EchoStar’s commitments will advance public interest goals, OTI and Public Knowledge said.

A webinar that will help explain the ins and outs of Build America Buy America compliance.

Braodband Breakfast is tracking each state's BEAD grant application window.

Braodband Breakfast is tracking fixed wireless access subscriptions.

Braodband Breakfast is tracking wireline broadband subscriptions.

Braodband Breakfast is tracking wireline broadband subscribers by technology.

The deal would bring more choice to consumers, according to EchoStar

Carr argued against moving forward with fund changes before BEAD deployments.

The four major providers will run out of fixed wireless capacity in 2029, the research firm predicted.

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

An open internet advocacy group sent a letter to the FCC urging them to regulate network slicing

The R&D initiative aims to revolutionize 4G and 5G mobile networks by using cloud-based software to reduce deployment costs, provide operational simplicity, and simplify new feature rollouts.

The association wants certain USF-eligible areas excluded from an upcoming reverse auction.

Companies have been eyeing the 70/80/90 GHz bands to power alternatives to satellite.

The digital infrastructure is evolving at exponential rates and the demand for smarter systems and a more connected world is imperative to the progression of our communities.

The digital infrastructure is evolving at exponential rates and the demand for smarter systems and a more connected world is imperative to the progression of our communities.

The FCC is partnering with state attorneys general to crack down on cybersecurity measures.

AT&T is pushing for more interoperability of equipment on its wireless network.

Observers say MVNOs are presenting growth opportunities for network-owning service providers.

The FCC proposed adjusting the $9-billion budget allocated for the fund using updated maps

If carrier receiving legacy federal funds lose at auction, they could leave areas ‘stranded,’ providers say.

Some see potential in advancing 5G technology while others worry about connectivity performance

A tutorial for investors, broadband providers, and political leaders

Tool assesses the resilience of broadband infrastructures in case of natural hazards.

The lower 3 GHz spectrum can be made available for full power wireless based on successful deployment in foreign countries.

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

The company said it was the best in industry for customer growth and is nationwide overall network leader in 5G networks.

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

The wireless association says 5G will add $1.5 trillion in GDP and 4.5 million in new jobs over 10 years.

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

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

DISH Network claims to provide 5G service to 240 million Americans, 70 percent of the population.

The ACP program has added more than a million Americans since April.

At stake are final rules for the widespread use of CV2X technology in addition to spectrum allocation.

Charter has selected Nokia for its 5G rollout.

Video conference platforms would need to follow Americans with Disabilities Act requirements under the Communications Act

The new map allows users to track projects subsidized by the federal government.

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

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

Experts say that 5G increases fixed wireless speed to be a competitor to wired networks.

The sharing of the 12 GHz band between satellite and mobile services has been the subject of contention for years.

T-Mobile touted the strength of its 5G wireless network for home internet.

Executives said fixed-wireless service has become one of the biggest uses for its 5G network.

The FCC has said there is a $3 billion shortfall in funding to replace security threat equipment.

Trade groups and other organizations disagreed over issues such as spectrum sharing.

The telecom said manufacturers are in the best position to ensure security.

As providers attempt to expand their fiber footprints, some are turning to open access networks.

Industry experts agreed that reaching each individual consumer is the key to a full-fiber future.

Panelists emphasized the need to allow more time for research and collaboration throughout the auction process.

Wilson accused Chairwoman Lina Khan of defying legal precedent and abusing her power.

The U.S. must remain a market leader in the satellite sector, said Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone

The $1.5 billion Innovation Fund should be used to promote global adoption, say commenters.

The commission has been exploring the broadening of the E-Rate program, a high-cost program under the Universal Service Fund.

Rosenworcel hopes NTIA and the regulator can work together on $1.5B Innovation Fund.

Starks also said federal housing support should be linked to the Affordable Connectivity Program.

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

Broadband Breakfast’s coverage of CES will illuminate cutting-edge technologies.

The COVID-19 pandemic provided the foundation case for why fiber’s symmetrical capabilities have became so central.

The ban will also apply to other Chinese and Russian technologies and applications.

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

NTCA is concerned federal broadband funding in tribal areas may not be enough for long-term support.

Shot clocks are important to industry players, argued T-Mobile’s Tim Halinski.

Upon assuming control of Twitter, Elon Musk reportedly fired Twitter’s chief executive officer, chief financial officer, and others

‘We’re in the early innings now of this 5G evolution and really the fourth industrial revolution,’ said a Verizon partner.

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

The company says its map is based on millions of M-Lab speed tests conducted over a six-month period.

The Agriculture Department announced $502M will go to service providers in 20 states.

The White House announced six hires to take charge of $52-billion semiconductor program.

The release of more spectrum will help move autonomous vehicles forward.

Broadband players in both the fiber marketplace and 5G space are pushing for energy-efficient networks.

Australia’s highest court said Google is not a publisher by making available hyperlinks to articles.

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 next generation wireless technology is being touted as the most secure yet.

68.5 percent of T-Mobile customers spent a majority of their time on 5G networks during the quarter, Ookla said.

Ericsson, Thales, and Qualcomm said they hope to create a network in space for 5G.

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

The technology has already been used by companies to monitor and make more efficient systems to reduce emissions.

Legislation introduced Tuesday would bring cryptocurrencies under the purview of the Commodity Future Trading Commission.

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

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

Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners representative says investors must step in as large carriers are burdened by high costs of 5G rollout.

Dish enlists Samsung for 5G deployment.

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

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

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

With every generation of wireless technology new applications reveal themselves, and experts say 5G is no exception.

The slices of 2.5 GHz mid-band will be licenses for flexible use, including for 5G.

The FCC has added crowdsourced data to its repertoire for accurate broadband maps.

FCC commissioner Geoffrey Starks encourages manufacturers to help reduce emissions to protect the planet.

Ukraine came under heavy cyberattacks before the invasion on Thursday.

Rosenworcel wants future spectrum proceeds to go toward improving next-generation 9-1-1 system.

Davidson said that he hopes to avoid inter-agency conflicts such as last month’s dispute with airlines over 5G interference.

Telecom industry associations are asking for an exemption from ‘Buy American’ provisions in the infrastructure bill.

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

Starlink plans to launch nearly 50 low-earth orbit satellites on Monday.

Airlines claim the need to cancel a many flights because of interference between altimeters and 5G transmitters.

