Starlink Expands, but Third-Quarter 2021 Performance Flattens in Some Areas
Satellite internet is making headlines across the globe as Starlink continues to launch service in new countries and Viasat plans to acquire Inmarsat.
December 2021
FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel Responds to Broadband Mapping Timeline Request
Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel responded to a September 30 letter from Rep Victoria Spartz (R-IN) requesting a timeline for the "completion of broadband maps" by the agency. "The FCC has made significant progress," said Rosenworcel in her response. "As I have said before, the best time to undertake this effort was five years ago, but the second best time is right now–and we are proceeding with speed in order to avoid any further delay." Rosenworcel provided updates on a number of agency requirements included in the Broadband DATA Act.
Amarillo Targets Low-Income Households for American Rescue Plan-Funded Fixed Wireless
The City of Amarillo (TX) plans to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to build a fixed wireless network targeting low-income households. “We will lead with that technology; it doesn’t mean we won’t have to change moving down the road [or] where we can’t do line-of-sight,” said Rich Gagnon, the city's managing director and chief information officer. A particular concern in Amarillo was the large number of refugees – 12,000 – who have settled in the city, many of whom do not have broadband available to them.
LightBox Announces the Completion of Its Enhanced Nationwide Smart Location Fabric
LightBox, a leading information and technology platform for the commercial real estate and location-based analytics industry, announced the release of a newly enhanced nationwide location fabric. "The problem that state and federal agencies are trying to solve is location data accuracy for broadband mapping, said Bill Price, vice president of government solutions.
Six months with Chair Lina Khan's Federal Trade Commission
Lina Khan's first six months leading the Federal Trade Commission has shown she's either shaken up a sleepy bureaucracy or pushed long-standing norms too far, depending on who you ask. As President Biden's first year ends, many are watching Khan's FTC to see whether it really can fundamentally change how the US regulates big companies and how tech should treat consumers.
How to save our social media by treating it like a city
Being on social media can feel a bit like living in a new kind of city. My job used to be to protect the city. I was a member of the Facebook Civic Integrity team. My coworkers and I researched and fixed integrity problems—abuses of the platform to spread hoaxes, hate speech, harassment, calls to violence, and so on. Over time, we became experts, thanks to all the people, hours, and data thrown at the problem. As in any community of experts, we all had at least slightly different ways of looking at the problem. For my part, I started to think like an urban planner.