Linda Hardesty

Zayo has won a new deal with an AI infrastructure company to build long-haul networks, and a company executive said AI is driving a ton of new demand for its long-haul fiber. Bill Long, Zayo’s chief product and strategy officer, said the company can’t yet name the anchor tenant in the new contract, but he called it “a monster deal.” Zayo’s customers already include all the major hyperscalers, neo-cloud operators, and big AI labs.

The broadband industry may soon cheer if Congress legislates permitting reform. The industry has long complained that permitting processes across a multitude of federal, state, and local jurisdictions are incredibly cumbersome. Now, Congress may act to streamline all of that. However, a host of local organizations are vehemently opposed to the federal government steamrolling over their municipal rules and regulations. Congress considered multiple proposed bills to address broadband permitting.

A panel at the Competitive Carriers Association show spoke to small, regional wireless carriers about their use of automation and AI, and perhaps the most interesting question was: “If you had one piece of advice to give to a competitive carrier just starting on their automation journey, what would that be?” Prajith Dhanapalan is head of Solutions and Private Networks at Xius, a company that provides wireless core technology.

New Street Research analyst David Barden recently suggested that Brightspeed might make a good acquisition target for Verizon. Asked about that prospect, Jacky Wu, Brightspeed’s president & CFO, said “While we won’t comment on market speculation, we do believe convergence is real. As the largest fiber platform outside of AT&T and Verizon, it’s not surprising that Brightspeed would generate interest.

Many stakeholders in the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program are too polite to call the program a “dud.” But they’re starting to question whether BEAD—since the Trump administration changed the rules in mid-2025—is going to make a real difference in closing the digital divide. There are concerns about the large amount of BEAD funds that are leftover. People are also questioning whether satellite will provide enough bandwidth over time. And at least one industry consultant predicts there will be defaults in the BEAD program. 

Optimum launched a new fiber broadband deal for only $25 a month in an effort to entice new customers. And it’s guaranteeing this low price for five years. The “25 for 5” offer is available to new subscribers who sign up for 300 Mbps Optimum Fiber Internet. “With 25 for 5, we’re redefining what customers should expect from an internet provider,” said Mike Parker, president of Optimum Consumer Services, in a statement. According to a couple of online platforms that track broadband pricing, the average cost for fiber broadband in the U.S.

In an abbreviated 4th quarter 2025 earnings call, EchoStar’s Chairman and CEO Charlie Ergen was asked about the two things most on analysts’ minds: What’s going on with EchoStar’s investment in SpaceX? And what’s the deal with EchoStar not paying its wireless vendors? EchoStar’s fortunes are now tied to SpaceX ever since its new division called “EchoStar Capital” was created in November 2025.

The Federal Communications Commission recently granted Amazon Leo the authority to launch 4,500 more satellites. Recently, Amazon Leo asked the FCC for permission to extend its deadline to launch 3,232 satellites until July 30, 2028. The FCC hasn’t ruled on that request yet, but it’s generally expected to approve it.

Silicon Valley bros Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos regularly move companies, workers (and major media outlets) around like pawns on a chessboard. It’s all just a big ego game for them. But when it comes to closing the digital divide in America, their antics could negatively affect a lot of people in rural areas who just want to get a decent connection to the internet. You’d think a country as big, affluent, and technically savvy as the U.S.

On January 20, representatives of the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) met with a policy advisor to Federal Communications Commissioner Anna Gomez to discuss a concern about Charter Communications.