Carl Weinschenk

The Wireless Broadband Association (WBA) released a trio of reports aimed at providing a framework for how Wi-Fi, Passpoint, and OpenRoaming services “can facilitate and sustain emergency calling and priority communications around the world.” The reports, which were developed by the organization’s Mission Critical & Emergency Services Program, are “Mission Critical & Emergency Services Cellular Emergency Calling over OpenRoaming\Wi-Fi Networks,” “Mission Critical & Emergency Services National Security & Emergency Preparedness,” and “Mission Critical & Emergency Services.

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program deployment effort is coming in far under budget. Now, a political battle could evolve over who controls the remaining BEAD funds. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick suggesting that states keep the excess funds and spend them on state-led AI-related programs.

The “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed into law by President Trump in July offers good news and challenges to the 5G and 6G ecosystems, according to a new report from Mobile Experts.  The press release begins with positive news for the industry. The firm said that the Federal Communications Commission can resume licensing spectrum for commercial uses.  The firm says that two bands, at 3.1 to 3.45 GHz and at 7.4 to 8.4 GHz, were excluded for commercial use. The firm characterized this as a disappointment because of their potential to support high-capacity mobile traffic.

Island Cellular LLC, with awards totaling almost $332 million, was by far the biggest grant winner in Washington’s Final Proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program. Northwest Open Access Network was second, with almost $130.6 million. The comment period on the awards will end at 5 p.m. Pacific time on September 1. Island Cellular provides fixed wireless access internet service through its Emerge Technologies brand.

There’s a lot of good news for the broadband ecosystem in OpenVault’s report on the industry during the second quarter of 2025. The firm found that average subscriber usage hit 664.2 GB, super power users—those who consume more than two terabytes per month—increased by 5%. Monthly average consumption during the second quarter was 664.2 GB, a 13.4% increase over the 585.8 GB recorded in the second quarter of 2024. Total consumption increased 1.0 GB between the first to the second quarter.

The new fixed wireless access (FWA) internet service from Wavelink introduces a new feature called Multi-Carrier Ultra, a technique that enables the strongest connection among several carriers to provide backup connectivity.  LeapView Group, LLC and Albion Ventures are collaborating on the new Wavelink service. LeapView is providing digital technology, marketing, and business development.

Washington and New Mexico have released details about the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program’s Benefit of the Bargain round. The Benefit of the Bargain Round incorporates guideline changes made in June as a result of a pause and reassessment of the $42.5 billion BEAD program. Washington received BEAD 555 applications from 29 eligible entities.

Network development and information infrastructure professional services provider Tilson Technology Management has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against networking firm Gigapower in which it seeks more than $200 million it claims to be owed for building networks in Nevada and Arizona. Tilson says that Gigapower breached a contract between the two companies and owes Tilson for termination charges, underpayments, and missed payments.

Intermetro Fiber, a Florida infrastructure provider that does business as South Reach Networks, has been acquired by Blue Owl Capital’s Digital Infrastructure fund. No financial details about the transaction were provided. SRN provides dark and lit fiber infrastructure in a 370-mile network from Jacksonville to Miami. It connects with five colocation edge facilities that are also owned by SRN along the route. Overall, the network is on-net or near 40 data centers, colocation facilities, and cable landing stations.

Southern Alabama will be the major beneficiary of a $6.2 million grant to the Alabama Fiber Network. The funding will be used to deploy 125 miles of middle-mile fiber in 12 Alabama counties. The middle-mile infrastructure expansion will serve Baldwin, Bibb, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Conecuh, Dallas, Greene, Macon, Monroe, Randolph, and Washington counties. Twelve anchor institutions will be connected in the process.