Whether a second Trump administration will seize the moment to reset telecom policy is unknown, but the time for action is now.

Pennsylvania is home to over 700,000 veterans, most of them older, with 30% suffering a disability.

Expanding broadband access through the Affordable Connectivity Program is not a partisan issue.

A key effort to protecting America, and GPS by making it a much less attractive target, is to establish a terrestrial backup system.

How to balance the need to route calls to the most appropriate crisis center while protecting caller privacy.

The FCC issued a public notice to seek comment on rearranging the spectrum in the Lower 900 MegaHertz band.

Regardless of which party wins in November, the Loper Bright legal change will have lasting effects.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act has provided the framework for digital platforms to facilitate copyright abuse.

Although 5G’s promise is still unfolding, the time is now for the US to start leading on what’s next.

As MSPs expand, they increasingly manage Wi-Fi across multiple vendors and market segments.

The new kid on the artificial intelligence block with a few tricks up its sleeve.

Given all of its successes, reauthorizing the ACP should be a no-brainer.

Going forward, we could mitigate risks by designing our networks with resiliency in mind.

Powered by AI-driven cloud solutions, vSIM ensures consistent and high-speed connectivity across the globe.

Schools leverage CBRS for a wide diversity of applications.

The government has a history of preferencing government-owned networks at the expense of private alternatives.

States now bear the burden of the next steps as NTIA has not provided any guidance on the requirements of surety bonds.

Knowing the differences between public and private networks is crucial when exploring wireless network options

Even now, a week later, I’ve not seen more than two bars of cell signal.

While an excellent tool for many applications, fiber is far from the only, or even optimal, solution for every broadband access challenge.

Newer versions using more spectrum no longer provide improved performance for practical wireless applications.

Now is the time for good-faith, business-to-business negotiations between internet providers and pole owners.

Compromised routers allow hackers to remotely access networks hosted on these devices, implanting malware.

Without a Congressional statute given the FCC explicit power, the FCC is clearly overstepping its bounds.

Beyond Teenagers: In addition to teenagers entering the workforce, we also need to serve adults who are ready to upskill.

The threats of wind, fire and ice storms are downing poles and cutting off service to communities.

Even one of the most damage-resistant infrastructures, that of fixed wireless access, falls prey to weather and man-made destruction.

Several telcos have been pulling away from monolithic network systems and embracing open infrastructure via network disaggregation.

The world is watching America’s presidential election November 5, and tonight’s debate may be the only face-off.

I don’t want to burst bubbles, but there will not be substantial BEAD spending in 2025.

The government has a terrible habit of repeating mistakes.

An eSIM, short for embedded SIM, is a digital version of a physical SIM card that can be downloaded directly to your phone.

The report shows a county not only rich in eligible locations, but also opportunities for competing with incumbent providers.

The lack of a skilled workforce needed to build, maintain and operate the networks is a major challenge that could lead to delays.

The Fifth Circuit's decision declaring the Universal Service Fund unconstitutional is an upheaval, but also an opportunity.

Dynamic Spectrum Sharing describes the way that multiple users can coexist in the same frequencies without interference.

The lack of pole attachment policies could hinder or even hold-up even the best laid deployment plans.

For the U.S. to regain its edge, it must do more than just inject capital; it needs a strategic vision and commitment to innovation.

Because the states live on to fight for another day, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody also declared victory

NTIA will soon announce the launch of the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program.

Will you be prepared to defend your BEAD deployment at a future state or federal hearing?

'The global communications industry has aligned on the lower portion of the 3 GHz band' – except the United States.

Many areas of Chicago rely on outdated and privately-owned telecommunication networks.

We believe 25% of the 23 million households who enjoyed the ACP benefits will drop their connections, 25% will maintain connectivity, and 50% will fluctuate to on-and-off service.

The risk with today’s most common partnerships is that once the private partner owns the last mile, the municipality loses control.

For consumers, the competition from LEOs will undoubtedly improve broadband connectivity and offerings to these rural areas.

Greater internet access is increasing demand for a dense 5G network

Losses due to scams continue to increase with adoption of high-speed internet.

400G middle-mile deployments are at the heart of enabling better broadband

Congress should also take steps to provide continued funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program.

A new proposal by the Federal Communications Commission to ban 'bulk billing' could undermine one of the easiest ways Americans living in multi-tenant environments.

The Second Circuit’s decision is well-written but exhibits a narrow understanding of conflict preemption.

The Director of 5G and wireless for OmniOn Power, discusses the current and future use cases of 5G broadband.

Vigilant NOC operations are vital to preserving reliable broadband performance and customer satisfaction.

Are you prepared to watch a competitor bring fiber optic infrastructure into your service area?

The FCC does not allow an ISP defendant to argue that its decision not to provide access to broadband was based on any substantial, legitimate, nondiscriminatory interest.

Unless Congress acts now, America will lose a key element in the effort to close the digital divide.

The introduction of the Spectrum Pipeline Act represents an important step toward attempting to restore the FCC’s auction authority.

Providers should carefully weigh and evaluate whether it is better to build out the middle mile infrastructure or purchase it from another carrier.

The author argues that Virginia’s firm stand on BEAD funding serves as a beacon for the states.

Low-income communities are only marginally less likely to have access to high-speed broadband compared to their wealthier counterparts.

Participants in the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program are perilously close to depleting their allocations.

Strong empirical evidence emerges that open internet regulations exert a significant, strong negative impact on fiber investments.

The lower 3 GigaHertz (GHz) and 7-8 GHz bands are the best opportunities to close our nation’s spectrum gap.

Roughly 35 million Americans lack home broadband internet.

Pennsylvania’s mountainous terrain and rural areas with few homes have made it difficult and expensive for broadband expansion.

March 9, 2024, marks the one year anniversary since Congress let the FCC's auction authority expire.

Continuing the ACP program can be justified, but only if it is meaningfully reformed to render it more fiscally responsible.

When it's a matter of life and death, it's all about wireless internet, says the author.

The FCC should encourage solutions that help facilitate make-ready work when utilities are dragging their feet.

In the case of rural communities, monopolies are a particularly bad fit.

Even hardline conservatives should rally behind the ACP and the additional funding needed to keep the program alive.

It is downright shocking that millions of low-income older adults will lose their broadband connection due to uncertainty of funding.

Internet-of-Things devices may be making our infrastructure more vulnerable to national security threats.

John Deere, the most well-known agricultural company in America, recently inked a deal with Starlink for digital farming.

Fixed wireless technology is future proof in its own right, the author argues.

Broadband infrastructure projects need to exemplify innovation in management of procurement processes.

Or will it cut the cord for millions of Americans?

The average cost to connect fiber in a given state hovers in the neighborhood of $7,000 per home.

Since January 1, 2021, at least 47 new municipal networks have come online, with dozens more in planning or pre-construction.

Despite bipartisan support for a bill to extend ACP, several powerful Republican members of Congress decry the program as 'wasteful'.

Opponents of the Chevron Doctrine aver that judicial deference has gone too far.

America's prices are 5–10 times higher than comparable data from other countries.

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

5G enhancements have been a primary focus this past year.

'It should be easy to understand what you are paying and what you are getting for that price.'

Tightening connections between network operators, asset owners, and contractors catches surprises earlier.

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

The 5G war is on and there’s a lot of concern about the U.S. position vis-a-vis China.

It is crucial to prioritize community solutions where service is offered in partnership with trusted community institutions.

The adoption of new technologies presents operators with a plethora of new variables to manage on the user control plane.

The Federal Communications Commission says no.

The Affordable Connectivity Program and the Rip-and-Replace program are both central funding needs for the industry.

We’d be building broadband to no one without the ACP. The ACP extends every BEAD dollar further.

Most are underweighting the legal challenges and problems to rule of law.

A core component of Americans — about 20 percent — are not connected to the benefits of better broadband.

Broadband operators need to simplify and clarify their purpose and the value offered to customers.

Internet for all: Zayo’s mission to connect what’s next.

More than 400,000 Houston households are eligible for Affordable Connectivity Program. But only 30% have adopted.

Access to affordable and accessible high-speed internet is no longer a matter of convenience.

A broadband connection opens a universe of opportunities and benefits for older adults that grows exponentially.

BEAD success requires a long-term commitment to technological, economic, social, and civic vitality.

Usage based billing ensures that those who use the most data pay the most money.

A national privacy standard would ensure a baseline set of protections and would restrict companies from storing and selling personal data.