The FCC’s proposed rules would establish the requirements for households to be eligible for the new device subsidy program.

The hope is coordination problems will be relieved when the Senate confirms NTIA head.

Currently, consumers are not being provided the information they need to make the leap, a consultant said.

Dish Wireless has a new president at a critical time in push to become major wireless player in the U.S.

Despite their initial refusal to delay, Verizon and AT&T reversed course on their position to delay 5G deployment around airports.

The FCC has launched the Affordable Connectivity Program, which extends the Emergency Broadband Benefit program.

Industry bigwigs say the decision paves the way for next-generation Wi-Fi.

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

The commissioner also said he thinks Biden will support Big Tech contributions to the Universal Service Fund.

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

A Texas court blocked enforcement of a social media that would prevent companies from removing extreme speech.

The companies agree to consumer protection measures as conditions of the transaction.

Supply chain issues are impacting Dish’s ability to bring on new customers, company says.

More experts weight in on the debate about whether the 12 GHz band can coexist with 5G operations.

Industry reacts to the appointments of Rosenworcel as first permanent woman chair, Sohn as first openly gay commissioner.

Company says that the next generation of its products depend on 5G progress.

Huawei’s CTO avoided questions about concerns over its network infrastructure security as countries ban its products.

Open RAN adoption is said to save telecoms money and boost security, as providers are forced to move off Huawei.

5G crusader Commissioner Brendan Carr voiced pride in the FCC’s focus on 5G over the past four years

The acting chairwoman said the country needs to move quickly to adopt 5G for future technologies.

Facebook is nudging teens away from harmful content, Comcast’s new spam call blocker, AT&T goes with Ericsson for standalone 5G.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AT&T’s opens first learning center with free broadband, open RAN company Parallel Wireless expands, AT&T testing 5G for maritime use.

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

Dish said it needs non-contiguous 600 MHz band licenses to test open-RAN 5G network in two markets.

Broadband Breakfast, in person and for lunch, heard about the possibilities with spectrum sharing and combining technologies for coverage.

Republicans counter Democrats on document request, Ookla says global speeds rising, Windstream and Arkansas to expand fiber.

FCC’s comment period for ISPs in buildings, AT&T requests screen on spectrum holdings, Apple reverts plan to scan phone images.

The Communist government has access to a vast trove from Chinese-made apps.

Dish wants low-cost prepaid business Gen Mobile, Members of Congress want investigation into Facebook-Google, STL appoints Paul Atkinson.

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

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

Join the Broadband Breakfast Club to attend our premiere Broadband Breakfast for Lunch event on September 8, 2021.

Democrats divided on when to move infrastructure bill, FCC awards 2.5 GHz licenses, antitrust lawyer Sayyed to TechFreedom.

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

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

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

Competing submissions to the FCC show the friction over valuable mid-band spectrum.

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

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

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

Leaked infra proposal has base 100 Mbps speeds, Apple’s phones getting 5G, Newsom signs broadband bill, FTC money recovery bill.

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

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

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

FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington said focus on spectrum decision will become increasingly important for digital success.

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

Experts praise Amazon’s cloud services, as competition in the space accelerates and as the feds tackle cybersecurity concerns.

Come to the July 14 session of Broadband Breakfast for a roundtable discussion on the future of the 12 GigaHertz band.

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

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

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

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

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

Founded in India in 1988, STL has expanded far beyond its historical focus on fiber optics.

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

Trump’s blog is taken down, Ericsson’s 5G for industry launches, Microsoft expanding Airband and announcing new Windows.

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

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

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

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

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

In the second in a series of explainers, Broadband Breakfast looks at the quickly emerging topic of spectrum sharing, as 5G ramps up against the finite resource.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

April 5, 2021 – Loopholes that allow U.S. companies to use private funds to purchase equipment from Chinese-based companies like Huawei and ZTE should be closed, Federal Communications C Commissioner Brendan Carr said Tuesday. Carr said last week at a virtual event hosted by the Center for Strategic

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

March 24, 2021 — Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr said the regulator has since 2017 seen what he wanted: Broadband speed increases and lower prices. “The approach we adopted in 2017 is working,” he said at the Free State Foundation’s 13th annual telecom policy conference on Tuesday.

March 23, 2021 — A federal judge ruled Friday that the San Francisco city leader unlawfully denied T-Mobile permits to upgrade infrastructure during the pandemic. The ruling was made under the 2012 Spectrum Act, which prevents State or local government from denying improvements and upgrades to exist

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

March 13, 2021 – Regulatory policies to accommodate 5G and other network infrastructure must be equitable to accommodate different service levels and providers, Donna Bethea Murphy, senior vice president of Inmarsat, said in February at the TPRC. When trying to set goals on building and deploying br

March 4, 2021 – In a bipartisan letter Thursday, Sens. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Angus King, I-Maine, Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Joe Manchin, D-W.V., urged the Biden administration to update federal standards for high-speed broadband to reflect modern uses and align those standards across the governmen

February 25, 2021—As the demand for broadband continues to grow during the pandemic, so too must the workforce responsible for deploying it. One avenue for growing this workforce is apprenticeships facilitated by broadband providers, often in conjunction with universities or trade organizations, suc

February 25, 2021— Municipalities and the nation’s carriers must work together to deploy and extend networks as the era of 5G quickly approaches, experts said Wednesday. Tensions have been picking up between industry and local governments about access to infrastructure to extend broadband networks b

February 23, 2021—Amid the search for more spectrum, Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Tuesday released a draft order that would clear spectrum for 5G deployment and auctioning. Rosenworcel shared her plan for opening and auctioning the 3.45-3.55 GigaHertz (G

February 10, 2021 – The government is spending enough money to get every single American connected to high-speed broadband, but they’re still failing at it, said industry experts during the INCOMPAS 2021 Policy Summit. The panel touched on how to better expand broadband across America to address the

February 10, 2021 – The United States and its allies are already far behind China in investing in 5G mobile telecommunications networks, said the former chief executive of Google, who is worried the C-Band spectrum proceeds won’t go to 5G deployment. Though it raised a record-breaking $81 billion, a

February 8, 2021 – U.S. officials seeking to reduce the likelihood of security problems with the next-generation 5G network should look into network components that may include compromised technology from non-Chinese companies, an expert said at a conference late last month. Alexi Maltas, senior vic

