands of this new normal. “During the first six months of the last year, 2020, we have seen an increase of 62% in Wi-Fi data usage,” said

February 8, 2021—Montana state Democrats have announced a legislative package that aims to fill the rural broadband gap. State Rep. Katie Sullivan has introduced LC 2670, a bill that would see the creation of either a broadband manager or an advisory board under the state’s executive.  The goal of t

February 7, 2021 – Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Tuesday made a visit to Children’s National Hospital, and a virtual visit to the University of Virginia, to emphasize the agency’s goals of investing in telehealth strategies, with a specific emphasis on se

February 2, 2021—With new leadership at the Federal Communications Commission, there is a strong probability that more agency focus and aid will be directed towards broadband deployment, advocates for broadband deployment said on January 26. They said that there is currently a great need for direct

January 29, 2021—FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced Thursday that she will convene a virtual roundtable discussion on February 12, 2021 to gather public input on how to structure the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. The $3.2 billion initiative, funded through Congressional appro

January 27, 2021 – Keynoting Wednesday’s State of the Net Conference, former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell urged the new administration of Joe Biden to promote broadband, fiber, 5G wireless networks – as well as allowing consumers to move seamlessly across wired and wirel

January 25, 2021—Australia’s Parliament is considering legislation that would require certain U.S. internet companies to subsidize local news content producers by imposing obligations such as payment for links to news content. The Australian government announced the legislation last month after an i

January 22, 2021—The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition released its 2021 Policy Roadmap on Thursday—an agenda to promote open, affordable, high-quality broadband to anchor institutions—as these establishments are key to connecting the estimated 42 million Americans without internet acc

January 20, 2021—$20 billion in federal funding has been promised by the incoming Biden Administration to build up broadband infrastructure in rural America. With President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration set for Wednesday at Noon, it should only be a matter of time until this funding is allocated an

The new rules are aimed at finalizing broadband mapping rules for the agency.

January 19, 2021—The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pressure digital health companies to adapt and scale with remarkable agility to meet unprecedented demands for their services. At the Consumer Technology Association’s annual Consumer Electronics Show on January 12, David Kirkpatrick, editor-in-chi

January 18, 2021 –All the behavioral shifts experienced during the pandemic in 2020 have demonstrated the importance of networking and how we are dependent on technology in our professional life and personal lives, said Anne Chow, CEO of AT&T Business. Speaking at a session at CES 2021 on “5G’s Firs

The United States has rapidly increased its cell tower construction over the past four years.

January 5, 2021 — The digital divide afflicting the United States has become even more apparent throughout the pandemic, repositioning the issue of universal broadband access to the forefront of many Washington policy agendas, including that of President-elect Joe Biden. The Biden presidential campa

January 2, 2021 – Expect issues of broadband and multifamily housing to gain renewed attention in 2021. Watch for some strange alliances and interesting policy turnarounds. The subject matter is complicated because of both policy challenges and infrastructure issues associated with the inside wiring

December 3, 2020 – It is possible to revamp the Telecom Act of 1996 and fund broadband infrastructure simultaneously – and, in fact, a broadband stimulus package will help overcome difficulties intrinsic in rewriting the benchmark law governing telecommunications. That was the viewpoint of panelists

December 1, 2020 — Experts recommended the incoming Biden administration take a trial-and-error approach to antitrust policy, during a Brookings Institute webinar on Tuesday. The new administration should “use litigation as a tool for learning,” said Matt Perault, associate professor and director of

According to numerous reports, the incoming Biden administration is aiming to address broadband disparities in the United States with billions in new funding. The Biden broadband plan aims to address discrepancies in both access and affordability. According to a Washington Post report, Biden has end

From policymakers to industry and consumers, everyone wants fast broadband internet in their homes, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not many, however, wish to consider the complicated tradeoffs that broadband companies need to make to bring this desire into reality. One of the mor

September 29, 2020 — A panel of experts with experience deploying both fiber and wireless networks weighed the pros and cons of each technology during a virtual conversation on Thursday streamed as part of the Broadband Communities 2020 Virtual Summit. The panelists recognized that there are benefit

September 24, 2020 — Many states have taken action to speed the deployment of broadband to unserved and underserved regions by developing statewide broadband programs that typically include funding commitments, legislative initiatives, and provide access to other inventive resources. “States play a

September 23, 2020 — Localities, states, and companies are embracing broadband partnerships through public and private entities that work together in mutually beneficial ways to overcome broadband gaps. To these public and private partnerships, the Coalition for Local Internet Choice hosted a three-

September 20, 2020 — House Democrats criticized Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai as presiding over “four years of lost opportunity” at a Thursday Communications subcommittee hearing. In his opening statement, Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pennsylvania, argued the FCC, as the government a

September 5, 2020 – Telecommunications officials and advisors from five municipalities described how they have approached broadband during the time of a pandemic. Speaking at the virtual conference of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors on “Leveraging Smart Communiti

The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday detailed the results of Auction 105, the recently concluded auction of 70 megahertz of priority access licenses in the 3550-3650 MegaHertz (MHz) band. The auction made available the greatest number of spectrum licenses ever in a single FCC auction,

Brad Smith, president of Microsoft, called for closing the broadband gap during a Thursday Axios webinar on leadership and the future of broadband. “Even post-COVID, the importance of the broadband gap is not going abate one bit,” Smith said, “it will remain just as important to our future as it is

Congressional leaders made calls for modernizing broadband infrastructure nationwide during the second night of the Democratic National Convention, a four-day long virtual event showcasing Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee for the presidential election. “We need to rebuild our infrastructure and mak

August 19, 2020 — Members of the Rural Caucus and the Native American Caucus of the Democratic Party made calls for modernizing broadband and energy infrastructure during caucus meetings on Tuesday. As part of the Democratic National Convention, members of the Rural Caucus opened their meeting by ob

M-Lab, which provides the largest collection of open Internet performance data on the web, recently introduced the new ndt7 protocol for the Network Diagnostic Tool, a performance measurement of a connection’s capacity for transports. Since 2009, the network diagnostic tool has been the premier perf

In our third and final panel of the day, Broadband Breakfast’s Digital Infrastructure Investment conference will consider The Future of Funding for Shared Infrastructure. This session will be moderated by Drew Clark, the Editor and Publisher of Broadband Breakfast, in discussion with Blair Levin, th

August 6, 2020 — UTOPIA Fiber announced a $13.8 million contract to build a Fiber-to-the-Home network in Clearfield, Utah on Monday. The decision, which was passed unanimously by the city council, will bring the network to all 32,000 residents of Clearfield. “The pandemic has driven internet usage t

Broadband Breakfast is pleased to present Digital Infrastructure Investment, a pathbreaking event joining the infrastructure and financial services communities. In our panel on infrastructure investment funds, we will discuss the variety of sources for infrastructure financing that are available for

Broadband Breakfast’s Digital Infrastructure Investment conference will kick off with a panel on Last Mile Digital Infrastructure.  As ownership models continue to evolve, panelists will discuss who will play the lead role in constructing this infrastructure, what entities, including cities, will ow

The coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated just how dependent we are, as a world, upon high-quality broadband. Broadband networks are a lifeline — for working, for education, for telemedicine, for dance recitals, for conversations in the public square and simple human connectedness. We can’t solve al

