
Broadband Breakfast Club Exclusive Report
December 2022
From the first year of the IIJA to the controversies surrounding mapping, not to mention the ongoing fight over content moderation, it’s been a big year for all things broadband. Over the first 12 business days of December, we’ll dive into a dozen of the year’s most significant stories and analyze what they mean moving forward — exclusively for members of the Broadband Breakfast Club.
The 12 Days of Broadband 2022 (click to open)
- On the First Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me:
A Symmetrical Gigabit Network - On the Second Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me:
24 Reverse-Preemption Pole Attachment States (2022 edition) - On the Third Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me:
Section Two-30 of the Communications Decency Act - On the Fourth Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me:
$42.5 billion in Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment funds - On the Fifth Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me:
5 Federal Communications Commissioners - On the Sixth Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me:
Wi-Fi 6E - On the Seventh Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me:
7.7% annual inflation rate - On the Eighth Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me:
8,132,968 census blocks and a national Broadband Fabric - On the Ninth Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me:
$9 Billion Universal Service Fund - On the Tenth Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me:
$10 Billion Remaining in the Affordable Connectivity Program - On the Eleventh Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me:
11th Year of Xi Jinping’s rule in China - On the Twelfth Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me:
12 or More State Broadband Officers
The 'Little Tech Agenda' Becomes a Manifesto for Trump 2.0
Deregulation, spending cuts, H1-B visas for legal immigration. Are these now Trump administration policy?

A Troubled Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Program Comes Due
The first deployment deadline for RDOF passed on Dec. 31, 2024 – yesterday.

Loper Bright, A Court Ruling That Changes How D.C. Operates
Loper Bright sets the stage for a Republican-led overhaul of broadband and telecom policy in 2025.

A Year of Telecom Mergers and Acquisitions
The wireless carriers are expected to continue scooping up fiber providers.

A Year of Challenges for the Universal Service Fund
In 2024, USF encountered widespread calls for reforms to ensure its sustainability and effectiveness.

AI Revolution Sparked Growth in Data Centers
Nuclear energy gained momentum as a green solution to data centers' rising power demands.

New Year, New FCC Chair
Brendan Carr has supported a deregulatory stance toward ISPs.

A Big Launch Year for Low Earth Orbit Satellites
2024 marked the year LEOs went from experimental to expansive.

A Year of Prepping for BEAD Projects
Every state got its BEAD proposal approved, and at least 18 began fielding grant applications.

Going Into Year 3 Without FCC Spectrum Auction Authority
Hope for a single auction, but not blanket authority, materialized at the end of the year.

The Year States Stepped Up for Broadband Affordability
States, cities, and private providers led the charge as federal broadband affordability efforts falter.

12 Days of Broadband
An annual series of the year's top 12 stories in broadband.

Broadband Breakfast Person of the Year: Elon Musk
In our view, without Musk’s support, Trump would not have won the presidency.

Broadband Breakfast on December 18, 2024 – The 12 Days of Broadband Top Stories
Join Broadband Breakfast's team of reporters and editors as we kick of the 12 Days of Broadband!

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

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

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

Crypto and Republicans: Navigating the Digital Currency Landscape
During the Trump era, GOP lawmakers emerged as vocal advocates for cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.

Understanding 'Junk Fees' in Broadband
President Joe Biden has made attacking 'junk fees' a key focus of his administration.

Challenges of Broadband Infrastructure Deployment
Rights of way, pole attachments, environmental permitting and other hurdles to broadband infrastructure deployment.

Navigating the Landscape of U.S. Data Privacy Regulations
There is a renewed focus on how best to protect personal information in an increasingly digital world.

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

Unraveling the Complexities of Net Neutrality
Top controversies include 5G network slicing, paid prioritizing and exempting broadband providers from Universal Service Fund contributions.

The Challenge of Spectrum Sharing
At the center of the battle over the airwaves in the United States is the question of spectrum sharing.

The Policy and Law Behind 'Rip and Replace'
The policy and law surrounding the program to remove Chinese telecommunications equipment from U.S. networks.

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

12 Days of Broadband: State Regulations and Children's Safety Online
12 year olds (and older) having to age-verify on social media may become more common going forward.

12 Days of Broadband: Net Neutrality Is the Issue That Never Dies
It's been 11 years since Verizon filed arguments against the FCC in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

12 Days of Broadband: Nearly 10 Months Without FCC Spectrum Authority
As the global race for 5G dominance continues, a significant hurdle looms ahead.

12 Days: Middle Mile Investments and the Push for Internet Exchange Points
NTIA’s Enabling Middle Mile Program will facilitate the installation of over 12,000 miles of fiber-optic cable.

