
How to Measure the Best and Worst States for Broadband?
Authors of the BroadbandNow and Ookla reports join Broadband Breakfast Live Online on Wednesday

AT&T Says Just 1% of Eligible Customers Still Use Copper Voice Lines
AT&T cites rising copper theft and longer repair times for moving customers to newer technologies

California Body Has New Recommendations for Wireless Companies
Cal Advocates proposes several recommendations, notably aiming to prevent AI answering agents

Connecticut Fines Frontier $625,000 Over Data Breach
The state says Frontier failed to adequately protect exposed customer data

States Sue OpenAI, Saying its Popular Chatbot is Hurting Children and Deceiving Adults
The eight states are Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska and West Virginia

The 1950s, When the Big Three Networks Had an Advantage Built Right Into America’s TV Sets
It wasn’t legislation that limited American television to three national networks – it was the FCC

Alaska Communications to Resell Starlink for Remote and Backup Business Internet
Alaska’s remote businesses will soon have another option for staying connected

Midterms Could Change the Politics of AI
If Republicans suffer heavy losses, it could push the party toward tougher AI legislation, panelists said
October 29, 2026: Combating Human Trafficking
This webinar will examine what an effective, sustainable anti-trafficking ecosystem requires.

Arkansas Makes First BEAD Disbursement as Broadband Projects Move Into Implementation
Brightspeed will deliver fiber service to more than 13,700 homes and businesses across 25 counties

Alaska Mobile Carriers Would Get $162 Million Under Draft FCC Order
The agency cited advocacy from Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, who’s in a tight race for reelection

Hawaii's Big Island Tackles Data Centers and Definitions
Some do not want to the ban to be so broad that it excludes vital facilities

Four States Suing Major Router Manufacturer Over China Ties
TP-Link accounts for a significant portion of the U.S. consumer router market

From New Deal's Electrification Loans to a Rural Broadband Dispute
Nearly nine in 10 American farms lacked electricity in 1930. In response, Washington financed an unusual kind of utility: Cooperatives owned by the rural customers they served.

A $50 Billion Health Fund and Rural America’s Internet Gaps
The funds come from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Republicans passed in July 2025
NTIA Still Finalizing Eligible Locations for New BEAD Round
The agency is waiting for new broadband coverage data from the FCC

Should Network-Sharing Rules Reach Big Tech?
Experts revisited AT&T’s 1984 breakup and the 1996 Act for lessons on regulating technology platforms.

Open Rules and Protocols, Including Section 230, Fuel ‘Permissionless Innovation’
The FCC's expanding 'Covered List' now requires companies to seek government approval, reversing innovation

Indiana to Spend $400 Million to Fund New BEAD Projects
Construction could begin this fall, with all BEAD-funded buildouts expected to finish by 2030.

Innovation and Competition Anchor America's 150 Year Experiment with Telecommunications
Necessity may be the mother of invention, but who’s the father of competition?

From the Fairness Doctrine to a Network Sale: The FCC’s Enduring Authority
For 38 years, the FCC required competing views on controversial issues across broadcast programming.

Tribal Broadband Is About Sovereignty, Not Just Speed
Tribal communities are combining fiber, shared networks and adoption support to create internet services they can govern and sustain.

Lesson 6: The Fairness Doctrine and Public Media
A report from a federal agency told American broadcasters in 1949 to cover controversial public issues and to carry opposing views, and no Congress ever voted that rule into law.

Washington Signs Seven BEAD Grants
A Colorado ISP also disputed the state’s claim that it misused grant funds

Sens. Welch, Bennet Bill Would Create ‘Digital FCC’
The Senate Democrats are reviving a proposal for a new federal regulator

California AG Bonta Asks Judge to Toss AT&T Copper Retirement Suit
The carrier says less restrictive FCC rules preempt the state’s regulations

Building BEAD: From Federal Awards to Finished Networks
BEAD’s next phase will depend on workable contracts, timely permitting and consumer-focused accountability as broadband projects move toward construction.