July 22, 2020 — The coronavirus pandemic has challenged the existing global order, with some believing that the responses of Western nations have left their constituents distracted. In a recent op-ed, author Mark Lutter, founder and executive director of Charter Cities, argued that the Chinese gover

July 21, 2020 — The House voted to ban TikTok, an app owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, on federal devices due to concerns that the personal information of U.S. representatives could fall into the hands of Chinese government officials, Politico reported. Lawmakers voted 336-71 on Monday to pass

July 20, 2020 — As the United States fosters record breaking infection rates of COVID-19 and looks toward a second wave, it is clear that the crisis will be continuing for some time to come, said members of Congress on Monday. In a conference call sponsored by the New Democrat Coalition, representat

July 14, 2020 — Libraries have a unique opportunity to respond to the coronavirus and are well equipped to assist vulnerable populations, said participants in a Route Fifty webinar Tuesday. Felton Thomas, executive director and CEO of the Cleveland Public Library, said that his library played an imp

June 30, 2020 — The Michigan Broadband Cooperative is hitting back at a report from the Free State Foundation that claims that local governments in Michigan frequently abuse broadband restrictions placed on them. Theodore Bolema, professor of economics at Wichita State University, wrote that the gov

June 29, 2020 — In a meeting of the House Rules Committee, Republicans said that even if the INVEST in America Act passed in the House, it would be dead on arrival in the Senate. The bill provides nearly $500 billion in funding for transportation infrastructure and broadband construction. Calling it

June 29, 2020 — Wireless infrastructure deployment, particularly for small cell or distributed antenna systems, promise smart city innovation abilities. But this rollout is likely to be stymied until resolution of disputes between industry and municipalities. Local officials are upset that federal i

June 26, 2020 — Existing and evolving cellular technologies provide exciting and different solutions for different situations, said participants in a Broadband Breakfast Live Online webcast Wednesday on “Shared Infrastructure and Small Cell Deployment.” Wednesday’s webcast was a preview of the Digit

June 24, 2020 — Amid general economic downturn, shares in publicly held tower companies are holding steady with 2019 levels, a trend that is expected to continue, said analysts and investors speaking at the virtual ConnectX conference of the Wireless Infrastructure Association. While short term supp

June 24, 2020 – Twitter placed an additional notice of rule violation on one of President Donald Trump‘s tweets Tuesday. The tweet warns that protesters attempting to erect an autonomous zone in Washington, D.C. will be “met with serious force!” A label placed above the tweet reads that the tweet “v

June 22, 2020 — On Monday, House Democrats announced the Moving Forward Act, a $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill aimed at creating millions of jobs, while rebuilding American communities with infrastructure that is “smarter, safer and made to last.” The bill aims to address long-standing disparities

June 12, 2020 – During the virtual ConnectX conference of the Wireless Infrastructure Association, panelists addressed changes in the aims and ambitions of the humble cellular tower companies. “The future is converged,” said Alex Gellman, CEO of Vertical Bridge, on one of the webinar sessions hosted

June 17, 2020 — In a Broadband Breakfast Live Online webcast on Wednesday, panelists explored the impact that current federal funding initiatives will have on broadband access. The webcast previewed a Digital Infrastructure Investment, a Physical/Virtual Event at the Broadband Communities Summit on

June 17, 2020 — There are many opportunities for the deployment of broadband technologies, representatives for the states of Tennessee and Colorado said in a webinar Wednesday. Teresa Ferguson, director of federal broadband engagement for the state of Colorado, said that there are numerous opportuni

The federal government has always been one of the largest consumers of broadband and that has become especially true with the transition of most federal workers to a telework status. The federal government continues an upward trajectory as guidelines and budgets push for a digital transformation tha

Who will construct, finance own and operate digital infrastructure needs of the future?

Tuesday, June 2, 2020 — In a webinar hosted by Broadband Breakfast and Broadband Communities on Tuesday, panelists previewed a discussion on last mile infrastructure, which will be expanded on Broadband Breakfast Live Online webinar on June 3, and other topics associated with broadband infrastructur

May 29, 2020 — A slew of bills addressing broadband concerns during the coronavirus pandemic have been proposed, but partisan disagreement over the details of spending packages has delayed the funding of broadband infrastructure, said panelists of a webinar hosted by the Schools, Health, & Libraries

Broadband Breakfast Live Online on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, 12 Noon ET – “Last-Mile Digital Infrastructure (Topic 1 at Digital Infrastructure Investment on August 10).” For the most up-to-date information about the event, visit our Digital Infrastructure Investment page. This pathbreaking event brin

May 13, 2020 — “Among the 10 largest countries in world, the U.S. is the only nation that reported no substantial degradation last month in terms of speed,” said US Telecom CEO Jonathan Spalter at a Senate hearing on “The State of Broadband Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic” Wednesday. The assertion, which

May 6, 2020 – Military officials and legislators urged the Federal Communications Commission to reverse their approval of increased satellite broadband infrastructure development in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that took place in person on Wednesday. In April, the FCC authorized the imp

May 1, 2020— A spokesman for Federal Communication Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on Thursday highlighting the agency’s grant of hundreds of million of dollars for telemedicine projects on a Thursday webinar hosted by Next Century Cities. “The commission has been insanely busy,” said the spokesman, Ev

May 29, 2020 – Broadband Breakfast announced that its Broadband Breakfast Live Online webcast series will focus in June 2020 on “Digital Infrastructure Investment,” a Physical/Virtual Event taking place on August 10, 2020. Each of the four #BroadbandLive events in June — which will continue to take

April 2, 2020— A coalition of Democrats comprising House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., and key committee chairs Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., and Frank Pallone, D-N.J., on Wednesday announced plans to center a new stimulus package around infrastructure, and heav

March 23, 2020 – Public Knowledge Senior Vice President Harold Feld takes issue with the Federal Communications Commission’s Keep Americans Connected Pledge—it does not help Americans who do not have broadband and 60 days of no late fees might not be long enough. Feld argues that broadband access is

One of the few moments of bipartisan cheering during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night was when he mentioned rural broadband. “I am committed to ensuring that every citizen can have access to high-speed internet, including rural America,” Trump said during the speech,

The chairs of three House committees on Wednesday released a framework for a five-year, $760 billion investment in infrastructure that would address some of the country’s most urgent infrastructure needs, including broadband infrastructure. The framework put forth by Transportation and Infrastructur

WASHINGTON, January 30, 2020 – Even though broadband is often considered a part of interstate commerce, city leaders need to take gaps in the law into their own hands by legislating on broadband topics, said panelists at a session on cities and states at the State of the Net conference on Tuesday. P

WASHINGTON, January 23, 2020 – Broadband advocates emphasized the importance of building community networks – wired and wireless – in speaking at a Next Centuries Cities event here on Thursday. MuralNet CEO Mariel Triggs, who works on community broadband deployments, commended the Federal Communicat

Comcast announced Wednesday that it would begin broadband marketing plans reaching speeds up to 100 gigabits per second to businesses, Post and Courrier reports. The company also announced that it has finished a $14-million upgrade to its fiber network in the Charleston, South Carolina, area. Comcas

