Access Providers

In the 5G Era, at Least 20 Million U.S. Homes Will Rely on Wireless for Broadband

There now can be no doubt that fixed wireless, mostly 5G, will be a viable business in the right locations. Today's wireless has enormous capacity, enough to supply the broadband needs of a significant population. It's better than most DSL and a workable alternative to cable in many locations. Traffic demand is falling, with Cisco predicting the U.S. will fall to 31% growth in 2021. more

A Bad Year for the Cable Industry

The traditional cable TV industry had a miserable 2019. Collectively the biggest cable TV providers in U.S. lost over 5.9 million subscribers during the year, almost 7% of the total customer base. The impacts of COVID-19, along with the already existing trends in the industry, spell bad news for the industry in 2020. I expect that customer losses will accelerate over 2019 levels. more

Telecoms Development Booming in the French Pacific Territories

After the nuclear submarine debacle with France, political ties have been restored, and both France and Australia have agreed on further cooperation in the South Pacific, where France has several overseas territories. Also, here telecoms is a key issue. Such cooperation has become more urgent with the increased political interest of China in the region. more

Brazil Judge Orders 72-Hour Ban on WhatsApp

A Brazilian judge on Monday issued a 72-hour ban on WhatsApp chat service throughout Brazil. The measure which took effect at 2 p.m. was issued on April 26 following a failed 2013 access order from a branch of civil police that investigates criminal activity online. more

Update on Satellite Broadband

The first announcement came from OneWeb. The company successfully launched 36 new satellites with rockets supplied by NewSpace India Limited. This new rocket company was formed in 2019 and is a public-sector undertaking sponsored by the Indian Government and an arm of the India Space Research Organization. This launch is a reminder that many parts of the world are now interested in the space business. more

Comcast to Start a Series of Public IPv6 Trials Using 3 Transition Mechanisms

Comcast today announced plans to conduct production-network trials of IPv6 technology this year. The trials are aimed at helping identify and solve any areas of difficulty involved in the transition to IPv6, and to determine what approach will be the easiest and most seamless for its customers, says Jason Livingood, Comcast's Internet System Engineer. more

Google Fiber Pauses Operations Until Further Notice

Access, the Alphabet internet division containing Google Fiber, is laying off about nine percent of its staff and "pausing" fiber operations while looking for alternate ways to deliver internet service to new cities. more

Global Satellite Surge Intensifies Competition for Low-Orbit Broadband

The City of Shanghai entered the low-orbit broadband satellite market. Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST) launched 18 satellites in August and a second batch of 18 satellites in October. The satellites are being branded as Qianfan, or 'Thousand Sails.' SSST satellites are being launched by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) using the Long March 6A rocket. more

Report Looks at Humanitarian Futures for Messaging Apps

To develop responsible, effective and safe ways to use messaging apps, organizations need to better understand the opportunities and risks they present - new research report released by The Engine Room in partnership with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Block Party. more

White House Announces Historic $42 Billion Investment in Nationwide Broadband Access

In an effort to universalize access to high-speed broadband by 2030, the White House has allocated $42 billion to the 50 states and U.S. territories under the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program. more

How Are You Solving the Digital Divide

One of the most common questions I'm being asked these days is from local politicians and economic development folks who want examples of other communities that are tackling and solving the digital divide. I'm able to trot out the big-picture stories because they come to my attention in reading about the industry. As an example, just before I wrote this blog, I read an article that says that the State of Maryland will be providing 150,000 laptops to homes... more

Poor Rural Connectivity Costs Lives

The Washington Post wrote an article recently that talked about how poor rural connectivity cost lives during a tornado in Louisiana. Around the country, there are now elaborate alert systems in areas subject to tornados and other dangerous weather events. These alerts have been shown to save lives since they give folks enough time to seek shelter or get out of the path of a storm. more

Internet Cable Activated in Cuba

Doug Madory reporting from Renesys: In February 2011, the first submarine cable connecting the island nation of Cuba to the global Internet (by way of Venezuela) landed on Siboney beach, Santiago de Cuba. In the two years since, the fate of the cable has been a mystery for Cuba observers. In the past week, Renesys' global monitoring system has picked up indications that this cable has finally been activated, although in a rather curious way, as explained... more

Traditional Big ISPs Stagnate

In the first quarter of this year, the big cable companies added 482,000 customers, while telcos added over 50,000 customers. In what is a surprise to the industry, that growth has disappeared, and all of the big ISPs collectively lost almost 150,000 customers. That's a loss of 60,000 customers for the cable companies and 88,000 for the big telcos. The following statistics have been compiled by the Leichtman Research Group, which tracks the broadband performance of the largest ISPs in the country. more

Internet, Mobile Connectivity a Lifeline for Refugees, Reports UNHCR

"Many refugees regard a connected device as being as vital to them as food, water or shelter," according to a new report from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and Accenture. more