telecompetitor

The House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology examined  25 bills that seek to improve broadband infrastructure across the country. Members engaged with a panel of seven expert witnesses who provided a range of perspectives on this important issue. Chairman Blackburn said, “We wanted to have a very inclusive hearing today to discuss all of the ideas from Subcommittee members on both sides of the aisle to promote broadband infrastructure deployment with a goal of closing the digital divide.

Santa Maria (CA) has chosen Wave Broadband to build a fiber ring to include city departments, businesses, schools and residents. The Wave Broadband – Santa Maria public/private partnership aims to spark economic growth and attract high technology to the coastal city, which is about 150 miles from Los Angeles. The fiber ring is expected to support an upgrade to Santa Maria’s public safety network, with the city becoming a regional emergency dispatch center.

Fifty percent of the world's population is expected to be connected to the Internet by the end of 2019. This leaves the other half – an estimated 3.8 billion people – unconnected and unable to benefit from key social and economic resources in our expanding digital world. In response, the United Nations' Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development has set seven ambitious yet achievable 2025 targets in support of  "Connecting the Other Half" of the world's population. 

Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development 2025 Targets:

Federal Communications Commission rural broadband funding could increase by over $500 million if the commission votes to adopt an order circulated by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. The the funding would include about $180 million for the current funding year for the nation’s smaller rate-of-return (ROR) carriers who get their support through traditional legacy mechanisms and up to $360 million over the next 10 years to ROR carriers who receive support based on the FCC's Alternative-Connect America Cost Mode (A-CAM). The $500 million would come, in part, from reserves.

A research note from New Street Research throws a little cold water on a potential 5G fixed wireless competitive threat to cable broadband. Verizon is expected to launch the fixed wireless service later in 2018 in 3 to 5 markets, including Sacramento (CA), a Comcast market.

Most who say they understand the net neutrality issue say they support it, according to a new study of net neutrality perceptions from research firm GfK. According to the study, about half (55%) of all US consumers report that they understand the issue of net neutrality – regardless of whether they are following the neutrality debate closely.