New Hampshire state legislature is in the works of forming a bill authorizing multi-town districts for the purpose of establishing a broadband system, Government Technology reports. Although the bill has yet to be finished, said State Sen. Jeanne Dietsch, its framework will help the smallest towns t

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, November 1, 2019 – High-speed broadband has the potential to be the “great equalizer,” said Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks at a regional Broadband Communities event Thursday. However, more work needs to be done in connecting and empowering underserved commu

On Tuesday, the non-profit Benton Foundation officially renamed itself the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, elevating the institution’s focus of ensuring that the benefits of advanced broadband networks are felt in every corner of the country. “All Americans should have access to competitiv

The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday announced that it had authorized $112.2 million in funding over ten years to expand broadband to nearly 48,000 unserved rural homes and businesses in nine states. This is the fifth wave of support from last year’s Connect America Fund Phase II auctio

The Trump Administration on Tuesday decided to delay a new 10 percent tariff for Chinese goods such as laptops and other electronics, Law360 reported. Any other products will have a tariff imposed beginning in September. The decision to delay tariffs stems from importers who warned that expanding th

WASHINGTON, August 12, 2019 — The Federal Communications Commission on Monday authorized over $121 million in rural broadband funding, marking the fourth wave of support from last year’s Connect America Fund Phase II Auction. The funding is expected to bring broadband access to more than 36,000 unse

A recent report from the CoBank Knowledge Exchange detailed new insights into successful broadband partnerships. The report, written by economists Jeff Johnston and Tom Binet, found that partnerships between Rural Local Exchange Carriers and Electric Distribution Cooperatives are uncommon, but can b

WASHINGTON, July 30, 2019 — Closing the digital divide will require a multifaceted long-term solution, and better broadband maps are an essential step towards getting there, said panelists at a discussion hosted by New York Law School and the Federal Communications Bar Association on Tuesday. Indian

The Consumer Technology Association announced on Tuesday that it will invest in Harlem Capital Partners and SoGal Ventures as part of its $10 million commitment to venture firms and funds that invest in women, people of color, and other underrepresented entrepreneurs. Harlem Capital Partners is a mi

Nearly a quarter of rural Americans have used some form of telehealth service within the past few years, according to a recent NPR report conducted with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. The most frequently used telehealth services include receivi

WASHINGTON, July 6, 2019 — The successful growth of 5G networks will be best achieved through limiting municipalities’ control over wireless infrastructure and not reinstating rules that would require network neutrality, according to a Monday panel of the Digital Policy Institute, an organization af

MONTROSE, Colorado, July 2, 2019- Policymakers and providers agree that collaboration is vital to sustaining high-quality broadband in rural communities. However, there is still work that needs to be done to deploy high-speed symmetrical broadband, panelists said Tuesday at a rural broadband webcast

WASHINGTON, July 2, 2019 — Allocating more radio-frequency spectrum to smaller providers will make the most difference in helping America to close the digital divide, said speakers at last week’s summit of the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance. The summit brought together policymakers, regulators, academia,

Trade negotiations with the U.S. and China are “right back on track,” said President Trump this Saturday at the G20 Summit in Japan. The Guardian reports that after the president met with Chinese general secretary Xi Jinping, he announced that the U.S will not impose further tariffs against Chinese

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 sp

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2019 – At least a half-dozen separate pieces of broadband legislation are working their way through Congress, and panelists assembled by the Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband Coalition on Wednesday commented on the pros and cons of how these bills would deploy broadband c

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2019 – Smart cities and smart regions need better broadband, but also “soft infrastructure,” or the policies and practices that make these initiatives successful, according to a Wednesday panel hosted by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s BroadbandU

ARLINGTON, Virginia – June 18, 2019 – Comprehensive legislation addressing accessibility is necessary to ensure that information technology is available to a wider group of people, particularly to people with disabilities, said panelists speaking at the M-Enabling Summit here on Tuesday. Innovations

WASHINGTON, June 13, 2019 — Members of the Federal Communications Commission’s newly re-chartered Broadband Deployment Advisory Commission touted the importance of the body at its first meeting on Thursday, even as its scope appears to have narrowed to issues around recovering from disaster communic

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2019 — U.S. investment in broadband networks grew by approximately $3 billion in 2018, according to data released Monday by US Telecom. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said this is a result of “reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens” and updating rules “to m

On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce will conduct a hearing on H.R. 2741, or Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s America Act. Introduced by committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., the measure includes $40 billion, over five years, to deploy broadband. The livestream for the hearing will b

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: This OpEd last week highlights the importance of broadband data and mapping, the variety of efforts underway to address inadequacies in our informational base, plus the broadband coordination currently going on in the federal government, and among many of the state gover

Next Century Cities this week highlights broadband programs in five states, in advance of the “West Central Mountains High Speed Internet Conference” on May 17 in McCall, Idaho. The Friday event is being co-sponsored by the West Central Mountains Economic Development Council and Next Century Cities.

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Telecommunications industry and advocacy organizations on Wednesday and Thursday reacted to the introduction of the LIFT America Act, H.R. 2741, which stands for Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s America Act, by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pall

The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday released the names of 32 officials selected for the newly re-chartered Broadband Deployment Advisory Commission. The new BDAC, which will have its first meeting on June 13, 2019, at 9:30 a.m., may avoid one of the most widely-criticized aspects of th

PROMONTORY POINT, Utah, May 10, 2019 – Think of the transcontinental railroad as the original public-private partnership. The linkage of the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad 150 years ago today – at this desolate spot here in northern Utah – marked a confluence of engineering

The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday published its second round of regulatory guidance regarding opportunity zones, providing further context and security around the investment vehicle included in the 2017 federal tax legislation, dubbed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. As defined in law, the statuto

WASHINGTON, April 30, 2019 – President Trump is ready to spend as much as $2 trillion to upgrade Americans’ roads, bridges, waterworks, power grid, and broadband, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said following an Oval Office meeting between Trump and Congressional

Bipartisan ACCESS BROADBAND Act would improve coordination and community access to federal broadband resources WASHINGTON, April 4, 2019 – Representatives Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., and Susan Brooks, R-Ind., announced the introduction of H.R. 1328: the ACCESS BROADBAND Act today, bipartisan legislation tha

February 13, 2019 – The Trump Administration on Wednesday highlighted the importance of enhancing broadband internet service for America, particularly in rural areas, as it promoted a variety of existing federal initiatives under a new brand, the “American Broadband Initiative.” Through the issuance

How Abraham Lincoln's passion for infrastructure improvements led to his belief in equal opportunity.