Healthcare organizations are seeing telehealth as an opportunity to enhance connectivity with patients and improve healthcare outcomes.

States must overcome numerous hurdles before BEAD will be able to succeed.

Greater reliable and secure broadband bandwidth is necessary to support a quality remote culture and work environment.

We may miss a major opportunity to finally connect all areas of the country if we don’t leverage 5G FWA technology.

A strong fiber bias in broadband funding means that underserved communities remain at risk of being left behind.

End-to-end encryption of personal messages is essential and must be protected by law.

Fixed wireless has the potential to deliver data speeds that surpass current broadband networks.

5G is also helping carriers reach those on the wrong side of the digital divide.

The Broadband Quality Experience Delivered initiative helps provide seamless broadband connectivity so that applications can work together optimally.

Largest beneficiaries of ACP do not participate financially in federal programs designed to promote broadband adoption.

‘It is time for the United States to end its haphazard approach to closing the digital divide.’

The ACP has connected millions of families and communities to high-speed internet, and it needs to be extended.

The sheer magnitude of the overstatements in the FCC’s map makes the challenge process untenable.

The Buy America mandate could seriously hamper the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program.

While the USF remains vital in an ever-increasing connected world, it is in serious jeopardy of surviving.

How many communities are leveraging their teen populations in the pursuit of broadband and digital equity?

We know little about how California and other states plan to distribute the money under the opaque arrangement.

Programs like the ACP and technologies like fixed wireless can play a key role in connecting older adults.

Financial requirements for broadband grant applications include audited financials and letter of credit requirements.

Through Telehealth Access Points, we can consider broadband and telehealth as the double-edged sword of digital health.

Estimating how far the money will go does not require advanced math.

Bandwidth requirements for cloud businesses suggest that a dedicated 10 or 20 Megabits per second symmetrical is needed.

Keeping American families and veterans connected is too important to allow the ACP to lapse.

The author led the city of Loveland, Colorado, through the assessment and feasibility study of publicly-owned broadband.

Efforts in multiple states aim to address connectivity challenges for low-income residents.

Communities need a strong human element for telehealth to succeed, so digital navigators are key to the team.

Newly proposed legislation would add 7 months to the challenge process for states and other parties.

Blocking the entire compromised originating or terminating ranges of voice traffic leads to unnecessary losses.

Why have internet prices remained constant while demand surges? It all boils down to investment.

Fiber, coax and fixed wireless network plans dependent on BEAD funding demand scrutiny.

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

Going after Big Tech with marquee cases may make headlines, but those failures make big headlines too.

‘Listen to the customer’ is a fundamental pillar in gaining a satisfied customer.

The top cities for remote work all have something in common: fast internet speed and free connection spots.

The day the music stopped for rural America with the release of FCC’s “new” map.

ISP bonding solutions are the best option for business-grade, reliable, on-site internet connectivity.

Conservative podcasters were 11 times more likely than liberal podcasters to share claims fact-checked as false.

In a mesh network, individual devices act as both clients and routers, creating a decentralized digital ecosystem that can expand.

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

South Korean courts have rejected attempts to mix net neutrality arguments into payment disputes.

Campus TikTok bans could have negative consequences for students.

There is a perennial policy debate over why the digital divide exists and what to do about it.

The data only became publicly available after the deadline passed.

If a determined CEO not beholden to Elon Musk were named, it’s still possible to turn this ship around.

The amount of funding to each state is based upon the FCC maps — which are clearly flawed.

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

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

NFTs have represented everything from items collected within online games to pieces of art.

Behind every great wireless network, is an even greater wired network.

While some will “cash out,” other state broadband officials will seek the full measure of federal broadband infrastructure funds due.

Service providers that use GIS applications are able to reduce design time by 80 percent.

Why are flash calls on the rise and how do operators handle them to maximize revenue?

The first operator to bring fiber to a community creates a significant barrier to entry for competitors.

18% of people living on Tribal lands lack broadband access, compared to 4% of residents in non-tribal areas.

‘We figured out how to train people to be digital navigators [and] get customers comfortable with telehealth.’

STIR/SHAKEN offers no protection from fraud schemes besides robocalls and caller ID spoofing.

Crowdsourced and bulk data are subject to a challenge process that has successfully eliminated crowdsourced data in the past.

On the surface, satellite seems like the ideal way to close the rural-urban digital divide.

5G has experienced a quantum leap in growth since it first began rolling out in 2018.

A recent study by CostQuest suggests that 37,000 more towers are needed to bring mobile coverage up to speed nationwide.

Incorporating equitable processes and outcomes from the start is crucial to avoid perpetuating continued inequalities.

Growing fears of recession trigger pullback on previous rosy forecasts.

Blocking bad actors requires a whole new way of thinking, the authors say in this ExpertOp exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.

Cost of doing business is driving companies into markets with favorable tax rates and fewer regulations. Here’s how they’re prioritizing.

It would be easy to dismiss this shift toward robotics as only an issue for one company.

Future broadband funding should target those who need it, even if they live in cities or the suburbs.

The new FCC requirements in the broadband data collection program are important to meet the nation’s connectivity goals.

Wireless is essential because for truly remote properties, a physical connection may never be practical.

5G, IoT and edge computing are giving companies the opportunity to make hyper-personalization even more ‘hyper’.

The Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act may harm the ability of broadband infrastructure to grow.

There are government programs created to shrink the digital divide, but not many Americans know what’s out there.

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

‘Wireless connectivity is one of the most vital aspects of our digital infrastructure.’

NFT ticketing also enables a safer, fairer secondary market.

One of the biggest problems with getting broadband access to all Americans is not just deployment but adoption.

As technology is more advanced and connected to everything, the need for higher capacity networks will continue to grow exponentially.

‘Digital workers can help in the end-to-end automation of business processes by mimicking human behavior.’

‘While the federal government’s infrastructure funding creates unique opportunities, it also exposes challenges that states and tribes must get in front of to ensure that funding is sustainable and implementation is effective.’

Helpful tips for safe shopping this summer.

The Metaverse is at the forefront of developments in seamless payments and richer information flows.

One of the primary responsibilities of being a faith leader is to listen to your community and understand its problems.

Ookla can help your community get the funding you need to provide access for all to the digital economy.

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

Former North Dakota senator sounds practical, but she is misreading quotes or taking them out of context.

Increased focus on middle mile is necessary for access to effective connectivity.

Mobile broadband is largely ignored by federal connectivity efforts.

Cities should prioritize competitive processes to select an open access neutral host infrastructure provider.

This shift away from local autonomy for procurement would be the most radical change to the program since its inception.

In the 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Congress reversed USDA’s ReConnect criteria in three crucial ways.

Up to 75 percent of operators will experience significant revenue decline in an “unlimited data world” if they don’t change.

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

It is time to understand the impact robots have and the best route to using them to optimize labor practices.

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

The key to states’ success on infrastructure builds lies in the analysis of the data they collect.

Without access to a secure broadband connection, the co-author of this Expert Opinion would have died.

The answer to the problem of phone number security lies in a digital identity solution powered by the blockchain.

Ransomeware attacks are a costly lesson for educators.

Broadband Breakfast’s Expert Opinion [https://broadbandbreakfast.com/category/expert-opinion/] forum is the place for experts to voice their opinions on broadband policies.

Universal broadband has not been achieved, in part, because previous grant funding has often been misspent.

In 2022, telecom service provides are primed to deliver services to any number of end users through ‘B2B2X’.

Older adults continue at a rapid pace to adopt tech that assists the aging process.

The Federal Communications Commission has no excuse for why the agency finished with the same bad data it started with.

Nominated by President Biden as Federal Communications Commissioner, Sohn understands the real reason net neutrality is necessary.

The Treasury Department has resolved all of the concerns that the Institute for Local Self Reliance identified in May.

In the coming year, fiber-optic infrastructure will needed to manage and offer increases in bandwidth capacity.

The omicron variant could spell trouble for the supply chain in 2022.

New approaches must leapfrog the slow pace of extending fiber to the home and high costs of 5G and satellite.

It is in Amazon’s interest to twist the arm of lawmakers and prevent protections against internet scams.

CBRS presents an alternative where fiber installation is difficult.

Big Telecom companies caused months and months of delays in the rollout of the Emergency Broadband Benefit.

Collaboration between community leaders will be essential in ensuring success of the Biden infrastructure bill in California.

Bringing internet capability to communities throughout the San Joaquin Valley is the focus of a new effort.

