Text to 911 Poses Technology, Funding and Political Challenges
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The ability to send text messages to 911 anywhere in the U.S. could enhance public safety answering points’ (PSAPs’) ability to respond to emergency situations – and could be particularly important when the person contacting the PSAP is unable to place a traditional phone call. But although some PSAPs already support text to 911 capability,...Learn More
CenturyLink Fraud Accusation Sends Shares Down Sharply, Lawsuit Pending
An accusation of wide spread CenturyLink fraud practices has both CenturyLink and merger partner Level 3 shares down sharply. A former CenturyLink employee claims she was fired for blowing the whistle on the alleged CenturyLink fraud scheme and is suing the company. According to a Bloomberg report, a former CenturyLink sales agent Heidi Heiser, accuses...Learn More
Report: TV Streaming Subscribers Can Be Segmented into Four Categories
About two-thirds of U.S. adult broadband users have subscriptions to video-on-demand (SVOD) on a home television. Streaming movies and TV programs via the Internet to their TV screens isn’t the only thing that distinguishes home SVOD subscribers from the larger population of U.S. adult broadband users, however, The Diffusion Group (TDG) explains in new market...Learn More
ABI: Enterprise 5G Plans Don’t Match the Hype
Sixty-two percent of U.S.-based companies spanning nine industry verticals do not have plans to deploy next-generation 5G wireless/mobile broadband technology in coming years, according to new market research about enterprise 5G plans from ABI Research. The results, ABI says, indicate “severe discord” between industry expectations and high-profile public relations campaigns among wireless/mobile industry players and...Learn More
RLECs on USF Contributions: We Shouldn’t Be the Only Ones Paying on Broadband
Two telco organizations filed a joint petition with the FCC yesterday asking the commission to temporarily reverse a previous decision that requires rural local exchange carriers (RLECs) to make contributions into the Universal Service Fund (USF) based on broadband as well as voice revenues. The filing, made by NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association and...Learn More
Nokia Claims World’s Fastest Router; Terabit IP Flows Supported
Nokia today announced what the company claims is the world’s fastest router. The product, known as the Nokia 7560 Extensible Routing System (XRS)-XC and targeted for commercial release in the fourth quarter, also supports terabit IP flows. “It’s not 10 by 100” megabits per second, said Basil Alwan, president of Nokia IP and optical networks,...Learn More
Motorola Offers Details on AT&T FirstNet Equipment
Motorola Solutions will provide “best in class” mobile apps, sofware and services for the 4G LTE wireless/mobile broadband network AT&T is building for the federal government’s FirstNet network, the company said yesterday. Having come out on top of FirstNet’s RFP selection process, AT&T chose Motorola Solutions as a key AT&T FirstNet equipment supplier. Motorola will...Learn More
Initial Six G.fast Products Certified as Broadband Forum Launches International G.fast Council
The Broadband Forum launched an international G.fast Council to speed development and uptake of the new “ultra fast” broadband network technology standard and also announced an initial six products have successfully completed the G.fast certification program. ARRIS, Calix, Huawei, Metanoia, Nokia and Technicolor worked with the Broadband Forum and University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory...Learn More
Verizon: We’re Doubling Down on Fiber Broadband, Just Don’t Call it Fios
Verizon’s message at Fiber Connect, taking place here in Orlando this week, was music to the fiber broadband ecosystem’s ears. Fiber is back at Verizon, and in a big way, according to Kyle Malady, SVP and chief network officer of wireline for Verizon. “All the cards are lining up for us to double down on...Learn More
Windstream Gigabit Launches in North Georgia, Price Will Be $59.99
Windstream gigabit service is now available in 15 north Georgia communities, the carrier said today. In an email to Telecompetitor, a Windstream spokesperson said the company will announce new pricing at the end of the month, at which time gigabit service will be available for $59.99. A few weeks ago, Windstream said it had completed...Learn More
Partners in Broadband Project Recognizes Growing Utility, Electric Co-Op Entrance into Broadband
Several organizations representing or serving rural telco and electric/utility providers have launched a campaign aimed at facilitating rural broadband deployment partnerships between telcos, municipals and electrics/utilities in unserved or underserved communities. The campaign, dubbed Partners in Broadband, comes from NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association and several key rural broadband supplier organizations, including National Information...Learn More
Colorado Broadband Policy Targets Unserved Rural Areas
Some states, including Colorado, are not relying solely on federal programs to help bring broadband to unserved rural areas. Telecompetitor recently interviewed Tony Neal-Graves, associate director of the Colorado Broadband Office, about Colorado broadband policy and about the $2.1 million in grant funding that will be made available to network operators for broadband policy. The...Learn More
