[Full Article at arstechnica.com] A bill introduced into the House of Representatives this week will attempt to spur broadband development in the US by overturning existing state bans on municipal broadband deployments. Titled the Community Broadband Act of 2007, the bill (PDF) is cosponsored by Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI).
The Community Broadband Act looks like a good bill, as it attempts to eliminate barriers that currently exist to meaningful competition and better service in many parts of the country. Should the bill pass and the upcoming 700MHz spectrum auction end in a way that leads to a viable third broadband pipe, there would be reason to think US broadband policy is taking a turn for the better.
Friday, August 3, 2007
Thursday, August 2, 2007
EarthLink's caution reflects shift in muni Wi-Fi
Since Earthlink reported a $16.3 million second quarter loss last week they've been hinting at re-evaluating the structure their muni wi-fi offerings. Is this an indicator of a particular challenge to regional broadband infrastructure?
I don't think so. Analysts point to the availability of alternative business models (Cohill presents several) and are quick to distinguish between the challenge of competition in urban settings and the opportunity of small and rural town demand for access to broadband.
What do you think?
I don't think so. Analysts point to the availability of alternative business models (Cohill presents several) and are quick to distinguish between the challenge of competition in urban settings and the opportunity of small and rural town demand for access to broadband.
What do you think?
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Statewide Cable Franchise Fight
PA House Bill 1490 is AN ACT Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for Statewide cable franchises and for municipal regulation of franchise holders of; Statewide franchises. The bill was referred to the House Consumer Affairs committee on July 9.
What's happening is, companies like Verizon who are building high-speed networks plan to offer television programming over the network. However, because they are a communications company they argue they should not be subject to current franchising provisions OR that franchises should be extended to encompass the entire Commonwealth as opposed to individual municipalities.
This strategy recently encounted something of a challenge in Connecticut. In an opinion issued yesterday, Judge Janet Bond Arterton ruled that AT&T's U-Verse IPTV service is a cable television service like any other and is therefore subject to local franchising agreements.
What do you think this might mean for regional broadband infrastructure?
What's happening is, companies like Verizon who are building high-speed networks plan to offer television programming over the network. However, because they are a communications company they argue they should not be subject to current franchising provisions OR that franchises should be extended to encompass the entire Commonwealth as opposed to individual municipalities.
This strategy recently encounted something of a challenge in Connecticut. In an opinion issued yesterday, Judge Janet Bond Arterton ruled that AT&T's U-Verse IPTV service is a cable television service like any other and is therefore subject to local franchising agreements.
What do you think this might mean for regional broadband infrastructure?
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
PA Telephone Association Comments on BFRR
David E. Freet President Pennsylvania Telephone Association discussed the Bona Fide Retail Request Program at some length during his presentation at the PA Technology and Telecommunications Summit June 7, 2007 [full presentation]. Bottom line, the process seems to be working.
The Northwest Commission has approximately 30 BFRR efforts under way. Three communities are awaiting confirmation from Verizon that they have met their deployment threshold. Please feel free to refer people with questions about the BFRR program to me at 814.677.4800 ext. 122.
The Northwest Commission has approximately 30 BFRR efforts under way. Three communities are awaiting confirmation from Verizon that they have met their deployment threshold. Please feel free to refer people with questions about the BFRR program to me at 814.677.4800 ext. 122.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Broadband Data Improvement Act clears Senate Committee
Broadband Data Improvement Act clears Senate Commerce Committee
By Nate Anderson Published: July 19, 2007 - 07:53PM CT
Congress has at last taken an interest in a seemingly arcane debate over the metrics used by the FCC and is moving on the issue with surprising speed. For years, geeks have criticized the way that the agency collects broadband information, focusing especially on the fact that the bar for "broadband" is set laughably low (200Kbps) and that if one person in a ZIP code has access, then the entire ZIP code is considered "served." The Broadband Data Improvement Act (PDF) hopes to remedy some of these problems, and it has just unanimously cleared the Senate Commerce Committee.
The bill, should it pass the broader Senate and House, would force the FCC to make a couple of major changes to the way that it puts together its broadband information. For one thing, the agency is directed to come up with a new metric for "second generation broadband," defined as being the minimum speed needed to stream full-motion, high-definition video.
The FCC also needs to get far more granular with its reporting, switching from the use of simple ZIP codes to the far more specific ZIP+4 codes. That may still not appease everyone, but it will greatly increase the quality of data from large, yet sparsely populated areas that might share a zip, but not the full ZIP+4. Arguably, it is these areas that need study the most.
The idea is that, unless policymakers have good data to work with, they are likely to end up making poor policy. Passage of the bill out of committee has already drawn praise from Free Press, one of the groups that has lobbied hard for the bill and has appeared at committee hearings where it was discussed.
Free Press policy director Ben Scott said, "For too long, policymakers have been forced to operate in the dark, relying on misleading and sometimes inaccurate information about the U.S. broadband market. By providing detailed information about the deployment, availability and use of broadband services in this country, the Broadband Data Improvement Act promises to bring us one step closer to our shared goal of universal, affordable broadband."
By Nate Anderson Published: July 19, 2007 - 07:53PM CT
Congress has at last taken an interest in a seemingly arcane debate over the metrics used by the FCC and is moving on the issue with surprising speed. For years, geeks have criticized the way that the agency collects broadband information, focusing especially on the fact that the bar for "broadband" is set laughably low (200Kbps) and that if one person in a ZIP code has access, then the entire ZIP code is considered "served." The Broadband Data Improvement Act (PDF) hopes to remedy some of these problems, and it has just unanimously cleared the Senate Commerce Committee.
The bill, should it pass the broader Senate and House, would force the FCC to make a couple of major changes to the way that it puts together its broadband information. For one thing, the agency is directed to come up with a new metric for "second generation broadband," defined as being the minimum speed needed to stream full-motion, high-definition video.
The FCC also needs to get far more granular with its reporting, switching from the use of simple ZIP codes to the far more specific ZIP+4 codes. That may still not appease everyone, but it will greatly increase the quality of data from large, yet sparsely populated areas that might share a zip, but not the full ZIP+4. Arguably, it is these areas that need study the most.
The idea is that, unless policymakers have good data to work with, they are likely to end up making poor policy. Passage of the bill out of committee has already drawn praise from Free Press, one of the groups that has lobbied hard for the bill and has appeared at committee hearings where it was discussed.
Free Press policy director Ben Scott said, "For too long, policymakers have been forced to operate in the dark, relying on misleading and sometimes inaccurate information about the U.S. broadband market. By providing detailed information about the deployment, availability and use of broadband services in this country, the Broadband Data Improvement Act promises to bring us one step closer to our shared goal of universal, affordable broadband."
Monday, July 23, 2007
Average Broadband Speed in US is . . . SLOW!
A recent report by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation finds that the average broadband speed in the US is 1.9 Mbps. (There's a point in-between the one and the nine!). In Japan the number is greater than 61 Mbps (no decimal point in that number!). That's pretty stiff competition. I've got to wonder what the number is in NW Pennsylvania. (I'll start checking and let you know what I find out!)
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development has just released a 319-page report titled "OECD Communications Outlook 2007" (PDF). As you may have guessed by the title and the size, it's a comprehensive look at the state of the telecommunications industry around the world. Of particular interest is the section on broadband deployment, which tracks usage, deployment, and pricing trends over the past couple of years. Overall, broadband has become faster and cheaper, especially in countries where there are a large number of cable and DSL providers (Full article).
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