February 4, 2021 – Serving as CEO of the company he founded as an online book store in his garage in 1995, Jeff Bezos on Tuesday said he step down from that role as Amazon. Bezos is expected to be replaced by Andy Jassy, who has been with the company since 1997 and currently serves […]

February 2, 2021 – The Federal Communications Commission on Monday announced a formal agreement to work with the National Science Foundation, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the Commerce Department, in support the Spectrum Innovation Initiative. This initiative,

February 1, 2021—“The data is clear: older adults have been falling increasingly behind in digital connectivity, which negatively affects their overall health and well-being,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, in a statement released Wednesday. To combat this, Older Adults Technology Services, Inc

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

January 28, 2021—Broadband advocates from the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition sent a petition on Tuesday to the Federal Communications Commission requesting the agency update the provisions of its E-rate program, to allow schools and libraries to connect learners without internet acc

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

January 27, 2021—Senator Edward Markey, D-Massachusetts, a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, sent a letter Tuesday to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The letter pressed Zuckerberg to explain why Facebook continues to allow controversial political groups to be recommended t

January 26, 2021—The Federal Communications Commission’s Marketplace Report, released on the last day of 2020, grades the market competition of data-driven sectors, such as mobile wireless and fixed broadband industries. One key data point found in the Report is that between 2010 and the end of 2019

January 21, 2021—The rioters who invaded the U.S. Capitol on January 6 used Facebook and other social media sites to organize over the course of several months, reported the Tech Transparency Project on Tuesday. Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said on January 11 that the riot was

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

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

January 15, 2021 — During the Federal Communications Bar Association’s Winter Celebration Thursday, technological subjects and conversation were put aside, as the night centered around soon-to-be former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai. Those who spoke recounted that Chairman Pai

January 14, 2021 – Many “thank you’s” and pats on the back accompanied Ajit Pai’s last Open Commission Meeting as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Set to depart the agency next week, Pai utilized time during his final meeting on Wednesday to stress the importance of eliminating the

January 12, 2021 – In the wake of a riot at the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump on January 6, Congress is turning their scrutinizing gaze toward big tech companies like Twitter, Facebook, and Amazon. Members of Congress on both sides of the political aisle — although for differe

January 11, 2021 – “It just gets better!” So declared Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg, as he demonstrated how 5G technology is digitally transforming the world in his keynote for the all-digital 2021 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. 5G is more than just another technology innovation, he said. It is

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

January 5, 2021 — The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau on Monday issued a request for public input on how best to administer the new $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit Program created by Congress, to help low-income individuals access the Internet. The Consolidat

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

December 15, 2020 — In a spirited debate about one of the central policy issues surrounding the deployment of 5G and small cell deployment, Wednesday’s Broadband Breakfast Live Online featured both municipalities and wireless industry officials each expressing concerns and grievances. To realize the

It’s no secret that the Federal Communications Commission’s current broadband maps are flawed, many observers believe. The existing maps rely on industry-reported data that overstates broadband availability and prevents underserved communities from obtaining broadband funding. Consequently, many rur

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

Our Broadband Breakfast Live Online events take place every Wednesday at 12 Noon ET. You can watch the February 10, 2021, event on this page. You can also PARTICIPATE in the current Broadband Breakfast Live Online event. REGISTER HERE. Our newest series is “A No-Nonsense Guide to 5G,” which will exp

December 4, 2020 – The United States has misunderstood the China Challenge, according to Peter Berkowitz, director of the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff in the office of the Secretary. America believed that economic liberalization would mean political liberalization, but Chinese leaders ov

Rep. Frank Pallone, D-New Jersey, was unanimously reelected Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee for the Congress beginning in January. He issued the following statement: “Our nation faces unprecedented challenges, and I stand ready to work with all of my colleagues to combat the COVI

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

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

November 24, 2020 — In a virtual conversation sponsored by Connected Nation Michigan, Wes Kerr, director of community solutions at Connected Nation, was joined by Chip Spann, director of engineering and technical services at Connected Nation, to discuss the predominant technologies providing broadba

Broadband Forum published three new standards Monday that it believes will help promote the mass adoption of 5G and unlock a new wave of 5G innovation. The three technical specifications, including 5G Wireless Wireline Convergence Architecture (TR-470), Access Gateway Function (AGF) Functional Requi

November 17, 2020 – In the second major showdown between the CEOs of Twitter and Facebook and senators within less than three weeks, Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, and John Kennedy of Louisiana said the social media platforms needed to be treated as common publish

November 17, 2020 — The transfer of power from the Republican Donald Trump to the Democrat Joe Biden is not likely to have much of an impact upon the way national security and supply chain issues are considered in the expansion of 5G networks, according to panelists at a recent session of the Broadb

A ruling by the high court in Austria, in line with local defamation policy, ordered Facebook to remove a post insulting a former Green Party leader, and demanded that all similar posts be removed on a global scale. This case has been going on since 2016 when a Facebook user shared a photo of Eva […

November 16, 2020 — “5G has capabilities that are far beyond being only for consumers,” said Hans Vestberg, CEO of Verizon. “5G offers eight additional capabilities, some of which are only for industry.” “On 4G, you can connect 100,000 devices per square kilometer,” he said at Axios event on Tuesday

The European Union on Tuesday charged Amazon with antitrust violations for abusing the size and scale of its online platform to entice small merchants to sell on Amazon, use nonpublic data to spot popular products, and then sell the products at a lower price. Amazon, which denies any wrongdoing, now

November 8, 2020 — The future of the spectrum industry relies on engineers developing processes to squeeze the most out of each band of spectrum, said a panel of spectrum policy experts contributing to a Federal Communications Bar Association webinar on Thursday. “There is no new, greenfield spectru

November 6, 2020 — Members of the Federal Communications Commission’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee voted on October 29-30 on reports and recommendations from committee’s three working groups. The body approved reports completed by the staff of the working groups on Disaster Response and R

The three name attorneys at the firm of Baller Stokes and Lide have joined the Washington, D.C., office of Keller and Heckman as partners, effective Monday. The resulting telecommunications group at the new firm will be more than three times the size of Baller Stokes and Lide, said Jim Baller, Sean

November 2, 2020 – Issues about radio frequency spectrum, municipal rights-of-way, national security and trusted partners were among the topics addressed during the October 14 kickoff event of Broadband Breakfast’s “A No Nonsense Guide to 5G.” The event, the first of five events in a new Broadband B

October 30, 2020 — In addition to considerable discussion about net neutrality at the Federal Communications Commission’s monthly meeting on Tuesday, the commissioners also voted to establish a 5G Fund for Rural America and to further streamline the process for deployment of wireless infrastructure.

