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News Policy
The news articles listed here represent a sampling of items found on the internet in recent weeks that either reference telecom and broadband issues in general, or Vermont telecom and broadband issues in particular.

The ideas presented in these articles do not necessarily represent the opinion of the VTA, or its Board members. We present them here to help our Board members and you keep current with news about the industry.

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News

January

Welch appointed to Energy committee
U.S. Rep. Peter Welch will start his second term in Washington, D.C., this month as a new member of the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Welch, who was sworn into office for his sophomore term in the U.S. House Tuesday afternoon, was appointed to the influential committee that same day by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. The move puts Welch front and center on a committee that oversees new legislation on energy policy, health care, telecommunications, the environment and trade. The committee also has jurisdiction over five Cabinet-level departments and seven other agencies. "This committee has the broadest jurisdiction in Congress," Welch said during a phone interview Tuesday morning. "It covers a vast range of issues important to Vermonters, including health care, global warming, constructing a 21st Century energy policy and establishing universal broadband."
Rutland Herald , January 06, 2009

AT&T, Verizon facing 2009 slowdown
Both companies beat the market in the dismal closing months of 2008, but a reality check is needed heading into next year, research firm say. The deteriorating economy has US telecom stalwarts AT&T and Verizon looking at a much-tougher-than-expected 2009, with reduced growth in all segments, including fewer wireless net adds and weakness in enterprise sales, two areas that had been growing solidly, according to influential Bernstein Research analyst Craig Moffett. In a reconsideration of the telecom sector released this morning, Moffett detailed a "bottom-up reassessment" of his 2009 forecasts, resulting in "sharply cut" expectations for the new year. While not a surprise given current economic conditions, they follow relatively strong stretches for both companies, making it necessary to temper expectations AT&T and Verizon could withstand tough times and represent a defensive stock play. "We believe the telco stocks have come too far, too fast," Moffett wrote.
Telephony Online , January 06, 2009

FCC Chairman Martin dictates his legacy
In a scoop for Broadcasting & Cable, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin Martin defends his record, Dick Cheney-style. As a counterpoint, one purple pundit blasts the outgoing Martin in his blog The outgoing chairman is described as "adamant, even defiant" in his actions to pressure cable companies to unbundle programming and control pricing, but also fesses up that the FCC couldn't figure out if cable has reached a concentration level high enough to require regulation for programming access.
FierceTelecom.com , January 06, 2009

Can government investments in Internet and wireless communications technology ignite a new wave of job growth?
.....A new report from the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, to be released on Jan. 7, suggests that government fiscal stimulus, directed toward improving the broadband infrastructure, can go a long way toward boosting communications-related jobs. According to the report from the ITIF, a nonpartisan think tank, "a stimulus package that spurs or supports $10 billion of investment in one year in broadband networks will support approximately 510,000 new U.S. jobs for a year."
BusinessWeek , January 06, 2009

Innovation should mean more jobs
Creating new jobs is a good way to get America's economy moving again. That's not the controversial part of President-elect Barack Obama's economic stimulus plans. As usual, the devil is in the details. And innovation advocates fear that if the devil runs amok, a short-sighted emphasis on jobs over long-term productivity may bog down the economic recovery. The problem, as they see it, is a centuries-old misconception that innovation is synonymous with automation, which in turn leads to the elimination of jobs.
New York Times , January 05, 2009

Doctors Will Make Web Calls in Hawaii
American Well, a Web service that puts patients face-to-face with doctors online, will be introduced in Hawaii on Jan 15. Its first customer, Hawaii Medical Service Association, the state´s Blue Cross-Blue Shield licensee, will make the Internet version of the house call available to everyone in the state, the company said. The service is for people who seek easier access to physicians because they are uninsured or do not want to wait for an appointment or spend time driving to a clinic
NY TImes , January 05, 2009

Decision time for Unicel customers
In the wake of AT&T Corp.´s acquisition of Unicel, the tens of thousands of Vermonters with a Unicel plan have one year to decide what to do. AT&T ended up with Unicel´s Vermont network after federal regulators determined Verizon Wireless´ $2.67 billion buyout of Unicel would give Verizon Wireless too much control of the cell phone market in the state. For the deal to proceed, Verizon Wireless was ordered to shed Unicel operations in Vermont, part of upstate New York and a small portion of Washington state. Unicel was operated by Rural Cellular Corp. in 15 states. AT&T inherited 168,000 customers from Unicel in the deal, "the lion´s share" of which are in Vermont, MacKinnon said. She declined to disclose the specific number.
Burlington Free Press , January 04, 2009

U.S. Cellular Enhances E-911 Service in Vermont
TeleCommunication Systems, Inc., a leading provider of wireless location and messaging software and services, announced that it has partnered with U.S. Cellular (AMEX: USM) to successfully deploy the first statewide wireless E-911 location service throughout Vermont. This service will enable Vermont Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), which answer wireless 911 calls, to receive the cell site location and 10-digit callback number for U.S. Cellular customers. Under the agreement, TCS will provide the backbone wireless location technology and service components via its Xypoint(R) Location Platform. This technology platform uniquely integrates location, presence, and privacy technologies into one technical solution, thereby enabling U.S. Cellular to ensure the safety and security of its customers, as well as meet its Phase I and II regulatory obligations under the FCC's E9-1-1 order.
BNET , January 02, 2009

December

Martin drops porn filtering from FCC free wireless broadband plan
Kevin Martin, the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission, called Ars Technica today to let us know that he has revised his proposal to roll out a free (and smut-free) wireless broadband service. In an effort to corral more votes, Martin has already circulated a new version of the plan, one that removes the controversial smut filtering requirement. Why the change? "I'm saying if this is a problem for people, let's take it away," Martin said. "A lot of public interest advocates have said they would support this, but we're concerned about the filter. Well, now there's an item in front of the Commissioners and it no longer has the filter. And I've already voted for it without the filter now. So it's already got one vote."
Arstechnica , December 31, 2008

