The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced this week that it will block wireless technology services from the Virginia company LightSquared because of the interference it caused with Global Positioning System (GPS) signals. The move comes after a Commerce Department report found that there is “no practical way to mitigate the potential interference at this time.”
Google is joining a coalition of companies, communities and activists encouraging Georgia state Senators to vote against a bill that would effectively limit municipal broadband in the state. The was introduced by a Republican lawmaker who claims that government networks unfairly compete with private providers.
Some Georgia lawmakers are taking a page from North Carolina’s playbook in order to limit municipal broadband projects in the state. Georgia Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers is sponsoring a bill that he says is designed to keep government from unfairly competing against incumbent broadband providers. The bill makes the same kinds of arguments included [...]
Congress may be moving forward on the public safety broadband network, but some Governors say that there isn’t enough involvement from state officials – the primary users of the proposed network. Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) and Wyoming Gov. Matthew Mead (R), co-chairmen of the homeland security committee of the National Governors Association (NGA), have [...]
Rural broadband networks are moving forward in South Dakota and Alaska. Last week, South Dakota asked rural residents to complete usage surveys about how they use the internet and what services they would like to see. General Communications Inc. just finished an expansion in Southwest Alaska that would bring internet access to the region for [...]
Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin set an ambitious goal for his state – 100% broadband coverage by 2013. The state is close to meeting that goal with over 90% wired for access. Now, officials are allocating capital and resources to improve mobile and wireless access points statewide.
Maine and Massachusetts are moving forward on broadband. Minnesota’s broadband task for released its first report last week which shows that co-ops are helping the state expand rural broadband. Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI), a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, has selected Lightower to provide a diverse network solution as part of its MassBroadband 123 [...]
Oregon is facing more hurdles in its broadband expansion. Clackamas County, won a $7.8 million grant for its broadband expansion project designed to bring anchor institutions in the area online. However, because due to franchise fees, one of the larger city centers in the area may not be included in the network.
California and Ohio are making broadband news. California has been approved for just under $900,000 in broadband planning funds for the next three years. Ohio’s broadband project is being held up by a lack of fiber. The hold up comes as the results of moves at the federal level to more strictly monitor and approve [...]
The federal government has approved West Virginia’s plan to get their statewide broadband plan back on track. The $126.3 million project has been delayed since early this year with state officials and private sector contractors blaming everything from the Washington D.C. earthquake to the tsunami in Japan as reasons for the lack of progress. The [...]
