
Kendall County, Illinois, Builds Its Own Fiber Network After Being Snubbed By Big ISPs
The fiber-plus-fixed wireless project is estimated to cost $67 million to connect more than 13,000 county locations.
Biden to Sign Bill Easing Environmental Regs for Chip Manufacturing
House passed the bill Monday over strong objections of key Democrats

U.S. Mayors Target Cable Broadband Revenue
USCM resolution says FCC policy is denying cities access to millions of dollars in franchise fee revenue
Portland, Ore: FCC Policy Denying Cities $3.75 Billion a Year
Portland wants to apply their standard 5 percent right-of-way fee to cable broadband providers.

Seattle Public Library Crawling Back From Ransomware Event
Ten days after major ransomware attack, many library services remain offline and key details are left unknown

Broadband Breakfast on July 3, 2024 – Health Care and Smart Cities
Experts grapple with the risks and rewards of integrating smart city technology into healthcare delivery

More Spectrum Required to Unlock Smart Car Potential, Say Industry Leaders
Panelists said autonomous cars have the potential to reduce fatalities, but need more spectrum from the FCC.

The Smart City Blueprint for Urban Innovation
At play in Smart Cities: Data collection, smart infrastructure, IoT, communications technologies, regulations and more.

Chart of States Accepting BEAD Grant Applications
Braodband Breakfast is tracking each state's BEAD grant application window.

Chart of Fixed Wireless Access Subscribers
Braodband Breakfast is tracking fixed wireless access subscriptions.

Chart of Wireline Broadband Subscribers
Braodband Breakfast is tracking wireline broadband subscriptions.

Chart of Wireline Broadband Subscribers By Technology
Braodband Breakfast is tracking wireline broadband subscribers by technology.

FCC’s Multi-Dwelling Decision Could Hamper Smart Wi-Fi Technology, Developer Says
The decision may disrupt managed Wi-Fi in multi-family arrangements.

Transportation Expert at CES 2022: Public-Private Partnerships Critical for Autonomous Vehicles
The bottom line reason for state interest in autonomous vehicles is safety, says Utah transportation official.

FCC Asks for Public Comment on Spectrum for Internet of Things
Internet of Things devices are expected to increasingly flood the market as 5G networks light up.

Utah Ignite Leverages Partnership with Smart Cities Fabrication Lab for Broadband Growth
February 14, 2021 – Orem, Utah, enjoyed a better-than-expected economic year in 2020, partly thanks to technology-focused resources offered in the city, including the Smart Cities and Fabrication Lab at Utah Valley University, a new resource within the university’s business resource center. The fabr

Cities of the Future: Tech Companies Explore Challenges and Solutions at a CES 2021 Panel
January 18, 2021 – Collaboration and vision are necessary to build smart cities with integrated technology and innovation, industry leaders said at a panel at CES 2021 on Wednesday. As cities grow and become more connected, partnerships between the public and private sectors will become more necessa

Fiber Optic Sensing Technology Promotes Safety, Efficiency and Education
August 27, 2020 — Infrastructure monitoring is a growing industry, with potential for vast market size, especially as cities across America are becoming more reliant on critical infrastructure. To discuss the benefits fiber optic sensing technology has to offer, Lisa Youngers, CEO of the Fiber Broad

UTOPIA Fiber CEO says at Utah Ignite Event that Rewards of Smart Cities Outweigh Risks
June 17, 2020 — The smart cities of the future have the potential to be extraordinarily efficient and to minimize the danger of natural disasters, said UTOPIA Fiber CEO Roger Timmerman in a Tuesday webinar sponsored by Utah Ignite. The coronavirus pandemic has made social media and other technologie

Collaborative Smart City Pilots Show Promise in Improving Internet Access
May 21, 2020 — The implementation of smart technologies may be a key in solving economic challenges at the regional level, said panelists in a BroadbandUSA webinar Wednesday. The webinar focused on how smart city initiatives could improve sustainability and quality of life, including broadband acces

Even When it Comes to Advancing High-Capacity Broadband, Local Community Resources Are Essential to Meeting Civic Needs
May 15, 2020 — Community support is vital for local business longevity amid the coronavirus, said panelists in a US Ignite forum Thursday. Panelists discussed the measures that their communities and organizations took to support small businesses and the common good during the coronavirus pandemic. U

Broadband Breakfast Announces Digital Infrastructure Investment as a Physical/Virtual Event on August 10, 2020
WASHINGTON, April 28, 2020 – Breakfast Media LLC, the publisher of Broadband Breakfast, on Tuesday announced that its Digital Infrastructure Investment mini-conference at the Broadband Communities Summit will be a Physical/Virtual event. Visit Broadband Breakfast’s event page for the most up-to-date

