Strategies that make universal broadband access a reality are needed
As the federal government readies $65 billion for broadband adoption, local leaders should make thoughtful, culturally-responsive strategies that connect all of our communities.
February 2022
Magnite Survey: 44 Percent of Cable Subs Would Cancel If They Could Stream Live Sports and Events (Broadcasting & Cable)
Submitted by grace@benton.org on Wed, 02/16/2022 - 15:36Wisconsin Public Service Commission Receives 15 Applications requesting more than $1.1 Million for the Telemedicine Grant Progra (Wisconsin Public Service Commission)
Submitted by grace@benton.org on Wed, 02/16/2022 - 15:34Fixed wireless service quality lags wired broadband, according to Evercore
Analysts at Evercore Research, led by Vijay Jayant, conducted proprietary research covering a random sample of 10,000 residential addresses across the US to determine the availability of Verizon’s and T-Mobile’s home internet services. They found that 39 percent of total households have T-Mobile Home Internet fixed wireless access (FWA) service available, while 15 percent of households have access to Verizon’s FWA product. The addresses in Evercore’s research were proportionately sampled by state and chosen to match US population distribution among urban, suburban and rural areas.
California’s strict child-data bill would limit Big Tech data collection (Ars Technica)
Submitted by grace@benton.org on Wed, 02/16/2022 - 13:24Rural electric co-ops are the fastest growing group of broadband providers
A lot of attention has been given to the sprawling fiber expansions announced by large operators like AT&T, Charter Communications and Frontier Communications. But there’s another rapidly growing cohort of companies quietly working to deliver broadband to some of the hardest to reach areas of the country: electric companies and cooperatives. National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) CEO Jim Matheson said electric co-ops haven’t always been part of the broadband equation.
FCC Announces Effective Dates for Affordable Connectivity Program Rules and Comment and Reply Comment Deadlines for Related Further Notice
On January 21, 2022, the Federal Communications Commission released the Affordable Connectivity Program Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ACP Order and Further Notice) providing the final rules to implement the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP Order and Further Notice was published in the Federal Register on February 14, 2022. As set forth in the ACP Order and Further Notice, all adopted rules have the effective dates listed here.
Rules that will become effective on March 16, 2022:
UTOPIA continues aggressive expansion, unbothered by supply chain constraints, labor shortage
UTOPIA Fiber--the operator of a Utah-based, community-owned Open Access fiber network--said it made fiber available to 26,000 new homes during 2021 and that 65 percent of new subscribers on its network are using services of 1 Gbps or higher, up from 48 percent a year ago. Regarding the jump in 1-gig subscribers, UTOPIA Deputy Director and CMO Kimberly McKinley said, “As consumers become more educated, they want the speed and capacity that gigabit-speed fiber can bring.
Sens Blumenthal and Blackburn Introduce Comprehensive Kids' Online Safety Legislation
Sens Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Kids Online Safety Act, comprehensive bipartisan legislation to enhance children’s safety online. The Kids Online Safety Act: