There is a way around the notoriously sluggish internet in West Virginia. You just need a car and some time. Kelly Povroznik can tell you, when she happens to get a good signal. She teaches an online college course so hampered by unreliable connections that she has had to drive a half-hour to her brother’s […]
Broadband
In a First for NH, Town Pays to Get Fiber Broadband for All
Since the days when 1,200 baud modems were called “fast,” New Hampshire has been lamenting how hard it is to get good online service outside of cities. Chesterfield, a small town on the Connecticut River west of Keene, might have found the way to finally make it happen. Chesterfield is the first town to take […]
Consolidated Communications Launches 1 GigaBit Broadband Services in NY
Consolidated Communications has launched 1 GigaBit broadband services in the New York area over a Fiber-To-The-Premises (FTTP) technology. This will exponentially increase broadband speeds and on-demand features for both residents and businesses. “We are excited to offer residents and businesses in our rural New York service areas an incredible Internet experience through our 1 Gig […]
Vermont House Overwhelmingly Approves Community Broadband
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The Vermont House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved a bill designed to help rural communities get access to the internet. The legislation aims to bring broadband internet to around 17,000 Vermont residents who lack basic internet access outside of dial-up. Vermont Public Radio reports about 50,000 other residents have internet access […]
FTC Seeks Info From Broadband Providers About Privacy Practices
The Federal Trade Commission has ordered seven broadband providers to hand over information about the companies’ respective privacy practices related to consumers and their devices. Companies that received the order, issued Tuesday, include AT&T, Comcast, Google Fiber, T-Mobile, and Verizon. The agency, which has greater oversight over ISPs following the 2017 overturn of net […]
Maine Picks New Director to Lead Broadband Push
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine has named a new executive director to lead efforts to expand broadband across the rural state. Department of Economic and Community Development commissioner Heather Johnson has named former small business advocate Peggy Schaffer to lead the ConnectME Authority. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has pledged to expand broadband access and stimulate […]
Charter Starts Crediting $62.5M to Spectrum Customers as Part of NY AG Settlement
Charter Communications on Tuesday started issuing credits to Spectrum internet customers in New York as part of a $174.2 million consumer fraud settlement reached in December with the state Attorney General. Under the agreement, made with former New York AG Barbara Underwood, Charter is doling out $62.5 million in direct bill credits and providing 2.2 […]
Virginia Electric Utilities Wiring Rural Areas for Broadband
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — If you want internet service in the rural hamlet of Honaker, in far Southwest Virginia, Cable Plus is the only game in town. With internet speeds of 3 megabits per second, customers can go online to check their email, surf social media and watch low-quality videos from streaming services, but not […]
Windstream Expanding Internet Access in Rural Nebraska with USF Support
Windstream, currently under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, announced plans to expand internet access to 13 local exchanges in rural Nebraska, while utilizing about $2.2 million in support from the state’s Universal Service Fund. Awarded by the Nebraska Public Service Commission, the USF funds, along with more than $590,000 in capital from Windstream, will bring faster […]
Industry Groups Urge ‘Light-touch’ Framework, as Dems Introduce Net Neutrality Legislation
Democratic Congressional leaders on Wednesday announced a bill to reinstate net neutrality regulations aimed at internet service providers that were put in place in 2015 and later repealed in 2017 by the FCC. Under the FCC’s 2017 Restoring Internet Freedom Order, ISPs like AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast were reclassified as non-common carriers and no longer […]
