Category Archives: Wireless

Libraries, school and others ask Senate to protect FCC wi-fi order

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Broadband Breakfast reports...

National education groups are concerned that the Senate could prevent millions of people from accessing the internet with federal assistance.

A coalition of 31 education and library groups urged senators in a letter Monday to reject a resolution by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, that would roll back the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to allow E-Rate funds for wireless hotspots.

“Almost 20,000 schools and libraries across the country are currently in the process of applying for several hundred thousand hotspots,” the letter stated, adding that millions of Americans could lose access to essential online resources if the measure, S.J.Res.7, is approved.

Winona County has 2,100 homes that are underserved or unserved

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Winona Post reports…

In recent years, broadband expansion projects have reached thousands of homes in rural Winona County. Still, an estimated 2,100 homes are underserved or unserved in Winona County, Minnesota Office of Broadband Development Executive Director Bree Maki said. The county is reaching the point where the remaining areas are also the most difficult to serve, she said. Maki said she is hopeful that in the four to five years, all of Winona County will be served. “I think especially during the pandemic, we realized that broadband is something that is essential to almost anybody, whether it’s trying to access medical records or medical appointments, as well as our students in education,” she said. Broadband access allows people to live and work in rural communities, she said.

There were five grant awards to different providers in the county over the past 10 years, Maki said, connecting about 2,000 homes and businesses with broadband.

Most recently, in January, MiEnergy secured a $14.1 million federal grant to help bring fiber to areas in Winona and Fillmore counties, including properties east of St. Charles, surrounding Utica, east and south of Lewiston and south of I-90. In 2022, Hiawatha Broadband Communications, Inc. (HBC) and Winona County announced they would collaborate on a $2.6 million project to bring broadband to Sylvan Heights, Saratoga, Big Trout Drive, Spillway Drive and the Arches areas. In 2020, with federal funding, HBC expanded existing networks near Pickwick and Rollingstone, as well as in Dakota County. AcenTek received a DEED grant in 2020 to upgrade broadband from copper to fiber-optic cables in Houston and Winona counties. According to HBC, the organization has also expanded the network in Pickwick and Rollingstone by adding 35 homes to fiber optic services with federal funding and, with some state funding, connected 3,000 homes to fiber optic services in Cedar Valley, East Burns Valley, Elba, Pickwick, the Whitewater State Park area, Wilson and Witoka.

With the county’s bluffs and karst landscape, Maki said it can be challenging to put fiber in the ground for broadband access. HBC Community Relations Manager David Dicke agreed that there are parts of the county where that is hard, because of the topography. “You can’t get fiber there because of the rock,” he said. “It’s astronomically expensive and makes it really not feasible financially.” HBC offers a wireless option, HBC Air, Director of Customer Operations Cory Limberg said. “… Where you’ve had some of these farm properties or out in the bluffs, in these areas where they just couldn’t get internet or any reliable cell service, we’ve had a product that our team can go out here and install in grain silos and other areas … where we can get them good internet access,” he said. Another challenge with expanding broadband access is running and managing a network after building it, Limberg said, so HBC considers these factors when weighing where to build. “And we’re in this for the long haul. HBC is not an organization that has been sold and bought and purchased and changed names many times … whereas some of these other companies that come in to build a network may be doing it to just sell it to another company.”

7 communications-related bills getting attention in US House now

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The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society report…

On March 4, the House of Representatives’ Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), held a full committee markup to consider twelve bills in total––the committee’s first legislative markup of the 119th Congress.

“This Committee has a rich, bipartisan history, which we will continue in that spirit with the bills we are considering today,” said Rep Guthrie in his opening remarks. “Each of these bipartisan pieces of legislation was passed by the House last Congress, and I am proud that we will be moving these forward again today.”

Here, we look at the seven communications-related bills that are now teed up for a vote from the full House.

I am just going to include the list – the original article offer more detail…

  1. Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act
  2. Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) Codification Act
  3. NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act
  4. Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act of 2025
  5. Trans-Atlantic Submarine Fiber Optic Cable
  6. Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act
  7. Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act

Why BEAD Should Continue to Prioritize Fiber?

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The Institute for Local Self Reliance has published a policy brief on why  BEAD Should Continue to Prioritize Fiber Internet Network Investments…

In designing BEAD, Congress recognized that it was foolish to spend thousands of dollars per home every 5-10 years to deliver obsolete connections and chose instead to build fiber optic networks that will last generations – ultimately both saving taxpayer dollars and delivering an equitable Internet access option to millions of rural homes. To be clear, BEAD’s priority for fiber does not bar the use of other technologies when appropriate. In cases where the cost of fiber is simply too great, other technologies are on the table – likely wireless options of both terrestrial and low-earth orbit.