A new county-level data and maps will help researchers and leaders understand impacts of the EBB program.

Bringing broadband to those who need it the most requires more than just government funding for network expansion.

We cannot ignore broadband as a key factor in maintaining environmental, social and economic progress.

To work toward equal access, more affordable options must be created, including community-based solutions.

The cloudification of communications services makes it easy to include voice, data, SMS, and video within any existing service.

The biggest risk is likely to come through enforcement actions by state attorneys general and civil litigation, says Marashlian.

Chattanooga’s municipal broadband network has delivered $2.7 billion in social and economic benefits during its first decade.

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

The FCC should hit the pause button on a current plan to zero out support for voice-only services.

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

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

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

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

Verizon sees an opportunity to acquire and neutralize an important competitor, but the FCC should stop that.

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

Allowing 5G use of the 12 GHz band will lead to better broadband.

Craig Settles describes the important role that community institutions have played in promoting connectivity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

As most of the business world scrambled to be productive in a remote existence, established work-from-home companies were left unscathed.

A decade after the advent of LTE, the next-generation 5G will be, and already is, a critical resource for Americans.

Libraries can do for telehealth what they did for broadband: Provide low-income folks with access to digital and healthcare literacy.

With the growing requirements of low-latency, high-speed networks, the transition to 5G has become paramount, particularly for internet of things.

In the lawsuit over the massively popular game Fortnite, it’s easy for people to take sides based on our attachment to it.

The American Jobs Plan, President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan, includes $100 billion to ensure broadband availability to every single American at affordable rates. This means building more broadband in rural areas.

Limited competition is provided by the existing trio of vendors. This worsens the supply chain problem for operators.

It remains to be seen if Starlink services will have a large-scale detrimental impact on rural service providers.

Over the past year, COVID-19 has upended lives and livelihoods and revealed the troubling breadth and scope of the digital divide. Despite the positive turn the pandemic is taking, millions remain unemployed and struggle to pay rent and put food on the table. They cannot afford basic broadband to ap

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

Dozens of bills regulating internet content moderation have been proposed in at least 30 state legislatures, and one in Utah currently sits on the governor’s desk awaiting his veto or signature. If enacted, many of the bills would impose prescriptive state regulations governing internet content mode

“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

The COVD-19 pandemic has been an extremely difficult time for everyone and has led to the implementation of major changes in our daily behaviors. In order to overcome this adversity and adapt to living in a new age, great innovations have been advanced. New tech devices and programs have offered man

The Federal Communications Commission’s over-the-air reception devices (known as OTARD) rules limit local governments’, homeowner associations’ and condominium boards’ oversight authority over certain antennas and satellite dishes for certain size specifications. In the Primary Purpose Report and Or

WASHINGTON, December 30, 2020 – Here are my reflections on the top 10 broadband stories of the past year, presented from number 10 to number one. I’ve also noted the Broadband Breakfast events, news, and expert opinion pieces tracking these topics as they evolve in 2021. 10. The fall of China As mig

When it comes to a decision that will affect the lives of everyone in your community for years to come, the only place to start is with the truism, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” What we did know is that with all the technological options we knew a collaborative expertise was going to […]

As a basis for rolling out 5G and beyond, most carriers have been focused on network utilization and optimization to better monetize services, but have been limited in their ability to optimize spectrum utilization for the same purpose. While 5G holds great promise for delivering higher network spee

Remote work and learning during the pandemic compelled some lawmakers to get creative in expanding broadband availability. In Delaware and Alabama, state officials earmarked parts of their CARES Act funding to create broadband vouchers—monthly service rebates—for households with school-age children.

When America built our railroads and highways, paper maps were updated continuously with feedback from the edge of the networks that provided regular status updates. When reports of obstacles were relayed (go through a mountain or around it, as an example) then strategists, managers, builders, polic

The telecoms security bills raised for consideration in the UK parliament recently are really interesting, but not just for the reason that has been the focus of the major news agencies. The Huawei situation has been front and center of all reporting and as a reflection of the current global politic

LUXEMBOURG, EUROPEAN UNION – On October 16, Post Luxembourg launched its commercial 5G wireless network, when the first cell sites were activated in the city of Luxembourg and other pilot zones using the 700 MegaHertz and 3.6 GigaHertz spectrum auctioned by city-state earlier this year. As a senior

The longest, costliest, most contentious election in U.S. history has finally ended. Notwithstanding pending legal action, victors have been declared for the most part at the federal, state, and local levels. With the transition of governance underway, it’s time to look ahead to what the 2020 electi

More than half of the world’s population is online, but many people are still unable to access the resources and opportunities that the internet provides. Meaningful connectivity has wide-reaching benefits in terms of work, education, and communication. In 2016, the UN declared that the internet was

As we all know by now, over a period of weeks – not months or years – the COVID-19 pandemic triggered unprecedented changes to communication networks. Telecom carriers saw their customers’ internet usage soar. Core network traffic and workloads moved to the edge, to the cloud. The need for more band

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

The first day of school has always come with a mix of joy and anxiety as students transition from summer fun to books and bells. But the start to this new school year certainly did not look like the last—even for those headed back into the classroom. By the end of the 2019-20 school year, […]

Google and Facebook have extraordinary control over information and communications systems in the United States. These two corporations dominate internet search, social media, and digital advertising, and each one serves as the gateway to the internet for billions of people. Google and Facebook have

Before you solve a problem, you’ve got to be able to understand it. The Federal Communications Commission recently voted to deepen its understanding of the digital divide by making several improvements to its broadband maps, as required by the Broadband DATA Act. The agency’s goal is to ensure that

I learned early that voting is a privilege. My father grew up as one of 7 children in a poor family in South Dakota. He served in the Army to help pay for college and pursue the American Dream. I grew up believing anything was possible if I worked hard enough, and this was because […]

COVID-19 has highlighted the need for broadband services for consumers across the expanse of our country. The crisis has dictated a protracted stay at home period for most of the country that has required our work, school, and entertainment to move from the outside, to the confines of our homes, rel

These difficult times have presented enormous challenges to all of us, and, as we are urged to stay apart, digital connectivity has never been more important. During this unprecedented period, we have learned just how essential high-performance broadband service is for keeping us connected to our fa

The devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic has tested the will of millions of businesses and cooperatives throughout our nation, but help is on the way. Congress recently passed an extension of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) which includes over $310 billion in new funding to help smal

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

During this pandemic, broadband networks across the world have been put to the ultimate stress test, expected to support an overnight transition to work-from-home for most businesses, multiple video users from households for two income knowledge worker families plus distance learning sessions for ch

Cable operators are rethinking their strategies and rolling out new ways to service customers in-building, as well as to reach customers outside of their residences and places of business. It began with Wi-Fi and has expanded to include cellular services through Mobile Virtual Network Operator agree

As investments in 5G technologies impact the U.S. market with the next generation of networks, devices and applications, the timeline for 6G development has already begun. While innovation is sometimes triggered in reaction to current market needs, technology leadership at a national level will requ

Broadband and technology devices are most certainly game changers is this age of COVID-19. For the older adult community, the benefits of innovation have opened incredible opportunities. For some of our seniors, technology has made an incredible, perhaps life-saving difference during this crisis. Ho

For starters, you’ll make more money. Figure contrasts 1. incumbent cable oligopoly territory divisions, 2. 2,700 local ISPs (map by Zhuangyuan Fan), 3. StarLink   Greetings Gwynne, Elon and Team Starlink— Thank you for working to connect folks. You’re launching the greatest leap forward in the inte

The State of the Union address used to be the political news equivalent of the Super Bowl. It was the one night of the year set aside for the president to speak directly to the American people. In the days leading up to the speech, Washington’s chattering class speculated as to what new policies or

What makes one community flourish while another one struggles? Lack of jobs and essential amenities are often cited as reasons why people move on from rural and midsized communities. In our connected world today, access to technology is a difference-maker. In 2020 and beyond, high-speed broadband-dr

Last month, Federal Communications Chairman Ajit Pai announced a new plan to allocate $9 billion toward deploying 5G wireless in America’s rural areas. From these funds, $1 billion would be earmarked for precision agriculture. The 10-figure sum is impressive, but it’s not all new money. Pai would re

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will vote on Friday to virtually block Huawei’s access to the U.S. market, but this rare bipartisan action only protects one element of America’s digital infrastructure.  In reality, the likeliest and most susceptible security vulnerabilities aren’t well u

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently issued a Public Notice seeking comment on procedures for the auction of Public Access Licenses (PALs) in the 3550-3650 MHz (3.5 GHz) band. The auction is scheduled for June 25, 2020. Comments are due by October 28, 2019, and reply comments are due

The Founder of Broadband Census and Breakfast Breakfast, and the former executive director of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois – one of the State Broadband Initiatives that actually created the National Broadband Map – comments on a growing controversy.