'Public Interest, Convenience, and Necessity': The 5 Words Behind U.S. Broadcast Licenses
Newton Minow, Kennedy’s FCC chairman, warned in 1961 that broadcasters risked losing their licenses if they neglected educational and other public-service programming.

Colorado Cancels $100 Million BEAD Award After Finding Misuse of Funds
The state is rebidding the 10,000 affected locations

Broadband Breakfast Updates Oct. 1 Online Conference on America250 / Telecom150
Event will begin at 12 Noon ET, and include two virtual panels, on innovation and competition.

Colorado Broadband Head Resigns
The Maine Public Utilities Commission chair is also stepping down

CPUC Finalizes California’s BEAD Plan
Advocates in the state are wary of strings attached to accepting federal broadband funds

Wireless ISP Seeking $777 Million From T-Mobile for Interference
Maryland-based Bloosurf told the FCC it had seen 2.5 GHz interference since 2020.

As AI Data Centers Surge, Builders Confront the Politics of Power
At the AI Infra Summit, experts said the future of data centers hinges less on AI itself and more on securing electricity and community trust.

After the Titanic Sank, Congress Passed America’s First Major Radio Law
The system worked while radio was dominated by ships and point-to-point communication. Mass broadcasting in the 1920s exposed what Congress had left unresolved.

Iowa City Hits Pause on Data Centers
Waterloo officials approved a 90-day moratorium on new data centers.

Ookla: Starlink Performance Surged in First Half of 2026
Starlink is narrowing a long-standing performance gap with terrestrial broadband.

September 15, 2026: Building a Better Connected City
Join SmartWAVE Technologies and Juganu for an engaging conversation about how smart street lighting can become the foundation for a more connected, intelligent, and resilient city.

Broadband Access Alone Isn’t Enough for Small Businesses
Panelists said small businesses need affordable, reliable service and the skills to use it, not just a connection.

Lesson 4: The Origin of Wireless
The Titanic sank in April 1912, Congress required a federal license to transmit four months later, and the Navy seized or shut every private radio station in the country when the country entered the war in 1917.

California Governor Signs Laws Aimed at Protecting Kids From Social Media and AI
One of the laws will penalize large social media companies that are found negligent in harming children. Another would ban tech businesses from offering addictive feeds to anyone under 16.

Clearwave, Visionary Broadband to Combine, Forming 17-State Fiber Platform
The agreement reflects the continued push among fiber providers to build scale and expand into new markets

While Most Countries Put Telephones Inside the Post Office, America Tried That One Year
Britain held its network 114 years. America's experiment lasted twelve months, ending August 1919.

Penn State Professor Calls for Regulation of Broadband Rates
The idea would represent a significant shift in how policymakers approach the nation’s broadband market.

Lesson 3: In Other Countries, PTTs (Posts, Telegraph and Telephone)
This lesson asks the comparative question of why the American telephone monopoly stayed in private hands, when most of the world ran its telephones through a government post office.

NYC, Nation's Largest School System, Bans AI for Students Through 8th Grade
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Hall described the policy as the most expansive prohibition in the country.

All 56 Federal Broadband Plans Approved. Construction Comes Next
Illinois was the final state approved under the federal government’s landmark broadband program. Michigan, Hawaii, Virginia and California are among many states now building.

Some Remaining BEAD Funds to be Used on New Bidding Round
NTIA said it would outline other allowable uses in a future update

A Looming ‘Tokenocracy’ Threatens Regulators Ability to Govern AI
Panelists say the evaluation gap, not geopolitics, is the binding constraint on global AI rules
California Bill Creating Independent Oversight Of CPUC Heads To Governor
The measure comes amid growing scrutiny of how California regulates utilities and protects consumers

The Kingsbury Commitment Promised Competition. AT&T Got 98% of Long Distance
In the illustration, J.P. Morgan is depicted as an Octopus trainer, AT&T President Theodore Vail says 'perfectly abhorrent,' and the dog, representing independent companies, says 'I'm next.'

GCI Expands 5G to 9 More Southeast Alaska Towns
GCI has expanded 5G service to nine more Southeast Alaska communities, boosting mobile connectivity across the region.