Fiber does not mean bigger bills to residents…

On the matter of residential pricing, fiber optic networks in rural areas operated by rural cooperatives offer services at prices comparable to or less than that of urban areas. For instance, Paul Bunyan in Minnesota has options starting at $60/mo for 250 Mbps symmetrical and a gigabit for $80. Co-Mo Connect, one of the first electric co-ops to build its entire electric footprint with fiber, starts at $55/mo for 100 Mbps and a gig at $85/mo. Starlink residential prices start at $120/mo for far lower speeds.

Some wireless options are everywhere, but not all of the time…

A final consideration is that some wireless technologies – primarily low-earth orbit and mobile wireless – are not able to serve all homes simultaneously and may not be able to serve all homes in rural America looking for service. Some of these technologies could serve almost anyone, but cannot serve everyone – meaning that some homes will be put on waiting lists when the system reaches max capacity.

EVENT Feb 27: FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for February Open Meeting

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It’s always interesting to see what’s on the agenda of a new Administration…

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the February Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 27, 2025:

Enhancing National Security Though the Auctioning of Spectrum Licenses – The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would update 10 year-old AWS-3 service-specific competitive bidding rules to bring those rules in line with current practice as the first step in fulfilling the Commission’s statutory obligation to initiate an auction of licenses for the AWS-3 spectrum in the Commission’s inventory by June 23, 2026, under the Spectrum and Secure Technology and Innovation Act.  (GN Docket Nos. 25-70, 25-71, 13-185)

Exploring New Uses for Mid-Band Spectrum in the Upper C-band – The Commission will consider a Notice of Inquiry exploring whether, and if so how, we could free up additional mid-band spectrum for new services in the Upper C-band to meet projected spectrum demand, spur economic growth, and advance American security interests.  (GN Docket No. 25-59)

Making Wireless Emergency Alerts More Responsive to Public Safety and Consumer Needs – The Commission will consider a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking intended to give emergency managers and consumers greater customization of the Wireless Emergency Alerts they send and receive, which would increase public safety and reduce consumers opting out of this life-saving service. (PS Docket Nos. 15-91, 15-94)

Strengthening Call Blocking Rules – The Commission will consider a Report and Order that strengthens the Commission’s call blocking rules by expanding the requirement to block calls based on a reasonable do-not-originate list to include all providers in the call path and by designating an exclusive code to notify callers when certain calls are blocked. (CG Docket No. 17-59)

Combatting Loud Commercial Advertisements – The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would undertake a review of the Commission’s commercial loudness rules, in effect since 2012, and seek comment on the need for updates or changes. (MB Docket No. 25-72)

Public Drafts of Meeting Items – The FCC publicly releases the draft text of each item expected to be considered at the next Open Commission Meeting. One-page cover sheets are included in the public drafts to help summarize each item.  All these materials will be available on the FCC’s Open Meeting page: http://www.fcc.gov/openmeeting.

Public Attendance – The Open Meeting is scheduled to commence at 10:30 a.m. ET in the Commission Meeting Room of the Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.  While the Open Meeting is open to the public, the FCC headquarters building is not open access, and all guests must check in with and be screened by FCC security at the main entrance on L Street.  Attendees at the Open Meeting will not be required to have an appointment but must otherwise comply with protocols outlined at: https://www.fcc.gov/visit.  Open Meetings are streamed live at www.fcc.gov/live.

Expectations of Trump Administration Broadband policies

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Fierce Telecom looks at what the Trump Administration could mean for a number of broadband issues…

First things first. Historically, the party in power has held a 3-2 majority at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), allowing them to carry out the president’s policy agenda. Traditionally, the sitting chair has stepped down, allowing the President to pick a new FCC chief.

So, with Trump in the White House, that means the FCC will be Republican-led and likely by sitting Commissioner Brendan Carr. Though Trump hasn’t specified his choice for FCC chair, Carr is the most senior Republican on the Commission and analysts have singled him out as the probable pick.

For USF (Universal Service Fund)…

On the Universal Service Fund front, reform could also come via a Republican-led Congress, according to Ted Hearn, Policyband publisher and former VP of industry association ACA Connects. …

Instead of relying on fees from broadband providers or big tech, Cruz has argued the USF should be funded via appropriations from Congress. That way, lawmakers can keep a closer eye on where the money goes and what rules are set for broadband programs under the FCC.

