Only seven business days after it began, the FCC’s 24 GHz spectrum auction “blow past the $1 billion mark Friday (March 22).” The FCC is auctioning the spectrum “to free up more bandwidth for 5G wireless broadband, to help close the rural digital divide, and to make wireless a stronger competitor to wired broadband. New York and L.A. continue to lead, with bids on licenses there of $28,080,000 and $21,606,000, respectively, with Chicago in distant third with $10,436,000.”
San Jose launches new fund to bring internet to thousands of off-line homes
On Tuesday, the city of San Jose created the San Jose Digital Inclusion Fund — the largest of its kind in the country. The aim of this fund is to bring broadband access to some 50,000 households over the next decade and teach residents who may be new to the web the digital skills ...
Legislature looks at ways to increase rural broadband service
Legislators are considering a surcharge on wireless calls to raise $10 million a year that utilities could use for internet projects in rural Oregon. The average cell phone user could see an increase of $4 to $8 a year. The surcharge would apply only to calls within the state and ...
West Virginia selected for collaboration to update broadband map
On Tuesday, The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that it is collaborating with eight states to broaden and update the national broadband availability map. The states include West Virginia, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nort...
Bill aimed at spreading 5G wireless technology moving in General Assembly
The House Economic Development and Tourism Committee approved House Bill 184, whicih "would make it easier to deploy small-cell wireless technology along public rights of way in Georgia." Bob Davis, a lobbyist for Verizon Corp., told committee members before the vote that "in area...
With FCC order, Syracuse loses potential revenue stream from small cell tech
Due to the cap placed in the FCC order, Syracuse, NY, is losing extra income that would have come from charging annual fees for telecom companies to install small cells. While Christine Elliott, Syracuse’s director of administration, is disappointed about that, she highlight...
AT&T announces Chicago and Minneapolis as its next 5G cities
On Tuesday, AT&T announced that Chicago and Minneapolis are the next cities to receive AT&T’s 5G network, predicted to be available in late 2019. Late last year, the company technically launched its network in twelve cities, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Ind...