On Friday, I wrote a harsh, quick response to FCC Chairman’s Genachowski’s so-called gigabit challenge announced in a guest column on Forbes. Since then, I have learned more about the 1 Gbps Challenge and I have to reiterate my frustration with it. We need the Chairman to reduce barriers to community-owned networks, not just recognize their … Read More
The next time you hear someone claiming that the broadband market in the U.S. has plenty of competition, remember this statement from Comcast CEO Brian Roberts. And so each of the last two years, we have had modest increases in the cost of the broadband service, and yet we’ve had tremendous sales. We’re 33%, 31% penetrated. … Read More
In a column published today, Chairman Genachowski explains why the U.S. Needs ‘Gigabit Communities.’ It starts off with an accurate observation… Walking the floor of the Consumer Electronics Show last week, I kept thinking of that line from Jaws, “You’re going to need a bigger boat.” All the Internet-connected, data-hungry gadgets that are coming to market … Read More
Susan Crawford, author of the just-released Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Gilded Age, is our guest for the 29th episode of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast. A former adviser to President Obama, she has been a leading figure in the struggle to preserve an open Internet. Susan has long been … Read More
I quickly read the just-released Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Gilded Age, and came away quite excited by Susan Crawford’s new book. Susan Crawford has been supportive of community owned networks and a loud voice against the poor policies that have allowed a few massive cable and telephone companies to … Read More
From the “A Pox on Both Your Houses” files, Verizon is squaring off against greedy landlords in New York City as it tries to fix lines damaged by Superstorm Sandy. In short, Verizon needs access to the common areas of the multi-dwelling units (MDU or industry-speak for apartments) to fix or upgrade the lines. Verizon is … Read More
If we want to protect the open Internet and expand access to fast, affordable, and reliable connections, we need to organize. There are few better ways to organize or get inspired than in-person events with great speakers and time to chat with others. I will be at both Freedom to Connect and the National Conference for … Read More
If you think the United States cannot afford to take a fiber optic cable to just about every home in the country, you might be surprised to find out that we have already paid for it. We just haven’t received it. Our first podcast guest in 2013, Bruce Kushnick of the New Networks Institute, explains the … Read More
When the North Carolina General Assembly passed a bill written by the cable and telephone industry (with help from ALEC), they probably didn’t expect AT&T to turn around and slash its local workforce. And yet, that is what AT&T has done: “Hey North Carolina, thanks for that monopoly, hope you don’t mind if we move a … Read More