Registration Available for Digital Infrastructure Investment at Broadband Communities Summit on April 27, 2020
Editor’s Note, April 14, 2020 – Please note that the Broadband Communities Conference has been rescheduled for August 10-13, 2020, in Houston. See “Broadband Communities and Rural Telecommunications Congress Announce Postponed Summit on August 10-13, 2020.” The Digital Infrastructure Investment even

Smart Cities Connect to Hold 2020 Global Event Honoring 50 Smart Projects
Smart Cities Connect will host an event beginning on April 6, 2020, to display smart city technology advancements within the global technology community. As part of a competition, Smart Cities Connect chose 50 innovative projects with current or future wide-scale civic impact. Applicants represented

Panelists on NTIA Broadband Webinar Say Smart Buildings Boost Civic Resiliency and Public Health
WASHINGTON, January 16, 2020 – Speakers advocated civic resiliency and better public health through smart building infrastructure in a webinar discussion hosted by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on Wednesday. Limor Schafman, senior director of Smart Buildings Programs

Panelists at CES 2020 Consider Crucial Role of Public Safety in Smart City Infrastructure
Smart cities will thrive with better communications capabilities for infrastructure, and for public safety, according to panelists speaking at a CES 2020 session Thursday on the deployment of Internet of Things devices. Indeed, public safety needs to be a significant priority for smart city innovati

Connectivity and Mobility Are Key Pillars of Metropolitan Development, Say Congresswomen at Smart City Event
WASHINGTON, December 11, 2019 – Connectivity, mobility, sustainability and the workforce are the main pillars of smart city development, said Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., at an Axios panel Tuesday. Cities must have reliable sources of energy to maximize efficiency, she said, which makes infrastructur

Law Enforcement and Advocates of Facial Recognition Technologies Battle Misconceptions
WASHINGTON, July 24, 2019 – Experts in law enforcement and privacy came together at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation on Wednesday to debunk common assumptions of how officials use facial recognition. For law enforcement to properly meet the needs of the community, they we must ma

Geoff Mulligan: A ‘Dumb’ Way to Build Smart Cities
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

5G Needs Fiber, Anchorage Wireless Project and Budgeting for Broadband in Fort Collins
Just because 5G is “around the corner” doesn’t mean fiber optic broadband development is unnecessary, said Ben Lewis-Ramirez of Lit Communities. Ramirez is not the only one with a cynical outlook on 5G’s nationwide rollout. “Deep deployment of fiber optics is a national imperative. The success of 5G

NTIA Webinar Focuses on Smart Region Initiatives Gaining Traction in Washington, and Nation-wide
WASHINGTON, June 19, 2019 – Smart cities and smart regions need better broadband, but also “soft infrastructure,” or the policies and practices that make these initiatives successful, according to a Wednesday panel hosted by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s BroadbandU

Gigi Sohn on Wireless Mergers, Utah Ignite Lunch Launch, and New Global Crypto-Currencies
The political turmoil and guess-manship over the proposed T-Mobile/Sprint merger continues, with 10 state attorney generals filing a lawsuit in New York last week in a federal district court. Unusually, the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice did not join the lawsuit. It’s not the first

SiFi Proposes Open-Access Network in Lowell, Ajit Pai on Broadband Farming
SiFi Networks has offered to install and maintain a new fiber optic network in Lowell, Massachusetts—at no cost to the city. This infrastructure would pave the way for new internet service providers to compete with Comcast, which is currently the main internet provider within the city. “Increasing c

Livestream of Energy and Commerce Committee Hearing on LIFT America Act at 10 a.m. ET Wednesday, Plus Insight Into $40 Billion for Broadband
On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce will conduct a hearing on H.R. 2741, or Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s America Act. Introduced by committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., the measure includes $40 billion, over five years, to deploy broadband. The livestream for the hearing will b

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

Broadband Deployment Updates from Virginia, Kansas, Ohio and Indiana
BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: It is great to see this kind of round-up of an array of broadband activities happening throughout the country. It is a reminder that broadband remains a potent economic development issue throughout the country, if not in Washington. Kudos to Smart and Resilient Cities fo

For Robust Broadband in the 5G Era, More Local Control May Be Required
PITTSBURGH, July 30, 2018 – Many broadband experts speaking at the Next Century Cities regional summit here said last week that city jurisdiction should take precedence over federal rules in ensuring impactful broadband deployment. The conference highlighted some of these local voices, eager for bro

