Google's been eyeing the upcoming auction for the 700MHz spectrum and involving itself heavily in the public debate over broadband. It seems their intent with the spectrum is to become a wholesaler of wireless access across the nation, letting companies bid against each other for the right to use the… Continue reading
Six years ago, a new housing development in Loudoun, VA decided to build an FTTH network as a part of their neighborhood of luxury homes. Today, they're regretting every bit of that decision. Where they went wrong was signing a 75-year contract with a no-name company that has done a… Continue reading
Qwest has heavily marketed the idea of locking in the rate for pay for their DSL service, but you're left wondering if it's really that good of a deal. An in-depth look reveals that they can revoke that discounted price if you change speeds, move, change your service provider or… Continue reading
Our bandwidth-hungry days are far from over. With spiraling gas prices hitting most of the country, many workers are turning to telecommuting to get the job done. Pair that up with the financial benefits of telecommuting (especially with new tax incentives from Congress) and we're likely to see that trend… Continue reading
Though the threat stemming from last year's loan never materialized, there's concern that Qwest could sue Provo over the proposed loan of $1M to cover bond expenses. It all depends on where the proposed $1M loan comes from. If it's another loan from the city's electric department, it would likely… Continue reading
In what's bound to start a wave of "me too" from the industry as a whole, Charter Communications has obtained a waiver from the FCC to get an extra year to comply with open access rules for set-top boxes. The rules require cable providers to comply with the CableCARD standard… Continue reading
In a move stunning only in its audacity, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) has demanded that the FCC be gutted and almost all cable regulation be done away with. Among the things they want killed are network neutrality, must-carry rules (which require a basic package) and a la… Continue reading
The market for high-speed Internet is about to get a lot more crowded. DirecTV is looking at forming partnerships with power companies to deploy broadband over power lines (BPL) to its customers. Considering the sky-high latency of pure satellite connections, I can see how they’d be eager to get in… Continue reading
A new survey of customer satisfaction by the American Consumer Satisfaction Index shows that while satellite providers top the list for TV service, the industry as a whole stinks. Cable and satellite providers scored the lowest amongst all industries covered by the ACSI including incumbent phone companies. (There isn't much… Continue reading
City Council Chairman George Stewart is going head-to-head with Mayor Lewis Billings over a proposed million-dollar loan from the city to pay down iProvo's bond debt. While the current subscriber base makes enough to pay operating costs and sustain the network, current revenues don't quite cover the payments on the… Continue reading