What We're Doing With '150 Years of American Telecommunications'
Some personal reflections on the value of looking back over 250 Years of American Independence, and our broadband heritage

Johnny Kampis: The Impracticality of Widescale Fiber Broadband in Alaska
The USDA spent $34.91 million on fiber to reach 28 customers in two remote Alaska villages, topping $2 million per passing, the author says

Distance Learning Leaders Say Broadband Is No Longer the Hard Part
The field's toughest challenges have moved past connectivity to teacher preparation, human presence and the arrival of AI in the classroom.

Fixed Wireless Faster in Urban Areas: Ookla
T-Mobile posted the fastest fixed wireless speeds of the three national carriers

FCC’s Trusty Looks to Universal Service's Next Phase
Trusty pointed to lessons from recent trips across the country as she considers the FCC’s approach to rural connectivity.

T-Mobile Works to Restore Hawaii Network as Lala Recovery Continues
UPDATED: The company’s efforts come amid a broader focus on keeping communities connected during crises.

Patent Scope, Not Invention, Decided the American Telephone Market
Bell had 3,000 telephones around Boston, and a patent. Western Union had $40M and every U.S. state. The patent won.

Illinois BEAD Plan Approved
It was the last state awaiting NTIA clearance

Golden State Connect Authority Touting Connection to California Middle-Mile Network
The agreement with the California Department of Technology will use the state's middle-mile to connect Golden State Fiber to rural communities.

California Approves Nearly $32M for Infrastructure, Affordable Housing and Digital Skills
The CPUC approved funds for 10 broadband adoption projects, including digital literacy programs expected to train more than 2,600.

Broadband Breakfast Course Traces 150 Years of American Telecommunications
Broadband Breakfast CEO previews the 35-lesson course tracing American telecom from Bell's patent to AI. The course launches Monday

AI Buildout Worsening Supply Costs, Permit Worries, ISPs Say
Lumen said it was laying middle mile fiber next to strands reserved by hyperscalers

Most E-Rate Funds Spent in Highest-Need Areas, Researcher Says
In fiscal year 2024, the program spent 62 percent of funding on broadband subscriptions and 35 percent on networking gear

States Take Meta to Trial in California in The Biggest Fight Yet Over Social Media Harms to Children
The trial set to begin Tuesday in federal court in Oakland, California.

CPUC Approves $34.5 Billion Charter-Cox Merger
The agency adopted settlement agreements between the companies and consumer advocates with few additional conditions

Wichita Internet Exchange Point Set to Begin Operations in Coming Weeks
A partnership with an AI compute tenant is providing the cash to build more rural IXPs
Watch Out for Pole Disputes, Environmental Permits, Experts say
One engineer suggested outside consultants to support local permitting agencies
BEAD Weariness and AI Ambition Collide at Mountain Connect
BEAD delays left Mountain Connect panelists weary, while AI pushes compute toward an edge rural economics struggle to reach.

Verizon Offers $25K Reward to Catch Suspects Behind California Fiber Cuts
Fiber cuts are disrupting internet, emergency services and other critical communications

Hawaiʻi Begins $30.7 Million BEAD Broadband Buildout
Once envisioned at $95 million, the buildout will now reach the same locations for a third that cost.

States Working on BEAD Project Costs, Permits
Equipment costs are rising as projects get underway

The Farm Bill Fight That Will Shape Rural Broadband
Republicans were unable to move their bill forward. The measure will determine the future of the USDA’s ReConnect Broadband program.

As Data Centers Spread, Cities Fight to Keep Up
Still, developers are finding ways to move ahead outside local jurisdiction.

Charter, Cox at Odds with Calif. Advocacy Groups on Merger Conditions
The state’s telecom regulator is set to vote on the $34.5 billion deal this week at its Aug. 13 meeting

Liliana Aide Monge: AB 2279 Deserves a Floor Vote. California's Digital Divide Can't Wait
AB 2279 would restore the original scope of California's Regional Broadband Consortia and boost their funding using existing CPUC fee surpluses.