January 16, 2019 – One day after an event aimed at encouraging bipartisan solutions on technology policy, the non-profit group Next Century Cities launched its “Becoming Broadband Ready” toolkit together with Neighborly and the Internet Society. The 33-page toolkit (PDF) was set to be launched at an

January 15, 2019 – Below is the link to, and livestream from, the Next Century Cities event, “Opportunities for Bipartisan Tech Policy.” This half-day event aims to bring together members of Congress, community leaders, and policy experts. Keynote conversations and panel discussions will work to det

WASHINGTON, December 13, 2018 – The Agriculture Department on Thursday unveiled the details of is $600 million broadband loan and grant program – dubbed “ReConnect” – and which was originally called for by appropriations legislation passed in March. “High-speed internet e-Connectivity is a necessity

US Telecom recently released an update to its U.S. broadband industry capital spending series. Ford’s analysis shows that while the decline in capital spending in 2015 and 2016 stopped in 2017, investment in the telecommunications sector is materially compressed, being about $10-to-$13 billion (or 1

NEW BRITAIN, Conn., November 2, 2018 – Consumer Counsel Elin Swanson Katz is pleased to announce a broadband conference entitled, Connected New England: A Regional Broadband Convening at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, Connecticut, (300 Capitol Ave.), Room 2C, on November 8, 2018, from

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Critics of municipal involvement with broadband infrastructure will find all manner of reasons to oppose them, and this article from Motherboard elaborates on Federal Communications Commissioner Mike O’Rielly’s views about the subject. This appears to be an extension of

WASHINGTON, August 7, 2018 – Many in the broadband industry commenting on broadband availability data exposed the weaknesses of current Federal Communications Commission data – and not only in the data itself but in the process by which it is collected. The Commerce Department’s National Telecommuni

WASHINGTON, July 12, 2018 – In advance of the Federal Communications Commission’s open meeting on Thursday, agency Chairman Ajit Pai announced a local government representative as the new vice chair of the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee. The announcement may be one more volley in the back-a

WASHINGTON, May 13, 2018 – AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson on Friday announced that the company was parting ways with the executive responsible for hiring Trump “fixer” Michael Cohen in an apparent effort to grease the skids for the company’s merger with Time-Warner. The revelations of the AT&T payment

WASHINGTON, May 9, 2018 — Prospects for the Trump administration’s $1.5 trillion infrastructure package appear to have dimmed to the point that White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders admitted Wednesday that she can’t say there would be any movement on that legislation by year’s end. “I d

WASHINGTON, April 30, 2018 — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Monday said he is “always hopeful” that progress will be made on President Trump’s $1.5 billion infrastructure plan, even as Congress shifts its focus to the upcoming primary election season. “I’m always hopeful,” he said when asked

AUSTIN, April 24, 2018 – The Rural Telecommunications Congress track at the Broadband Communities Summit here next week kicks off with a discussion about county-led economic development, and features the top technologies leaders from three divergent counties that each include different perspectives

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Rural priorities are again receiving additional emphasis in the draft spending legislation currently before Congress. Though the proposed $600 million is lower than the $2.5 billion that some had been discussing, the pending Trump infrastructure package could allocate st

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2018 – Local government officials seeking to offer a corrective tonic on broadband deployment to the Federal Communications Commission may consider applying for the expanded Intergovernmental Advisory Committee. Nominations for the more-than-10-year-old group are due on Monday,

WASHINGTON, February 12, 2018 – President Donald Trump on Monday unveiled details of his plan to spur $1.5 trillion in new investment to revitalize the nation’s crumbling infrastructure with a combination of $200 billion worth of matching funds and block grants to be funded from to-be-determined bud

WASHINGTON, February 11, 2018 – After a year of promises, President Donald Trump on Monday is expected to unveil his long-awaited proposal for revamping the nation’s infrastructure. The plan, which was previewed by a senior White House official over the weekend, is designed to stimulate investment w

WASHINGTON, February 6, 2018 – The Trump administration will unveil principles for its long-awaited plan to spend $1.5 trillion on revamping the nation’s infrastructure this coming Monday, a White House official confirmed to BroadbandBreakfast.com. Trump alluded to the forthcoming plan during his fi

The success of the internet demonstrates that we now depend on network operators to assure that services like telephony work. The carriers are pushing back on neutrality because their business model is threatened by a level playing field. We should be encouraging innovative internet-native business

NEW YORK, November 14, 2017 — Verizon Wireless is joining forces with its’ largest competitor — AT&T — and smart cities infrastructure builder Tillman, in order to build hundreds of new cellular towers, the company announced on Monday in a press release. Construction of these new towers — which will

WASHINGTON, November 7, 2017 — The Universal Service Fund dollars the Federal Communications Chairman has allocated for rebuilding Puerto Rico’s communications infrastructure has helped with rebuilding efforts so far, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai  said on Monday in a statement following his visit to meet w

WASHINGTON, November 4, 2017 — More than a month after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico’s communications infrastructure, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on Friday announced that he will travel to the island territory on Sunday to observe the recovery process and assess the

Democratic leadership in both the House and Senate recently released a plan for broadband deployment that would spend $40 billion in taxpayer money in an effort to get everyone online. Like many other proposals of this nature, however, it lacks in the very specifics that are so important in broadban

WASHINGTON, September 15, 2017 — Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on Thursday announced the appointment of wireless broadband advocate L. Elizabeth Bowles to lead the FCC’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee. “[Bowles] has made great contributions to the BDAC and its working

WASHINGTON, August 16, 2017 —President Donald Trump on Monday signed a new executive order to streamline the nation’s infrastructure permitting processes.The order, which Trump signed during a ceremony at his New York City residence, will “ensure that the Federal environmental review and permitting

WASHINGTON, August 1, 2017 — President Donald Trump is committed to moving an infrastructure bill this year despite making little legislative progress towards on other policy goals, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Monday. “The President has been very outspoken on the need

WASHINGTON, July 28, 2017 – At a Wednesday confirmation hearing for Peter Davidson to be general counsel of the Department of Commerce and others, Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Bill Nelson, D-Florida, said the country needed data-driven leadership. Chairman John Thune, R-South Dakota, int

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2017 – With Congress heading towards the August recess without any sign of the administration’s promised $1 trillion infrastructure plan, President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order creating a new Presidential Advisory Council on Infrastructure. The advisory cou

WASHINGTON, July 21, 2017 – Speaking at a meeting of the agency’s newly-form Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee, Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly put forward his view that state and local governments are creating barriers to broadband deployment across the United States. “Br

WASHINGTON, June 26, 2017 – Among rural Americans, 39 percent lack access to high speed internet compared to only 4 percent of urban Americans who lack access, said Rep. Rod Blum, R-Iowa, at a hearing Thursday on Capitol Hill. He said more needs to be done to get rural Americans service on par with

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2017 — President Donald Trump on Thursday told reporters his administration is focused on eliminating regulations that could hinder investment and growth in the technology sector. “My administration has been laser focused on removing the government barriers to job growth and pro

Editor’s Note: From the press gaggle on Wednesday, June 21, 2017, between White House Deputy Press Secretary Lindsay Waters, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, and members of the press, about broadband internet services: PRESS GAGGLE BY DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY LINDSAY WALTERS SECRETARY OF AGRICUL

WASHINGTON, June 21, 2017 — The White House on Thursday plans to continue its “tech week” by hosting a group of 25 technology company founders and CEOs to meet with Trump Administration officials on new technologies and promoting economic progress, Deputy Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios sa

WASHINGTON, June 6, 2017 — Despite giving this week the title of “Infrastructure Week” at the White House, President Donald Trump and his staff haven’t taken any public actions to make digital infrastructure, such as high-speed broadband, a part of their plans for the much-discussed infrastructure b

WASHINGTON, June 6, 2017 – President Trump on Monday highlighted a plan to take the nation’s air traffic control system from a federal agency to a private, nonprofit organization. In a noon announcement in the East Room of the White House, President Trump said, “our new plan will dramatically improv

