1. Monthly archive
  2. March 2022

March 2022

Sens Blumenthal and Markey Suggest Priorities for Broadband Infrastructure Programs to NTIA

"As the National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) takes significant steps to close the digital divide and bring broadband to more Americans under the bipartisan infrastructure law, we write to encourage the Agency to prioritize and protect competition, high quality jobs, affordability, and consumer protection standards in its grant programs," said Sens Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ed Markey (D-MA) in a letter to NTIA Assistant Secretary Alan Davidson. Regarding the broadband programs created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the senators urge the NTIA to:

T-Mobile fights hard to keep its 2.5 GHz leases secret

T-Mobile is using its considerable legal muscle to try and prevent the terms of its 2.5 GHz spectrum leases from being revealed. This is particularly newsworthy right now because the Federal Communications Commission recently announced it would kick off the process for its Auction 108 in July 2022. Auction 108 is the auction of 2.5 GHz spectrum in the “white-space” gaps in the band that are currently lying fallow.

Charter expands 200 Mbps starter internet speed to 95 percent of its footprint

Charter Communications continued a multi-year march to double the entry-level speed available on its Spectrum Internet service, rolling out 200 Mbps service in more than three dozen new markets. The 37 markets where the faster service is now available cover more than 5 million homes and include Bakersfield (CA), Bangor (ME), Binghamton (NY), Dayton (OH), and Green Bay (WI).

Boost Mobile expands sales of Cox prepaid internet across footprint

Boost Mobile appears happy with an earlier go selling Cox prepaid home internet service at its retail stores in a few markets, as distribution has expanded more broadly to all Boost store locations within the cable operator’s footprint. In December 2021, Boost Mobile, the Dish-owned prepaid brand, started selling Cox’s Straight Up Internet service in select stores in Las Vegas (NV) and Phoenix (AZ) while mulling a wider push.

Russians flock to virtual private networks to evade internet blockade

Tools to sidestep internet restrictions have surged in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine and the government's decision to block some social media services, including Facebook. Finding ways around Russia's internet blockade could enable its citizens to stay connected to the rest of the world and gather information from sources beyond state-owned outlets. Virtual private networks, or VPNs, enable users to hide their locations to evade location-based restrictions and make browsing more private by encrypting internet traffic.

Media and Democracy: Unpacking America’s Complex Views on the Digital Public Square

Gallup and the Knight Foundation conducted a survey of US adults regarding media and democracy. Major findings include:

© 1994-2024 Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. All Rights Reserved.