Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
Reactions to FCC Opening Up 6GHz Band to Wi-Fi and Other Unlicensed Uses
The Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to allow the entire 1200 MHz of the 6 GHz band to be shared with unlicensed Wi-Fi, the FCC's latest move in freeing up more spectrum for connecting 5G in-home devices — video streaming, video calls — and connecting IoT devices to the internet.
Here We Go (Again): FCC Media Ownership Policy, Prometheus Radio Project and (now) the Supreme Court
On April 17, the FCC and the National Association of Broadcasters each filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to review the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit’s 2019 decision in Prometheus Radio Project v. FCC. The decision was the fourth in a line of intertwined cases dealing with the agency’s media ownership policies since 2004. In Prometheus IV, the Third Circuit remanded the diametrically opposed FCC’s media ownership decisions in 2016 and 2017, as well as the agency’s 2018 incubator program.
America’s Broadband Moment
The debate on whether broadband is a luxury or an essential connection to society is over. More than twice as many people are now using residential broadband during business hours as before the COVID-19 crisis. Over 55 million students have been impacted by school closures. The use of telehealth has skyrocketed. This, I believe, is our broadband moment: a hinge of history that will determine whether today’s residential broadband is fit for the changed world in which we inhabit or whether its limits work to disadvantage those that are not equipped to use it.
Keeping K‐12 Students Online and Learning - There's a Plan for That
As of April 13, 2020, school closures in the U. S. have impacted at least 124,000 public and private schools and affected at least 55.1 million students. Yet, millions of U.S. households either do not have access to broadband networks or can't afford service. Students in these homes are cut off from educational opportunities that schools are now offering online only. The question is: How can we continue to educate these students in the coming weeks and months? In an April 10 presentation to the Federal Communications Commission, an organization called Funds For Learning offered a plan.
Benton Welcomes CDC/FEMA Incorporation of Home Student Broadband Access as Essential for Re-Opening Communities
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention drafted a strategy as part of White House efforts to reopen parts of the country.
Remembering Henry Geller
On April 7, 2020, Henry Geller passed away. Born in Springfield (MA) in 1924, he was raised in Detroit (MI). During a long career in communications policy, he worked at the Federal Communications Commission, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and Duke University’s Washington Center for Public Policy Research. His life's work had a profound effect on US telecommunications; his impact on so many advocates and policymakers is impossible to measure.
What are ISPs Doing to Get More People Online at Home During the Pandemic?
"For social distancing to work, home-isolation has to be bearable for everyone." The Washington Post came to that conclusion on March 29, 16 days after President Trump declared the spread of COVID-19 a national emergency.
The Other Homework Gap: Post-Secondary Education During COVID-19
When we think of the homework gap, we tend to think of grade school to high school and omit the 19.9 million postsecondary students across the country.
How Does the CARES Act Connect Us?
President Donald Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (or CARES Act) into law late last month. With a $2.2 trillion dollar price tag, the law has gotten a lot of attention for its direct payments to U.S. taxpayers and assistance to companies.