Internet/Broadband

We Need Broadband for America Now

“We should construct broadband policy based on the ways people use broadband, and that has changed drastically,” writes Benton Senior Fellow Jonathan Sallet in “Broadband for America Now.” He’s absolutely right. Everything has changed since the coronavirus pandemic began – including the ways we use broadband. SHLB has long argued that community anchor institutions (CAIs) require high-quality broadband to serve their communities in the 21st century.

Either way, 2020 could end the net neutrality fight forever

With the 2020 election right around the corner, the net neutrality debate could come roaring back. It’s also possible it could be decided forever. However it shakes out, there will be implications for net neutrality. So what will the future of the net neutrality battle look like under a continuation of Trump’s administration or if former Vice President Joe Biden wins? Experts see the future of net neutrality rolling out one of two ways, both of which have several avenues splintering off from each.

Time to Treat Broadband Like the Essential Service It Is

Let’s stop ignoring the obvious: broadband internet access service is a public utility and needs to be regulated as one.

USDA Invests $1.5 Million in High-Speed Broadband in Rural Virginia

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $1.5 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Virginia. This investment is part of the $550 million Congress allocated to the second round of the ReConnect Program. Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative will use a $1.5 million ReConnect grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network.

2020 Texas Report: Governor's Broadband Development Council

There are many challenges to broadband connectivity in rural and unserved areas of Texas, and currently Texas is one of six states that does not have a statewide broadband plan. In studying the progress of broadband development in unserved areas, the Council found that over 300,000 locations in Texas are unserved. As of July 2020, an estimated 926,859 Texans do not have access to broadband at home. The Council found that Texas’ rural population represents approximately 90 percent of all Texans without broadband access. The Council also studied barriers to broadband development in Texas.

Upload speeds still lag on most Americans’ broadband

At the web sites of the five largest cable operators, upload speeds almost never get the same billing as download speeds; at worst, you may need to look up a technical-support document. Comcast, the nation’s largest internet provider with 27.8 million residential broadband customers, doesn’t list upload speeds if you check for its Xfinity service at an address or start ordering service at its site. Spectrum, the second-largest provider, also doesn’t list upload speeds if you check for or order service.

Are You Thinking About ReConnect Round Three Yet? You Should Be.

All signs are pointing to a third round of the Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect funding program opening in spring 2021. It’s not too early to begin developing an application strategy to position yourself competitively for that opportunity. We expect the program might open at the end of the first quarter of 2021 with a grant deadline 60 to 90 days later.

NTIA Updates State Leaders on National Broadband Availability Map Progress

In mid-September, BroadbandUSA’s State Broadband Leaders Network (SBLN) held its semiannual Summit to discuss broadband issues and policy at the state level. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) provided an update on its National Broadband Availability Map (NBAM) and introduced BroadbandUSA’s new State Broadband Mapping Cohort.

Gov. Whitmer announces initiatives to increase high-speed internet in Michigan

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) announced $12.7 million to increase broadband internet access across Michigan. The broadband projects were selected through the Connecting Michigan Communities (CMIC) grant program. The awards are estimated to generate between $15.7 and $23.1 million in annual economic benefits to consumers. These projects will extend access to over 10,900 households, businesses, and community anchor institutions (CAI) in Michigan.

Broadband help passes in South Carolina

The South Carolina General Assembly passed a bill supporters said will help get high-speed internet to hundreds of thousands of people in rural areas.

What Urban/Rural Divide? Minnesota Research Group Finds Similarities In No Broadband Access

While there are areas in greater Minnesota that are still in desperate need of high-speed broadband access, many low-income households in both greater Minnesota and the Twin Cities do not have internet access at home. Among households making less than $20,000 annually, nearly half in all greater Minnesota regions and 40% in the Twin Cities have no internet subscription at home. This includes an internet subscription for a laptop, desktop, tablet, wireless computer, or smartphone, or because there is no computer in the household.

FCC Announces USF Support for High-Speed Broadband in Puerto Rico

The Federal Communications Commission announced that funding through Stage 2 of the Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund will result in all locations in Puerto Rico having access to fixed broadband service with speeds of at least 100 Mbps. And nearly one-third of those locations will have access to fixed broadband service with speeds of at least 1 Gbps.

