1. Monthly archive
  2. January 2024

January 2024

Thousands of locations to get fiber-optic access with completion of rural Pennsylvania network build

The first customers in Spring Garden Township (PA) a rural community in York County, are now enjoying access to 100 percent fiber-optic broadband thanks to efforts from Glo Fiber and Shentel. As construction on the network continues, Glo Fiber said residents and businesses will receive advanced notice via mail of their pending internet access options, according to a recent announcement from the company.

Broadband Director: The Challenges are Bigger in Texas

Texas’ Broadband Development Office Director Greg Conte explains why $3.3 billion in Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) funding might not be as appealing as it sounds. “Receiving $3.3 billion is great, but with that comes a lot of responsibility, said Conte. “There’s a lot of attention on Texas as we have a significant amount of unserved and under-served homes, businesses, community anchor institutions.

Governor Kelly Unveils New Designation for Kansas Cities Improving High-Speed Internet

Governor Laura Kelly (D-KS) announced the launch of Kansas Broadband Ready Communities, a new certification from the Kansas Office of Broadband Development (KOBD) for communities working to improve access to high-speed internet. With the Kansas Broadband Ready Communities designation, Kansas communities will be prepared to make their bids for service more competitive and be ready for future grant opportunities. By adopting specific local ordinances ahead of time, communities can ensure more successful and sustainable broadband deployment projects.

Using a Digital Entertainment Tax to Strengthen Local Information Infrastructure in The United States: A Conceptual Exploration

As traditional local media decline, how might state and local governments provide support for local information infrastructure?

Fact Sheet: The Future of the Affordable Connectivity Program

With less than four months before the projected Affordable Connectivity Program end date and without any immediate additional funding, the Federal Communications Commission expects to begin taking steps to start winding down the program to give households, providers, and other stakeholders sufficient time to prepare. The FCC expects funding to last through April 2024, and run out completely in May 2024. The FCC has released a fact sheet on the ACP which can be viewed here.

Is Lumen in Trouble?

In a recurring theme, Lumen finds itself facing financial challenges. At the end of the third quarter of 2023, Lumen CEO Kate Johnson announced some restructuring with current debt holders to extend the due dates of some debt to ‘reduce the noise” around the company’s debt. The company is also eliminating staff to reduce expenses by $300 million annually. Lumen’s revenues dropped over 17 percent compared to 2022, but a large part of that drop comes from its spin-off of copper networks to Brightspeed for $7.5 billion and the sale of its Latin American business to Stonepeak for $2.7 billion.

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