Network management

A report by S&P Global Ratings suggests that the revenue lost for cable operators from customers opting for fixed wireless access (FWA) services is greater than the gains generated from new "junior cable" mobile services. Amid this dynamic “wi

Intrepid Fiber Networks is expanding its open access fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) networks with deployments in eight more communities in Colorado and eight more towns in Minnesota. These newly announced communities are in proximity to current Intrepid deployments, representing an organic expansion of its network. These new locations will bring Intrepid’s network to over 400,000 homes and businesses passed across the two states. Intrepid, which was founded in 2021, has quickly made a name for itself because its anchor tenant for its Colorado and Minnesota networks is T-Mobile.

With net broadband subscribers down year after year due to fixed wireless and new fiber projects, cable providers now face substantial competition and need to reevaluate their upgrade strategies. The capital expense expenditures to support DOCSIS 3.1 and 4.0 rollouts are difficult to justify if there’s insufficient growth and a slim return on investment anticipated. However, cable providers are faced with diverting choices to upgrade their existing plant.

No surprise, consumers generally want flexible internet plans. Here’s a company that’s deconstructing the typical billing scheme. Althea is a startup that’s come up with a decentralized internet service that aims to remove the "manual pieces of friction at the last mile” so that rural areas get better access to broadband. The Althea platform is comprised of two core things, CEO Deborah Simpier explained. First, it’s a machine-to-machine payment.

Amid slowing broadband subscriber growth, service providers are exploring ways to drive up overall revenues alongside average revenues per user with new services and applications. Some operators are pursuing that with premium whole-home Wi-Fi offerings, low-latency gaming tiers and home security or bundling in streaming services that take advantage of the high data speeds. Support of such strategies and initiatives is of growing importance at the Broadband Forum, an organization that works with standards that support the end-to-end broadband ecosystem.

Bob Latta (R-OH5) introduced a 

Some broadband operators view fixed wireless access (FWA) as a looming, competitive threat.

Cities and towns that build their own broadband networks often say they only considered the do-it-yourself option because private Internet service providers didn't meet their communities' needs.  Hundreds of municipal broadband networks have been built around the US as a result, including dozens that have started operating since 2021. The rise of public broadband hasn't happened without a fight, though.

AT&T’s CEO highlighted the operator's progress of combining 5G, fiber and other forthcoming elements like direct-to-satellite communications. “Converged is now the opportunity” CEO John Stankey stated. “That’s going to be one of the key areas for us to get to 40 or 50% [market penetration rates],” he added. This convergence includes fiber, as it was noted that AT&T is on track to reach its goal of 30 million fiber locations passed by the end of 2025. The converged landscape also includes 5G.

In May 2024, Frontier posted positive quarterly revenue for the first time in nearly a decade. But maybe that’s not so surprising, given fiber has become its golden goose. Frontier Executive Chairman John Stratton recently reiterated the company’s year-end goal of building 1.3 million fiber passings.