Internet/Broadband

Key data about internet performance in countries across the world. This quarter we’ve provided updated analyses for 52 markets using Speedtest Intelligence. In the US, T-Mobile was the fastest mobile operator with median download and upload speeds of 188.96 Mbps and 12.19 Mbps, respectively. T-Mobile also recorded the highest mobile Consistency at 87.3%, and the lowest median mobile latency of 50 ms. T-Mobile also led the market with the fastest median 5G download speed at 238.87 Mbps, as well as the lowest 5G latency of 48 ms.

In November 2023, Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) wrote a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel expressing concerns about the open internet proceedings, and requesting that Chairwoman Rosenworcel 1) "identify the specific authority granted by Congress that provides a legal justification to support the Commission’s decision to move forward on net neutrality;" 2) confirm her belief "that reclassifying BIAS as a Title II common carrier service would be a regulation of 'vast economic and political significance;'" 3) "provide a specific legal rationale as t

We are writing to express our support for extending funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program, an essential program that over 23 million families rely on to access quality and affordable high-speed internet. The Affordable Connectivity Program has been a key tool in our efforts to eliminate the digital divide in America since it was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021. The fact that the Affordable Connectivity Program was enacted into law as a part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is not lost on us – it’s a program that has wide support.

NTCA—The Rural Broadband Association and ACA Connects—America’s Communications Association strongly support the proposal to amend a “program comment” issued by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) in 2017. Recognizing that telecommunications undertakings “typically [do] not result in adverse effects to historic properties,” in 2017 the ACHP adopted a streamlined process for communications providers’ compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act for the installation of certain categories of wireline and wireless communications infrastructure on federal

Beacon Broadband announced the opening of its latest service area on the north end of Brookings (OR). As of January 15, residents in the area north of Harris Beach can now enjoy the exceptional benefits of Beacon Broadband's fiber internet, voice, and video services. With this area now available for service, Beacon Broadband is extending its reach to approximately 360 new addresses on the north end of Brookings.

It will be super complicated for states to define the bidding areas for Broadband Equity, Access & Deployment (BEAD) grants. Some states may define bid areas by census blocks, school districts, or some other defined geography or cluster, while other states may go with a “free-for-all” approach, allowing bidders to say where they want to bid.

In a new trial Windstream and Cisco claimed the industry’s first successful 1 Terabit per second transmission over 1,100 kilometers, done across multiple routes on Windstream's Intelligent Converged Optical Network (ICON). The trial showcased the compatibility of multi-vendor technologies on Windstream's disaggregated architecture, using components from Cisco, Acacia Communications (a Cisco subsidiary) and a third-party line system vendor, Ciena. It also marked progress in Windstream's development of ZR+ modules for high-speed wave services.

On Dec 15, 2023, Republican leadership from the Senate and House Commerce Committees wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel with questions and concerns abbout the FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic posed dire challenges for digital inclusion and digital literacy among marginalized communities. This article adopts a case study approach to analyse how the digital navigator programme (DNP) in Philadelphia addresses these challenges.

As we think about Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we are reminded of the ongoing pursuit for equity, justice, and the civil rights leader’s legacy and vision of a world with equal access to opportunities. Google Fiber aspires to be a part of this dream, by helping to bridge the digital divide and foster inclusivity in our increasingly connected world. Everyone deserves fast, reliable internet at an accessible price, and the ability to put that internet connection to use.