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

There has been a huge amount of hype in the United States about being in a race with the Chinese over the deployment of 5G. But after seeing a recent South Korean news article, from the ChosunILBO, concluding that the Chinese 5G experiment might end up an economic bust, Doug Dawson, in a blog post [

See “Global Concern About 5G Security Has Become a Bipartisan Cause, Say Broadband Breakfast Panelists,” Broadband Breakfast, November 17, 2020 Our newest series is “A No-Nonsense Guide to 5G,” which will explore the policy, technology and practical questions about 5G. They include what’s real and w

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai, when asked if he had changed his position on the issue of Chevron deference said he had never, to his knowledge, taken a position on the Supreme Court decision. Pai was speaking at a Technology Policy Institute event on Thursday, the day after Tho

October 24, 2020 – The Federal Communications Commission on Friday granted its first licenses in the 2.5 GigaHertz (GHz) spectrum to 154 tribal applicants during the agency’s first Rural Tribal Priority Window. The licenses provide exclusive use of up to 117.5 megahertz of 2.5GHz spectrum and will p

On Monday, NASA and Finnish telecommunications firm Nokia announced plans to build a 4G cellular network on the moon. The project, for which Nokia will be paid $14.1 million, aims to create the lunar communications infrastructure necessary for voice and video calls, data transmission, robotic contro

October 20, 2020 — Industry officials and policy-makers who want the Federal Communications Commission to take a more active role in prescribing local rules for wireless facilities said that the rules in place for a 4G world of tall cellular towers don’t make sense in a 5G world. Speaking at a Septe

FCC, USAID partner to secure 5G markets in developing world, Public Infrastructure/Private Service broadband model shows promise, Topography biggest hurdle for T-Mobile 5G deployment, The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday signed a memorandum (PDF) with the U.S. Agency for International

Starry Home Internet announced a partnership with Microsoft on Tuesday aimed at accelerating the availability of its low-cost program Starry Connect in public housing communities across the country. The program will kick off this month in Los Angeles, California, and it promises to bring Starry Conn

See “‘A No-Nonsense Guide to 5G’ Kicks Off With Discussion About Spectrum, Rights of Way and Wall Street,” Broadband Breakfast, November 2, 2020 Our newest series is “A No-Nonsense Guide to 5G,” which will explore the policy, technology and practical questions about 5G. They include what’s real and

October 13, 2020 — Open radio access networks may be the next big trend in mobile networks across the globe, with network deployment projected to take place throughout the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, and Brazil this year. Open RAN promises to lower the cost of deploying 5G networks and drive com

October 12, 2020 – The digital divide is a real problem for rural America, Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA, the Rural Broadband Association, said on Thursday at the Blandin Foundation’s conference on broadband. “People in Washington like to talk about the digital divide, those who have connectivity

In a Brookings Institute post, Former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler, recommends spectrum sharing to minimize the spectrum shortage caused by increased demand for wireless radio frequencies. As of yet, spectrum is a rivalrous asset. If one party owns it, another party cannot

See “FCC Should Prioritize Affordability and Digital Literacy with Emergency Broadband Funds,” Broadband Breakfast, January 29, 2021 Our Broadband Breakfast Live Online events take place every Wednesday at 12 Noon ET. You can watch the January 27, 2021, event on this page. You can also PARTICIPATE i

See “In A Debate Over Municipal Rights-Of-Way, Industry and Public Representatives Attempt to Find A Path Forward,” Broadband Breakfast, December 15, 2020 Our newest series is “A No-Nonsense Guide to 5G,” which will explore the policy, technology and practical questions about 5G. They include what’s

Our newest series is “A No-Nonsense Guide to 5G,” which will explore the policy, technology and practical questions about 5G. They include what’s real and what’s hype, trusted partners, transformative apps in the enterprise, wireless infrastructure facilities, and continued modernization of the nati

October 7, 2020 – The 5G wireless standard will disrupt every part of the economy, affecting transportation, manufacturing, and agriculture, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said at a virtual technology conference hosted by Nvidia on Wednesday. Pai singled out agriculture as being

The series explores the policy, technology and practical questions about 5G. They include what’s real and what’s hype, trusted partners, transformative apps in the enterprise, wireless infrastructure facilities, and continued modernization of the nation’s spectrum policies.

“5G is mostly not faster than 4G,” wrote Doug Dawson, president of CCG Consulting, in a Tuesday blog post, in which he critiques major U.S. cellular carriers for overexaggerating the capabilities of their 5G cellular networks. “It’s an interesting marketing claim because from a standards perspective

September 27, 2020 – Top corporate executives in the computing and communications industry touted the benefits and opportunities of 5G wireless technologies at the fall INCOMPAS conference on September 14. “5G will bring about a new era of connectivity with the potential to push our country through

September 26, 2020 – The next wave of 5G has the potential to revolutionize education and democracy, said Jonathan Solomon, solutions architect for Amazon Web Services, in a question and answer session at the Broadband Communities Summit on Wednesday with Bob Knight, executive vice president of Harr

Technology and advocacy groups voiced strenuous opposition to the Trump administration’s proposal to Congress that would, if passed, limit the ability of tech giants like Facebook, Google, and Twitter to claim immunity for content on their internet platforms. The Justice Department proposal to Congr

The second annual National Tribal Broadband Summit is taking place this week until Friday, September 25. On Monday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai addressed the agency’s attempts to resolve the lack of internet access persisting on rural, tribal lands. Pai said (PDF) he was part

September 18, 2020 — Karl Rove, former senior advisor to President George W. Bush, on Tuesday argued that in order for the country to remain competitive in 5G, it is necessary to build disaggregated, open radio access networks and introduce a wholesale marketplace. Rove, speaking at the 2020 INCOMPA

September 17, 2020 – The best way for the U.S. to catch up with China in the 5G race is to enable spectrum sharing in the crucial mid-band spectrum, said Eric Schmidt, former CEO and former executive chairman of Google. “China’s already won this race. We’re definitely playing catch up. It’s a nation