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: In a conference call with reporters, National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn said that governors and mayors are scheduled meet at the White House with President Donald Trump for a session focused on efficiently using tax dollars for infrastructure projects.|| Trump

WASHINGTON, June 3, 2017 — Infrastructure plans in President Donald Trump’s 2018 budget represent a significant break from his predecessor not only in the brick-and-mortar variety, but also in the next generation of infrastructure for the next generation of the American economy — wired and wireless

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: While there are a lot of uncertainties about timing – and how it meshes with tax legislation – the White House is pressing forward with its “vision” for infrastructure, which is primarily one of melding public and private forces to rebuild physical backbone of America. T

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: The Huntsville combination of open access and leased fiber is a model to watch! || Google Fiber launches in Huntsville, Alabama by leasing new municipal fiber network, from 9to5 Google: First announced over a year ago, Google Fiber is now live in Huntsville, Alabama. Alp

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Always important to get to the bottom of reports criticizing municipal networks in an incomplete fashion. Bravo to Institute for Local Self-Reliance and Next Century Cities for addressing these. || Addressing UPenn Report: Dud Data, Unsuitable Approach, from Institute fo

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: There is an important linkage between the growing discussion about public-private partnerships in broadband, and the call for greater infrastructure investment by the Trump administration. The four key principles discussed by Trump are (1) targeted federal investments, e

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: We’ll be looking for some alternative analysis of this material. Interesting to see that this is becoming such a focus of certain industry observers and interests. || Municipal Fiber in the U.S.: An Empirical Assessment of the Financial Performance, from Wharton’s Public

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Mixed signals emerging from Office of Management Budget about the role of infrastructure in the Trump administration plan. Trump Budget Said to Include $200 Billion for Infrastructure, from Bloomberg: President Donald Trump will propose spending $200 billion in federal f

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: One of the most interesting questions in broadband infrastructure today centers around dry legalities like “dig once” and “one touch.” This conflict in Louisville shows that Google still intends to stay in the battle, at least on the policy and legal front, vis-a-vis inc

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: By taking this action, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has likely avoided the fate of a bill that would require the agency to add conduit to infrastructure projects. See Steve Blum’s perspective below, and on the link. || Caltrans buries dig once c

DALLAS, April 18, 2017 – Over the past ten years, broadband mapping has gone through many changes. In the beginning, the Federal Communications Commission collected data about high-speed internet access, but didn’t release any local or granular data collected through its semi-annual forms. Through t

MESA, ARIZONA – Next Century Cities will host a regional broadband summit, Digital Southwest, in Mesa, Arizona from 9:00am to 5:00pm MST next Tuesday, April 18, 2017 in partnership with the City of Mesa.To watch the full event live, go to: https://livestream.com/internetsociety/digitalsw/. The Regio

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 mo

WASHINGTON, February 28, 2017 – Plans to include broadband in a massive new infrastructure will probably take a back seat to President Trump’s security and physical infrastructure priorities in the budget blueprint he will describe during his maiden speech to a joint session of Congress tonight, mul

WASHINGTON, January 31, 2017 – Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on Tuesday announced the formation of a new federal advisory committee that would seek to accelerate deployment of high-speed broadband nationwide, and to close the digital divide, by providing a model approach to dep

WASHINGTON, January 24, 2017 – President Trump signed several executive orders Tuesday designed to expedite energy and infrastructure projects. Although high-speed broadband internet services are not specifically mentioned in the orders, one of them, “Expediting Environmental Reviews and Approvals F

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California – Local broadband institutions seeking to leverage high-speed connectivity for the benefit of their broader communities will benefit from attending the inaugural AnchorNETS conference [http://www.anchornets.com/] here on November 16 and 17. Sponsored by the Schools, Health

SALT LAKE CITY, October 19, 2015 – Utah has been leading the nation in many areas of broadband internet access and its proliferation, according to a report released on Wednesday [http://www.utahfoundation.org/reports/21st-century-infrastructure-how-broadband-internet-has-shaped-and-is-shaping-utah/]

LAKE OSWEGO, Oregon, October 14, 2015 – This suburb of Portland, a potential candidate for Google Fiber’s Gigabit-speed internet service, has said it isn’t willing to wait around for the search engine giant. At a city council meeting here on Tuesday night, elected officials in this city of 37,000 l

Editor’s Note: This column, “Once ‘Athens of the West,’ a Kentucky city seeks revival and improvements [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865638238/Drew-Clark-Once-Athens-of-the-West-a-Kentucky-city-seeks-revival-and-improvements.html?pg=all],” was originally published in the Deseret News of Salt L

PORTLAND, Maine, September 28, 2015 – In the first significant conference following the release of the Broadband Opportunity Council Report and Recommendations, top telecommunications officials from the Obama administration — including the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture — will be speaking o

September 14, 2015 – Every city should create a city-wide broadband plan of its own, said the former director of the National Broadband Plan, in wide-ranging speech touting four strategies useful for different types of city broadband plans. Speaking on Friday at the National Association of Telecomm

Editor’s Note: This past week, Drew Clark’s column [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865635687/The-zeitgeist-of-modern-Provo-Jobs-and-a-good-quality-of-life.html] in the Deseret News of Salt Lake City, Utah, was on the “The zeitgeist of modern Provo: Jobs and a good quality of life.” Click here [h

June 18, 2015 – Recent changes to the eligibility rules for the Federal Communication Commission’s eRate program open the door for new fiber connections for schools and libraries using agency funds. Among the rule changes were the suspension of the requirement that applicants seek funding for large

SALT LAKE CITY, April 28, 2015 – The Utah Breakfast Club and Broadband Breakfast Club released the video of the organizations’ most recent event, “GigUtah: How Fiber Networks Are Transforming Salt Lake City, Provo and Utah.” Panelists from the event included: * Devin Baer, Head of Fiber Business,

Panel on Municipal Debt Financing and Public-Private Partnerships [https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/CCfd49JUAAAlT1O.jpg] Editor’s Note: This is one of several wrap-up articles about the 2015 Broadband Communities Summit earlier this month in Austin, Texas. For the complete

SALT LAKE CITY, April 24, 2015 – At 2 p.m. ET, please visit to watch the Utah Breakfast Club FREE WEBCAST “GigUtah: How Fiber Networks are Transforming Salt Lake City, Provo and Utah [http://www.utahbreakfast.com/events/2015/4/24/utah-breakfast-club-april-2015].” Ask your questions via Twitter, usi

Speakers for the Utah Breakfast Club and Broadband Breakfast Club Event 'GigUtah' [https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/photovisi-download-1024x768.jpg]https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/photovisi-download.jpg Speakers for the Utah Breakfast Club and Broad

[https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/6873d9e1-4f68-4004-bae9-dfa70b6c0ec9.jpg]http://www.scoop.it/t/broadbandpolicy/p/4041924133/2015/04/21/broadband-breakfast-to-sponsor-gigutah-luncheon-event-on-friday-april-24-register-for-free SALT LAKE, April 21, 2015 – Utah’s Gigabit Net

AUSTIN, April 14, 2015 – The Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission came to Broadband Communities Summit here to metaphorically poke his finger in the eye of the biggest incumbent communications companies. He cited this city as Exhibit A for his mantra of “competition, competition, compe

