August 2022

Is Google Fiber Coming to a City Near You? It Just Might Be

In March 2010, Google Fiber burst onto the Internet provider scene, offering cities the promise of high-speed broadband service. That promise, however, became an increasingly complicated proposition that eventually forced the company to pause expansion efforts in 2016. When Google Fiber first launched, it offered cities Internet that reached speeds up to 1 gigabit per second. To put this into perspective, the average household in the US has an Internet connection of just under 20 megabits per second (Mbps), according to Lifewire. Typical high-speed service ranges between 25 and 75 Mbps.

Digital Divide Diaries

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Texas Cities Sue Streaming Services for Franchise Fees

Two dozen Texas cities have sued streaming giants Netflix, Hulu and Disney Direct-to-Consumer for not paying what the municipalities said are the millions in franchise fees that the streaming services owe them. A favorable decision could lead to millions more from other cities seeking more funds for municipal services. The cities are alleging that the streamers should be paying annual franchise fees back to 2007, as they said is required by the Public Utility Regulatory Act (PURA). Those are the fees that cable/broadband operators provide that go toward city services.

Broadband subscriber growth slows to pre-pandemic levels

Cable companies have managed to stay afloat amid the cord-cutting crisis thanks to their booming broadband businesses. But some analysts see that safety net beginning to fade. Jonathan Chaplin, managing partner at New Street Research, said that the firm has lowered its broadband subscriber estimates for the second time in 2022 for both Charter and Comcast. "We have limited conviction in a quick recovery, given limited visibility all around," he said regarding Charter. "We are hoping for a turnaround later in the quarter but have low conviction," he added about Comcast.

NTIA and FCC Update MOU on Spectrum Coordination

The Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced an updated Memorandum of Understanding between the agencies on spectrum coordination. This marks the first time the MOU has been updated in nearly twenty years. The revised MOU, signed by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson, will strengthen cooperation and collaboration between the agencies and help advance a whole-of-government approach to how we use and manage one of the

Sen Peters Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Federal Data Centers from Catastrophic Weather Events, Cyber Attacks (US Senate)

Submitted by Grace Tepper on Tue, 08/02/2022 - 11:08

Reliance’s $11 Billion Bid Wins Lion’s Share of 5G Spectrum in India Auction (Wall Street Journal)

Submitted by Grace Tepper on Tue, 08/02/2022 - 11:07

Just A Click Away: Broadband Competition in America

This report examines data from the US and around the world to explore the current state of broadband in America, and the potential for an open access fiber model to create robust competition and bring about more widespread access, better service, and lower prices.

Licensed Spectrum and Broadband Mapping

Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program grants in a given location could go sideways because of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)’s decision to declare facility-based wireless technologies that use licensed spectrum to be considered as a reliable technology that is eligible for BEAD grants. I can foresee two different problems that might result from this decision.

Benton

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