This article is so good, it was hard not to quote the whole thing. Do yourself a favor and check out the article for yourself– this is exactly why we can’t trust big cable and telephone companies to serve our communities.
New Homeowner Has To Sell House Because Of Comcast’s Incompetence, Lack Of Competition by Chris Morran at the Consumerist:
Only months after moving into his new home in Washington state, Consumerist reader Seth is already looking to sell his house. He didn’t lose his job or discover that the property is haunted. No, Seth can’t stay much longer because no one can provide broadband service to his address; even though Comcast and CenturyLink both misled him into thinking he’d be connected to their networks and in spite of the fact that his county runs a high-speed fiberoptic network that goes very near to his property.
New homeowner selling house because he can’t get Comcast Internet:
“I accidentally bought a house without cable,” writes man who works at home.
by Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica
While Comcast, the country’s biggest cable company, tells the federal government it faces so much competition that it should be allowed to merge with the second biggest cable operator, a government database designed to tell consumers what options they have for Internet service is offering inaccurate information.
The National Broadband Map lets you enter any address in the US to find out what Internet access options are available. The database shows 10 options at Seth’s house, including mobile and satellite, but they’re all either inadequate for home Internet service or unavailable.
Google Fiber will leave the duopoly intact and only change the players
by Jesse Harris, Free UTOPIA
TN AG Appeals FCC Decision on Chattanooga, Wilson
(no surprises here)
Tenn. AG Wants Court to Set Aside Municipal Broadband Ruling
by Erik Schelzig, Associated Press
Tennessee fights for its right to squash municipal broadband expansion: FCC faces first lawsuit over vote to preempt state laws that limit competition.
by Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica
Tenn. Attorney General VS. FCC
by NewsChannel 9- WTVC
Tennessee trying to overturn FCC ruling which allows EPB to expand high-speed Internet
by Andy Sher, Times Free Press
Tennessee sues FCC to stop expansion of municipal broadband
by Chris Welch, The Verge
TN v FCC – Petition for Review from TN Attorney General Herbert Slatery
Full Document: Scribd
Net Neutrality
Internet providers sue FCC in first net neutrality cases
By Andrew Zajac and Todd Shields, Bloomberg News
The filings of both US-Telecom and Alamo acknowledge that their complaints were filed quickly, and possibly too early, because of uncertainty about procedural deadlines.
“We believe that the petitions for review filed today are premature and subject to dismissal,” said Mark Wigfield, an FCC spokesman.
The FCC said its rules would take effect after being published in the Federal Register, which hasn’t happened yet.
Republicans Blast FCC’s ‘Politically Motivated’ Net Neutrality Rules
by Wendy Davis, Media Post
AT&T Uses Title II regulation to get out of millions in fees
by Jeff Gamet, Mac Observer
Alabama
Gigabit internet service officially launched on areas of Sand Mountain
by Laura Christmas, WHNT News
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative introduced an internet connection that company leaders say has the fastest speeds in the state — gigabit access — and they’re making it available on parts of Sand Mountain.
Officials say the ultra-fast internet service is the first in Alabama.
Note from ILSR: Opelika, Alabama, was the first to launch the service in the state, but we congratulate Farmers Telecomunications Cooperative for an impressive investment nonetheless.
If a Tiny Telco in NE Alabama Can Go All Fiber, Why Can’t Every Telco?
by Online Reporter
Like others that have deployed all fiber, Johnson said the gigabit service “can transform our communities through advanced learning tools, new entertainment options and telemedicine.” Like many others, he also said its all-fiber network “future proofs our investment for whatever emerging applications our increasingly device-enabled subscribers demand.”
Rainsville company launches new high speed internet service
by Tim Reid, WAAY-TV
New Hampshire
Northampton should explore additional Internet choices
by John Kapitzky, GazetteNet
New York
Municipal broadband would boost Erie County’s economy, advocates claim
By Brian Meyer, WBFO, BUffalo
Tennessee
AT&T opposes municipal broadband bill
by Jamie McGee, The Tennessean
Bowling said she understands that connecting Tennesseans in low-density areas is a challenge for privately owned companies. But their profit margin concerns should not prevent municipalities with high-speed fiber networks from connecting residents. The original legislation restricting municipalities’ broadband reach was filed in 1999, giving the corporate sector 16 years to reach those rural communities asking for fiber connection from municipalities, she said.
“We’ve got to get this essential utility if we want to make rural Tennessee economically viable and sustainable,” she said. “It’s absurd to think that you can compete in the 21st century without high-speed broadband.”
AT&T Completes Upgrades Amid Municipal Broadband Debate
by News Channel 9, WTVC
The expansion in Tennessee comes amid a legislative and legal fight over municipal broadband. AT&T opposes pending legislation seeking to allow city-owned Internet providers from offering their product outside their normal service area.
More Broadband News
FACT SHEET: Next Steps in Delivering Fast, Affordable Broadband
by White House Office of the Press Secretary
Data Overload! The Latest Developments in Telecom Policy Matter for Apartments
by Betsy Feigin Befus, Multi-Housing News
Apartment firms say residents and prospects will not sign a lease, or renew one, without access to robust broadband. Not only is reliable Internet access a must, residents want a choice in providers.
Corporate and community operations also hinge on dependable Internet service. From online marketing and leasing to revenue management software and on-site amenities, the apartment industry needs high-capacity connectivity
U.S. Now 27th Globally With Average Speed of 33.9 Mbps
by Karl Bode, DSLReports
While cable operators have been relatively busy upgrading networks, their DSL competitors have not. In fact, companies like AT&T and Verizon have been busy backing away from markets they don’t deem worth upgrading, giving cable less serious competition than ever before. So while higher speeds are great, less serious competition means higher prices and worse customer service. And when it comes to companies like Time Warner Cable and Comcast, they already offer the worst customer service across any industry. Fast is great — we all love fast connections — but it’s increasingly only a part of the conversation in an industry that often doesn’t really want to seriously talk about price or availability.
Map: The state of broadband in the states
By Niraj Chokshi, Washington Post
“Many of the efforts to increase connection speeds are being taken at a local/municipal level and may not have an immediate state-wide impact upon completion, but are part of ongoing initiatives that are becoming more widespread across the country,” the company noted.
Throughout the fourth quarter a number of municipalities announced the rollout of gigabit-speed Internet, including those in Arizona, California, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire and Oregon.
USDA Announces Funding for Broadband Projects in Arkansas, Iowa and New Mexico
Unions Try To Pressure Verizon Into Expanding FiOS
by Karl Bode, DSL Reports
Obviously impacted by Verizon’s decision to back away from its fixed-line networks, the Communications Workers of America have launched a new “Where’s My FiOS? campaign aimed at putting public pressure on Verizon to expand FiOS further — and therefore spend a little more money on installations and union employees.
“When it received its franchise from New York City in 2008, Verizon promised FiOS would be available to every NYC resident by 2014,” a union flyer being circulated in the city complains. “Now the company says it’s completed its obligations. But customers in many parts of New York City still can’t get FiOS. Instead, Verizon has cut 8500 jobs in New York State and slashed its workforce in New York City by 37% over the last decade.”