April 13, 2015 – Attention on the significance of community-based Gigabit Networks rose dramatically when President Obama included an announcement about the importance of community broadband networks in his State of the Union address in January, and in remarks in Cedar Falls, Iowa, one week before t

Editor’s Note: The following blog post was published by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the Department of Commerce on January 14, 2015. See BroadbandBreakfast.com’s take on the significance of these report at https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2015/04/important-but-over

[https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/bf832eda-c1dc-48fb-98fb-6811a70cfe66.jpg]http://www.utahbreakfast.com/news/2015/4/8/utah-and-broadband-breakfast-club-announce-luncheon-event-and-webcast-on-friday-april-24 SALT LAKE CITY, April 8, 2015 – The Utah Breakfast Club, in collabo

February 10, 2015 – With all the talk — and now the action — behind building Gigabit Networks by hundreds of cities across the United States, a key question emerges: What can actually be done with all the speed? Understanding the technologies that take advantage of Gigabit Networks is a key componen

February 3, 2015 – The Federal Communications Commission will put its legal weight behind a petition that would preempt laws in North Carolina and Tennessee  that restrict the ability of community broadband networks to expand operations. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler will urge his fellow commissioners —

February 3, 2015 – In announcing last week that it was expanding Google Fiber to four new metropolitan areas in the Southeastern United States, the search engine giant-turned-internet service provider emphasized multiple initiatives toward Gigabit Networks. On January 27, Google announced that nearl

SALT LAKE CITY, January 15, 2015 – President Obama’s vigorous support of a growing national movement to build Gigabit Networks highlights the need for municipalities to prepare wisely for their high-speed Internet future, said Kirton McConkie attorneys Drew Clark and David Shaw. Kirton McConkie anno

WASHINGTON, January 14, 2015 – The White House on Tuesday announced efforts to end laws that harm broadband competition, several steps to support a growing national movement of local leaders for Gigabit Networks, plus new federal funding and a new initiative to support community broadband. The annou

January 12, 2015 – Gigabit Networks will be a featured discussion and two Kansas City- based broadband conference this week and next week. “Gigabit City Summit” will take place in Kansas City, Missouri, from Tuesday, January 13 through Thursday, January 15. “The State of Broadband – And the Road Ahe

January 12, 2015 – A total of 46 Connecticut towns have now joined a flourishing effort to build a state-wide Gigabit Network, and applications responding to the bidding request are due tomorrow, January 13, at 11 a.m. ET. On December 19, 2014, state officials announced that 46 of Connecticut’s 169

Editor’s Note: We received this announcement on Wednesday afternoon about the very exciting Global City Teams Challenge, which has been supported by US Ignite: The Global City Teams Challenge (GCTC) was successfully launched by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and US Ignite

PROVO, Utah, October 30, 2014 – The conversation was all about Google Fiber, but it was the city mayor, officers and citizens who took center stage at the Provo Recreation Center here on Tuesday night. At the public kick-off of “Provo Accelerated,” a civic effort to tap into the power of Gigabit Ne

SALT LAKE CITY (Oct. 28, 2014) – Kirton McConkie PC is pleased to announce that Drew Clark has joined as of counsel in the firm’s Telecommunications Practice Group. He joins shareholder David J. Shaw in this new practice area for the firm, which focuses on assisting state and local governments in de

WASHINGTON, October 20, 2014 – Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler said that he and President Barack Obama agree in their opposition to paid prioritization, Multichannel News reported. Obama stated his objection to the practice during his remarks at an innovation forum in Californ

October 17, 2014 – Fiber-optic communication is increasingly being recognized as a new necessity of urban life, with momentum for cities to obtain Gigabit Networks enabled by fiber is growing every week. On Monday, October 20, a new group of cities — called Next Century Cities — launches a “city-to-

WASHINGTON, October 6, 2014 —Blair Levin, telecommunications expert and former Communications & Society Fellow at the Aspen Institute, has joined the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program as a nonresident senior fellow, Bruce Katz, Brookings vice president and Metropolitan Policy Progr

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., September 23, 2014 – Connecticut officials planning a Gigabit Network in their state aim to take advantage of three core state broadband assets: An extensive state fiber network, streamlined processes governing rights-of-way, and a single administrative point of contact for infra

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., September 22, 2014 – Three of the most prominent women in communications policy on Thursday highlighted the vital role of citizen participation, activism and corporate engagement to ensure a collective high-speed broadband future. “The next six to eight months are perhaps going t

HARTFORD, Conn., September 16, 2014 – Connecticut state and city leaders on Monday announced a nationally-praised effort to build the first all-state Gigabit Network. The mayors of the state’s second- and fourth-largest cities, New Haven and Stamford, joined with state legislative leaders, the state

HARTFORD, Conn., September 12, 2014 – A major initiative to bring Gigabit Networks throughout Connecticut is scheduled to be announced here on Monday by mayors or deputy mayors of New Haven, West Hartford, Stamford, along with state legislative and executive branch leaders. The broadband infrastruct

September 5, 2014 – The agency responsible for articulating President Obama’s communications policy is taking its campaign to promote community broadband initiatives on the road, and on Thursday in Minneapolis hosted its second workshop on the topic. The event, “Building a Community Broadband Roadma

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

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 fun

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 th

WASHINGTON, July 14, 2014 – Some of the world’s leading tech giants, represented by a lobbying firm called the Internet Association, have officially filed their petition for net neutrality. The companies include Google, Facebook, Netflix and Amazon, among others. “The internet’s continued success is

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2014 – The House Judicary Committee on Wednesday approved the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act this week by a vote of 30-4, according to a press release from the committee. The act banned state-imposed taxation of internet access or discriminatory taxes on e-commerce. Original

WASHINGTON, May 29, 2014 – Four believers in municipal internet access expressed their dismay at the New America Foundation at an increasingly consolidated broadband marketplace – and promoted local government ownership as a remedy. Speaking on a panel of experts on Wednesday at the think tank, they

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2014 – In a Wednesday webinar, the Fiber to the Home Council invited broadband planning firm Magellan Advisors to discuss their ways of advising communities seeking to build advance broadband networks. Guest members included Magellan Advisors President John Honkers and Vice Presi

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, May 5, 2014 – One of the largest global companies involved in the construction of highways, airports, bridges and other capital-intensive infrastructure projects plans to spend more than $300 million to complete a Gigabit Network in Utah. The Australian-based company, Macquar

AUSTIN, Texas, April 4, 2014 – Next week, at the Broadband Communities Summit here in Austin, the Rural Telecommunications Congress will take center stage with a series of sessions on “The Bandwidth of the States,” “Financing Future Bandwidth,” “Digital Learning in the Classroom,” “Rural Innovation,

TINLEY PARK, ILLINOIS, November 8, 2013 – There is a new holy grail in economic development, and it isn’t land use, tax policy, or cheap energy costs. In a word, it’s Giganomics. The term was coined by David Sandel, President of the Gigabit Communities and Smart Cities consultancy, at the Broadband

AURORA, ILLINOIS, November 5, 2013 – Just over a year ago, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn announced the first of four awards under the state’s “Gigabit Communities Challenge,” an effort to raise the bar on broadband speeds in the nation’s heartland. Of the four awardees named thus far, the Gigabit Network

