Thursday, March 31, 2022
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Today: FCC Oversight Hearing
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Here’s what new census data says about broadband in the US
1 million Kansans may have inadequate internet
Senate Advances Alvaro Bedoya Nomination to Federal Trade Commission
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The US Census Bureau released new data showing how the population changed on a county-by-county basis between July 2020 and July 2021, and information analysts say it offers interesting insights for cable companies, fiber players and policymakers alike. The Bureau's report shows Los Angeles (CA) and New York (NY) counties lost the greatest number of residents to migration, while Maricopa County (AZ), Riverside County (CA) and Collin County (TX) gained the most. Recon Analytics’ Roger Entner said Los Angeles is home to AT&T and Charter while New York is the stomping ground of Verizon and Altice USA. Cook County in Illinois and San Francisco County in California, which also experienced significant declines, are the territory of AT&T and Comcast, he said. Meanwhile, AT&T, Comcast and Charter all play in the major growth area of Dallas in Collins County, while Maricopa County is served by Cox Communications, Mediacom and Cable One. Anlysts at MoffettNathanson acknowledged “population growth is only a proxy for household formation,” but argued there is “a clear correlation between population growth and reported broadband growth.” Entner agreed the map could prompt those undertaking significant network expansions, like AT&T for instance, to reevaluate their “battle map.” But more than implications for operators, Entner said the census data provides a clear mandate for public policymakers. “What I’m seeing here is that a lot of the areas that have previously had economic trouble, that was exacerbated by the pandemic,” he said. “[Public policy] would and should have to double down on these areas that are the hardest hit. Because we want to give people even less reasons to leave these counties and being digitally connected makes them part of the entire US economy and not just part of the local economy.”
Smaller and mid-sized cable/broadband operators are telling the Biden Administration not to hand out billions of dollars in broadband subsidies to the states until there are better broadband deployment maps, and when they do hand it out, to make sure it goes to unserved areas first. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has sought comment on the rules for its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD), comprising $42.45 billion to states to develop their own broadband plans and to build out infrastructure and promote adoption in unserved and underserved communities. In a letter to NTIA chief Alan Davidson, ACA Connects President Matt Polka said that "accurate, location-based" maps are key and that while the Federal Communications Commission appears to be on track to produce its first take on a location-based map later in 2022 or early 2023, that map won't be sufficiently accurate. He said this is because it will be based on "a Broadband Fabric created by an FCC vendor and the filings of broadband providers," both sets of unverified information for which the FCC will need to allow some time for a challenge process. "In sum," said Polka, "NTIA has little choice but to wait for sufficiently accurate maps before determining the proper final allocation of grant funds to States. At most, based on the initial, granular but inaccurate maps, the NTIA could distribute a partial amount of funds – an amount that does not require any clawbacks."
Two surveys conducted by researchers at the University of Kansas Institute for Policy & Social Research from January 2021 to January 2022 found that over 1 million Kansans live in a ZIP code where recorded average download speeds are below 100 Mbps download /20 Mbps upload. Those speeds are considered an adequate baseline for people engaged in online education, streaming video, downloading and uploading large files, and households with multiple users. This finding is especially relevant given the increase in remote work, online schooling and need for access to online services and resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. The surveys have identified areas of the state where internet speeds do not meet the current Federal Communications Commission minimum definition of broadband at 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. The surveys also identified areas that fall below a more robust standard of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. Of the 557 Kansas ZIP codes identified among respondents, the study also found that 95 ZIP codes had an average recorded speed falling short of the FCC broadband definition of 25/3 Mbps. These ZIP codes represent 87,000 people, or 3 percent of the total Kansas population. In addition to surveys, researchers conducted interviews and focus groups to learn more about internet experiences across the state. The research team plans to release the full results of the study later in Spring 2022.
Altice USA isn’t afraid to march to the beat of its own drum and actually thinks it’s going about network upgrades the smart way by jumping straight to fiber rather than following other cable incumbents in pursuing DOCSIS 4.0. The operator recently laid out a plan to overbuild its hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network to blanket 6.5 million locations with fiber by 2025. Altice USA EVP of corporate finance and development Nick Brown said the decision to make that move was a “no brainer” for the company, but acknowledged that it’s in a slightly different position than fellow cable giants Comcast and Charter Communications. Brown stated Altice USA’s own experience and that of its sister companies in Europe gave it better insight into what the transition to fiber would look like in terms of costs and returns, leaving it unafraid to take the leap. But it also already faces “a lot of fiber-based competition relative to others,” especially from Verizon Fios in its legacy Cablevision footprint in the eastern part of the US. Altice has already upgraded its head ends and backbone rings with fiber. Since DOCSIS would require it to push fiber deeper and deeper into the network anyway, Brown said it made sense to go all-in to pull forward the benefits full fiber has to offer. “The FTTH end-to-end glass network that we’re deploying here in the US for us is pretty much the end state, the logical end state, of a coax upgrade anyway,” Brown argued.
