Federal Broadband Funding Report: These Agencies Are Funding Internet for All (Part II)
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
June 2023
How a Chatbot Went Rogue (Wall Street Journal)
Submitted by benton on Wed, 06/07/2023 - 06:06
Analysis
Analysis
2023 5G Challenge Update: All Nine Contestant Subsystems Pass Stage Two Wrap-around Emulation Testing
The 2023 5G Challenge is offering a $7 million prize pool for participants who successfully integrate their radio access network (RAN) subsystems with multiple other RAN participant subsystems and outperform their peers. Teams have progressed in testing since starting the challenge in late March. After the first nine weeks of host lab testing, the initial nine contestants have passed Stage Two wrap-around emulation testing. The following RU contestants passed Stage Two testing:
Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s Response to Senators Cruz and Thune Regarding the Distribution of Funds in Various Programs
Thank you for your letter sent on March 16, 2023, asking for specific information regarding the Federal Communications Commission’s distribution of funds in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB), Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), COVID-19 Telehealth program and the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF).
White House Launches Invest.gov, Highlights Record Public and Private Investment in Communities Under President Biden (White House)
Submitted by dclay@benton.org on Tue, 06/06/2023 - 15:00EU countries reject plan for big tech companies to fund 5G rollout
Telecommunications ministers from at least 18 European Union countries have rejected a proposal by network operators to have major technology companies fund the rollout of 5G and broadband. The proposal, put forward by lobbying groups GSMA and ETNO (which represent 160 operators across Europe), says that big tech companies that account for more than 5% of a provider’s peak average internet traffic should help foot the bill for rolling out the services across Europe.
Remote Rhode Island community turns up municipal fiber network
Block Island, located just 12 miles south of mainland Rhode Island, has launched a municipal broadband network in partnership with Sertex Broadband Solutions. Dubbed BroadbandBI, the gigabit fiber network will power the town of New Shoreham, which has a population of roughly 1,000 people. New Shoreham initially struck a partnership with Sertex in 2017 to build a municipal broadband network serving community anchor institutions, such as schools, libraries, and hospitals. That network was completed in 2019.
The hearing will explore how undisclosed fees harm consumers and prevent a fair and transparent market and will examine potential legislative solutions.
Witnesses
American Customer Satisfaction Index Telecommunications Study 2022-2023
Customer satisfaction is a driving force that impacts the financial outlook of individual firms and the health of the US economy at large. New results from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) include customer satisfaction benchmarks for three telecommunications industries: subscription TV service, internet service providers (fiber and non-fiber), and video streaming service (streaming apps and live TV apps). American customer satisfaction with internet service providers rose by 6% from 2022 to 2023, from 64% to 68%.