Joel Leighton

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Reporter at Broadband Breakfast

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Articles

Advice from Midwest State Broadband Heads on BEAD

Aug 8, 2024 | broadbandbreakfast.com | Joel Leighton |Drew Clark

DENVER, August 8, 2024 – State broadband directors from the the midwest shared updates on their Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program rollouts, and discussed efforts to prevent provider defaults at a Tuesday Mountain Connect panel. Ohio state is still working through its Volume 2 proposal because of a disagreement over its “one dollar provision.” The provision would allow entities to bid a dollar for locations in the first round.
State Broadband Directors Share Advice on Speeding up BEAD

Aug 8, 2024 | broadbandbreakfast.com | Joel Leighton |Drew Clark

DENVER, August 8, 2024 – State broadband office directors shared how they adapted to challenges posed by the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. The directors from six different states appeared during a Tuesday Mountain Connect plenary panel here to talk strategy. The BEAD program, which is to provide $42.5 billion for broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved communities, has received criticism from some for delays in its rollout.
Former FCC Chairman Urges County-Level BEAD Project Areas

Aug 7, 2024 | broadbandbreakfast.com | Joel Leighton |Drew Clark

DENVER, August 7, 2024 – Former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai and his private equity firm, now involved in the largest federal broadband program, has advised states to create grant funding areas based on large geographic unit, like counties.
Final BEAD Proposals Will Be Quicker, NTIA Deputy Says

Aug 7, 2024 | broadbandbreakfast.com | Joel Leighton |Drew Clark

DENVER, August 7, 2024 – The approval process for final proposals under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program will be much more streamlined than the process for initial proposals. That was the message of Evan Feinman, deputy associate administrator for BEAD at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, during his appearance at the broadband conference Mountain Connect here on Wednesday.
SpaceX in Talks with NTIA to Deploy Starlink for BEAD

Aug 6, 2024 | broadbandbreakfast.com | Joel Leighton |Drew Clark

DENVER, August 6, 2024 – SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell has reservations about including the company’s Starlink internet service in the fiber-focused Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, but is talking with the U.S. Commerce Department about doing so anyway. So said Shotwell, the brains and muscle behind Elon Musk’s SpaceX, speaking here in a Tuesday Fireside Chat at the broadband conference Mountain Connect.
Panelists Disagree Over FCC's Junk Fee Approach

Aug 5, 2024 | broadbandbreakfast.com | Joel Leighton

WASHINGTON, August 5, 2024 - Expert panelists disagreed on the Federal Communications Commission's approach in tackling Junk Fees during last Wednesday's Broadband Breakfast Live Online webcast. Since President Biden’s Executive Order to address junk fees, the FCC has proposed several measures to tackle the issue in the telecom sector.
Advocacy Groups Support Rosenworcel’s Bulk Billing Ban

Aug 1, 2024 | broadbandbreakfast.com | Joel Leighton

WASHINGTON, August 1, 2024 – More than 30 advocacy groups have come together to voice their support for FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel's controversial plan to ban bulk billing in apartment buildings and other multiple dwelling facilities. Rosenworcel wants to allow tenants to opt out of bulk billing contracts for internet and other communications, saying it would promote choice and competition. But bulk billing defenders insist that the ability to opt-out would destroy the business model.
Altice USA Lost 51,000 Broadband Subs in Q2

Aug 1, 2024 | broadbandbreakfast.com | Joel Leighton

WASHINGTON, August 1, 2024 – Altice USA today reported that it lost 51,000 broadband subscribers in this year's second quarter, the third major cable Internet Service Provider since last week to report a customer decline. New York-based Altice pinned the loss in part of the expiration of the Affordable Connectivity Program. The ACP, a federal internet subsidy program for 23 million low-income households, ran out of full funding on May 31.
Congressional Review Act Not a 2025 Option for Net Neutrality, Religious Broadcasters Say

Jul 31, 2024 | broadbandbreakfast.com | Joel Leighton

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2024 – Because of bad timing, a federal law that Congress may use to overturn agency regulations won't be available early next year in case a Republican-controlled Congress wanted to nullify Net Neutrality rules adopted in April.
T-Mobile's Fixed Wireless Internet Continues to Add Customers

Jul 31, 2024 | broadbandbreakfast.com | Joel Leighton

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2024 – T-Mobile’s quarterly earnings report today showed that the mobile industry remained competitive with cable companies and other landline providers in the high-speed internet access market. In its 2024 second quarter earnings report, T-Mobile revealed an increase of 406,000 net high speed internet customers over its fixed wireless access service, bringing the total to 5.6 million.