Broadband Breakfast

Broadband Maps Are Just One Step Toward Closing the Digital Divide

Before you solve a problem, you’ve got to be able to understand it. The Federal Communications Commission recently voted to deepen its understanding of the digital divide by making several improvements to its broadband maps, as required by the Broadband DATA Act. The agency’s goal is to ensure that its maps showing where broadband is and isn’t available are more accurate and more granular.

Michigan Broadband Cooperative Calls Report Saying Municipal Broadband Has an Unfair Advantage ‘Laughable’

The Michigan Broadband Cooperative is hitting back at a report from the Free State Foundation that claims that local governments in Michigan frequently abuse broadband restrictions placed on them. Theodore Bolema, professor of economics at Wichita State University, wrote that the governments’ unfair treatment allowed them to take advantage of regulatory privileges.

The FCC’s Approach to Small Cells Strips Municipalities of Rights, Claim NATOA Panelists

Wireless infrastructure deployment, particularly for small cell or distributed antenna systems, promise smart city innovation abilities. But this rollout is likely to be stymied until resolution of disputes between industry and municipalities. Local officials are upset that federal intervention – by Congress and by the Federal Communications Commission – is hampering their ability to govern their own rights-of-way.

Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr Says Agency Coronavirus Response a Success

The Federal Communication Commission’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has been successful, Commissioner Brendan Carr said. The virus has spurred organizations across the world to provide work-from-home options for employees, and Commissioner Carr said that the transition found existing US infrastructure prepared. “What we’re saying very consistently is this was a stress test of the internet, and in the US, it performed very well,” he said. Commissioner Carr attributed the ease of the U.S.’s broadband landscape transition in part to increased high-speed fiber.

Lack of Symmetrical Networks May be Choking Internet Performance

Local broadband speeds may be impaired by upload speed. "That upstream is really where we’re in trouble,” said Gary Bolton, the vice president of global marketing at ADTRAN, referring to unprecedented demand for needing to upload content to the internet, mainly the webcam and audio data you need to broadcast to participate in a Zoom meeting. Bolton predicted that this crunch on upstream will lead to an explosion for demand for broadband buildout.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Singles out Telehealth as Beneficiary of New Unlicensed Spectrum

Federal Communications Chairman Ajit Pai identified telemedicine as the industry he is most excited about as a result of the upcoming availability of 1200 megahertz of unlicensed spectrum.  Telehealth “can be a gamechanger,” and he can see the opening of 1200 MHz of unlicensed spectrum giving rise to a future of “Wi-Fi-enabled telehealth,” said Chairman Pai. In addition to telehealth, Pai also mentioned augmented reality gaming, virtual reality and warehouse optimization as important beneficiaries of opening spectrum.

The FCC Could Do More Now About the Digital Divide, Say Panelists at Broadband Breakfast Live Online Event

“It’s really unfortunate that it has taken a national emergency, a worldwide pandemic, for people to realize how many people don’t have access to broadband internet,” said Benton Institute Senior Fellow and Public Advocate Gigi Sohn. Right now, the Federal Communications Commission could make E-Rate funds available for mobile hotspots and connectivity.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr Praises FCC’s ‘Unprecedented Effort’ to Ensuring Connectivity During Coronavirus

Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr praised the FCC’s emergency efforts to bolster connectivity in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Commissioner Carr said that “every reform is on the table” – particularly with regard to the agency’s Lifeline program – to ensure that American have adequate connectivity at this time.

It’s Time for Co-ops To Stand Up and Embrace Broadband

[Commentary] In the battle to deploy broadband, cooperatives (co-ops) can be a decisive force to cover the rural flanks in states with aggressive broadband adoption goals such as California, New York, and Minnesota. In the more rural states, or ones without stated commitments to broadband, co-ops may have to carry the lion’s share of responsibility if their rural communities are to have a hope for broadband.