PROVO, Utah, October 28, 2013 – The prospect and reality of Gigabit Networks throughout the country, beginning in Utah, are “creating bigger surface areas for the mind,” the chief technology officer of US IGNITE said here on Thursday. Speaking at the Utah Broadband Summit here in Provo — selected a

PROVO, UTAH, October 16, 2013 – This university town in the shadow of the Wasatch Front is poised to take the lead in the number of Google Fiber users that subscribe the search engine giant’s game-changing effort to bring Gigabit Networks to the United States. With the launch of Google Fiber service

WASHINGTON, September 24, 2013 – The Broadband Breakfast Club released the first video of its Broadband Breakfast Club Virtual Event, on “How High-Capacity Applications Are Driving Gigabit Connectivity.” The dialogue featured Dr. Glenn Ricart, Chief Technology Officer, US IGNITE; Sheldon Grizzle

CARBONDALE, Illinois, August 26, 2013 – Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Friday announced the state’s fourth investment in Gigabit Networks, providing $1.5 million in funding to a consortium led by Frontier Communications that will build an ultra high-speed broadband network in Southern Illinois. The pro

WASHINGTON, August 5, 2013 – The Broadband Breakfast Club on Monday released the video from the July 16, 2013, Broadband Breakfast Club, on “Over the Top: Broadband Video’s Impact on Future TV.” asdf asdf The FREE video captures the discussion at the latest Broadband Breakfast Club, in which the pan

WASHINGTON, July 23, 2013 — The Fiber to the Home Council Americas released its proposal to the Federal Communications Commission for a Gigabit Communities Race to the Top Program on Tuesday. FTTH Council Americas held a media conference call discussing the proposal and highlighting the success of K

WASHINGTON, July 23, 2013 — The Fiber to the Home Council Americas will propose a Gigabit Communities Race to the Top program to the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday to complement the commission’s recent decision to modernize the E-Rate program. The purpose of the proposal is to spur the

WASHINGTON, June 28, 2013 – The status of the development of the national smart grid and its relationship to broadband buildouts was the center of discussion at the June 2013 Broadband Breakfast Club. The concept of smart grid is a marriage of intelligence and communications, said David Wollman, Dep

WASHINGTON, June 17, 2013 – With Senate passage of the final version of the farm bill on June 10, the debate turns to the House’s schedule for consideration of and potential passage of the measure. The final text of the bill as passed the Senate is available here. From the perspective of broadband d

WASHINGTON, May 31, 2013 – High-speed broadband is the key to optimizing energy usage, said Graham Richard, CEO of Advanced Energy Economy, at Thursday keynote speak at the annual Better Buildings Summit sponsored by the United States Department of Energy. Richard, the former mayor of Ft. Wayne, Ind

WASHINGTON, May 24, 2013 – Emphasizing the developing nature of broadband networks in the United States, speakers at the May 21 Broadband Breakfast Club event said that the recent achievement of ultra-high speed broadband networks has been a critical factor seeding transformative developments for or

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/j

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2013 – In multiple speeches at fundraising events in New York City on May 13, President Barack Obama emphasized the importance of improving and expanding the nation’s broadband networks. Each speech praised the resilience of the American spirit in the face of the recent tragedies

WASHINGTON, Monday, April 8th, 2013 – The broadband policy news and events service BroadbandBreakfast.com will hold its April 2013 Broadband Breakfast Club event: “Mobile Health: Will Wireless Devices Help Solve the Nation’s Health Crises?” on Tuesday, April 16th 2013 at Clyde’s of Gallery Place, 70

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 dis

WASHINGTON Tuesday June 12, 2012 – Last week the Federal Communications Commission moved forward with white spaces reform free of challenges from the microphone industry, they took on special access reform and held a meeting of experts to address the future of wireless mHealth innovation.  Broadband

WASHINGTON, Thursday, May 3rd, 2012 – The internet policy news and events service BroadbandBreakfast.com will hold a special event at The Cable Show 2012 in Boston, MA entitled “Will Broadband Succeed in Changing the DNA of Universities?” on Monday, May 21st, 2012 from 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm at the Bost

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 breakfas

WASHINGTON January 17, 2012 – BroadbandBreakfast.com kicked off a new year of the Broadband Breakfast Club fresh off the heals of the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas with a Breakfast on “The Wired Home and Wired Policy” featuring the Presidents of four major technology and telecommunications trad

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 […]

WASHINGTON, Wednesday November 15, 2011 – November’s breakfast and panel discussion drew a packed crowd Tuesday morning as industry lawyers, lobbyists and experts filed into Clyde’s to hear from the Whitehouse, telecoms, energy management companies and utilities about the challenges and efficiencies

WASHINGTON, October 21, 2011 – Rural broadband providers, national union members, federal agency officials and state broadband administrators squared off on Tuesday at the Broadband Breakfast Club’s keynote and panel presentations on “Bringing Broadband Infrastructure to Rural Areas: Where is the Pr

Thursday October 13th 2011 – As BroadbandBreakfast.com gears up for our panel on “Bringing Broadband Infrastructure to Rural Areas: Where is the Progress?” we have been taking some notes on the FCC’s efforts to reform the Universal Service Fund and listened in on Wednesday’s Senate Commerce Hearing

WASHINGTON, Thursday, October 13th, 2011 – The internet and intellectual property policy news and events service BroadbandBreakfast.com will hold its October 2011 Broadband Breakfast Club event: “Bringing Broadband Infrastructure to Rural Areas: Where is the Progress?” on Tuesday, October 18th 2011 at Clyde’s of Gallery Place, 707 7th St.

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 Gal

WASHINGTON, Monday, June 20th, 2011 – The internet and intellectual property policy news and events service BroadbandBreakfast.com will hold its June 2011 Broadband Breakfast Club event, “The National Broadband Map: How to Policy, Consumer and Economic Development Implications” on Tuesday, June 21st

SPRINGFIELD, February 21, 2011 – President Abraham Lincoln began his political career here with a passionate interest in infrastructure improvements. America knows President Lincoln today because his belief in equal opportunity. What connects that which we know about Lincoln and that which brought

WASHINGTON, December 10, 2010 –  The issue of competition among broadband providers has been greatly debated. Some claim that there is a cozy duopoly between cable and DSL while others claim that there is no competition due to lack of access. While it is true that not every area has a truly competit

LONDON, December 3, 2010 – Latin America is set for faster growth in fixed broadband penetration than even China or India over the next four years, according to a report from research group Analysys Mason.

WASHINGTON, November 9, 2010 – After a year of data crunching and analysis, the Commerce Department has released a report titled “Exploring the Digital Nation Home Broadband Internet Adoption in the United States,” concluding that a digital divide still exists but is decreasing.

WASHINGTON, October 13, 2010 – The United States plans to take actions to promote broadband similar to other nations, but achieving the goals will be challenging, says a new government report.

WASHINGTON, September 20, 2010 – Broadband is tomorrow’s fountain of innovation that can underpin long-term economic competitiveness, said International Telecommunications Union Secretary-General Hamadoun Toure on Sunday in New York. At the second meeting of the Broadband Commission for Digital Deve

WASHINGTON, August 20, 2010 – Michael Copps, a commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission, spoke in Minneapolis Thursday at a public hearing on the future of the internet, touting the important of broadband to the future of the United States and slamming the broadcasting and cable industr

WASHINGTON, August 19, 2010 – Mexico has completed its most recent spectrum auction for the 1700 megahertz band.

