Telecommunication

Two undersea internet cables in the Baltic Sea have been suddenly disrupted, according to local telecommunications companies, amid fresh warnings of possible Russian interference with global undersea infrastructure. Telecommunications company Telia Lithuania's monitoring systems could tell there was a cut due to the traffic disruption, and that the cause was likely physical damage to the cable itself. Another cable linking Finland and Germany was also disrupted, according to Cinia, the state-controlled Finnish company that runs the link.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, and Congressman Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) visited Sycamores Pacoima Community Based Services  to learn about the Centers’ collaboration with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and highlighted how georouting can improve the ability for people in crisis to receive the local care they need.

Hurricane Hellene arrived in Asheville (NC) on the evening of September 26. However, there was a big precursor to the storm, and we had over 15 inches of rain in September before the storm got here. That means the ground was fully saturated, the streams were already running at near-flood conditions, and lakes and reservoirs were already full.

The Federal Communications Commission took action to assist those affected by Hurricane Milton and future hurricanes, typhoons, tropical storms, and tropical cyclones (together, “tropical weather systems”) by temporarily waiving certain Lifeline program eligibility rules to ensure that consumers receiving federal disaster assistance can easily apply for and enroll in the Lifeline program. Hurricane Milton caused significant power and infrastructure disruptions, in addition to property damage in homes, schools, libraries, businesses, and healthcare facilities in impacted areas.

Verizon's $20 billion play for fiber network operator Frontier Communications likely won't encounter any major troubles from regulators or competitors, according to a handful of financial analysts. "Frontier will be acquired by Verizon," wrote the financial analysts at TD Cowen.

More than a week after the remnants of Hurricane Helene unleashed catastrophic flooding in much of western North Carolina, cell service remains spotty—or, in many cases, nonexistent. Not being able to text or call has complicated relief efforts, made previously straightforward daily tasks difficult and even kept people in the dark about whether or not their loved ones perished in the storm. Relief workers said the lack of cell service is making them less efficient.

Charter Communications, SpaceX’s Starlink, and Verizon announced how they are providing free internet and wireless phone communications—and financial and other resources—to residents in areas affected by Hurricane Helene. Charter announced that last week it had opened close to 90,000 Spectrum out-of-home Wi-Fi access points in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and bordering areas.

More than a million residents in the southeastern U.S. started the week without fixed broadband and plenty more without cell phone service after Hurricane Helene brought never-before-seen levels of flooding to the valleys of Appalachia. Some operators on the extent of the damage and anticipated timelines for recovery:

The Federal Communications Commission adopted new rules to ensure that people with disabilities can fully participate in video conferencing, including by paving the way for the use of telecommunications relay services (TRS).

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the October Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, October 17, 2024: