Broadband

The Growth of Mobile-Dependent Households

Purdue researcher Roberto Gallardo finds that as US Internet access expanded, millions of households became mobile-dependent, highlighting persistent affordability, device and digital literacy barriers that infrastructure investment alone may not solve.

SpaceX Wants to End Rural Broadband Subsidies

SpaceX argues that Starlink makes rural broadband subsidies obsolete, but questions about speed, universal availability, voice service and affordability complicate its case for eliminating high-cost Universal Service Fund support.

Remote Work Is Here to Stay, but Rural Broadband Gaps Remain

Remote work remains far above pre-pandemic levels, but rural participation trails urban areas as job mix and inadequate broadband limit opportunities for working from home.

Starlink’s Other Network

Starshield gives SpaceX a separate military satellite network, raising a broader question about whether Starlink could dedicate satellites to cellular and business backhaul without reducing broadband capacity for residential customers.

Starlink’s Unconventional Approach to Cellular

SpaceX is considering a terrestrial cellular network powered by Starlink satellite backhaul, but scarce spectrum, enormous capacity demands and entrenched rivals could make its boldest telecommunications gambit yet far harder to execute profitably at scale.

Wi-Fi 7 Adoption Is Accelerating

Wi-Fi 7 is spreading rapidly across America, promising faster speeds, greater capacity and fewer connectivity headaches. With big internet providers driving adoption, the technology is reshaping home broadband even as Wi-Fi 8 approaches.

China’s Qianfan Emerges as a Satellite Internet Option for Cuba

China's Qianfan satellite constellation could bring high-speed internet to Cuba, where Starlink remains banned, deepening Beijing's digital influence while giving Havana a connectivity upgrade designed to preserve the government's control over online access.

Poland Excluded from Starlink’s European Region: What Musk Dispute Reveals About Digital Sovereignty

Poland's exclusion from Starlink's new European roaming region has triggered a dispute with Warsaw, exposing how private infrastructure providers can shape cross-border connectivity and raising questions about digital sovereignty, accountability, and internet governance in Europe.

From 300 to 150,000+: What MTN Nigeria’s FTTH Journey Teaches Us About Scaling Connectivity

MTN Nigeria’s FTTH network has grown from barely 300 home connections to more than 150,000, showing how infrastructure, skilled people, vendor coordination and disciplined operating systems must evolve as connectivity moves from deployment to scale.

Why Ghana Needs a Community Network Policy Framework: Connecting the Unconnected and Underserved

Ghana has expanded digital connectivity, but many rural communities remain underserved. Community networks could close the gap, provided policymakers create proportionate regulation, improve infrastructure access and build sustainable models that complement commercial operators.