Chicago Connected Tackles “Startling Gaps in Internet Connectivity” for City Students

Over the summer, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a new program to bring high-speed Internet service to the alarming number of households who do not have reliable access within the nation’s third-largest school district, called Chicago Connected. The program aims to provide free high-speed Internet service to approximately 100,000 Chicago Public Schools students. At the end of Sept, during a virtual town hall meeting, Mayor Lightfoot said that while CPS was making progress connecting eligible families, they had not yet reached the goal. “We’re not where we want it to be.

Stonepeak Infrastructure to Buy Cable Provider Astound Broadband

Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners said it is buying Astound Broadband, the sixth-largest US cable-TV provider, for $3.6 billion, in one of the biggest leveraged buyouts of 2020. Astound, owned by private-equity firm TPG and cable-management company Patriot Media Management, is the operator of RCN Telecom Services LLC, Grande Communications, Wave Broadband, and enTouch Systems.

The Internet Won’t Be the Same After Trump

President Donald Trump has changed the internet in obvious ways. During his first term, Americans have watched his administration relish the opportunity to destroy net neutrality—the core principle of a free and open internet.

'Every day, we're falling behind in Appalachian Ohio': Lack of broadband hurts rural areas

Hundreds of thousands of families are challenged by modern economic, education, and health-care systems while living without internet access in rural Ohio. COVID-19 has exacerbated the issue, but the problem has been persistent in Appalachia for decades. In 2019 the Buckeye Hills Regional Council applied for a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to conduct an eight-county study — in Athens, Hocking, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry and Washington counties — in partnership with Ohio University and the Athens County Economic Development Council.

Senate Democrats call on power, water, telecom giants to halt all utility shutoffs

Top Senate Democrats are calling on electric, gas, water and telecommunications giants to voluntarily halt all utility shutoffs for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. The request - sent in a letter to 21 of the largest utility companies including AT&T and Verizon - illustrates the country’s lingering economic needs even as Washington fails to coalesce around a new coronavirus relief package, which congressional Democrats say should include a disconnection ban and other aid to help fa

FCC Should Enhance Performance Goals and Measures for Its Program to Support Broadband Service in High-Cost Areas

The Federal Communications Commission has a program, known as the high-cost program, to promote broadband deployment in unserved areas. Although the performance goals for the high-cost program reflect principles in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, not all of the goals are expressed in a measurable or quantifiable manner and therefore do not align with leading practices.

USDA Invest $53.6 Million in High-Speed Broadband in 10 States

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing over $53.6 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in 10 states.

While You Were Checking the Latest Polls

Tuesday, November 3, is Election Day. And as you may well be trying to decipher the latest polls to predict who'll be running the federal government for the next four years, policymakers haven't taken a break. Here's a quick recap of the major news of the week.

Charter adds 537,000 broadband subscribers

Charter Communications reported financial and operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020. Total residential and small and medium business (SMB) Internet customers increased by 537,000, compared to 380,000 during the third quarter of 2019. Over the last 12 months, total Internet customers grew by 2.3 million, or 8.8%, to 28.6 million. Charter added 494,000 residential Internet customers in the third quarter of 2020, versus third quarter 2019 residential Internet customer net additions of 351,000.

Rep. McNerney Demands Transparency for Consumers’ Internet and Phone Service Complaints

Rep Jerry McNerney (D-CA-09) sent Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai a letter following up on the Congressman’s request that the Chairman make publicly available all consumer complaints that the agency has received regarding internet and phone service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rep McNerney asked Chairman Pai for a commitment to do this when the Chairman testified on September 17, 2020 at the House Commerce Committee’s FCC oversight hearing.

Chairman Pai Remarks to Calix Connexions Conference

I wanted to use my remarks to talk more broadly about the Federal Communications Commission’s efforts to connect all Americans. The FCC’s first and foremost mission is to help ensure that every American can access advanced communications. On my first full day in this job in Jan 2017, I convened a meeting of the FCC’s staff. I told them that our number one priority would be closing the digital divide and bringing the benefits of the Internet age to all Americans. And for good reason.

FCC Kicks Off Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction

The Federal Communications Commission announced the start of bidding in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction, which will target up to $16 billion to deploy networks to serve up to 10.25 million Americans that currently lack access to fixed broadband service meeting the FCC’s benchmark speeds. The auction has attracted significant interest, with 386 providers qualified to bid, representing a more than 75% increase over the number that qualified for the Commission’s successful 2018  Connect America Phase II auction.