In every corner of the country and around the world, leaders are trying to make their cities “smarter.” These projects are often in response to specific and on-going demands — such as parking, overcrowding, noise, and pollution — while others have started to address broader goals — such as reduction

Following a string of data breaches that touched tens of millions of consumers, and revelations of user data exploitation by popular social media platforms, there’s a broad national consensus: It’s time for internet users to have guarantees about privacy and data protection. Legislation is long over

Over the last few months, various ideas have been floated about the offering of 5G wireless services via a government-sponsored network. This entire effort seems convoluted and borders on the preposterous. Just the notion of the U.S. moving away from the highly-successful, private-sector led approac

When the 4G networking protocol improvements rolled out, I was a Verizon Wireless dealer in a small town in rural America. The 4G marketing echoed today’s 5G promises of fast “fiber like” speeds and improved, “nationwide” coverage. 4G was going to revolutionize broadband. Verizon Wireless even offer

The California Consumer Privacy Act passed into law in 2018 is scheduled to go into effect January 2020. It could potentially have dire consequences for unprepared businesses serving their customers especially when they demand to be forgotten. The new law affects everyone from internet service provi

The top regulator of U.S. phone calls has issued an ultimatum to telecom companies: Either stop robocallers from faking phone numbers or risk new regulations from the Federal Communications Commission. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s warning is well-justified. By several different measures, the number of te

At the beginning of a new Congress, there’s generally an exciting, hopeful spirit, even after the bitter partisanship of the past election.  The issues that new committee chairs choose to focus on upfront are a good indication of their priorities and where they believe progress can be made. In telec

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

What did you do on your summer vacation? Major broadband network operators spent the season making plans to deploy superfast 5G wireless broadband. 5G is the communications technology that offers broadband speeds of up to a hundred times faster than 4G, lower “latency” (basically, faster response ti

Network neutrality is an important issue. We mustn’t allow transport owners to limit our ability to communicate. But, network neutrality in itself positions the internet as a telecommunications service. We need to step back and recognize that the internet itself is part of a larger shift wrought by

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

Telecom attorney Jonathan Lee takes down the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division’s specious case against the AT&T/Time Warner merger in this detailed blog post, excerpted below. (Click on the link at the bottom for the whole argument.) Here’s the money quote: “This alleged harm is simply t

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Telemedicine is one of the most immediately needed high-bandwidth broadband applications, and it promises concrete and easy-to-see benefits. Yet its usage had limited by occupational licensing. In this policy report, CATO Institute Adjunct Scholar Shirley Svorny lays out

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

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Here’s my piece in the Deseret News, responding to information about the Utah Telecommunications Open Infrastructure Agency that simply isn’t correct. I discuss why cities need to open up their thinking about using fiber as a utility, and why cities are going to be in th

In the battle to deploy broadband, cooperatives (co-ops) can be a decisive force to cover the rural flanks in states with aggressive broadband adoption goals such as California, New York, and Minnesota. In the more rural states, or ones without stated commitments to broadband, co-ops may have to car

July 7, 2016 – Since 2008, the ability to “cut the cord” has existed with the help of devices allowing us to stream Netflix directly to our TVs. From 2008 to 2013, the idea that this technology could actually replace Pay TV (cable and satellite) seemed absurd. Fast forward to 2014 when the percentag

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

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

Cattanach_Robert (640x427) [https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Cattanach_Robert-640x427-300x200.jpg]https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Cattanach_Robert-640x427.jpgEditor’s Note: On Wednesday, the Federal Communications Commission announced a $25 million

WASHINGTON, November 13, 2014 – Net neutrality has been the hottest topic in tech policy for months. Politicians on the left say their opponents stand foursquare against the tenets of a free and open internet. Politicians on the right that their adversaries are trying to apply outmoded and outdated

The White House issued a statement of support of government regulation of the Internet.

November 4, 2014 – Nearly a year-and-a-half ago, Verizon Communications CEO Lowell McAdam claimed in an editorial in The New York Times, “The United States built its lead because companies invested nearly $1.2 trillion, over 17 years, to deploy next-generation broadband networks.” That number is mea

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-

Rural Americans are sicker, poorer and more likely to be uninsured than their urban counterparts. Vital human capital links in our nation’s information and healthcare supply chain are missing in rural America, and we need more skilled health care professionals in those communities. Telehealth capabi

Although it is the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or “Commission”) that is charged with implementing the ambitious universal service policy goals set forth in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (the “Act”), the FCC designated the Universal Service Administrative Company (“USAC”), an indepe

Wall Street and K Street are separated by a mere 225 miles, but for many companies they are worlds apart.  In particular, industry observers would do well to compare everything said to policymakers with statements by the same competitors made to Wall Street investors. Defense companies, for example,

WASHINGTON, December 16, 2013 – Last Thursday’s testimony, by the full group of Federal Communications Commissioners at the House Energy and Commerce Committee, restores the pulse of the nation’s technology and communications policy issues to a “low-tension” state. We’ve seen this perennial cycle be

Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition Finds Fault  with Study Critiquing Broadband Technology Opportunities Program WASHINGTON, November 18, 2013 – The Technology Policy Institute issued a report on Thursday criticizing the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).  Unfortunatel

WASHINGTON, September 18, 2013 – There are 3.79 million square miles in the United States, and the federal government controls 30 percent of that land. This vast swathe of federally controlled land is roughly equivalent to the combined size of Alaska, California, Texas and Montana. So when a White H

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

June 17, 2013 – The smart grid and broadband go together like mashed potatoes and gravy. And yet why is it so hard to get electric utilities and broadband experts to dialogue on the role that electric companies can play in expanding super-fast broadband? Tomorrow’s June 2013 Broadband Breakfast Club

March 18, 2013 – At the Broadband Breakfast Club, we strive to introduce our readers and club members to the most timely developments in broadband services. Think of your participation in our events as a vital early warning system to what you need to know about new directions in high-speed connectiv

By Nick Feamster, Associate Professor of Computer Science, Georgia Tech  (The original version of this article is posted in Dr. Feamster’s Blog ‘Connection Management’) WASHINGTON, February 27th, 2013 — Last week, I had the pleasure of sitting on a panel of the Broadband Breakfast Club at Clyde’s of

February 5, 2013 – Now that I’ve had a chance to read the front-page Washington Post story on so-called “Super Wi-Fi,” I have to confess to being extremely disappointed in the Post. Like many others, I was taken in on an allegedly new development repackaged in an exaggerated fashion. It is another r

LONDON, December 19, 2012 – In 2013, roll-out of LTE services will have limited immediate economic impact, social media giants look set to stir up IP-based messaging services and smartphone penetration growth rates will slow considerably, according to Analysys Mason’s top telecoms predictions for th

April 2, 2012 – I admit to being taken in yesterday by Google’s April Fools prank – Gmail Tap. This priceless video promises to bring Morse code back for the smart phone era. Gmail Tap hit a powerful nerve: how to make smart phones more useful for the things we do besides talking on them. […]

January 12, 2012 – The Broadband Economy has always been about three things: wired and wireless connections; the iPods, iPhones, and iPads that we got in our Christmas stockings; and the content that makes it fun and useful to “connect” your device to the internet. Some of us talk about the internet

Expert Contributors: Stephanie A. Joyce, Esq. and Stephen Thompson, Esq.  WASHINGTON, November 18, 2011 – The development of SmartGrid technology, which generally refers to devices that monitor, and possibly control, energy use via telecommunications-enabled devices, is proceeding apace, though not

WASHINGTON, Friday October 28, 2011.  Vice President & Associate General Counsel of NCTA, Steve Morris gave Broadband Breakfast his first impressions on yesterday’s USF Reform Proposal. Morris told us: The Chairman, the commissioners, and the FCC staff, all deserve a great deal of credit for bringin

WASHINGTON, DC October 24, 2011 – Forbes Mercy, President of Washington Broadband Inc and WISPA VP/ Legislative Chair shared some thoughts and comments with BroadbandBreakfast.com after our panel on “Bringing Broadband Infrastructure to Rural Areas: Where is the Progress?” You can watch the video of