Co-ops ultimately exist to meet members’ needs, and currently there’s a burning need for broadband within communities across the nation. There are two ways for co-ops to address the need for better, faster community-owned broadband networks: the problem-solving approach and the creation-orientation approach. Both can work. But the latter might give you more return on your investment.

[Craig Settles is an industry analyst and broadband strategist based in Oakland (CA).]

Building Gigabit Networks Three Powerful New Financing Models in Utah Mississippi And Texas

As communities across the country consider ways to build Gigabit Networks, a range of public- and private-financing models are now being considered in geographies as diverse as the Wasatch Front in Utah, rural Mississippi; and College Station, Texas.

Three separate financial models were explored in early April at the Broadband Communities Summit in Austin, during a panel on “Public-Private Partnerships for Economic Development.”

The first model, in Utah, involves a private company -- Macquarie Capital -- entering into partnership with the public sector to complete a fiber build worth more than $300 million.

In Mississippi, network builder C Spire Fiber put out a “reverse Request for Proposals” in an effort to incent Mississippi communities to invest in fiber.

In the third example, in College Station, Texas, a technology entrepreneur and city council member discussed his efforts to bring Gigabit Networks to the hometown of Texas A&M University.

Rural Telecommunications Congress Members Release Report on 50 State Broadband Initiative Entities

Members of the Rural Telecommunications Congress released a comprehensive report on the state of the 50 State Broadband Initiative entities.

The report assembles data about the programs of the governmental and non-profit entities that have been engaged in broadband mapping and planning over the past five years. Among the questions that the report seeks to address, for each of the 50 states, are the following:

  1. [Is there an] ongoing State BB Leadership Org or Council to Coordinate with Rural BB Champions and Providers ?
  2. Is the State BB Map Identifying deficit areas per identified standard available for use by the public and Policy makers?
  3. Are State and Regional BB Plans created and being widely used?
  4. Is there a Separate State BB PPO for Financing, Bonding & Grants in Deficit areas?
  5. Are there State Funding Programs for Matching [dollars] and for Financing grants/loans to Political subs & Providers?
  6. Is Formal Coordination taking place with State PUC to reduce Regulatory barriers for providers?
  7. Is there adequate Collaboration W/ Rural political sub-divisions on ROW issues and for Aggregation of Demand for Providers?
  8. Is there Formal State Collaboration with Health & Education Institutions (USF LEA’s) to optimize Federal Communications Commission subsidies?
  9. Are there Sustainable Infrastructure Programs directed at Unserved and Underserved through a State USF fee?
  10. Is there frequent Legislative Collaboration for BB Policy Initiatives and Program Leadership Funding?

Twitter Q&A on Children’s Online Privacy with Reps. Markey and Barton

Senator Edward Markey and Rep Joe Barton hosted a Twitter Q&A April 9, 2014 on children’s online privacy.

Using the hashtag #AskKidsPriv, the lawmakers will answer questions on Twitter about how parents can protect their children online, what tools are available to prevent online tracking of children, and their legislation The Do Not Track Kids Act.

The Do Not Track Kids Act, co-sponsored by Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) in the Senate and Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) in the House, amends the historic Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), will extend, enhance and update the provisions relating to the collection, use and disclosure of children’s personal information and establishes new protections for personal information of children and teens.

Fiber Investments by Counties Pay for Themselves, Says Broadband Consultant

It makes sense for communities and local government to build fiber networks to manage their communications need, said Joanne Hovis, President of CTC Communications.

Using a simple analysis of the costs to deploy T-1 communications networks versus fiber networks, Hovis showed how Montgomery County schools paid $3,600 per megabit per second (Mbps) annually to receive service at 1.54 Mbps.

These costs were lowered to $1,800 per Mbps through eRate funds. But, when calculating the costs of building a fiber network in the county, schools were able to receive 100 Mbps service at a cost of $70 per Mbps, she said.

“Think about these kinds of strategies as you think about your fiber strategy,” Hovis said, at a session on “building the economic case for fiber broadband.”

[Editor's note: Joanne Hovis is also a member of the benton Foundation Board of Directors]