Jim Barthold

Verizon is reportedly planning to use its 4G LTE mobile wireless network to deliver cable TV programming within a year.

While Verizon maintains it can do video over wireless with its existing network, things will improve noticeably if the carrier gets a big share of broadcast spectrum being put up for auction in late 2014. "To do over-the-top you have to have a rich spectrum portfolio," broadband analyst Scott McClelland said.

A Federal Communications Commission proposal to raise the definition of broadband will skew penetration statistics, according to a report from MoffettNathanson.

The FCC is studying whether to raise the bar for broadband from 4 Mbps downstream/1 Mbps up to 10 or as much as 25 Mbps down and effectively disqualifying DSL as broadband.

"Raising the FCC standard will naturally lower the number of people who have 'broadband' (i.e. penetration will fall, at least initially)," wrote Craig Moffett. The change will also have wider implications because "it will reduce the portion of the country for which broadband is deemed 'available,' arguably bolstering the case for FCC authority to do something about the shortfall."

The FCC, in addition to throwing into question what areas are and are not receiving broadband, will also probably reshape the overall market share landscape, Moffett wrote. "Cable's share will, on paper, appear to rise. Importantly, so too will that share of the country where cable is deemed to be the only available option, bolstering arguments for FCC authority to intervene in the absence of effective competition," Moffett wrote.