Why telecoms companies can and should gain better network resilience Monday 13 September 21 Telecoms operators now face a more diverse, fast changing array of threats than ever. The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report found natural disasters, extreme weather, climate change and cyber attacks are among the top threats facing…
GOP pressure to block bipartisan infrastructure bill builds in the House
GOP pressure to block bipartisan infrastructure bill builds in the House September 7, 2021 House Republicans could face increased pressure to vote against a bipartisan infrastructure package when they return to Washington later this month with outside groups and conservatives already ramping up the campaign against a $1.2 trillion package they say…
NTIA Broadband Infrastructure Program Receives More Than $2.5B in Funding Requests
NTIA Broadband Infrastructure Program Receives More Than $2.5B in Funding Requests AUG 30, 2021 The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Association (NTIA) has received over 230 applications, totaling more than $2.5 billion in funding requests for its Broadband Infrastructure Program, Commerce announced August 25. Read more
Alpha Wireless Unveils Antenna Solutions to Enable Utility Network Modernization
Alpha Wireless Unveils Antenna Solutions to Enable Utility Network Modernization Aug 24th, 2021 Alpha Wireless is launching the Alpha Wireless AW3874 dual-band antenna, engineered to empower utilities to modernize and digitize their communications infrastructure. With support for both 900 MHz and 3.5 GHz / Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum…
NM could get billions in new federal funding
NM could get billions in new federal funding August 23, 2021 Congress is gearing up to approve the largest federal investments in infrastructure and social programs since the Great Depression in the 1930s, and New Mexico could reap huge benefits. Read more
Chicago consortium forges smart city agreement with lighting and pole provider
Chicago consortium forges smart city agreement with lighting and pole provider 16 Aug 2021 A consortium of 21 cities throughout suburban Chicago, Illinois, has reached a final 20-year agreement with Viper Networks to build and operate a variety of smart city projects. Read more
Grid’s ‘town crier’ separates cyber signal from noise
Grid’s ‘town crier’ separates cyber signal from noise 08/17/2021 The U.S. power grid’s hub for cyberthreat information got word last December that hackers had breached FireEye Inc., one of the world’s largest cybersecurity companies. Read more
US Senate panel advances bill to restrict sale of Chinese telecommunications equipment
US Senate panel advances bill to restrict sale of Chinese telecommunications equipment 5 Aug, 2021 A US Senate panel approved a bill Wednesday to restrict the sale of telecommunications equipment by Chinese companies considered threats to national security. Read more
Federal cybersecurity defenses not strong enough to protect American data, Senate report warns
Federal cybersecurity defenses not strong enough to protect American data, Senate report warns AUGUST 3, 2021 Federal agencies responsible for safeguarding the security and personal data of millions of Americans have failed to implement basic defenses against cyberattacks, according to a report from Senate investigators released Tuesday. The agencies earned…
Broadband in the infrastructure bill: Taking aim at the digital divide
Broadband in the infrastructure bill: Taking aim at the digital divide Aug. 2, 2021 Lawmakers have bemoaned the nation’s nagging digital divide for years, warning that gaps in broadband internet access in red and blue states alike are hurting Americans’ health, education and job prospects. The hulking bipartisan infrastructure package…
Bipartisan $1T Senate infrastructure bill focuses on nuclear, carbon capture, transmission
Bipartisan $1T Senate infrastructure bill focuses on nuclear, carbon capture, transmission Aug. 3, 2021 A bipartisan group of senators on Sunday unveiled its nearly $1 trillion infrastructure bill, formalized into text following a 67-32 consensus to advance the legislation. The vote to advance the bill included the support of 17 Republicans. Read…
Wireless Infrastructure Market Size Forecast to Reach $114.5 Billion by 2026
Wireless Infrastructure Market Size Forecast to Reach $114.5 Billion by 2026 July 27, 2021 Wireless Infrastructure Market size is forecast to reach $114.5 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR 7.4% from 2021 to 2026. Read more
Private network underpins smart city plans for Las Vegas
Private network underpins smart city plans for Las Vegas 20 July 2021 The City of Las Vegas has deployed what is claimed to be the largest LTE, 5G-ready private municipal network in the US. The network is part of a broader plan for new tech-enabled services, economic development and digital…
Minimum broadband speeds are likely too low, government watchdog says
Minimum broadband speeds are likely too low, government watchdog says Jul 8, 2021 Since 2015, the Federal Communications Commission has maintained that minimum broadband speed should stay the same: 25 megabits per second for downloading files, and 3 megabits per second for uploading. Read more
New law could expand 5G’s reach in Pa.
