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  2. March 2021

March 2021

Changing the Definition of Broadband

A group of Senators recently sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission asking to raise the definition of broadband to 100/100 Mbps. This speed has been discussed for several years as the logical step forward from the current 25/3 Mbps speed set by the FCC in 2015. It’s clear to everyone in the industry that homes are using a lot more broadband than they did in 2015 – with the biggest change being simultaneous uses of multiple broadband streams in the typical home. The change in broadband definition would trigger the following:

Extending America's 5G Leadership

Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr detailed his plan to extend US leadership in 5G at an event hosted by the American Enterprise Institute.  Highlights of Commissioner Carr’s plan:

Rogers, Shaw to Combine in $16 Billion Deal

Rogers Communications has agreed to buy Shaw Communications for about 20 billion Canadian dollars, equivalent to roughly $16 billion. The deal, which would remove Canada’s fourth-largest wireless provider from a thin competitive arena, will be scrutinized by three federal government agencies, including the competition bureau, the Canadian telecommunications regulator and the department of industry. Innovation, Science and Industry minister François-Philippe Champagne said in a statement that the government would focus on affordability, competition, and innovation in its analysis of the deal

Why didn’t the CARES Act solve the digital divide?

Although President Biden has just signed the American Rescue Plan Act (including $7 billion in E-rate funding) into law, some believe that the March 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act already took care of the connectivity gap.

The Biden-Harris Administration’s Leadership Could Shape Broadband Access for Decades to Come

In February 2021, Next Century Cities collected feedback from local officials on ways to improve broadband over the next four years. This letter includes several of their submissions. Their words echo sentiments of local leaders nationwide, calling for higher broadband Internet speeds, lower prices, and improved service quality. The Biden-Harris Administration’s leadership would not only have an immediate impact on their communities and others but would pave the way for inclusive and equitable broadband policies for years to come.

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