Lexington, Home to the Kentucky Wired Middle-Mile Project, Seeks Municipal Fiber
BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: The power of municipal broadband isn’t going away. While competition benefits everyone, it’s undeniable that as the custodians of their rights of way, local government will play a role in the telecommunications infrastructure developments of the future. Charter gets comp

Gigabit City Summit, One of the First Promoting Fiber Connectivity, Meets in Kansas City
BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: One of the first groups to begin the movement toward a Gigabit City, KC Digital Drive, prepares for its Gigabit City Summit next week in Kansas City. Take advantage of opportunities to learn about how your city can benefit from fiber-optic connectivity! Why a Gigabit Cit

CityFibre Gains on Competitors in U.K. with Aggressive New Investment in Open Access Model
BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Major new expansion by wholesale infrastructure provider CityFibre in U.K., giving more credence to the “open access” model that is beginning to be deployed globally. Under such a model, one entity owns the fiber infrastructure, with another selling retail internet acces

Drew Clark Announces Broadband-Focused Candidacy for City Council in Orem, Utah
OREM, Utah, July 6, 2017 – The founder of the Broadband Breakfast Club, journalist and lawyer Drew Clark, announced his candidacy for city council here with a campaign seeking to tap into “Better Broadband, Better Lives.” Orem is the fifth-largest city in Utah, home to Utah Valley University, and a

Congress Looks for Legislative Barriers to Internet of Things, But Finds None
WASHINGTON, June 18, 2017 — Members of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Digital Commerce Consumer Protection on Tuesday met with executives from companies producing products that could be considered part of the “Internet of Things” (IoT) with the aim of uncovering regulatory or legislat

Two Municipal Broadband Groups Criticize Data and Analysis in U. Penn Paper
WASHINGTON, June 7, 2017 – Two organizations supportive of municipal broadband advocacy efforts last week issued differing reports critical of a May 24 report by a University of Pennsylvania professor. The report, by Christopher Yoo and Timothy Pfenninger, was titled “Municipal Fiber in the United S

Innovative Fiber Financing Through a ‘Broadband Improvement District’ in Ammon, Idaho
DALLAS, May 1, 2017 – One of the biggest puzzles in broadband today is a financial conundrum: Our nation needs next-generation networks everywhere, but advanced internet capacity is spotty at best. One solution to the problem of financing universal broadband networks — on display in Ammon, Idaho — w
Riverside County Introduces Broadband Initiative for Area the Size of New Jersey
RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, April 19, 2017 – At 7,200 square miles, this Southern California county is nearly the size of New Jersey. On April 3, the county put out a “Request for Participants” in an effort to jump-start a $2 billion to $4 billion initiative building a gigabit fiber network. The project
National League of Cities and its ‘Smart City’ Report Compares Four U.S. Cities and New Delhi
Broadband Breakfast Insight: We just came across this 23-page report from the National League of Cities providing comparisons of five cities and their approach to “Smart Cities.” While we’d have like to see a bit more specifics about the role that broadband internet services play in the development
Digital Excellence Grants Come to Cleveland’s Case Western and Cleveland State
Broadband Breakfast Insight: Cleveland, through its OneCommunity non-profit fiber network, has been ahead of the curve in bring better broadband to the northeast Ohio area. Cleveland Foundation announces two Digital Excellence technology grants, from the Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland
Why Smart Cities Will Be the Key Future Driver for Internet of Things Applications
Broadband Breakfast Insight: A good roundup piece highlighting the crucial role that cities will play in the future of internet of things (IoT). Consumer gadgets have been the initial driver, but it is in civic applications that full potential will be realized. See Drew Clark’s piece on “What the In
Community Broadband Center Leaders to Gather in Silicon Valley for AnchorNETS and NTIA Event on November 16-17
MOUNTAIN VIEW, California – Local broadband institutions seeking to leverage high-speed connectivity for the benefit of their broader communities will benefit from attending the inaugural AnchorNETS conference [http://www.anchornets.com/] here on November 16 and 17. Sponsored by the Schools, Health
Spurning Google Fiber, Portland Suburb of Lake Oswego Pushes Toward Broadband Partnership
LAKE OSWEGO, Oregon, October 14, 2015 – This suburb of Portland, a potential candidate for Google Fiber’s Gigabit-speed internet service, has said it isn’t willing to wait around for the search engine giant. At a city council meeting here on Tuesday night, elected officials in this city of 37,000 l
Illinois CIO Hardik Bhatt Addresses Need for ‘Smart City’ Technology to Run State Government
CHICAGO, Illinois, October 6, 2015 – State government need to use “Smart Cities” information technology to leapfrog to leadership among competing states, said Hardik Bhatt, chief information officer for the state of Illinois, speaking on Wednesday at the City Club here. Bhatt, the former CIO for th
Global Cities Teams Challenges Next Round: Nov. 12-13, 2015
Editor’s Note: We’ve received this note from the Global Cities Teams Challenges of the National Institute of Standards and Technology and US Ignite. Read more [https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2014/12/drew-clark-the-year-of-community-and-municipal-gigabit-broadband/] about the these important challeng
Crypto
Cryptographic technologies and blockchain ledgers are driving a new era of decentralized finance.