New law could expand 5G’s reach in Pa. July 6, 2021 A law that Gov. Tom Wolf signed last week likely will open Pennsylvania to the next generation of wireless internet and cell phone services, lawmakers and industry officials say. Read more
Recently passed bill could accelerate 5G deployment across Pittsburgh
Recently passed bill could accelerate 5G deployment across Pittsburgh June 29, 2021 Pennsylvania passed House Bill 1621, or the Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act, in a move that could make the Pittsburgh region more competitive with other tech hubs around the country. Read more
Lawmakers introduce American Cybersecurity Literacy Act
Lawmakers introduce American Cybersecurity Literacy Act June 28, 2021 Bipartisan House lawmakers introduced legislation to increase cybersecurity literacy and security awareness among the American public amid a spike in cybersecurity threats against critical infrastructure. Read more
State, Local Governments Highlight Cybersecurity Funding Needs
State, Local Governments Highlight Cybersecurity Funding Needs June 18, 2021 State, local and county governments officials testified that they need continually renewed, flexible funding to fend off increasing cyber threats during a U.S. Senate hearing. Read more
Senators unveil $40B bill aimed at closing the broadband divide
Senators unveil $40B bill aimed at closing the broadband divide June 15, 2021 A bipartisan group of senators on Tuesday unveiled new legislation that aims to close the digital divide by making broadband internet more affordable and accessible. The proposed bill, reported earlier by The Washington Post, would give $40 billion in flexible funding to…
Less state debt, but a ‘lost decade’ for U.S. infrastructure spending, S&P finds
Less state debt, but a ‘lost decade’ for U.S. infrastructure spending, S&P finds June 15, 2021 Most U.S. states took on less debt during the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing a years-long stretch of deleveraging, according to a report published Friday from credit rating agency, Standard & Poor’s. But an emphasis on…
White House expands investment ban on Chinese tech and telecom companies
White House expands investment ban on Chinese tech and telecom companies June 3, 2021 The Biden administration has replaced and expanded Trump-era restrictions on investing in certain Chinese firms deemed supportive of that country’s surveillance and military apparatus. Major tech, space and telecom companies are listed in the initial 59…
County aims to expand broadband internet access
County aims to expand broadband internet access June 1, 2021 A lot of Crawford County is underserved by broadband internet access, but the county is hoping to change that over the next few years. Last week, Crawford County Board of Commissioners accepted the county planning office’s long-term strategy to expand broadband,…
Mobile and Wireless Backhaul Market to Experience Tremendous Growth due to Increasing Number of Smartphone and Data Users Globally
Mobile and Wireless Backhaul Market to Experience Tremendous Growth due to Increasing Number of Smartphone and Data Users Globally May 25, 2021 The global mobile and wireless backhaul market is set to gain significance due to the rising demand for better network. The Asia Pacific market is predicted to dominate…
‘Time to move on’: Infrastructure talks near collapse
‘Time to move on’: Infrastructure talks near collapse 05/24/2021 Washington’s bipartisan infrastructure talks may soon look a lot like its cicada population: squashed after staggering around haplessly. Read more
Green push presents cybersecurity problems of its own
Green push presents cybersecurity problems of its own May 17, 2021 The shift to cleaner energy forebodes greater cybersecurity challenges as the economy adds new technologies and relies increasingly on electricity to fuel vehicles and heat homes. Read more
GOP weighs going bigger on infrastructure
GOP weighs going bigger on infrastructure 05/10/2021 Senate Republicans are signaling that they could raise the price tag of their infrastructure offer to President Joe Biden, days ahead of a pivotal series of meetings that could make-or-break Biden’s hopes for a bipartisan deal. Read more
Biden prepared to take additional steps after Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack
