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The reverberations from the last-minute changes to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program continue.

The reverberations from the last-minute changes to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program continue. But, since the new BEAD plans were unveiled, industry expert Blair Levin — policy adviser to New Street Research — has had time to refine his assessment. “Our initial reaction was that the new rules would shift funds from fiber to satellite, a negative for wired providers…We still think that but in talking to numerous stakeholders, that magnitude of the shift may be less than we initially thought,” says Levin.

When the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released new guidelines for the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) rural broadband funding program, the deadline for applying for funding had already passed in Vermont and administrators were about to begin the scoring process. Nevertheless, Christine Hallquist, executive director of the Vermont broadband office, says that the changes won’t be tremendously disruptive — at least not in Vermont. Initial BEAD rules prioritized fiber and allowed the use of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites and u

Greenlight Networks says that its $100 million investment in fiber infrastructure in Baltimore (MD) will serve its first customers in September 2025. Greenlight Networks wants to become a fixture in Baltimore and says that it is seeking a permanent office location in the city to serve as its regional hub. It also says that it will hire locally for construction crews, network and installation technicians, and community outreach representatives. Maryland is making good use of public-private partnerships.

Pennsylvania and Oklahoma, with scores of 99.02 (out of 100) and 97.16, respectively, are the states in which people are most likely to engage in activities without their phones, according to a survey and report by Office Recovery. The report surveyed more than 2,000 residents of the fifty states to find what made them not use their phones (hence, left their phones “lonely”). Points were awarded based on the responses and the final numbers were adjusted by state and reported on a scale of 100. Other key points of the report about lonely phones: 

Mobile service providers that decide to offer satellite-to-cellphone service can choose between two primary paths. They can let a satellite operator use some of their cellular spectrum or they can use spectrum intended for satellite use—spectrum that typically is controlled by the satellite operator. A new report from Analysys Mason explores the pros and cons of the two direct-to-device options. Overall, Analysys Mason favors the use of satellite spectrum. The authors point to a high level of global alignment for the satellite spectrum bands, known as the L-band and S-band.

Both providers and vendors in the broadband industry are trying to figure out how artificial intelligence can improve internal systems, customer service, construction, and more. Hailo Chief Technical Officer Avi Baum has another take.

A new report from the national internet comparison site ISP Reports ranks several fiber-rich cities among the best in the nation for internet speed. Markets with local infrastructure investments and new deployments outperformed some large markets, the authors said, and “are creating competitive broadband landscapes worth further exploration.” Residents of the Salt Lake City (UT) metro area saw an increase of 282 Mbps to reach a total of 7,215 Mbps. There, 99 percent of the city has access to broadband internet speeds, with 87 percent fiber coverage and 97 percent cable coverage.

Fiber-based service provider LiveOak Fiber has selected Accelecom to support its fiber-to-the-home expansion in Georgia. LiveOak will work with Accelecom to scale and upgrade its backbone in the state in Chatham and Glynn counties. No information about the timing or financial details were included in the press release. LiveOak Fiber said the arrangement with Accelecom is part of its build-to-service model, which is an effort to reduce the time between infrastructure deployment and when customers receive service.

Blair Levin, the Policy Advisor to New Street Research, thinks that the Verizon $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications will ultimately be approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, though it may be a bit of a bumpy ride. His analysis, titled “VZ/FYBR Faces California Trump Transaction Trap,” focuses on how the Trump administration’s antipathy for diversity, equality, and inclusion can be reconciled with the goals and position of the CPUC, which must approve the transaction between Verizon and Frontier.