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2010 – Public libraries are key resources for job seekers, researchers and others thanks to their position in the community as an access point to the internet, says a new study from the American Library Association.

LONDON, June 17, 2010 – The recently elected U.K. government plans to extent the scope of fiber unbundling by compelling gas, electricity and water utilities as well as the incumbent operator BT to open up their ducts to ISPs for fiber-to-the-home deployment.

WASHINGTON, June 7, 2010 – The Federal Communications Commission has announced that it is accepting applications for membership in its newly-established Native Nations Broadband Task Force. The task force will create a forum in which Native American governments can voice their opinions and concerns

LONDON, May 27, 2010 – A new era of austerity may be dawning in Europe in the wake of the Greek debt crisis and its cascading effect on other countries in the region, but broadband is set to escape the swinging spending cuts afflicting other sectors. The European Union recently announced

UTOPIA, billed as providing light-speed to your door while connecting you with friends, family, entertainment, businesses, healthcare, and education, highlights itself as being part of your home, not owned by any network provider.

The FCC seems determined in revisiting and repairing the current CableCard rules fiasco in which it chose to mandate a universal Set-Top-Box for Cable, Telco, and DBS providers. Where does a solution lie, and is the FCC going down another road of improbable acceptance?

WASHINGTON, April 28, 2010 – Chapter Seven of the national broadband plan is one of the shortest of the entire document, with a primary focus on research and development. The key recommendation that this chapter makes is that Congress needs to fund long-term projects rather than short-term fast movi

WASHINGTON, April 23, 2010 – Chapter Six of the National Broadband Plan tackles one of the most basic issues with broadband expansion by focusing on infrastructure. This chapter deals with the physical act of laying cables and erecting antennae.

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

LONDON, April 20, 2010 – Broadband is making strong inroads in Central and Eastern Europe, thanks to government and other incentives for providers to offer service in these previously bypassed areas.

WASHINGTON, April 19, 2010 – Chapter Five of the plan focuses on spectrum, and its content is the most technical of the entire 360-page document. The two key issues surrounding spectrum policy are the number of stakeholders that own large chunks of spectrum, and the possibility of moving or realloca

WASHINGTON, April 16, 2010 – The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration on Friday announced an investment in broadband growth to help boost economic growth, create jobs and improve education and public safety in portions of Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Tex

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2010 – Project Tomorrow, a group advocating for better availability and use of digital technology in schools, visited Capitol Hill this week to discuss results of its annual survey of thousands of K-12 students across the nation.

LAKE FOREST, Ill., March 3, 2010 – On Tuesday, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced a brief delay for some applicants for broadband stimulus grants. Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program Comprehensive Community Infrastructure projects will have until March 26

Google’s entrance into the Broadband ISP arena may have lasting effects within the ISP community.

WASHINGTON, January 20, 2010 – The National Telecommunications and Information Administration on Wednesday continued its rolling award of broadband stimulus grants, doling out $63 million for four broadband grants in Massachusetts, Michigan and North Carolina. With the announcements, the NTIA and t

WASHINGTON, January 5, 2010 – BroadbandBreakfast.com has been actively covering the workshops of the Federal Communications Commission as the agency prepares its national broadband plan. We have covered all of the workshops since late August. In preparation for assembling the complete collection of

Cable providers are looking at a cross-roads with the current climate brought on by a new political landscape, a Democratic Congress, with an FCC mandated to change the future of broadband, and a public viewed skepticism of the Cable Industry. This adds up to significant changes which might threaten

WASHINGTON, July 8, 2009 – One week after the release of the two Notices of Funds Availability for broadband stimulus grants, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration had not posted the online applications as of 5:15 p.m. ET, although they were promised on July 7, 2009.

WASHINGTON, June 21, 2009 – In the latest installment of “This Week in Mobile Broadband,” BroadbandCensus.com Reporter Alex Tcherkassky discusses the domestic broadband aircard plans of the “big four” carriers, and a new entrant on the D.C. space.

WASHINGTON, June 16, 2009 – Robust competition and expanded wireless services will be fundamental pieces of the Federal Communications Commission’s national broadband plan, Commissioner Robert McDowell told members of the Senate Commerce Committee Tuesday. McDowell appeared before the committee as i

WASHINGTON, June 3, 2009 – Increasing broadband penetration will allow the U.S. to increase engagement abroad and will be an essential element of the Obama administration’s diplomatic strategy, said Alec Ross, a senior adviser to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

SAN MATEO, Calif., May 11, 2009 – “Best Practices” for increasing broadband “take rates” should include better data collection and a focus on placing more computers in homes and schools, a panel of experts said Monday at the Tech Policy Summit’s Broadband Innovation conference.

SAN MATEO, Calif., May 11, 2009 – States looking for answers to many questions on how to implement the broadband stimulus program should look to California, said a group of experts Monday during a panel at the Tech Policy Summit on the “state of the state.”

WASHINGTON, March 11, 2009 – President Obama’s commitment to using federal funds for improving broadband deployment inched closer to reality Tuesday as the federal agencies responsible for implementing stimulus funding urged creativity and speed in submitting applications for grants.

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2009 – Rod Beckstrom, who resigned on March 6 after less than a year as director of the National Cybersecurity Center said Tuesday that the NTIA could use its rulemaking authority to mandate a baseline of open security standards in stimulus-funded network infrastructure.

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2009 – Most rural Americans do not subscribe to high speed internet services, according to an Agriculture Department report released last week.

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2009 – The National Cable and Telecommunications Association spent $4.4 million lobbying Congress and executive branch agencies on the subject of “broadband” during the last quarter of 2008, more than twice as much as the U.S. Telecom Association spent lobbying during the same p

WASHINGTON, February 16, 2009 – The CEO of Frontier Communications, America’s second largest rural telecommunications, provider told state utility commissioners Monday that quality broadband internet service is the key to shoring up a rapidly evolving rural economy.

October 22 – In an interview with BroadbandCensus.com, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commissioner Larry Landis reflected on the value of various efforts to obtain broadband data. He also made reference to his earlier work in the private sector, and the impact that high-technology tools can have on such

WASHINGTON, October 17 – Protecting children in an age of broadband–connected wireless devices and Web 2.0 applications will require pro-active cooperation by internet service providers (ISPs), a panel of child safety experts and industry representatives said Thursday at the National Press Club.

WASHINGTON, October 16 – As a part of its burgeoning lecture and discussion series, “DC Talks”, Google’s Washington office on Wednesday featured Berkman Center Director and Harvard Law Professor John Palfrey and his new book, Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives.

WASHINGTON, June 30 – The FCC on Monday announced that it would be holding another field hearing on broadband issues. Titled “Broadband and the Digital Future,” this hearing will be held at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Penn., on Monday, July 21, at 4 p.m.

June 20 – The community of persons with disabilities has been rallying behind a measure, introduced in Congress on Thursday, that would require companies that make devices or offer communication networks to accommodate persons with disabilities.