Biden prepared to take additional steps after Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack MAY 10, 2021 President Joe Biden said Monday that his administration was prepared to take additional steps as the energy sector grapples with a colossal cyberattack targeting one of the largest fuel pipelines in the nation. Read more
Broadband usage will keep growing post-pandemic
Broadband usage will keep growing post-pandemic May 4, 2021 Increased broadband usage is a pandemic trend that’s here to say, analysts and telecom executives argue. Read more
Land O’Lakes is rallying young people to return to their hometowns to build better broadband
Land O’Lakes is rallying young people to return to their hometowns to build better broadband BY TALIB VISRAM, April 27, 2021 The number of Americans who don’t have access to broadband internet is likely somewhere between 14 and 42 million. That range, which comes from figures calculated by the government and from…
New Mexico leads US Southwest in broadband needs
April 13, 2021 ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico has the highest percentage of residents in the U.S. Southwest without adequate broadband internet infrastructure. The Biden administration on Monday released details about each state’s infrastructure needs for everything from internet access to highways, affordable housing and drinking water projects. Read…
Millions of connected devices have security flaws, study shows
Hannah Murphy, Apr 13, 2021 Millions of “internet of things” devices using software from groups including Siemens and Microsoft contain security flaws that could be used to compromise government servers or hospitals, new research has found. Read more
AT&T lobbies against nationwide fiber, says 10Mbps uploads are good enough
JON BRODKIN – 3/29/2021 AT&T is lobbying against proposals to subsidize fiber-to-the-home deployment across the US, arguing that rural people don’t need fiber and should be satisfied with Internet service that provides only 10Mbps upload speeds. Read more
Yellowstone National Park Seeks Public Comment On Telecommunications Proposal
By IVY ENGEL • MAR 26, 2021 Yellowstone National Park is seeking public comment on a proposal to improve telecommunications services in the park. The proposed project would install fiber optic cables along existing roadways, and eventually, some microwave radio reflectors on mountaintops that are currently in use will be removed as they…
Facebook grows in Oregon with data center, fiber-optic cable
By ANDREW SELSKY, March 18, 2021 Facebook is growing its footprint in Oregon, announcing Thursday that it will expand its data center in Prineville — already the social media giant’s largest in the United States. The move coincides with the company nearing completion of bringing a fiber-optic cable ashore in…
How VoIP changed telecommunications
BY AISTE KRYZANOVSKE, MARCH 8, 2021 Ever since VoIP disrupted the telecom sector, things have never been the same. In today’s fast track world everyone is familiar with this technology. Maybe not by name, but certainly with the use of it. By using VoIP with a capable Internet connection, you can call anyone, anywhere…
Alabama Power hailed as national model for innovative broadband partnerships, expansion efforts
Sean Ross, March 2, 2021 Alabama Power Company in recent days was the focus of a joint webinar organized by the Edison Electric Institute and the National League of Cities (NLC), as the kick-off to NLC’s Emerging Tech Webinar Series. The webinar featured a remote panel discussion moderated by John Smola,…
After Stimulus, Biden to Tackle Another Politically Tricky Issue: Infrastructure
By Annie Karni and Jim Tankersley, March 1, 2021 Strengthening the country’s highways, bridges and broadband networks has broad popular support, but Washington remains bitterly divided on the details. Read more
TDS Telecom says it will double its fiber footprint in 2021
by Sue Marek | Feb 22, 2021 TDS Telecom is ramping up its fiber expansion efforts. During its fourth quarter 2020 earnings call with investors, TDS executives said that in 2020 the company spent about $130 million to deploy fiber in existing and new markets. Read more
New reports affirm cybersecurity war is not being won
By Phil Hall, February 16, 2021 Despite the best efforts by technology experts, the cybersecurity war continues to rage and digital miscreants still have the upper hand in their assaults on corporate, government and individual targets. Read more
