Infrastructure
TPI President Wallsten Defends Reverse Auction, Points to Mapping Flaws in Light of RDOF Defaults
In an interview with Broadband Breakfast, Technology Policy Institute President Scott Wallsten blamed bad mapping for RDOF mess.
Infrastructure
Satellite Operators and Broadband Entrants Vie for Primacy as FCC Debates the 12 GigaHertz Band
Will the 12 GHz band be opened for 5G uses or remain exclusively for satellite services?
SpaceX
SpaceX And Google Cloud Deal, Updated NTIA Broadband Map, More Alaska Residents Getting 2 Gig Internet
SpaceX signs Google cloud deal, NTIA adds states to maps, 77 percent of Alaskans getting 2 gig internet by 2022.
Infrastructure
OneWeb Air Force Contract, Municipal Broadband Support, N.C. Bill To Force Electric Co-ops To Pay More
Air Force signs with OneWeb, few Americans want muni build ban, N.C. bill wants electrical co-ops paying for ISP-ready poles.
FCC
RDOF Reverse Auction Criticized, Google Makes Pandemic Gains, California Broadband Access For K-12
RDOF reverse auction criticized again, Google ups revenues during Covid, California survey on broadband access for K-12 students.
Infrastructure
Verizon Expands 5G, U.S. And E.U. Diverge On Facial Recognition, New Drone Regulations
Verizon is expanding 5G in California and Texas, the U.S. and E.U. see differently on facial tech, FAA drone rules.
Expert Opinion
Gary Bolton: Satellite’s Polite Conceit of Unserved/Underserved
It remains to be seen if Starlink services will have a large-scale detrimental impact on rural service providers.
Amazon
$20B Fiber Bill; VISA Accepts U.S. Crypto Coin; Intermountain Hybrid Virtual Care
March 31, 2021 – Republican South Carolina Senators Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Monday reintroduced the State Fix Act, which would expand broadband access to underserved rural areas. The bill would provide $20 billion for broadband infrastructure utilizing fiber-optic cables and 5G techno
FCC
Women Dems Speak Up for FCC’s Jessica Rosenworcel, UTOPIA Fiber’s New Funding, Starlink Speeds Double
February 23, 2021 – A letter signed by 33 Democratic women urging acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to be nominated as the first woman to permanently chair the agency was sent to White House Chief of Staff Ronald Klain on Monday. Leading the letter of support were Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif.,
Infrastructure
Experts Investigating Starlink Are Not Convinced that Elon Musk’s Satellite Project Provides Rural Broadband Solution
February 16, 2021—While SpaceX touts Starlink as the answer to the world’s dearth of broadband coverage, experts are not convinced that it will be able to meet increasing demand. Elon Musk’s SpaceX began launching a constellation of small satellites early in 2018 with the goal of providing affordabl
SpaceX
Low Earth Orbit Satellites Are Live, and May Compensate for Geosynchronous Broadband Challenges
February 4, 2021 -With Elon Musk’s SpaceX working on low earth orbit satellites and launching 60 Starlink satellites in a single batch early Thursday morning, prompting continuing discussions about the effectiveness of these low earth orbit investments in improving rural broadband in the United Stat
Brendan Carr
Building on Rural Broadband Subsidies, Facebook and Politics, SpaceX Meets Criticism
February 3, 2021 – Charter Communication said it is planning to spend $5 billion on rural broadband, with support from the government through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. Charter said that it will offer speeds starting at 200 Megabits per second (Mbps) download, and that their service will be
FCC
Starlink Touts Improved Broadband Latency, Cable Guys Have Ideas About Broadband Data, Costs of Chinese Gear
SpaceX, an aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company headed by Elon Musk, has been actively deploying internet-beaming satellites into low Earth orbit since 2018. The company believes its low Earth orbit technology may be the answer to resolving the issue of universal access,
FCC
Biden Commits to Net Neutrality, Twitter Hacking Spree, EU Court Rules Against Data Sharing Pact
July 16, 2020 — Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has signaled that if he becomes President, his administration’s Federal Communications Commission would restore net neutrality rules, Multichannel reported. Under net neutrality rules, which were fought for by the Obama administration and the
FCC
SpaceX’s Starlink May Be a Candidate for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, But Will There Be Demand for Service?
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
SpaceX
Starlink Not Some Huge Threat to Broadband Companies, Elon Musk Says at Satellite Event
WASHINGTON, March 10, 2020— “I wanna be clear, it’s not like Starlink is some huge threat to telcos. I just want to be super clear, it is not.” That’s a point SpaceX and Starlink founder Elon Musk wanted to impress upon his zealous audience at the 2020 Satellite Convention on Monday. When doors open