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, August 9, 2011 – It’s very easy to take broadband for granted. People want to go online to look up answers on Wikipedia, to watch movies on Netflix, to hang out on Facebook, or to Skype cousins across the globe — or across town. None of this can be done without broadband. Hig

If it were a piece of classical music, the “study” by Navigant Economics’ Jeffrey Eisenach and Kevin Caves could easily be titled “Variations on a False Narrative in the key of F.” They claim, after a review of three (count ‘em, 3) of the hundreds of broadband grants, the broadband stimulus cost too

If you’re like most consumers today, you’re spending many hours a day online, surfing the Internet for information, sending and receiving e-mails, watching videos, exchanging photos, communicating on social networks, playing games, and shopping online. However, within the older adult community, age

At MIO, we’re well aware that broadband isn’t being used to its full potential because not enough of the right people know what it is or what it can do for them. And since they don’t know what they’re missing, they’re not asking policymakers or the companies that provide broadband to make it more ac

Last year, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) recognized the role of technology in strengthening this country’s economy by investing 7.2 million in funding into technology and broadband adoption initiatives through the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP

On June 20, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) formally approved the program it has developed for creation of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs). The new gTLD program will expand the domain name system beyond the current 22 generic top-level domain names such as .com,

The National Broadband Plan won’t do jack until more folks in Wunderland acknowledge and aggressively address one stark truth – broadband competition is mostly a myth, expensively maintained through lobbyists, think tanks and easily-influenced politicians. Until we get meaningful competition, a sign

In order for the Federal Communications Commission to approve the mega-merger between AT&T and T-Mobile, AT&T has to make a showing that the merger is in the public interest. Despite AT&T’s declaration that this merger is the most pro-consumer, pro-innovation and pro-investment solution to America’s

The goal of connecting consumers with businesses has remained unchanged for thousands of years. But the manner in which that connection with customers is made evolves with technology, time and culture. Broadband-based e-Commerce is just the latest variation. To understand the challenges that busines

CARBONDALE, Illinois, June 2, 2011 – Boiled down to its bare essentials, a major research university like Southern Illinois University here needs three things to prosper: good students, great faculty, and world-class internet bandwidth. The only major research university in the southern half of Ill

“T-Mobile’s parent Deutsche Telekom is not in a position to finance the necessary large scale investments in the U.S. for T-Mobile to remain competitive.” – T-Mobile CEO Phillip Humm, sworn U.S. Senate testimony, May 11, 2011 WASHINGTON, May 26, 2011 – Let’s start with the facts. A stand-alone

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, May 4, 2011 – Later today, at 2 p.m. CT, the Partnership for a Connected Illinois will kick off our “Wednesday Webinar” series, beginning with a discussion about the Illinois Broadband Map. Registration for this event is free [https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/354267782].

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2011 – Despite fanfare regarding the end of exclusivity for the Apple iPhone with the launch of a CDMA version, the reality is that many carriers are still unable to attain certain devices. While the majority of current subscribers now have access to the once-exclusive iPhone,

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

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, February 17, 2011 – Illinois residents can now discover who offers high-speed internet service in their neighborhood with a single mouse click or touch on a smart phone. They do this by visiting http://broadbandillinois.org [http://www.broadbandillinois.org/], a new site laun

When Washington thinks about the “broadband stimulus,” what should it remember? The federal government spent nearly $7 billion on new, broadband-related activities, that in many respects were completely unlike traditional federal telecommunications spending on telephone service. Tomorrow’s Broadban

The Business Technology Opportunity Program awards have now been made. Most states have received awards for a combination of Comprehensive Community Infrastructure, Public Computing Center and Sustainable Broadband Initiative grants.

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, September 28, 2010 – Broadband high-speed internet services are stimulating the economy, creating jobs and enhancing lives in Illinois through enhanced telemedicine, training, and public safety benefits. On Tuesday, dozens of federal broadband stimulus recipients will gather

Join the cause to bring home the internet to mom and the kids on the farm. BIHT’M (Bring Internet Home to Mom) leads the fight to reconnect a mother with her property, relations and the world around her. The time for seclusion is over. Let the inundation of over-stimulation in the information age co

With the advent of continued proliferation from wireless coverage throughout the U.S., and the projected exponential growth in mobile access, adoption and affordability through LTE to 4G technology; the realities of serving less populated areas becomes increasingly more likely. The strides being mad

Bandwidth is the basic foundation for Internet traffic as a connector to everything important in our lives. Whether it is basic bandwidth for connecting to family and friends, or a super fast highway for global reach and competitiveness in the business world, bandwidth constitutes the speed at which

ST. LOUIS, July 30, 2010 – The Wireless Internet Service Providers’ Association took the opportunity to address key issues of concern to its members at its summer meeting in St. Louis this month.

Kevin Shatzkamer is the Chief Architect for Cisco Mobility and speaks to the mobile research Cisco has developed in helping Mobile Service Providers reach their ROI goals and objectives in projecting an increasingly demand driven market. World Cup and Mobility Q. How will current World Cup viewership demand impact the

Cisco’s mantra continues to be about networking and collaboration, and that is what it continues to offer consumers and busy executives with an array of products.

Image via CrunchBase If you believe Cable Operators are not thinking about Mobile Networks and what kind of synergies could bring them increased cash-flow in the future, then you’ve probably missed the obvious signs laid out since 2008. Strategic Partnerships Starting with their investment in Clearwire in 2008, companies

Since the dust has settled from a stinging defeat in federal court, the FCC has decided to move on its own to settle the broadband regulation dispute.

Image via Wikipedia The mobile phone market is growing exponentially and will continue to evolve for years to come. Why has the Cable Industry not moved into the lucrative mobile phone market? It could definitely be a revenue bonanza, as it currently is for telecom companies. See (The cable company

Image by jdlasica via Flickr Broadband providers are not taking the recent move by the FCC to reclassify broadband under Title II; i.e., put broadband under its regulation arm along with the likes of telephone companies, very lightly and have come out swinging to stop that effort. See (Obama’

Last week’s “no” vote on H.R. 1722—The Telework Improvements Act, will cost American taxpayers $15 billion dollars a year. That’s what passage of the bill could have saved in real estate, electricity, absenteeism, turnover, gas, imported oil, and other costs.

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?

By now, the omnipresent television commercials have drummed Verizon’s 3G message into all our heads: big red map good, splotchy blue map bad. But nascent national WiMAX provider Clearwire has taken the “maps” battle to a whole new level, in a way that potential wireless users might find more useful

The implications of the United States Court of Appeals decision to vacate FCC order in Comcast appeal.

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2010 – The elements of an organized broadband system at the state level will vary depending upon geographic and economic characteristics. Urban and more populous areas will require middle-mile infrastructure to serve larger institutions, while existing last mile coverage may be

Given that the Washington D.C. Court of Appeals today smacked down [http://pacer.cadc.uscourts.gov/common/opinions/201004/08-1291-1238302.pdf] the FCC’s ham-handed attempt to impose net neutrality rules on Comcast from a couple years ago, it’s no surprise that many folks are proclaiming this to be t

After more recent and serious delving into the merits of The National Broadband Plan, with the usual effects of a clearer understanding; a more interesting and omnipresent realization begins to emerge.

In a proposed Network Gateway-NOI and CableCARD NPRM, the commission is seeking input on how to best rework the CableCARD rules to make Set-Top-Boxes more universal in nature and easier for consumers to connect and network throughout the home to any video provider offerings. The question remains; is

Testing prototypes. Assisting another university with a campus-wide wireless network. Delving into telecommunications policies. Investigating broadband’s impact on the economy. All are examples of Ball State University’s pioneering work with wireless broadband Internet access.

The Transmission Project congratulates the Federal Communications Commission on its formal release of a National Broadband Plan. We honor the Commission for its planning approach, making sure that voices inside and outside of Washington, D.C., were included in the process using a range of media, inc

Image by wiredbike via Flickr There is increasing demand from the Wireless Sector that opening new spectrum, as championed by the FCC, would speed application roll-outs for broadband in the immediate future. Mobile providers are clamoring to offer increasingly sophisticated applications to connect users with everything on a Mobile Internet.

BroadbandBreakfast.com announced that it will receive commentary on the National Broadband Plan released last week by the Federal Communications Commission.