12 Days: FCC Issued Rules Against Digital Discrimination
In religious traditions including Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and others, 8 represents the idea of balance, justice and fairness.

12 Days: In 2023, a Rising Tide of Open Access Networks
Open access networks can be better understand through the 7-layered Open Systems Interconnection

12 Days: Biden’s Signature CHIPS Act Spurs Investments and China Concerns
On the one year anniversary, the White House touted investment of one-hundred-and-66 billion dollars.

12 Days: For State Broadband Offices, 2023 Was All About BEAD
All 56 states and territories have released for comment their Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment proposals.

12 Days: Broadband Mapping Efforts Ramped up in 2023
FCC staff processed 4.8 million challenges to coverage data and 1.5 million challenges to location data.

12 Days: How Soon Will the Affordable Connectivity Program Expire?
The remaining funds are anticipated to be depleted by May 2024, according to the ACP Dashboard tracker.

12 Days: Pole Attachment Changes in 2023 Set Stage for BEAD Implementation
Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the FCC's recent move was an effort to ease friction for BEAD deployments.

12 Days: Is ChatGPT Artificial General Intelligence or Not?
On the First Day of Broadband, my true love sent to me: One Artificial General Intelligence

A Hidden Issue Potentially Impacting BEAD Implementation: Pole Attachments
Problems accessing poles could delay fiber builds funded by the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program.

A Deep Dive into the BEAD Program’s Matching Funds
Will the program’s matching funds requirement stretch federal dollars, or hinder smalller providers?

Precursors to BEAD Implementation: A Deep Dive Into Prior Broadband Programs
How will prior broadband programs impact BEAD Implementation?

A Deep Dive into Allocations Under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program
What’s next for BEAD implementation?

Impacts of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022
When President Biden talks about his economic program, the CHIPS Act is the star of the show.

Revisiting the NTIA's Middle Program Ahead of Funding Announcements
The NTIA is on the cusp of announcing the award winners to the states by June 30, 2023.

Green Energy Provisions Meet Smart Grid and Broadband Infrastructure
Advances for the green economy in the Inflation Reduction Act rely upon smart grid infrastructure.

Content Moderation, Section 230 and the Future of Online Speech
Our comprehensive report examines the extremely timely issue of content moderation and Section 230 from multiple angles.

What to Know About Build America, Buy America Provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Will providers be required to use equipment that is not readily available within the United States?

What You Need to Know About the FCC’s Maps and the Challenge Process
The Broadband Breakfast Report for January 2023 lays out the things to know about the challenge process.

State Broadband Offices Face Major Challenges With Limited Resources
State officials are responsible for the disbursal of federal broadband infrastructure funds, but many offices are understaffed.

Legislators Discuss Banning TikTok Over Growing Security Concerns
The Senate recently passed a measure banning the app from government devices.

Will Congress Permanently Extend the Affordable Connectivity Program?
The program is helping low-income households afford internet access, but some experts warn that the fund will soon be depleted.

How Long Will it Take Congress to Revamp the Universal Service Fund?
Critics urged the FCC to expand the fund’s contribution sources, but the agency chose to punt the decision to Congress.

FCC Finally Releases Federal Broadband Map, But State Officials Have Doubts
Some fear that state offices will lack the necessary resources to fully participate in the fabric challenge process.

Broadband Industry Grapples With High Inflation and Acute Workforce Shortage
Between supply chain disruptions and the rising price of goods, the increased costs of fiber deployment could be pushed onto consumers.

High Demand for Spectrum Necessitates Increased Cooperation and New Sharing Programs
The FCC licensed a significant amount of the limited available spectrum before its authority to do was set to expire.

Gigi Sohn’s Political Purgatory and the Prospect of Reintroducing Net Neutrality Rules in 2023
If Sohn is sworn in, it would break the FCC’s party deadlock and allow the Democrats to potentially bring back net neutrality.

Commerce Department’s NTIA Preparing to Distribute IIJA Broadband Funding
State allocations of BEAD funding will likely be announced by June 2023.

Amid Big Tech Controversies, Section 230’s Future is Uncertain
The Supreme Court is preparing to hear two cases related to content moderation and platform liability.

Utility Companies and Pole Attachers Debate Responsibility for Pole Replacement Costs
The controversy is about the rates that internet companies seeking to put fiber on utility poles need to pay.

Fiber Finds Its Footing, Offering Future-Proof High Speeds
The COVID-19 pandemic provided the foundation case for why fiber’s symmetrical capabilities have became so central.

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