Wireless Internet

Russian forces are using SpaceX’s satellite internet system near the front line in occupied parts of Ukraine, Kyiv’s military intelligence agency said, potentially undercutting a major battlefield advantage for Ukraine’s army.

Mobile operators will feel a financial twinge if the FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is shut down this spring, but the cut won't cause extreme bleeding when it comes to subscribers, revenues and EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization).

Total by Verizon, a fast-growing prepaid no-contract wireless provider from Verizon, announced the launch of its unlimited 5G Home Internet service. The brand’s new Home Internet plan starts at $45/month with Auto Pay for current and new mobile wireless customers, making high-speed home internet available for customers who want the financial flexibility of no-contract, no-credit-check, pay-in-advance service.

T-Mobile has yet to take possession of the 2.5 GHz spectrum that it acquired via auction in 2022 to fill holes in rural territories across the US, but it’s ready to roll when the spectrum does become available. Congress passed legislation requiring the Federal Communications Commission to release the 2.5 GHz spectrum from Auction 108 and President Joe Biden signed the 5G Spectrum Authority Licensing Enforcement (SALE) Act into law in December 2023.

It seems cable internet providers are still lagging behind in customer satisfaction, especially when it comes to cost. In a 2024 CableTV survey, the best major internet service providers for overall satisfaction were either fiber or wireless providers, those being Google Fiber, T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T.

Alaska Communications said it plans to follow a 2023 investment of $65 million with $40 million in 2024 in an effort to bring broadband to residents and businesses in the state. While some other broadband providers use fiber broadband for any new deployments, Alaska Communications uses a mixture of fiber-fed copper, fixed wireless and fiber broadband—an approach driven by the state’s unique terrain and population density. During the past two years, the company has deployed fiber to about 10,000 homes in Fairbanks and Anchorage and to a multi-dwelling unit in downtown Juneau.

The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) is evolving and expanding FirstNet, the nationwide public safety broadband network, through strategic network investments. At a special Board meeting, the FirstNet Authority Board took action to increase coverage on the network and accelerate FirstNet’s transition to a full 5G network. This network investment follows completion of the five-year initial buildout by the FirstNet Authority’s network contractor, AT&T.

Based on conversations I've had with some of my peers, I have to ask: will fixed wireless access (FWA) peak soon? Every person I've asked has dismissed FWA wireless as a temporary technology with no real long-term legs. My peers say that FWA is already oversubscribed, cell towers aren't designed to handle all-day broadband connections, and that the service is just not good enough. Interestingly, the numbers seem to be telling a different story: T-Mobile and Verizon predict they will collectively reach 15 million FWA customers.

The Federal Communications Commission adopted updates to its rules for the 70, 80, and 90 GHz spectrum bands to facilitate broadband access on ships and aircrafts, in addition to backhaul service for 5G.  This action will promote the efficient use of spectrum and will provide opportunities for the development of new broadband service options. The Report and Order establishes new rules and updates existing rules for the 7176 GHz, 81–86 GHz, 92–94 GHz, and 94.1–95 GHz bands.

The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) sent a letter to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) raising concerns that multiple states will fail to reach all unserved locations by funding fiber over other technologies. The concern comes as the NTIA is working on approving initial proposals for how each state and territory will conduct its Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) grant program.