Christine O'Connor: An Enduring Commitment to Universal Service Transformed Alaska
O'Connor charts Alaska's shift from village pay phones to fiber and telehealth, crediting universal service and the Alaska Plan while noting BEAD's work is unfinished.

Hoopa Valley Tribe Opens Data Center to Advance Tribal Data Sovereignty
New facility will anchor the Tribe’s fiber network as it expands into underserved communities in Northern California.

Rural Broadband Pays Off Only When Communities Decide, Panelists Say
Rural broadband is now table stakes for economic development, panelists said on a Broadband Breakfast Live Online panel.
From Megabits to Milliseconds
Researchers at national nonprofit Connected Nation contend that policymakers are still focused on broadband speeds while underinvesting in the middle-mile and interconnection infrastructure that will determine future AI performance.

New Mexico Launches Rulemaking for Broadband Affordability Program
The state program will offer eligible households discounts toward broadband service beginning Dec. 1.

How to Fight Back Against Fraudulent Robocalls
Panelists warned that anti-fraud tools can't keep pace with scammers exploiting cheap internet calling and AI.

Broadband Providers Praise Some State Pole Attachment Models, Argue Others Fall Behind
Providers say state pole attachment regimes are not created equal as FCC weighs oversight changes.

July 28, 2026: Beyond the Blueprint: The Real Story of Network Builds
Where design meets reality, straight from the experts who live it every day!

Brad Ventura: As Maui's Fire Chief, Don't Use Wildfires for Commercial Self-Interest
The Fire Chief of the island of Maui, which experience deadly wildfires in August 2023, recounts what actually happened

House Dems Oppose FCC Preempting Calif. Copper Rules
AT&T wants the agency to grant preemption and allow it to discontinue copper service in the state

Malibu City Council Votes to Bar New Wireless Facilities in Residential Neighborhoods
The city enacted a resolution prohibiting the placement of new cell equipment closer than 300 feet of residential property lines.

State Broadband Chiefs Await Guidance on $21 Billion of Remaining BEAD Funds
Four state broadband directors, still awaiting federal guidance on billions in remaining BEAD funds, speak at Broadband Breakfast Live Online event.
Broadband Technology Acceleration
With the industry facing fierce competition, engaging a turnkey supply chain solutions and deployment partner is a more efficient and lower risk path.

Florida GOP Lawmaker and Governor Candidate Says Data Center Bill Keeps Utility Costs Down
GOP candidate for governor aims to improve efficiency and relocate centers from populated areas.

Iowa House Republican Introduces Bill to Protect Kids from Chatbots Plying Sexual Content
The bill would ban deceptive AI personas and allow parental supervision of AI.

California BEAD Plan Approved
The state’s LEO locations decreased by nearly half compared to its draft plan. Fiber and fixed wireless didn’t significantly change.

GOP Lawmakers, AGs Want FCC Data Breach Case Reheard
The fear the precedent would make it harder for Congress to eliminate agency rules it doesn’t like

Protecting Critical Communications Infrastructure: Emerging Threats & Needed Solutions - June 2026
More than 18,000 incidents nationwide, affecting over 11.8 million customers.

Supply Chain Resiliency Playbook Broadband
With service providers hyper-focused on meeting the deployment goals set forth by federal and state initiatives, now might be the time to rethink your supply chain management process.

CPUC Judge Proposes Approving Charter-Cox Merger
A CPUC commissioner filed an alternative decision that would still approve the deal, but impose fewer conditions

GOP Candidate for California Governor Dings FCC, AT&T on Effort to End California Landline Obligations
Steve Hilton, endorsed by President Trump, urges the FCC to let state regulators preserve AT&T’s voice services for rural Californians.

FCC to Host Two-Day IP Transition Workshop
The Commission will discuss potential obstacles and solutions with industry professionals on July 15 and 16.

California Regulators Fund Broadband Projects at $137,000 Per Location
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) hiked the state’s Universal Service Fund tax to help fund the grants.