Senate Democrats used a parliamentary maneuver to advance President Biden’s nomination of Georgetown University law professor Alvaro Bedoya to the Federal Trade Commission, setting the stage for Democrats to gain a 3-2 majority on the panel. The Senate voted 51 to 50 along party lines to bypass the Commerce Committee, which had deadlocked over Bedoya, and allow a floor vote on the nomination. Vice President Kamala Harris cast the deciding vote as the Senate’s presiding officer. Bedoya, whose academic work has focused on how technology can disadvantage members of minority groups, was originally nominated by Biden in September 2021. Approval of Bedoya’s nomination by the Senate would give FTC chair Lina Khan the majority she needs to advance an agenda that includes challenging more corporate mergers and adopting regulations to head off what she sees as unfair business tactics. With Bedoya’s expected confirmation to the board, the FTC is expected to adopt first-ever comprehensive online privacy rules for tech firms, as well as rules of the road for industry competition. The agency also could file new enforcement cases against individual companies. A final vote on approving Bedoya is expected in coming days, but this vote signals that he is likely to be confirmed.
Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Assistant Secretary of Commerce Alan Davidson met on March 29 to discuss spectrum policy efforts, the first monthly FCC/NTIA coordination meeting since the leaders launched their Spectrum Coordination Initiative. The leaders also announced that they have launched a joint task force which met this week to begin discussing the details of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the agencies. Under the agencies’ new Spectrum Coordination Initiative, the FCC and NTIA are committed to updating the existing MOU for the first time in nearly twenty years to address gaps in government coordination and to better reflect today’s spectrum opportunities and challenges. Among the topics discussed in the meeting were the national spectrum strategy, mid-band and millimeter wave spectrum to support next-generation commercial networks, and the FCC’s upcoming receiver standards Notice of Inquiry. This bilateral task force met by teleconference this week to begin working to develop recommendations for the Chairwoman and Assistant Secretary on revisions to the FCC-NTIA Memorandum of Understanding.
The Federal Communications Commission has released its Annual Performance Report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. The report details the FCC's efforts in 2021 under four main goals: closing the digital divide, promoting innovation, protecting consumers and public safety, and reforming the FCC's processes. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel highlights the FCC's actions over the course of 2021, stating, "During FY 2021, the Commission mounted an extraordinary response to a historic crisis. The FCC worked on a bipartisan basis to set up the Nation’s largest-ever broadband affordability program, the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBBP), which helped millions of households afford internet access during the pandemic before its completion on December 31, 2021. The FCC has now launched the Affordable Connectivity Program, the $14.2 billion successor program to EBBP, and has already surpassed 10 million households enrolled." Rosenworcel continues, "In addition, the Commission launched the Emergency Connectivity Fund, the first nationwide effort to close the Homework Gap so no child is left offline. Through this program, school-aged children have access to over 8.9 million connected devices that will help them keep up with their schoolwork and develop the skills they need for success in the digital age. Furthermore, over the past year, the Commission has made historic investments in telehealth technology across the country and healthcare centers nationwide that are receiving much-needed funding support to assist with efforts to expand telehealth."
Last week, I had the honor of hosting the Federal Communications Bar Association’s virtual Celebration—their first ever event headlined by a Chairwoman. For me, this was a big deal. Not only because it was an opportunity to have a laugh with colleagues, but as the first permanent female Chair of the FCC, having this event during Women’s History Month was an opportunity to highlight and mark the importance of women’s participation and representation across all of our work. It was also a rare opportunity to hear from past FCC female Commissioners on what this historic moment meant for them. Many shared stories to show how long the road to equality for women has been. Other Commissioners offered words of advice and encouragement. I was particularly inspired by the words of my friend Mignon Clyburn, who served as Acting FCC Chairwoman in 2017. “At the FCC, there were many firsts put before my name,” she said. “Sometimes I was filled with pride. Many times I was a little intimidated. But at all times I knew that the call that I answered was a call to the American public and whatever first could never be the last.” They say you have to see it, to be it. And in too many rooms I’ve been in, there are too few women. We need more women in more places in the telecommunications and technology sector. After all, the connections we create and the networks we build are stronger if they are more diverse and reach more of us. It’s something to keep in mind during Women’s History Month—and always.
Benton (www.benton.org) provides the only free, reliable, and non-partisan daily digest that curates and distributes news related to universal broadband, while connecting communications, democracy, and public interest issues. Posted Monday through Friday, this service provides updates on important industry developments, policy issues, and other related news events. While the summaries are factually accurate, their sometimes informal tone may not always represent the tone of the original articles. Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang (headlines AT benton DOT org) and Grace Tepper (grace AT benton DOT org) — we welcome your comments.
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