For wireless…

But back to Carr’s potential agenda. In the Project 2025 document, Carr also advocates for the FCC to free up more spectrum for wireless service, though it’s unclear how it would do this given the agency’s auction authority lapsed in March 2023 and has yet to be renewed.

Carr also indicated Republicans should eliminate policies which allow broadband funding to be used for overbuilding and improve coordination on spectrum policy and infrastructure spending.

For BEAD and Net Neutrality…

Project 2025 aside, Carr has also opposed net neutrality rules adopted by the FCC, as well as rules designed to regulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in political ads.

Additionally, he argued against the FCC’s decision to revoke Starlink’s $885 million Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) subsidy award, calling it “regulatory harassment” of Starlink owner Elon Musk. Why does that matter? Well, Musk potentially has a lot to gain should policy for the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program swing in favor of Starlink’s satellite service. Granted the FCC isn’t in charge of administering BEAD – the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is – but Musk would likely find an ally in Carr.

Comcast accelerates broadband deployment with fixed wireless access and fiber

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Fierce reports…

Comcast’s CFO Jason Armstrong said that two years ago the company used to increase its broadband footprint by passing 800,000 more homes per year, but now it’s pacing at around 1.2 million new homes passed yearly.

Speaking on the company’s third quarter 2024 earnings call, Armstrong reiterated what Comcast executives have been saying for several quarters now — that fixed wireless access (FWA) and fiber are its two key competitors in terms of technology.

During Fierce Networks’ recent Broadband Nation Expo, Jason Livingood, VP of Technology Policy, Products and Standards with Comcast, said the company has been focused on building in rural areas over the last couple of years, and Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) grants will drive even more. “Luckily, we’ve got teams that have experience with underground and aerial,” said Livingood.

He said hybrid fiber coax (HFC) is only deployed in greenfield areas “in a small number of cases” where it just makes more sense with other DOCSIS infrastructure nearby.

While Comcast is dealing with fiber competitors — and deploying some fiber, itself — the company is also facing pressure from fixed wireless access (FWA) encroachers.

They also talked about loss of the Affordable Connectivity Program…

The analysts at New Street Research estimate that Comcast lost 14,000 ACP subs in the first quarter. And Comcast says in addition to the 32,000 subs it lost in Q3, it also counted 64,000 ACP losses that it anticipates in the fourth quarter. In all, it appears that Comcast will lose about 110,000 ACP subs in total or about 8% of its total ACP base of 1.4 million.

EarthLink buys Nextera Communications in Minnesota

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Telecompaper reports…

US independent ISP EarthLink has announced the acquisition of Nextera Communications, a Minnesota-based provider of fixed wireless, voice, and data services. This is EarthLink’s fifth acquisition this past year.

Effective immediately, Earthlink said the transaction underscores its ambition towards organic growth in the fixed wireless sector, and its aim to establish the largest, most reliable network nationwide.

 

AT&T working with 4 open access fiber companies including Ubiquity in Minnesota

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Last week, I reported that Verizon was acquiring Frontier. This week, according to Broadband Breakfast, AT&T is working with four open access fiber companies, including Ubiquity in Minnesota…

AT&T announced on Monday wholesale agreements with four open access fiber broadband providers. That’s in addition to the company’s existing partnership on an open access network with investment firm BlackRock.

“Each company AT&T is working with was selected because they provide opportunities to expand AT&T Fiber distribution to new service areas without existing fiber options,” the company wrote in a release. “As these providers add fiber locations, AT&T will evaluate where it wants to offer AT&T Fiber.”

Those companies are Boldyn Networks, Digital Infrastructure Group, PRIME FiBER, and Uniquity. Initial build areas include multiple Texas military bases by Boldyn, PRIME in Florida, and Ubiquity in Minnesota. AT&T didn’t specify the size of those projects but said it’s on track to surpass its goal of 30 million passings by the end of next year, potentially by as much as 15 million.

Verizon to acquire Frontier

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Verizon reports...

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. (NASDAQ: FYBR) today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for Verizon to acquire Frontier in an all-cash transaction valued at $20 billion. This strategic acquisition of the largest pure-play fiber internet provider in the U.S. will significantly expand Verizon’s fiber footprint across the nation, accelerating the company’s delivery of premium mobility and broadband services to current and new customers. It will also expand Verizon’s intelligent edge network for digital innovations like AI and IoT.