Courtesy Market Force Information, Inc. According to research performed by Market Force Information, Inc., movie watchers still prefer going out to enjoy the Theatre movie experience for various reasons, including: * Experience of watching movie on the Big Screen * Not wanting to wait to see new releases * Enjoying a movie with

The National Broadband Plan submitted by the FCC is a window into the possibilities of creating a Gateway of economic growth for America.

I believe everyone can agree that Broadband Competition and Pricing are high on their lists of (all things broadband). Yes, consumers and businesses alike want a high quality broadband experience with dynamically fast upload and download speeds, and with seamless and unbridled applications to fill t

Representing a congressional district that includes Omaha, Nebraska, Republican Rep. Lee Terry knows first hand the benefits of advanced telecommunications. Omaha is home to four Fortune 500 companies and as highlighted in Stephen Colbert’s “Better Know a District,” Omaha is the teleservices capital

With the recent battle between Cablevision and Disney over Retransmission Consent in New York regarding WABC-TV carriage on Cablevisions 3.1 million subscribers, and thereby producing a coalition of Cable Providers to petition the FCC to intervene in negotiations, is akin to the saying: (be careful

PHILADELPHIA, Penn., March 8, 2010 – There is a persistent digital divide among low-income individuals, households, and communities throughout the US, as it relates to “always on” high-speed Internet access in homes. Over 100 million individuals representing over 40 million households do not use bro

By 2014, annual global mobile data traffic will reach 3.6 exabytes per month. Globally, businesses and consumers will be transferring the equivalent of billions of DVDs each month. What’s driving that incredible growth? What does it mean to service providers? Are users worldwide becoming mobile data

As we await the release of the FCC’s National Broadband Plan on Mar. 17, PRTM is hopeful that the forthcoming recommendations will effectively serve their intended purpose to help reinvigorate the United States’ leadership in broadband availability, speeds and services. While details of the plan are

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

It is estimated that poor customer service has cost the Cable/Satellite Industry over $12 billion in lost revenues over the past year, ahead of the financial services industry with more than $10 billion in losses.

The unprecedented success of smart mobile devices like the iPhone has brought on the bandwidth crunch for mobile broadband services sooner than expected. Communications policymakers, regulators, businesses and others are looking at various remedies to alleviate the problem, including Content Distrib

Why do Internet users continually resist paid content on a systematic basis? Keep in mind that many current Internet business models were built on the premise, (create the content and they will come).

WASHINGTON, February 17, 2010 – The two branches of the government responsible for doling out grants and loans to improve the nation’s broadband connections announced on Jan. 15 revised parameters for their second round of funding.

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

Image by Getty Images via Daylife With some 1900 company name changes last year, one would think these re-branding efforts would pay dividends in market share, customer perception, and employee focus in forging a new direction, both in the short and long term.  Does XFINIITY, See (Comcast launches XFINITY), make

Image via Wikipedia Recent hearings before the House on the proposed merger between Comcast and NBCU drew both accolades and skepticism for regulators on Feb 4, 2010. The skepticism seemed to come from what was perceived as inconsistencies in previous statements by CEO’s Roberts and Zucker from what was

PHILADELPHIA, Penn., February 3, 2010 – Investment in broadband infrastructure, most believe, is essential to our nation’s future economic health. In an information economy, the race is to the swift: those who can quickly access more, better information will innovate, communicate, and transact at a

GERMANTOWN, Md., January 31, 2010 – Two of the biggest challenges facing the expansion of wireless broadband in this country include the disparate number of rural and remaote wireless carriers, and how to ensure that stimulus funding goes to wireless carriers. The Wireless Internet Service Provider

The FCC has just issued a Public Notice: Comment Sought On Video Device Innovation NBP Public Notice # 27, to spur innovation within the set-top-box market currently being served by individual Cable & Telecom companies as monthly rentals to consumers. First, these providers have invested in their ow

Cable industry stocks, like all tech stocks, have seen their ups and downs when it comes to performance. The industry has been through periods of high infrastructure spending, acquisitions and divestitures, increased programming costs, higher retransmission costs, and competitive pressures, each pla

Image via Wikipedia Since announcement of the Comcast/NBC-Universal merger consummated the deal creating subsequent analysis and conjecture about how the new venture will be structured, with its impact on programming distribution and fears of dominance, and anti-trust issues within the marketplace; Comcast is set to go before regulators to

WASHINGTON, January 21, 2010 – Today’s edition of The New York Times includes a story about internet speed tests, including BroadbandCensus.com, and the various approaches that each of the major providers take in offering speed tests. The piece, “How Fast is Your Web Connection?” by Peter Wayner, i

Image via Wikipedia Through continued research of the Net Neutrality debate, distinct realizations come to mind for Regulators’, Consumers, and Network Providers alike in pondering the heated discussions around whether either regulation, or a (hands-off) approach, are sufficient to allow unfettered and equal access, including clear competition, and that all

WASHINGTON, January 12, 2010 – Steve Midgley, Education Director of the Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Plan, presented the following slides at the Tuesday’s Broadband Breakfast Club.

LAKE FOREST, Ill., January 11, 2010 – Last July when the Round 1 of Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program was announced, Don Samuelson suggested that public housing authorities across the country ought to be applying to BTOP for financial assistance to promote the use of the Internet by their s

Comcast is appealing a ruling before a three-judge appeals court panel concerning the FCC’s sanctions in 2008 of the operator, and whether it has jurisdiction under current Net Neutrality rules to do so, for what has become known throughout the media as past throttling of BitTorrent. See FCC formall

Now that the broadband experience is reaching a milestone in bridging the gap between digital content and consumers, we all may soon be accessing our Home Gateways to maximize the experience of downloading and viewing relevant content on TV’s, PC’s, Laptop’s, DVR’s, and Mobile Devices. The term Resi

Kim Hart, a reporter for The Hill covering technology-related subjects, will join with Drew Clark to co-moderate BroadbandBreakfast.com’s upcoming National Town Hall Webcast, on “Net Neutrality, Copyright Protection and the National Broadband Plan,” on Tuesday, January 19, 2010, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.

Two giants in the telecommunications industry battle publicly over Retransmission Consent. Both Fox and Time Warner Cable have let cooler heads prevail in their war over money to be doled out in fees to Fox by extending their negotiations beyond the Dec 31, 2009 deadline. At issue, the Fox owned bro

WASHINGTON, December 29, 2009 – Rick Rotondo, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Spectrum Bridge, advises technology policy enthusiasts to keep an eye on wireless broadband legislation from Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry.

WASHINGTON, December 29, 2009 – Andrew Schwartzman, president and CEO of the Media Access Project, expects the Federal Communications Commission will issue rules to regulate internet access to support Net neutrality or open internet principles by the end of the third quarter of 2010.

WASHINGTON, December 29, 2009 – Dan Hays, director of the telecommunications practice at the management consulting firm PRTM, told Broadband Census News Monday that his company has some serious concerns about the overall direction of a government program to distribute funds to spur broadband penetra

WASHINGTON, December 28, 2009 – Broadband Census News Reporter Winter Casey touched base with broadband business strategist Craig Settles this week on what to expect might happen on key technology issues in 2010. Settles addresses government broadband stimulus grants, legislation, and mapping in the

Predictions for 2010 for Broadband, Cable TV, Telecom, and Wireless seen through the eyes of The Cable Pipeline.

