February 2024
Nebraska Broadband Director Aims to Speak Providers’ Language
Just about six months into his appointed role as broadband director for Nebraska, Patrick Haggerty is upbeat, positive, and taking on Nebraska’s BEAD deployment with a smile.
Is it Time for Rate Cuts?
Comcast and Charter broadband customer growth has stagnated, and all of the cable companies are now slowly losing customers. There are a lot of reasons for the stagnation and customer losses. One of the factors that put cable companies at such a competitive disadvantage is broadband prices. The cable companies have been regularly raising rates annually for years to levels that are far higher than all of their competitors.
Mapping State BEAD Challenge Processes
Before implementing their BEAD programs, every state and territory broadband office will have one last chance to update the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) new broadband availability maps by running their own challenge process. This will be the final step in determining which areas are eligible for a BEAD-funded project.
Finding and clearing new spectrum bands for a pipeline of mid-band flexible use spectrum along with satellite and unlicensed bands can seem like a herculean task amidst formidable institutional structures and processes. Where can we expect to see movement in spectrum reauthorization, mid-band clearing, and results from newly deployed shared bands? What incentives are needed to keep up with global competition?
Protect Internet Access: Extend the Affordable Connectivity Program Today
High-speed internet is vital for all of us to live, work, and connect with one another. In recent years, we have come a long way toward improving internet access and affordability in Wisconsin. However, we are poised to take a major step backwards unless Congress acts to extend the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). As of January 2024, over 22 million households in the US are enrolled and receiving the ACP monthly benefit, including more than 420,000 Wisconsin households.