Reporting

In reversal, AT&T says most FirstNet customers impacted in data breach

AT&T said most phone numbers connected to a Commerce Department-linked public safety network service relied on by U.S. first responders were compromised in a data breach. The new statement reverses course on how the breach affected FirstNet, a program managed by AT&T that’s relied on by federal, state, local and tribal governments for emergency public safety services like fire and police departments. “Our initial assessment of the percentage of FirstNet numbers in the compromised data was incorrect,” said an AT&T spokesperson.

How boot camps are helping to address the historic gap in internet access on US tribal lands

Recently participants gathered in a home movie theater on Matthew Rantanen’s ranch in Southern California to shine a beam of light through more than 55,000 feet (17 kilometers) of fiber optic cable coiled up in the corner. The demonstration took place during a hands-on broadband training for tribal nations where participants handled fiber made up of strands of glass as thin as human hair that transmit energy through pulses of light. The session was part of an initiative founded in 2021 by Rantanen and his business partner, Christopher Mitchell, to help shore up historic disparities in conne

UScellular Continues Network Capacity Expansion

UScellular continues network expansion in different parts of its 21 state operating territory, in mostly rural areas. Through a novel master streetlight attachment agreement signed with the Town of Rumford (ME), UScellular has completed its deployment of the Ericsson Street Radio 4402, a small cell platform created in collaboration with Ubicquia. This approach leverages existing streetlight infrastructure to enhance 4G and 5G connectivity at a fraction of the cost and time of traditional small cell solutions.

Cable is becoming Starlink's new best friend

Starlink poses a potential threat to cable in largely rural areas, but it also turns out that Elon Musk's satellite broadband service is emerging as a partner for cable operators that are seeking new ways to keep their business customers connected.

What We Know About the Global Microsoft Outage

Across the world, critical businesses and services including airlines, hospitals, train networks and TV stations, were disrupted on July 19 by a global tech outage affecting Microsoft users. A series of outages rippled across the globe as information displays, login systems and broadcasting networks went dark.

What Caused Such a Widespread Tech Meltdown?

A flawed software update sent out by a little-known cybersecurity company caused major computer outages around the world on July 19, affecting airlines, hospitals, emergency responders and scores of other businesses and services. How could that happen? The chaos stemmed from an update sent by CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company based in Austin, Texas, to businesses that use its software to protect against hackers and online intruders.

The Data That Powers A.I. Is Disappearing Fast

For years, the people building powerful artificial intelligence systems have used enormous troves of text, images and videos pulled from the internet to train their models. Now, that data is drying up. Many of the most important web sources used for training A.I.

A Community Approach to Broadband in Vermont: CUDs

In Vermont, a thinly-populated rural state, private providers have often shown little interest in investing in broadband improvements.

Technician expert: stay adaptable in broadband and it will 'take care of you'

As people increasingly look to trade jobs in pursuit of more financial stability (without debilitating debt), one role worth considering is the broadband technician, according to Keith Busby. Currently a service technician for AT&T, Busby largely works on fiber installation, maintenance and 

Accelecom, Franklin EPB Form Another Strong Broadband/Electric Partnership

The latest example of a broadband/electric partnership — pairing a fiber provider with a utility company for a broadband deployment — comes from Accelecom and the Franklin Electric Plant Board (Franklin EPB). They are joining forces to enable Franklin EPB to deliver high-speed internet services to the businesses and residents of Franklin, Kentucky.