Telecommunication companies must provide backup power during PSPS outages, CPUC says
By JESSE KATHAN, CORRESPONDENT, February 14, 2021 Requirement is intended to protect elderly and disabled customers when wildfires disrupt service. Read more
Facing “grim” outlook, construction industry awaits Biden infrastructure plan
Amy Scott, Feb 1, 2021 While emergency COVID-19 relief is hung up in Congress, the Biden administration is expected to unveil details of a longer-term economic recovery plan this month, focused on infrastructure. The plan would invest some $2 trillion over four years to build and repair roads, bridges…
Verizon Accelerating America Broadband Plan: Congress Should Fund Access, Affordability, Adoption
January 25, 2021 by Joan Engebretson Congress should provide funding for broadband, argues Verizon in a 28-page proposal titled Accelerating America: Affordability, Adoption, Access. Among other things, Verizon recommends lifting restrictions on municipal networks in unserved areas and providing $20 to $50 monthly on an electronic benefit transfer card for low-income users…
Dominion Energy to test private LTE in Virginia
By Kelly Hill on JANUARY 5, 2021 Dominion Energy’s Virginia subsidiary has received permission from the Federal Communications Commission to test a private LTE network at 900 MHz. Read more
SolarWinds Hack Infected Critical Infrastructure, Including Power Industry
Kim Zetter, December 24 2020 The hacking campaign that infected numerous government agencies and tech companies with malicious SolarWinds software has also infected more than a dozen critical infrastructure companies in the electric, oil, and manufacturing industries who were also running the software, according to a security firm conducting investigations…
Ameren signs first long-term broadband lease with Anterix for Missouri customers
By Madison Parry St. Louis-based Ameren has signed a 30-year 900 MHz broadband spectrum lease agreement with licensed spectrum holder, Anterix. The deal covers customers in Missouri and Illinois and will help Ameren with its digital transformation and delivery of benefits to regional customers. Read more
$50-per-month emergency broadband subsidies approved in pandemic stimulus
JON BRODKIN – 12/22/2020, 9:31 AM Americans who have low incomes or who lost their jobs during the pandemic will be eligible for $50-per-month broadband subsidies under the stimulus package passed by Congress last night. Congress is providing $3.2 billion from the US Treasury for a new Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund that will be…
SpaceX gets almost $900 million in federal subsidies to deliver broadband to rural America
By Jackie Wattles, CNN Business The US government plans to give SpaceX nearly a billion dollars to beam internet from space to people across rural America, where three out of five people say access to broadband is still a pressing issue. The company will receive a total of $856 million, one of the…
Rural communities to get $865 million in infrastructure aid from USDA programs
Energize Weekly, August 26, 2020 The Trump administration, in the last three weeks, has announced $865 million in loans and grants to upgrade rural infrastructure – electric grids, water systems and broadband internet. The two largest programs are for water and wastewater systems – $462 million – and rural electrification…
U.S. market for ‘smart home’ devices to triple to $75 billion by 2025
Energize Weekly, September 25, 2019 The U.S. market for “smart home” devices will more than triple by 2025, reaching $75 billion, according to data analytics company GlobalData. The growth will be driven by the increased use of smart thermostats, which consumers see as an energy-saving device and utilities as one…
Thin-film solar can grow in high-value markets like aerospace and building materials, NREL study says
Energize Weekly, November 21, 2018 Silicon solar cells account for 95 percent of the global market, but there are potentially multi-billion dollar markets for flexible, thin-film cells, according to an analysis by researchers at the federal National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). “Multiple markets are emerging for renewable, low-cost power generation…