WASHINGTON, December 21, 2009 – Last Thursday’s announcement of broadband stimulus – even if it was about two-and-a-half percent of the total broadband stimulus funding – was like manna to broadband industry. Whether or not broadband activists and broadband builders believe that the federal governm

Image via Wikipedia At issue, the language the FCC crafted in its proposed rule making, specifically FCC NPRM Paragraph 106 as implicated by Digital Society. (see FCC NPRM prohibits good network management) “We understand the term (nondiscriminatory) to mean that a broadband Internet access service provider may not charge a

After reviewing the letters from the states to the NTIA, BroadbandBreakfast.com has learned that all of the broadband stimulus projects awarded today were specifically recommended to the NTIA by the states, with the exception of the Rivada Sea Lion project in Alaska and Bretton Woods Telephone Compa

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, December 14, 2009 – Broadband Census Data announced the availability of highly granular Census block mapping services to state recipients of broadband mapping grants. BroadbandCensus.com [http://broadbandcensus.com] provides the information necessary for states to meet grant obligations

Image via Wikipedia Kyle McSlarrow’s recent speech to The Media Institute mirrors a self-serving approach to control the pipelines, guised as a First Amendment right for ISP’s. The point Mr. McSlarrow is trying to make shakes the Freedom of Speech right for every citizen to the core. How

Why memorable quotes from Cable Industry executives in 2009 seemed either disconnected or a predictor of the future. Judge for yourself whether these quotes have merit or are they seriously off-track with the mainstream. Only time will tell whether these executives have done their homework, or they

There are two compelling sides to the Net Neutrality issue before the Federal Communications Commission that can be solved by cutting through the rhetoric and making a few common sense and objective decisions about what is at the crux of the problem.  First, Internet Service Providers are at the cen

WASHINGTON, December 7, 2009 – A new report [https://broadbandbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Take-Rate-Brief.pdf] using an innovative approach to broadband data finds that the percentage of households in the United States that have adopted high-speed internet services is 72.9 percent. The

It happened, as predicted by some and discounted by others; a Comcast-NBC Universal merger that has wide-ranging implications on both future Content and Internet usage. However, the tough part for Comcast begins now, today, and that is to placate dissenters like the Consumer Federation of America, t

The National Cable Telecommunications Association and Kyle McSlarrow must be commended for their creation, in partnership with both public and private sectors, the Adoption Plus (A+) Program, “a comprehensive pilot program to promote broadband adoption in low-income households with middle school-aged children”. The aforesaid program is the kind of cutting-edge

WASHINGTON, November 30, 2009 – The news [https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2009/11/ntia-seeks-access-to-fccs-form-477-database-for-better-broadband-data/] that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration aims to seek access to the Form 477 database is positive news — providing that

I think the FCC has to look back at how Broadband proliferation occurred from its beginnings to understand how to move it forward today. By researching and studying The Cable Communications Act of 1984, the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992, , and the Telecommunication

It goes without saying that the FCC has a daunting task of rule making when it comes to filling the needs of Broadband Access for Americans in 2010. Therefore it comes to mind, when the Federal Agency is through taking comments on Net Neutrality, The Universal Service Fund, Broadband Adoption, Broad

The FCC released five significant barriers associated with the adoption of Broadband within the U.S. which is part of the National Broadband Plan scheduled for a Feb 17, 2010 submittal to Congress. The perceived barriers were broad ranging and simplistic in their association to various deterrents to

C-SPAN, a private non-profit organization created by the Cable Television Industry as a public service, has created a great way for students in grades (6-8-Middle School) and (9-12-High School) to get involved on a national level by producing a 5-8 minute documentary on two topics.  The program is titled C-SPAN’

WASHINGTON, November 19, 2009 – Today, Broadband Census News launches BroadbandBreakfast.com, a new daily web site with definitive and independent news on broadband stimulus funding, wireless internet, and the national broadband plan. This new domain, BroadbandBreakfast.com [https://broadbandbreakf

WASHINGTON, October 30, 2009 – Over the summer, BroadbandCensus.com split our operations between the news and events that we host, and the Creative Commons database with the local broadband SPARC: the Speeds, Prices, Availability, Reliability and Competition in the local broadband marketplace. As we

WASHINGTON, October 12, 2009 – Carl Weinschenck, writing in IT Business Edge, speaks about “Broadband Mapping: Treasure for a New Age.” Carl discusses the rash of interest in broadband data and mapping since the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, in February 2009, and highlights

WASHINGTON – September 29, 2009 – From the beginning, BroadbandCensus.com has aimed at providing academics, consumers, government officials and industry with the high-quality data needed about the state of broadband throughout the country. We believe in public and transparent broadband data. Without public and transparent broadband data, each of these constituents

WASHINGTON, September 23, 2009 – Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski’s announcement of his intention to codify the commission’s 2005 Internet Policy Statement into actual, enforceable federal regulations using a valid legal process drew expected reactions from the usual par

WASHINGTON, September 22, 2009 – Public and transparent broadband data has now been elevated to the level of a fundamental principle, at least in the Monday speech by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski. But it’s worth reflecting on the time – not so long ago – when the que

WASHINGTON, September 21, 2009 – Broadband data is important for the future of our country – and public and transparent broadband data is even more important. Today, at this moment, the new Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission is making a speech in which he is highlighting the vital pri

With those words, Assistant Secretary Lawrence Strickling, head of NTIA, enables many applicants and others worried about the NOFA’s incumbent challenge clause breathe a little easier. And for those of us who’ve railed against this potentially destructive clause , there is also a bit of satisfaction

Craig Settles of Successful.com offers his observations about the NTIA’s broadband stimulus applications: “From what I’ve seen and read about so far, these applications fit into three loosely defined categories: The dreamers, the hopefuls and the planners.”

WASHINGTON, August 25, 2009 – One year ago, BroadbandCensus.com joined in support of One Web Day. Both for BroadbandCensus.com and for broadband policy and internet technology, a lot has changed in the past year. We launched BroadbandCensus.com in January 2008 with the simple and straightforward goa

LAKE FOREST, Ill., August 10, 2009 – Here’s a step by step guide to completing an National Telecommunications and Information Administration application in a bid to receive money for broadband projects. The guts of the application will consist of one or two page narratives in the following areas: pr

LAKE FOREST, Ill., July 26, 2009 – Every public housing authority in the United States should apply for stimulus funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to set up a program to promote the benefits and use of the Internet for its senior housing residents. The goal

WASHINGTON, July 19, 2009 – Carl Malamud’s talking on O’Reilly’s Radar about the need for a national broadband census. One of the things that BroadbandCensus.com has been doing since our launch, in January 2008, is to provide a crowdsourced, public and transparent collection of data about local broa

LAKE FOREST, Ill., July 19, 2009 – The NTIA’s BTOP program tracks the old NTIA Technology Opportunities Program. There are going to be maximum awards for those applications which attempt to solve multiple policy objectives, on the “biggest bang for the stimulus buck” theory. And states are going to

WASHINGTON, May 7, 2009 – BroadbandCensus.com is now live on Twitter! To follow our feed, go to http://twitter.com/BroadbandCensus [http://twitter.com/broadbandcensus].

COLUMBIA, S.C., April 21, 2009 – Representatives with broadband interests from southeastern states met at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina on April 15, 2009, to discuss the status of broadband in their states and common approaches they might take to advance their interests.

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2009 – According to a research report released Monday by BroadbandCensus.com, the broadband mapping provisions associated with the fiscal stimulus act should be (1) Narrowly scoped; (2) Ideally suited to visually depict unserved areas; (3) Related directly and exclusively to ex

WASHINGTON, February 18, 2009 – Art Brodsky, communications director at Public Knowledge, has just posted a second piece about Connected Nation. For more than a year, BroadbandCensus.com has been presenting an alternative to the proprietary-information model of Connected Nation.

WASHINGTON, February 11, 2009 – The New York Times highlights the efforts of BroadbandCensus.com to build a publicly-available database of the speeds, prices, availability, reliability and competition in the local broadband marketplace.

WASHINGTON, February 9, 2009 – In a guest op-ed in Ars Technica, the founder and executive director of BroadbandCensus.com cautions that the broadband infrastructure investments planned as part of the economic stimulus package need transparency if they’re to be effective.

WASHINGTON, February 8, 2009 – Fellow journalist Geoff Daily has a wonderful little post over on App-Rising, in which he endorses the principle of public and transparent broadband mapping.

WASHINGTON, January 28, 2009 – Drew Clark, Editor of BroadbandCensus.com, is quoted on the economic impact of the broadband stimulus legislation in this morning’s Christian Science Monitor.

January 22, 2009 – The Berkshire Eagle reports that Berkshire Regional Planning Commission is eager to get broadband funds in the stimulus legislation being considered on Capitol Hill.

WASHINGTON, January 19, 2009 – The Wall Street Journal gave a little attention to a do-it-yourself network test, the “Switzerland” software suite of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. I offered a comment and a link to the Broadband Census and speed test.

WASHINGTON, December 8 – Paul Kapustka of Sidecut Reports has just made his “Consumer Guide to WiMax” Available online for free.

WASHINGTON, December 5 – This report, authored by BroadbandCensus.com Editor Drew Clark for the Aspen Institute’s Communications and Society Program in August 2007, asks and attempts to answer a series of questions about broadband adoption.

WASHINGTON, December 5 – BroadbandCensus.com was founded January 2008 after the experience of trying to use the Freedom of Information Act to obtain some very basic broadband information: the names of the carriers operating in each ZIP code.

