C Spire forms consortium to bridge digital gap in rural areas

C Spire, the nation’s sixth-largest wireless operator, is partnering with Airspan Networks, Microsoft, Nokia and Siklu to improve and extend the availability of fixed and wireless broadband in rural areas. The consortium announced plans to develop new coordinated models with regional fixed and wireless broadband providers, utilities and other agencies to close the gap in affordability and access in rural communities. The rural broadband initiative is set to begin the week of Jan 28 with technical discussions at a workshop in New Orleans (LA). The consortium says it will provide more details about initial trial technologies and markets at Mobile World Congress in Feb.