Nuclear
As data centers proliferate, Nuclear Energy is potentially ready for a revival.
American Energy
American energy production has increased substantially over the past few years.

‘Giganomics’ Looks to Tech Entrepreneurship in Kansas City as New Model for Economic Development
TINLEY PARK, ILLINOIS, November 8, 2013 – There is a new holy grail in economic development, and it isn’t land use, tax policy, or cheap energy costs. In a word, it’s Giganomics. The term was coined by David Sandel, President of the Gigabit Communities and Smart Cities consultancy, at the Broadband
Mobile
Mobile communication has become a central part internet connectivity.
Democratization
The internet has the potential to impact, and also to enhance, society's democratization.

Section 230
Section 230 is sometimes called the 26 words that created the internet.
Robocall
The scourge of robocalls is making America's once-vaunted telephone network less trustworthy.

Open Access
Open Access networks separate network operations from internet services. Ownership may also be separate from operations.
Funding
The pandemic has prompted a new era of funding for broadband infrastructure.
Rural
Because Rural America is often the least-connected region in the country, ensuring coverage is central to BEAD.
Wireless
Wireless technologies are critical for mobile communications, and for being able to reach remote locations.
Satellite
Satellite broadband remains an option those areas beyond the reach of fiber, terrestrial or mobile wireless.
Universal Service
The Universal Service Fund, codified in 1996 with the Telecommunications Act, remains the foundation of universal access.
Data Center
Data Centers and Cloud Computing rely upon robust and high-speed upload and download internet speeds.

Tribal
Tribal leaders say the federal government has failed to uphold its trust responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of Native American tribes.
5G
The 5G wireless standard promises breakthrough in capacity, speed and dynamic spectrum-sharing capabilities.

Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is poised to transform humans' relationship with technology, and each other.
BEAD
The BEAD program is implemented by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Commerce Department.

Community Broadband
The last three years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of communities building publicly-owned, locally controlled infrastructure.
Privacy
The entire concept of privacy has been transformed by broadband and the internet.
Broadband Mapping and Data
Accurate broadband mapping and data has been central to America's broadband buildout.

Advanced Energy
The infrastructure necessary for advanced energy also powers the infrastructure necessary for high-speed internet.
Autonomous Vehicles
Self-driving cars are one of many advances to come for smart cities and communities.
Drones
Drones and airborne transportation are one of many advances to come for smart cities and communities.
Antitrust
Antitrust has been re-invigorated by concern over the power of big technology, media and telecom companies.
Net Neutrality
Whether broadband providers may prioritize delivery of bits by the entities they own is a divisive topic.
Social Media
Social media plays a powerful force in the lives of most adults and teenagers.

Free Speech
Debates about the role of free speech have been transformed by broadband internet services.

Chips
Semiconductors are the world’s new oil.
Cybersecurity
Digital locks and keys are necessary, but not sufficient, to ensure cybersecurity.

Spectrum
Whether licensed, unlicensed or shared, radio frequency spectrum is the critical resource for wireless communication.
Telework
Broadband internet service allows many people to work from almost anywhere.
Public Safety
Ensuring that emergency communications are enabled with broadband is the next frontier in public safety.
Health
The innovations of telehealth and mobile health care has transformed medicine and health care.

Education
Technology, particularly broadband access and adoption, plays a vital role in K-12 and secondary education.

Digital Inclusion
We need humans to make digital inclusion work.

WISP
Wireless Internet Service Providers play an important role in delivery of fixed wireless broadband.
How Broadband Helps Make Cities Smarter at the Breakfast Club
WASHINGTON, September 23, 2011 – Broadband is an essential ingredient in allowing cities of the future to ensure better services, promote better jobs, and become more livable. Here are both the five-minute highlight version, and a full-length version, of the September Broadband Breakfast Club. Five
Smarter Cities Need Better Broadband to Realize Their Networking Potential
September 19, 2011 – America’s unique concept of federalism – joint sovereignty between the states and the federal government – sometimes obscures some on-the-ground realities when it comes to the all-important topic of economic growth and development. The simple fact is that cities serve as the eng