September 16, 2020—President Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated Nathan A. Simington to replace Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly, whose confirmation appeared certain until Trump unexpectedly pulled his re-nomination. Simington is the representative to the government advisory commit

September 16, 2020 – Partnerships between local municipal governments and private broadband providers can actually work, according to a panel on “Communities in Need” at Tuesday’s kick-off the rural broadband association NTCA. Some local communities, like Fairlawn, Ohio, have begun taking forward-th

September 15, 2020 — Don’t talk to Portland, Oregon, about what it’s like to challenge the federal government. They’ve also been a pioneer of taking on the Federal Communication Commission in advocating for local governments in the deployment of small cell technology. The city sued the FCC over its

September 15, 2020 — “Open Radio Access Networks can transform 5G network architecture, costs, and security,” Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said Monday during opening remarks at an all-day forum about this new technological buzzword O-RAN. Pai argued that open RAN solutions wou

September 15, 2020 – Advocates for the much-promoted 5G wireless standard last week explained that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the timetable for deployment. “COVID-19 has just made the future sooner,” said Joe Reele, vice president of Schneider Electric. “Private 5G networks are going to b

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai shared his plan Tuesday (PDF) to make the 3.45-3.55 GigaHertz (GHz) band available for commercial use in the United States, setting aside 100 megahertz for commercial 5G use. “With this 3.45 GHz band proposal, the upcoming C-band auction of 280 megahertz of spectrum, and the re

September 8, 2020—Panelists at the Connected Health Summit on Thursday agreed that the pandemic has encouraged a more mobile, user-centered approach to healthcare, particularly with the more-prevalent deployment of artificial intelligence. “The pandemic has caused people to consider what the right m

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

“The telehealth industry has experienced a five-year shift in six months,” said Nick Sarantis, system director of digital health at Baptist Health System, during a Connected Nation Michigan sponsored webinar on Tuesday. The virtual discussion featured a panel of experts from Michigan State Universit

On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission announced the conclusion of bidding in its auction of Priority Access Licenses in the 3550-3650 MegaHertz band. Auction 105 made available the greatest number of spectrum licenses ever in a single FCC auction. Pai attributed the strong demand for lice

The Harvard Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy published a report (PDF) on Thursday that proposes a new digital platform agency as the best solution for regulating platforms in today’s digital era. “New Digital Realities; New Oversight Solutions in the U.S.,” by Tom Wheeler, fo

August 20, 2020 — The Wireless Infrastructure Association recently published a new report, entitled “Fiber: An Essential Facet of the Connected Community,” which finds that ubiquitous fiber is an essential backbone to 5G connectivity. WIA’s report (PDF) recognizes that in order to maximize the advan

The Democratic National Convention prime-time convention kicked off Monday night. Much of the production was driven by testimonies from Americans. The way in which  their hardships have been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic were detailed. Kristin Urquiza, the daughter of an Arizona man who lost hi

August 12, 2020 — The United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals today upheld major portions of the Federal Communications Commission’s attempts to speed up 5G deployments on existing infrastructure. The City of Portland v. Federal Communications Commission filing questioned the FCC’s One-Touch Ma

The White House announced a massive transfer of electromagnetic spectrum traditionally used for military operations to become available for commercial 5G use, reported Breaking Defense on Monday. The move is aimed at dramatically expanding 5G access for all Americans. The Federal Communications Comm

August 4, 2020 — Open Radio Access Network technologies have a bright future and a diverse range of applications, said participants in an Open RAN Policy Coalition webinar Tuesday. The webinar, titled “Open RAN 101: Promoting a Diverse and Competitive Market for 5G and Advanced Wireless Technologies

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

July 23, 2020 — Tech policy experts gathered virtually Wednesday and Thursday for IGF-USA 2020, a digital event held by the Internet Governance Forum to facilitate conversations between internet stakeholders. Panelists discussed issues relevant to the future of internet governance, such as policies

July 22, 2020 — The United States’ attempts to derail the influence of Chinese technology domestically could backfire, CNET reported. China’s technology offerings are largely high-quality and cost-effective, making them competitive players in the race for universal 5G in the United States. But conce

July 15, 2020 — 5G technologies will eventually revolutionize government, said panelists on a Wednesday webinar sponsored by AT&T. Owen Rodgers, federal government chief architect at AT&T, said he expects to see 5G innovation in the areas of defense, health and education throughout government. The U

The Facebook Connectivity team announced Monday that it has developed a robotic aerial fiber deployment solution, in collaboration with a number of partners, which could assist in CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s goal of expanding internet access around the globe, CNET reported. The solution utilizes a robot d

July 8, 2020 – The United States is leading in the deployment of 5G, claimed Verizon Communications CEO Hans Vestberg on Wednesday. Vestberg updated the public on the rollout of 5G and Verizon’s response to COVID-19, among other matters, in a virtual conversation with David Rubenstein, president of

5G technology has continued to grow despite the coronavirus pandemic, but some aspects of 5G-compatible technology development have been derailed, CNET reported. In late 2019, China saw its first cases of the coronavirus, and subsequent lockdowns slowed the production of iPhones and other devices th

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

June 25, 2020 — Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on Thursday reiterated how important it is to the agency to close the digital divide. Closing the divide has been at the top of his list of priorities since he first joined the agency, Pai said during a speech at Carnegie Mellon Uni

Broadband Breakfast Live Online on Wednesday, June 24, 2020, 12 Noon ET – “Shared Infrastructure and Small Cell Deployments (Topic 4 at Digital Infrastructure Investment on August 10).” For the most up-to-date information about the event, visit our Digital Infrastructure Investment page. This pathbr

June 18, 2020 — The Federal Communications Commission’s October C-Band auction will be a crucial step toward developing America’s 5G capabilities, said Shane Tews, visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Speaking at Wednesday event on “The Urgency of Spectrum in Reopening America” host

June 18, 2020  — SpaceX, an aerospace manufacturer founded by Elon Musk, launched its eighth batch of internet-beaming Starlink satellites into orbit on June 3. The Starlink satellite constellation, which currently consists of 482 low-orbit satellites, holds the potential to deliver high-speed, low

June 18, 2020 — ACA Connects maintained in a Wednesday publication that the Federal Communications Commission should continue the course it initially established in offering cable providers and other station owners flexibility in how they receive programming post C-Band transition. Over the next few