The combination will integrate Frontier’s cutting-edge fiber network into Verizon’s leading portfolio of fiber and wireless assets, including its best-in-class Fios offering. Over approximately four years, Frontier has invested $4.1 billion upgrading and expanding its fiber network, and now derives more than 50% of its revenue from fiber products. Frontier’s 2.2 million fiber subscribers across 25 states will join Verizon’s approximately 7.4 million Fios connections1 in 9 states and Washington, D.C. In addition to Frontier’s 7.2 million fiber locations, the company is committed to its plan to build out an additional 2.8 million fiber locations by the end of 2026.

Will your county be eligible for the $9 million in the FCC 5G Plan for Rural America subsidies?

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Doug Dawson is a very smart guy. He recently wrote about the 5G Plan for Rural America and how counties without adequate 5G could prepare for it…

The FCC announced it will move forward with the 5G Plan for Rural America. This new subsidy will provide $9 billion to improve rural cellular coverage. I know in working throughout rural America that poor cellular coverage is often a worse problem that broadband coverage.

The FCC is convinced that the current cellular coverage maps are adequate to define the areas that deserve the new subsidy. In the counties I’ve been working in this does not seem to be the case, and the FCC cellular maps often seem to be overstating speed, similar to broadband speed claims. This was bolstered by a recent letter to the FCC from the Rural Wireless Association that claims that the FCC cellular maps are poor.

Since the FCC seems determined to move forward with the current maps and seems to be on a fast track to initiate the 5G plan,  there should be a sense of urgency in any County that thinks it needs better cellular coverage. The following steps should be considered immediately because it is possible that the FCC could launch the new 5G Fund by the end of the year.

First is to look at the FCC cellular map. This is part of the same map system used to show broadband coverage. Type in any address in a county, and a detailed map will appear. Choose the Mobile Broadband button at the top and you’ll be able to see the claimed cellular coverage at any address. The 5G Fund will bring better cellular coverage to locations where there is no 5G today (just 4G LTE) or where 5G speeds are claimed to be slower than 7/1 Mbps. You can look at the parts of your county where you believe cellular coverage is poor and see if the FCC map agrees with your local knowledge.

The 5G Fund subsidy will only be awarded to areas where the FCC map shows that no carrier is offering 5G with speeds of at least 7/1 Mbps. If even only one carrier meets that criteria, the area will not get funding. You might see some cellular carriers you don’t recognize in the FCC map like Project Genesis (which is Dish) or local cellular carriers.

A next step might be to dash off quick comments to the FCC about the 5G Fund timeline. Surprisingly, the FCC is not planning to have a map challenge period for counties to contest the cellular map coverage. Comments are due to the FCC by September 10. If nothing else, tell the FCC they should include some time for a map challenge. The FCC has been talking about launching this fund for four years, and it seems irresponsible to suddenly rush without giving local governments a chance to verify and challenge the FCC cellular maps.

There was a comment made in this docket that said local governments have had plenty of time to dispute the maps since the new FCC maps have been out for several years. However, all of the counties I have been working with have been concentrating on the FCC broadband maps. Almost nobody has looked hard at claimed cellular speeds – until this order came out, nobody knew what to look for on the maps. Making a comment in an FCC docket is relatively easy to do. The first thing on the form is to ask for the proceeding, which in this case is 20-32 Establishing a 5G Fund for Rural America.

Finally, if the FCC maps overstate cellular coverage in your area you need to get folks out taking cellular speed tests using the FCC app in the areas where you think coverage is poor. To be of any use for the 5G Fund the speed tests probably need to be done this month.

Speed tests can only be done using the FCC’s own speed test app. The app is available at the Google Play Store or Apple App store. Speed tests only count if they area taken outside or in a moving vehicle – indoor tests or tests on a WiFi network don’t county. For the 5G Fund, you want to take speed tests from a stationary point, which means pulling over on the side of the road. Tests must be taken between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM.

FCC to move forward with 5G funds to target investments in rural communities

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The FCC reports…

The Federal Communications Commission today announced it had adopted new rules to move forward with targeted investments in the deployment of advanced, 5G mobile wireless broadband services in rural communities.  The bipartisan vote on these rules reignites the 5G Fund for Rural America using the FCC’s new and improved broadband coverage map, which shows that millions of homes and businesses lack mobile 5G coverage.

“With the progress we’ve made in mapping broadband service availability, there is no reason to wait to put the 5G Fund to work connecting households and businesses in rural communities across the country,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel.  “We are ready to use every tool available to make sure that those who live, work, and travel in rural America have access to advanced, 5G mobile wireless broadband services.”