WASHINGTON, November 4 – I’ve been following the “white spaces” for as long as it has been happening – four, maybe five years – and I must admit that I am surprised by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin’s sudden fondness for them.

WASHINGTON, November 4 – This article, “TV Has Grown Up. Shouldn’t FCC Rules?” first appeared in the Washington Post Outlook section on Sunday, May 16, 2004, or nearly four-and-a-half years ago. It remains more relevant today than ever: the Supreme Court is today considering Federal Communications C

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.

The blog posts are beginning to appear for the Broadband Census for America Conference on Friday, September 26. Here’s the post by Tim Vollmer from the American Library Association. And from Cynthia Brumfeld at IP Democracy. And from Susan Crawford’s blog.

WASHINGTON, September 22 – One Web Day, DC style: New York has a rally celebrating the Internet and its democratizing power, DC holds a panel session focused on the policies that could either expand the web as a democratizing force or stifle it.

WASHINGTON, September 22 – Today is September 22, 2008. Happy One Web Day and Happy One Web Week!

August 21 – It’s worthwhile to step back and examine the so-called digital revolution with an eye towards the future of innovation after the Progress and Freedom Foundation’s summit in Aspen, Colorado. What were the essential questions asked by the summit discussants? What are possible answers?

ASPEN, COLORADO, August 19 – Five nations, three continents, and a host of perspectives on telecom policy converged for the final panel of the 2008 Aspen Summit. Convening for a final engagement on the state of communication technologies markets and policies, lead by US Ambassador David Gross, some

ASPEN, COLORADO, August 19 – Federal Communications Commissioner Robert McDowell and a panel of experts from the communications technologies industry addressed crucial issues arising for operators and users of next generation networks today at the Aspen Summit, hosted by the Progress and Freedom Fou

ASPEN, COLORADO, August 19 – It’s not always cable vs telco at the Aspen Summit, but the two morning keynotes today featured leaders from Cox Communications and Verizon Communications. Both Patrick Esser and Richard Lynch spoke to the theme of the conference, unlocking innovation, and made the case

ASPEN, COLORADO, August 19 – Day two of the Aspen Summit examines the state of global innovation and economics and the outlook for US performance. Leading global public affairs and trade experts considered the state of the global economy and the health of US competitiveness in the day’s first panel.

WASHINGTON, August 19 – BroadbandCensus.com is pleased to support One Web Day on September 22, 2008. We join with One Web Day in helping you learn about your internet options and take the broadband census. Doing so will allow all of us to better understand the true state of broadband competition in

ASPEN, COLORADO, August 18 – At the 2008 Aspen Summit of the Progress and Freedom Foundation, day one’s afternoon panel discussed the privacy and competition concerns that are developing as the online advertising market expands and evolves.

ASPEN, COLORADO, August 18 – The emerging theme of the first full day at the Aspen Summit is liability: as internet content, applications and monetary streams evolve, does liability over legal issues like defamation, privacy and intellectual property shift?

ASPEN, COLORADO, August 18 – The Monday morning panel at the 2008 Aspen Summit examined the fundamental protections provided to third party internet providers and users and considered recent legal developments that might increase legal exposure to internet service providers and blog administrators.

ASPEN, COLORADO, August 17 – The Progress and Freedom Foundation’s 2008 Aspen Summit, Unlocking Innovation, began today with the opening keynote address by John Horrigan of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, who focused his comments on the contribution users can make to technological innovati

WASHINGTON, August 15 – The principle author of the Democratic Party Platform, Karen Kornbluh, and Barack Obama’s senior foreign policy adviser, Susan Rice, were on-hand today at the New America Foundation’s DC office to discuss the official “Party Platform” policy document released today.

August 15 – The Communications Workers of America’s Speed Matters blog this week published its state-by-state report on download speeds in the United States. According to the report, the median download speed for the nation was 2.3 Megabits per second, and the report provides state-by-state totals.

WASHINGTON, August 12 – At the Heritage Foundation, Republican Federal Communications Commissioner Robert McDowell presented an overview of the FCC’s recent work concerning broadband internet services, including network management, cable franchising, spectrum auctions and management, deregulation of

August 11 – Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain is preparing to launch a new telecom and technology agency, in which he’s pushing for the Federal Trade Commission — and not the Federal Communications Commission — to be the key internet enforcement agency.

WASHINGTON, August 8 – Data about the names of broadband carriers and the locations in which they offer services, by ZIP code, is not confidential information. Data about the number of subscribers that carriers have in a particular ZIP code may well be confidential.

WASHINGTON, August 1 – The Federal Communication Commission’s enforcement action against Comcast can be seen either as a limited response to a company’s deceptive practices, or a sweeping new venture by the agency into regulating internet policy.

WASHINGTON, July 28 – Confused about how to put the “public” back into “public-private partnership”? How about making the data public, just as the government of Ireland has done with its “Broadband Information” web site!

WASHINGTON, July 17 – Communications Workers of America this past week teamed up with a group of telecommunications companies, cable operators and non-profit groups to push for Congress to pass broadband data legislation. Internet for Everyone also wants better broadband.

Commentary WASHINGTON, July 15 – Most Americans who have high-speed Internet can’t imagine life without broadband. How could you connect to the Internet of today without it? In today’s world, broadband is as basic as running water and electricity. And yet the U.S. is falling behind globally.

NEW YORK, June 24 – The final breakout panel of the Personal Democracy Forum examined the state of political watchdogging in the Internet age. Ellen Miller of the Sunlight Foundation said she sees web and its access to information as fundamental to the recent movement for political transparency.

NEW YORK, June 24 – The Personal Democracy Forum here featured a panel with some of the leading minds on technology policy. Moderator Andrew Rasiej wanted to know: “What would you do as part of a new administration to impact tech policy” on January 21, 2009?

NEW YORK, June 24 – Jonathan Zittrain, author of “The Future of the Internet and How to Stop It,” took to the stage at the Personal Democracy Forum to focus “civic technologies:” the personal computer, spreadsheet applications, Wikipedia, even the Internet itself are all examples.

NEW YORK, June 24 – Stanford law professor Lawrence Lessig presented his ‘Declaration For Independence’ to the Personal Democracy Forum here today, fingering this problem in the American political system: the perception of a government disproportionately influenced by the stakeholders that fund poli

NEW YORK, June 24 – “What happens next?” is the question Andrew Rasiej used to start off the Tuesday morning panel discussion at the Personal Democracy Forum here.

June 24 – Communications Workers of America has claimed credit for the Federal Communications Commission’s recent order requiring broadband companies to provide the FCC with more information — but it has ignored the fact that consumers won’t be able to make use of this information.

NEW YORK, June 23 – In an effort to address the anti-competitive behavior that impacts various aspects of the Internet and technologies markets, as well as their vital markets for ideas, the Personal Democracy Forum brought together panelists representing the “little-guy” innovators of the technolog

NEW YORK, June 23 – On the Internet, everything is public now. The afternoon panel at the Personal Democracy Forum here, on the “Clickocracy” and the Internet’s impact on media and journalism left one wondering: are there any rules left in journalism? And just how can journalists retain credibility

NEW YORK, June 23 – The final morning panel on the first day of the Personal Democracy Form here focused on worked and what didn’t in the 2008 campaign. To the question, “has the Internet finally arrived as a campaign tool?”, the answer is: yes.

NEW YORK, June 23 – The morning speakers and break-out sessions during the first morning at the Personal Democracy Forum here focused on some of the tools and innovations for enhanced democracy, as well as the power of mapping the blogosphere.

NEW YORK, June 23 – The Personal Democracy Forum here wants to shift the influence on Washington from big money to small money, enhance accountability through real-time, citizen-based media, promote transparency in politics, and support grass roots movements.

Drew Bennett, a recent master’s student graduate of Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, will be blogging and reporting from the Personal Democracy Forum in New York City for BroadbandCensus.com.

June 22 – Whether or not new bandwidth demands on the Internet cause carriers to offer tiered pricing or to throttle particular applications or protocols, independent monitoring will be crucial.

Question and answer from the Broadband Policy Summit IV about congressional consideration of various broadband data mapping bill, including the Broadband Census of America Act by Rep. Ed. Markey, D-Mass.

Federal Communications Commissioner Michael Copps said Thursday that the issue of a national broadband strategy is beginning to take on a life of its own in the presidential contest and in Congress.

Photos from the National Conference for Media Reform in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

At BroadbandCensus.com, we’ve been expecting the move by carriers toward increased metered pricing.