June 17, 2020 — Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., used a nominations hearing on Tuesday to grill Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly on issues ranging from the Ligado decision to poor broadband mapping data. The Trump administration has submitted O’Rielly’s n

June 12, 2020 — Americans will continue to work from home after the spread of the coronavirus is over, said Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly in a US Telecom webinar Thursday.   O’Rielly predicted that industries that do not require employees to be present in person would mostly c

June 11, 2020 — The Federal Communications Commission’s Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council voted to accept recommendations addressing how vulnerabilities of 5G infrastructure might impact the integrity and confidentiality of wireless networks Wednesday. Lee Thibaudeau, chair of Worki

June 9, 2020 — The Federal Communications Commission moved to adopt five proposals at its June Open Meeting on Tuesday, dealing with issues such as the upcoming Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction to the enforcement of illegal robocalls in the United States. The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auc

June 8, 2020 — Conspiracies surrounding the effects of new 5G towers on human health could stall the development of technologies that could help the U.S.’s most vulnerable maintain their livelihoods, Federal Communications Commission General Counsel Thomas Johnson Jr. wrote in a Washington Post op-e

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

June 4, 2020 — Cities must continuously adapt their strategies to provide technology services to the disadvantaged segments of their populations, said participants in an Urban Institute webinar Thursday. The coronavirus has thrown a wrench in the career aspirations of millions across the United Stat

June 1, 2020 — Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced Monday that he instructed satellite operators to expedite the transition of C-band spectrum for 5G technologies. The agency’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, which executes policy changes, received confirmations from ea

5G is an important driver of economic growth, wrote James Prieger, a professor of economic and public policy at Pepperdine University, in a report for the Free State Foundation Monday. Investments in 5G networks contribute directly to national GDP, creating jobs, accelerating business practices, and

President Donald Trump’s executive order potentially restricting protections for social media platforms like Twitter is a mistake, wrote Daniel Lyons, visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. The order would make tech companies liable for the content that is posted on their websites if

May 27, 2020 — The future of 5G is bright and diverse, said Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly in a webinar Wednesday. The webinar, hosted by the Lincoln Policy Network, featured a discussion of upcoming FCC actions like June’s open meeting, and the Citizens Band Radio Service auct

Auctions of mid-band spectrum are likely to be successful so long as they don’t prioritize raising revenue for the federal government.

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

Investments of up to $450 million will help to bring high-speed fiber connectivity to millions across the country, said fiber company SiFi Networks. The company announced Tuesday that it had recently secured the funding and will use it to expand infrastructure and hire specialists in several new cit

May 12, 2020 — The Federal Communication Commission’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has been successful, Commissioner Brendan Carr said in a Federal Communications Bar Association teleconference Monday. The conference, hosted by FCBA President-elect Natalie Roisman and moderated by FCBA Presi

May 5, 2020 ­– As internet connectivity grows increasingly essential, fiber optics may prove to be a better option than wireless internet connection, the Institute for Local Self Reliance’s Christopher Mitchell said Tuesday at a webinar hosted by the nonprofit Merit Network. Mitchell, who directs th

The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association on Monday filed comments to the FCC with guidance on taking full advantage of so-called TV “white space” technology. The recommendations are intended to increase the appeal of available technologies to service providers and device manufacturers by

April 8, 2020 – Syracuse, New York, has made significant strides in implementing small cells technology to poles, according to a webinar hosted by smart city-accelerator US Ignite on Monday. So-called “small cells” are the wireless transmitters and receivers that go on streetlights on poles in a cit

April 1, 2020 – Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced on Thursday an effort to open the 6 GigaHertz (GHz) band to unlicensed sharing of radiofrequency spectrum by Wi-Fi devices. The goal of the effort is to accommodate a dramatic increase in internet use. The proposed rules w

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2020— “It always comes back to trust in the supplier themselves,” said Mike Murphy, chief technology officer of Nokia’s American corporate entity, and a witness at the Senate Commerce Committee’s Wednesday 5 hearing on “5G Supply Chain Security.” Most of the hearing focused on a

WASHINGTON, March 4, 2020 – House Energy and Commerce subcommittee chairman Mike Doyle, D-Penn., Federal Communications Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr all took turns addressing the homework gap and bad broadband maps at the Incompas policy summit Tuesday. “I play

WASHINGTON, February 26, 2020 – Depending on who you asked in the Dirksen Senate Building, America is either “in very good shape” or has “a big catch-up to do” in the so-called 5G race against China. Speaking at an event hosted by the American Consumer Institute, speakers also had different thoughts

In light of the increased attention being paid to allegations of security vulnerabilities in telecommunications equipment manufactured by Huawei, the White House will hold a 5G summit in April, reports Eamon Javers of CNBC. According to Javers, the summit has not been “officially announced,” but was

WASHINGTON, February 13, 2020 – Meeting at the building of the wireless industry association CTIA on Wednesday, John Kuzin, vice president of government affairs at Qualcomm, likened drones to flying smartphones. By the same token, drones will require similar speeds and connectivity of 5G telecommuni

WASHINGTON, February 11, 2020 – An AT&T-hosted forum on the wireless 5G standard on Tuesday presented a carousel of interests, each waxing eloquent on how the anticipated improvements with 5G would enhance their respective industries. John Godfrey, senior vice president of public policy at Samsung,

A New York federal court on Tuesday refused to block the planned $56 billion merger between T-Mobile and Sprint, Law360 reports, rejecting a challenge by 14 state attorneys general to the deal. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero issued an order siding with the companies, and with the U.S. Justice De

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

WASHINGTON, January 28, 2020 – Winning the race for the 5G wireless standard will help in the preservation of democracy, legislators said, while also promoting privacy legislation on Tuesday at the State of the Net conference. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington, stressed that rapid 5G deploym

WASHINGTON, January 22, 2020 – Senators and witnesses from government agencies and technology firms agreed Wednesday at a hearing that the lack of a skilled workforce remains a major barrier to widespread 5G deployment. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss, said that in the race t

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

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on Tuesday emphasized the importance of 5G wireless technology at CES 2020, the technology trade show hosted by CTA in Las Vegas. As major carriers advance to 5G, he cited barriers including cost, access to spectrum, and work crews. The building of

House Energy Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., sent a letter Monday to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai regarding the lack of transparency in the FCC’s approval of the T-Mobile-Sprint merger. Pallone and Nad

WASHINGTON, December 13, 2019 – The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday took two actions to open up the “mid-band” of radio frequency spectrum, freeing up 5.9 GigaHertz (GHz) spectrum for Wi-Fi, and beginning the process of opening up more spectrum at 3.1 GHz. Spectrum in these “mid-band”

WASHINGTON, November 14. 2019- Despite the approval of the T-Mobile-Sprint merger by the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice, 16 state attorneys general are still determined to block the acquisition. Policy experts at Thursday’s Capitol Forum conference advocated both the

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

The Citizens' Broadband Radio Service pioneered a new model for shared spectrum.

