Analysis

We supposedly have a decent handle these days of the number of locations that can buy broadband due to the Federal Communications Commission broadband mapping and data collection effort. While some folks will argue about the accuracy of the FCC's National Broadband Map, we know a lot more than we did just a few years ago. The map is supposed to disclose where internet service providers (ISPs) are capable of serving, but not where they have customers.

The Federal Communications Commission is required to publish a Communications Marketplace Report every two years that assesses the state of competition across the broader communications marketplace. The FCC must evaluate competition to deliver voice, video, audio, and data services among providers of telecommunications, providers of commercial mobile service, multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), broadcast stations, providers of satellite communications, Internet service providers (ISPs), and other providers of communications services.  As part of its evaluation, the FCC must

It seems like almost every major action taken by the Federal Communications Commission get appealed these days. In a demonstration of how slow the courts can be, in September 2024, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals largely upheld the original FCC order from June 2020 that made it easier for wireless carriers to locate new towers and transmitters.

A look at some of the possible changes to the Universal Service Fund (USF):

In September, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Census Bureau announced an ambitious new initiative to improve our understanding of Internet use at a local level. Local Estimates of Internet Adoption (Project LEIA) is aimed at producing more granular Internet adoption estimates using a combination of existing data and statistical modeling techniques known as “small area estimation.” Improved and more timely estimates of Internet adoption will

It’s been interesting to watch cable companies downplaying FWA cellular wireless. For example, in September, Comcast President Mike Cavanaugh said that FWA wireless is a ‘near term’ issue that is competing for the lower end of the market. CEO Brian Roberts was quoted this year about competing against FWA saying, “Three companies are all simultaneously within a short period of time are all offering a home connectivity product by their own admission a lower speed, more easily congested network.” And yet, the carriers selling FWA continue to sell at astounding numbers.

It’s been apparent for some time that Elon Musk and Donald Trump align on more than politics. Each has a, let’s say, robust sense of his own importance and an apparent need for others to recognize that importance. Both have a large fan base happy to offer that recognition.

In Forest County, Wisconsin, where the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest spreads out for miles and the population is around 9,500, life appears to move a bit slower. But thanks to the efforts of local hero Steve Watson, things are speeding up—digitally, that is! Located along the state’s northeast border, Forest County faces significant challenges with internet access, particularly for older residents and members of the Forest County Potawatomi and Sokaogon Chippewa Communities. The region’s dense trees and rugged terrain complicate the installation of broadband infrastructure.

The fiber broadband market is likely headed for more consolidation in the coming year, according to research from consulting firm AlixPartners. In a survey conducted in August 2024, AlixPartners found there are over 400 small fiber providers that are likely to merge or be acquired by larger providers and private equity firms.

The State of New York recently awarded $140 million in grants to support publicly-owned open-access networks.