1. Monthly archive
  2. September 2018

September 2018

Lifeline Awareness Week: In 2018, Protecting Universal Service Is More Important Than Ever

Sept 10-14 is National Telephone Discount Lifeline Awareness Week. The Federal Communications Commission, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, and the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates mark this week to highlight the critical role of the he federal Lifeline program. Despite the tangible benefits of Lifeline, in 2017 the FCC proposed substantial changes to Lifeline that would severely damage the program and harm the low-income and vulnerable families that rely on Lifeline for basic connectivity.

Across the US, 5G Runs Into Local Resistance

Millions of Americans will soon encounter new poles or notice antennas sprouting on existing structures, like utility poles, street lamps and traffic lights, all over their neighborhoods. All four national cellphone companies are pushing to build out their networks with a profusion of small, local cells to keep their data-hungry customers satisfied and lay the groundwork for fifth-generation, or 5G, service. Those plans face pushback in many places, and not just from residents.

Commissioner Rosenworcel Remarks at Mobile World Congress Americas

I'm going to be the first Commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission to talk about 6G wireless service. Getting from here to there won’t be simple. In fact, I think it will require Washington to reassess some policies it holds dear and considers tried and true. I want to talk about three things we should revisit for the spectrum policy of the future— valuation, auction, and distribution.

Charter CEO: We have a better platform to deploy 5G than cellular companies

Charter Communications Chairman and CEO Tom Rutledge explained why 5G isn’t an existential threat to cable’s connectivity business. “We have a better platform to deploy [5G] technology, I think, than the cellular industry does because we are fully distributed from a high-capacity wireline perspective,” said Rutledge. “If you think about what 5G is, it is small cells,” Rutledge added. “Small cells mean you needs lots of wired line connectivity to make the small cells work. We think we are actually in a better position to do that than traditional cellular companies.

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