WASHINGTON, October 9, 2019 – Proposals to allocate C-Band spectrum to terrestrial wireless providers are getting close to  action decision-making. However, questions remains about whether to conduct a public or private auction for the right to use mid-band frequencies, as well as how much spectrum

Comcast is emerging as an antitrust foe against big tech companies such as Google, according to US News and World Report. Last month, Comcast’s video ads division FreeWheel accused Google of using privacy concerns as a pretext to limit FreeWheel’s ability to resell ads of its customers YouTube chann

WASHINGTON, September 18, 2019 – 5G Wireless service is already in its trial period, and the Federal Communications Commission’s Technology Advisory Committee convened on Wednesday to discuss technical tweaks in the way the delivery of 5G infrastructure can be optimized for consumers. Dynamic cellul

The CBRS Alliance announced on Monday that the Federal Communications Commission has approved commercial deployment in the 3.5 GHz CBRS Band. Known as the “Innovation Band,” it is valued at $15.6 billion and opens the door to a huge market opportunity for operators, enterprises, industrial players,

WASHINGTON, September 10, 2019- Federal agencies speaking at radiofrequency symposium hosted on Tuesday by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Symposium expressed doubts that any kind of a national spectrum strategy would be useful. Addressing speculation that the Commerce

Adding congressional oversight to the growing mix of interest in the broadband mapping debate, the House Energy and Commerce committee announced that the Communications Subcommittee will hold a hearing on “Improving  the Nation’s Broadband Maps” on Wednesday, September 11, at 10:30 a.m. in Room 2322

WASHINGTON, August 12, 2019 – The Federal Communication Commission’s stated efforts to accelerate the buildout of 5G wireless networks has hindered the influence of state and local authorities on the matter, said experts at a National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors webinar o

WASHINGTON, August 8, 2019 — Following more than six years of public input and review, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on Thursday introduced a proposal to maintain the agency’s existing radiofrequency exposure limits. These limits are set in close consultation with the Food and

WASHINGTON, August 1, 2019 – While U.S. carriers struggle to unveil real-world deployments with truly high-speed 5G deployments, South Korean carriers have demonstrated gigabit deployments with 5G, according a Wednesday webinar by the consulting firm HIS Markit. “The promise and hope of gigabit tech

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2019- 5G innovation is contingent on collaboration between the public and private sectors, said experts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Wednesday. There are many physical and logistical vulnerabilities with 5G deployment, said Director of the Cybersecuri

The Department of Justice announced Friday that it and the Attorneys General for five states reached a settlement with T-Mobile and Sprint regarding their proposed merger. The settlement requires a substantial divestiture package in order to enable a viable facilities-based competitor to enter the m

WASHINGTON, July 24, 2019 – Former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler doused cold water on the increasingly growing hype surrounding the 5G wireless standard at a Brookings Institution event on Wednesday. Instead, he said, 5G deployment will be an evolutionary process. And the no

California businesses and legislators are pushing to change the California Consumer Privacy Act, San Francisco Chronicle reports. Dirk Lorenz, owner of Fremont Flowers, said that the law will affect not only big tech firms, but small businesses as well. “It’s going to cost a good deal of money,” he

On Friday afternoon, the Federal Trade Commission has issued a fine of $5 billion to Facebook for privacy violations. Adam Satariano of the New York Times reported that regulators and lawmakers in the U.S. and abroad have begun conducting investigations and proposing new sanctions against the Silico

WASHINGTON, July 11, 2019 – Going forward, technology innovators need to understand exactly what core technologies exist in the U.S, and which ones China both possesses and needs, said Robert Atkinson, president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, speaking at a Wednesday event a

WASHINGTON, July 11, 2019 — Ignoring recommendations from the Department of Education, several members of Congress, and various broadband advocates, the Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 on Wednesday to hold commercial auctions for unused portions of the 2.5 Gigahertz spectrum band. The de

Twenty-two rural, education and public interest groups sent a letter on Tuesday urging Congress to ensure that the Federal Communications Commission’s plan to reallocate C-Band spectrum benefits rural and low-income Americans who currently do not have broadband access. Congress has “a unique opportu

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2019 – Privacy is a good place to start with public policy concerning the internet of things, said Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., in a keynote address at the AT&T Forum for Technology, Entertainment and Policy Tuesday. With more than 3.8 billion people around the world using the in

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

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2019 – When it comes to removing Huawei or ZTE telecommunications equipment from U.S. broadband networks, a strategy of “rip and place” would cost well over $1 billion. Rural broadband carriers don’t have the budget for that, and they are concerned that the costs of a retrofit w

A coalition of 27 members of Congress sent a letter to Facebook on Wednesday regarding the doctored video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., that was posted on the social media platform last month. “The spread of political disinformation on social media poses grave consequences to our nation’s

WASHINGTON, June 24, 2019 — Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai’s proposed order to permit auction of portions of the 2.5 Gigahertz (GHz) spectrum band has drawn criticism from many outside the agency, including several members of Congress and even the U.S. Department of Education in

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

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

WASHINGTON, June 18, 2019 — The Federal Communications Commission will vote in July on whether or not to auction off unused portions of the 2.5 GigaHertz (GHz) spectrum band to advance the deployment of 5G wireless networks. Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement that the order would “modernize an ou

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

After wide bipartisan acknowledgement that broadband map currently being used by the Federal Communications Commission is wildly inaccurate, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., has introduced the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act, urging the FCC to halt decisions on broadband

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration released a comprehensive database of federal broadband programs on Monday. (See also this PDF for the 109-page guide of programs.) The database was created under the American Broadband Initiative’s mandate to expand connectivity for all

