November 2023

Second Round of ROBIN Grant Recommendations

The Michigan High-Speed Internet Office MIHI announced its second round of recommendations for the Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks (ROBIN) grant program, which will provide $238 million in federal funding through the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund to support the deployment of high-speed internet to approximately 100,000 unserved locations throughout the state. Not all second round grant recommendations are expected to be funded or receive their full funding pending the outcome of a 45-day comment and objection window, where anyone may file a comment or object

Industry hints at possible legal challenges to Federal Communications Commission's digital discrimination rules

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is scheduled to vote Nov 15 on an order on preventing digital discrimination, but a new round of industry filings, plus commentary from FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, suggests there may be legal challenges ahead to the new rules. According to filings with the FCC, industry groups and service providers are taking issue with the agency’s definition of digital discrimination, along with other aspects of the draft order.

5 Terabyte+ Extreme Power Users Pose new Challenge to Broadband Networks

A new category of extreme power users who consume more than 5 Terabytes (TB) per month of broadband data has been identified in the 3Q 2023 OpenVault Broadband Insights (OVBI) report. Extreme power users consume six times more data for online gaming than do users of 1 TB or less per month; however, they consume the least amount of social media data when compared to users in other high-usage categories categories.

After big drop in Internet Service Provider competition, Canada mandates fiber-network sharing

In an attempt to boost broadband competition, Canada's telecommunication regulator, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), is forcing large phone companies to open their fiber networks to competitors.

Cable Company Speed Claims

My perception of internet service providers (ISPs) and cellular advertising is that companies push the envelope more every year in trying to make claims that can give them a marketing edge over the competition. What’s funny about many ads is that carriers try to differentiate themselves from their competitors, even though their peers are delivering essentially the same product to the market. The competition between cable companies and fiber overbuilders, however, is not based on equivalence.

Pathways Forward: Learnings and Takeaways in Digital Access

Regardless of a funder’s mission, addressing the pressing concerns of digital access touches everything we do as a society. With great interest from funders with diverse missions, The Patterson Foundation (TPF) launched a series of eight funder workshops cohosted with The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. This report shares our learnings, takeaways, and resources from each Funder Workshop. Targeting data from funder workshop participation in the three essential elements of digital access: connectivity, devices, and a combination of skills, support, and literacy allowed us to understand how

How the FCC’s CAF II Program Became a Money Sink

In the months before President Joe Biden signed the historic infrastructure law on November 15, 2021, Republicans and Democrats wrangled over how much to spend on broadband. Democratic lawmakers sought $100 billion, while their Republican counterparts countered with $65 billion. The final score was $65 billion, with $42.5 billion of that earmarked for infrastructure in the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program.

Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) Introduces Bill to Increase Transparency Online and Support Products Made in America

Congressman Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) and Representative Andy Kim (D-NJ) introduced the bipartisan Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Online Act to ensure that products that are sold online list their country of origin to protect American consumer’s right to know where the products they buy are made and promote American-made goods. Unlike products that are purchased in-person, goods that are sold online are not required to list their country of origin.

Superior (WI) City Council approves ordinance making broadband internet a public utility

The Superior (WI) City Council approved an ordinance that has made broadband internet a public utility. This means that the city can go through with the construction of its own broadband internet service for residents. Slow and expensive internet has been a major problem for Superior residents. Having broadband as a public utility was the project’s final step before construction could start. Residents will be able to choose to be on the city’s internet service when it is completed.

Lawmakers and residents rally against LinkNYC 5G kiosks

LinkNYC 5G kiosks are part of a citywide program to provide free high-speed internet and other services to people in the city. Stretching more than 30 feet in the air, the kiosks offer free Wi-Fi, free charging, nationwide phone service, and other digital services.

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