For Phase I of the 5G Fund, the Commission will use a multi-round reverse auction to distribute up to $9 billion to bring voice and 5G mobile broadband service to rural areas of the country unlikely to otherwise see unsubsidized deployment of 5G-capable networks.  Once the Commission is ready, we will announce the expected start of the auction through a Public Notice.

The 5G Fund Phase I auction will rely on the mobile coverage data obtained in the Broadband Data Collection – including through the FCC’s Mobile Speed Test app – and reflected on the FCC’s National Broadband Map.  In 2021, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel established a Task Force dedicated to implementing long-overdue improvements to the agency’s broadband data and mapping tools.  The Task Force continues to gather data and update the maps to ensure that programs like the 5G Fund effectively target its resources.

Additionally, to promote the deployment of Open Radio Access Network technology (Open RAN) and its benefits for competition, national security, and supply chain reliability, the 5G Fund now includes up to $900 million in incentives for incorporating Open RAN in 5G Fund-supported networks.

This Second Report and Order, adopted by a full vote of the Commission, also modifies the definition of areas eligible for 5G Fund Phase I support and ensures that areas in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands that meet the new definition will be included in the auction.  The item increases the overall budget for Phase I of the 5G Fund to up to $9 billion and proportionally increases the Tribal reserve budget—a set-aside portion of the fund to support connecting Tribal communities.  The rules also require that recipients of 5G Fund support implement cybersecurity and supply chain risk management plans.

Arvig and BEVCOMM ask the FCC to look into classification of Midcontinent

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Broadband Breakfast reports…

The Minnesota companies said a local competitor does not offer voice service.

A federal agency is planning to take a close look at whether two broadband providers deserve millions more dollars in future support after what they say was a flawed allocation process.

The Federal Communications Commission is seeking input on claims that two Midwest broadband providers saw lower Enhanced ACAM support because a competitor was misclassified.

Here’s more info on the claim from the FCC Public Notice of comment… (Comments due September 13)

By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on the filing submitted by Arvig Enterprises, Inc. (Arvig) and Rural Communications Holding Corporation (BEVCOMM),[1] which claimed that those companies’ Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model (Enhanced A-CAM) support offers were incorrectly calculated because Midcontinent Communications (Midco) was incorrectly classified as an unsubsidized competitor offering voice service.[2]

[1] Comments of Arvig Enterprises, Inc. (Arvig) and Rural Communications Holding Corporation (BEVCOMM), WC Docket No. 10-90 (filed Jul. 16, 2024) (Arvig Comments).

[2] Id. at 2.

Ely MN is left with unreliable cell coverage after fiber circuit issues

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The Ely Echo posts an opinion piece after being without reliable cell coverage for days…

A cellular outage that wiped out Verizon and made AT&T difficult to use appears to have been caused by a disruption in a fiber circuit between Ely and planet Earth. This has made for a difficult week as the outage started around 4 p.m. Monday and stretched into Thursday afternoon.

While sending text messages, checking Facebook, or uploading Snapchat videos may not be the most important losses, not being able to call for help should rank at the top of the priority list.

We pride ourselves on living at the end of the road. But being at the end of the fiber line sucks. We’ve been without proper services for over 72 hours with little or no communication from communication companies.

Public safety officials get all excited when you can’t dial 911 to an outage. Not being able to dial anyone is a bit bigger deal, yet we’ve heard nothing from them or any elected officials.

The only person who has been providing updates with any authenticity has been Isaac Olson of Treehouse Broadband. He posted the following on Thursday afternoon: “Cellular Outage in Ely Area: “On August 6th, we noticed our fiber circuit through Consolidated go offline (luckily we have a backup). At the same time, Verizon and AT&T service in the area went to limited/no connection.

…

Big companies don’t really concern themselves with us little old folks at the end of the road. We’re nothing more than a minuscule bump on a profit and loss statement. Treehouse Broadband is locally owned and operated and they truly care about their customers and the service provided.

FCC Launches New Mobile Speed Test App

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Broadband Breakfast reports on a new speed test for *mobile* connections. (I had to read it three times before I caught the word mobile.)…

The Federal Communications Commission announced on Tuesday a new Mobile Speed Test app to help users easily challenge provider-reported mobile coverage data, replacing the original FCC Speed Test app.

While the original app allowed consumers to test their mobile and in-home broadband performance, the new app ensures accurate provider-reported mobile coverage data with features such as “Repeated Test” for hands-free testing, displays an in-app map of where a test was taken and the ability to review speed test results on the National Broadband Map.