WASINGTON, June 4, 2019 – Next generation Wi-Fi – sometimes called Wi-Fi 6 – will boast many of the capacities of the hype-driven 5G wireless standard, except that the capabilities of Wi-Fi 6 are already ready to deploy, said speakers at an event on Monday. The event, entitled “Next Generation Wi-Fi

WASHINGTON, May 30, 2019 – The development of artificial intelligence will bring extreme changes to the future of warfare, a panel of scientists said Thursday, calling the impact of current advances analogous to the development of agriculture or the domestication of the horse. The panel was hosted b

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Rep. Anna Eshoo on Thursday introduced three separate measures designed to expedite broadband access. The Conduit Deployment Act and the CLIMB Once Act are common-sense measures that enjoy strong support from many players in the industry, at least at a general level. The

With the sudden resignation of National Telecommunications and Information Administrator David Redl on Thursday, the U.S. Commerce Department’s NTIA has updated its web page for Diane Rinaldo, formerly the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information, and the now-acting administrato

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

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

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

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

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

WASHINGTON, July 12, 2018 – A Republican congressman on Wednesday criticized the U.S. government’s treatment of the ZTE ban as a waste of an opportunity that could have given the U.S. a leg up in the race for new technology. Earlier, the Commerce Department announced that the U.S. has signed an agre

WASHINGTON, June 28, 2018 – The CEO of T-Mobile on Wednesday defended his company’s proposed merger with Sprint against skeptical senators, claiming the merger is necessary in order for the U.S. to win the race for 5G wireless service against China. A Senate subcommittee hearing investigating the co

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: This is from Dave Burstein, a telecom geek/journalist/gadfly, and who frequently has some interesting observations about broadband technologies, and the politics behind them. In this pieces, he’s reporting on the thoughts of leaders in the mobile industry, to the effect

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2018 – Questions about how the federal government will be involved in rolling out the next-generation infrastructure for wireless, known as 5G (for 5th generation) remained after a Wednesday infrastructure hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee. “With the rise of the internet

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

Editor’s Note: Updated January 30, 2018, at 8:44 a.m. with statement from the National Security Council. WASHINGTON, January 29, 2018 – The Trump administration has made no decisions regarding a National Security Council proposal to nationalize the forthcoming fifth-generation, or 5G wireless broadb

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: The future of broadband communication will involve advanced and low-latency applications, all delivered over symmetrical fiber or 5G wireless networks. To get there, we need computing and storage at the edge, and fiber deeper into the neighborhoods. Edge deployment strat

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Siklu, which has been active in promoting the way high-speed wireless gigabit access can help communities leverage fiber-optic infrastructure, assembles a useful primer on its technology and business case for deployment. Providing 21th Century Broadband with Fixed Wirele

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: It is truly astonishing to see an incumbent provider, such as Verizon, taking the position that there must be easier access to poles and rights of way. But that’s a good thing! Perhaps this is evidence of how far Verizon has moved away from the public utility model, but

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Allow us to highlight one of the seven points made by Patrick Brogan in this commentary: Deep fiber. In this piece, he highlights seven elements – (1) Technical standards, (2) cell densification, (3) coexistence of 4G and 5G, (4) reevaluation of the mobile network archit

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: A useful voice of skepticism on the viability and timeliness of 5G. Here’s the simple point: Our nation don’t have enough fiber, deep enough, in order to capitalize on 5G. As the article says later on, “federal, state, and local governments have policy and regulatory lev

WASHINGTON, August 2, 2017 — A pair of senators on Tuesday introduced a bipartisan bill which they hope will improve wireless networks in underserved rural areas of the United States. The aptly named Advancing Innovation and Reinvigorating Widespread Access to Viable Electromagnetic Spectrum (AIRWAV

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

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2017 — President Donald Trump’s announcement that he would add broadband internet access to his $1 trillion infrastructure proposal drew praise from FCC Chairman Ajit Pai despite the lack of details regarding how the Trump Administration would go about promoting more widespread

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

WASHINGTON, June 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

Mobile communication has become a central part internet connectivity.

The internet has the potential to impact, and also to enhance, society's democratization.

Section 230 is sometimes called the 26 words that created the internet.

Whether broadband providers may prioritize delivery of bits by the entities they own is a divisive topic.

Open Access networks separate network operations from internet services. Ownership may also be separate from operations.

The pandemic has prompted a new era of funding for broadband infrastructure.

Because Rural America is often the least-connected region in the country, ensuring coverage is central to BEAD.

Wireless technologies are critical for mobile communications, and for being able to reach remote locations.

Satellite broadband remains an option those areas beyond the reach of fiber, terrestrial or mobile wireless.

The Universal Service Fund, codified in 1996 with the Telecommunications Act, remains the foundation of universal access.

Cloud computing relies upon robust and high-speed upload and download internet speeds.

Tribal leaders say the federal government has failed to uphold its trust responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of Native American tribes.

Wireless Internet Service Providers play an important role in delivery of fixed wireless broadband.

We need humans to make digital inclusion work.

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

The innovations of telehealth and mobile health care has transformed medicine and health care.

Ensuring that emergency communications are enabled with broadband is the next frontier in public safety.

Broadband internet service allows many people to work from almost anywhere.

Digital locks and keys are necessary, but not sufficient, to ensure cybersecurity.

The scourge of robocalls is making America's once-vaunted telephone network less trustworthy.

The BEAD program is implemented by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Commerce Department.

The last three years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of communities building publicly-owned, locally controlled infrastructure.

The entire concept of privacy has been transformed by broadband and the internet.

Accurate broadband mapping and data has been central to America's broadband buildout.

Cities of the future rely on high-speed internet access and advanced fiber and wireless connectivity.

The infrastructure necessary for advanced energy also powers the infrastructure necessary for high-speed internet.

Self-driving cars are one of many advances to come for smart cities and communities.

Drones and airborne transportation are one of many advances to come for smart cities and communities.

Antitrust has been re-invigorated by concern over the power of big technology, media and telecom companies.

Artificial intelligence is poised to transform humans' relationship with technology, and each other.

Social media plays a powerful force in the lives of most adults and teenagers.

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

Semiconductors are the world’s new oil.

Whether licensed, unlicensed or shared, radio frequency spectrum is the critical resource for wireless communication.