2009: The Year of the Ecosystem?
This year began and will end with eco-centric issues in the spotlight. As we moved in to 2008, eco-friendly efforts remained center stage...By ecosystems, we mean collaborations or partnerships involving telcos (or other network owners) and third-party application developers. The idea, of course, is to enable telcos to move away from the margin-shrinking business model of selling plain-old-transport and toward a paradigm that has them offering not only various qualities of bandwidth, but also the security, digital rights management, transcoding and settlement to go along with them.
xChange Magazine , December 31, 2008

Level 3 Hopes Buybacks, Other Help, Prevent Bankruptcy
If you´re signed up for Level 3 Communications Inc.´s financial alerts, you´ll have noticed in the past week a lot of activity targeted toward investors. Turns out, the unprofitable carrier – unprofitable to the tune of $6 billion in debt – is looking to shareholders and stock buybacks to help it get through the recession. It just raised $400 million from investors. But as part of that deal, the...company had to buy back some of its 2010 debt for 62 cents, up to 70 cents, on the dollar. This week, it just barely met those requirements. Level 3 also extended a third offer to buy back 2009 debt for another week. The Rocky Mountain News reports analysts see the financial maneuvering as efforts to stave off near-term bankruptcy even as Level 3 tries to cut costs through layoffs and other means.
xChange Magazine , December 31, 2008

Federal Broadband Money Should Go To States
The carriers and cablecos are hard at work trying to influence the broadband portion of the Obama stimulus package according to an article by Amol Sharma in today's Wall Street Journal. That's no surprise, of course, and their lobbyists are just doing what they're paid to do. But it would be a terrible mistake to have any of this money strengthen the duopoly whose uncompetitive nature has resulted in the US slipping from fourth to fifteenth place in broadband deployment since 2001. The money should be given to the states with a requirement for state matching funds to assure that the states only spend federal dollars where they are willing to put some of their own very limited money.
Fractals of Change , December 30, 2008

Internet Providers Move to Shape Broadband Push
President-elect Barack Obama's call to improve the nation's broadband infrastructure has cable and phone company lobbyists maneuvering to get a leg up. Lawmakers in Congress want a plan that will create jobs over the next two to three years while also tackling the longer-term goal of improving the availability and quality of high-speed Web access in the U.S. The U.S. has slipped to 15th from fourth place since 2001 in broadband penetration, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Advocates say broadband deployment is critical to the competitiveness of the U.S. economy. Among the issues are what speed Congress should define as broadband and whether government money should be funneled only to areas that have no broadband access, or if it should also subsidize upgrades to existing networks.
Wall Street Journal , December 30, 2008

Internet Use Grows at Meetings, as Do Challenges
Until recently, travelers attending conferences or trade shows had simple Internet needs. They would check e-mail messages and maybe look up information on the Web or connect to the home office. Now, meetings are likely to include streaming video and online interaction. And back in their rooms, travelers are downloading movies and logging onto peer-to-peer networks. Event organizers and hotels and conference centers are struggling to keep up and prevent Internet gridlock. "We´ve known for a long time that bandwidth was going to be an issue in hotels," said Don O´Neal, a hotel technology consultant. Erika Powell, a meeting planner for Global Knowledge, a company that provides software training to corporate clients, said she was recently forced to move an event because the hotel´s Internet connection could not keep up with her group´s demands.
New York Times , December 30, 2008

Internet Providers Move to Shape Broadband Push
President-elect Barack Obama's call to improve the nation's broadband infrastructure has cable and phone company lobbyists maneuvering to get a leg up. Lawmakers in Congress want a plan that will create jobs over the next two to three years while also tackling the longer-term goal of improving the availability and quality of high-speed Web access in the U.S...Among the issues are what speed Congress should define as broadband and whether government money should be funneled only to areas that have no broadband access, or if it should also subsidize upgrades to existing networks.
Wall Street Journal , December 30, 2008

Virgin Media ups broadband access ante to 50 Mbps
UK carrier Virgin Media....has launched a 50 Mbps broadband access service, the fastest to date in the UK. That speed breakthrough is enabled by EuroDOCSIS 3.0 cable technology, which is just starting to be deployed in Europe, and is capable of rates beyond those of ADSL+ and/or VDSL. According to CEO Neil Berkett, the channel-bonding technology, so far only applied to downstream traffic, can also be used to broaden upstream capacity up to overall speeds of 200 Mbps.
Telecommagazine , December 29, 2008

iPhone cell service available in Vt. next month
Vermonters waiting for the iPhone won't have to wait much longer. AT&T announced Monday it has completed its acquisition of Unicel's Vermont network and will roll out its new products and calling plans next month and in the process add 75 jobs as AT&T expands staffing at the former Unicel stores. "The former Unicel stores in Vermont will start transitioning to AT&T mid-January," AT&T Mobility spokeswoman Kate MacKinnon said. She said it means "Unicel customers can take advantage of AT&T calling plans and exclusive devices like the Apple iPhone, the Blackberry Bold." AT&T expects to complete re-branding the 10 former Unicel stores by the end of February.
Rutland Herald , December 28, 2008

Femtocells: Still late ’09 or 2010 before market grows
Research indicates that 2010 will be the year that femtocell technology will boom, and the major carriers are positioning themselves to take advantage by selling a product that boosts wireless signals in homes and offices that have spotty coverage...Now, Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility have plans to enter the femtocell market with launches in some markets next year. Officials from the nation´s two largest carriers said testing is under way.
RCR Wireless , December 28, 2008

Rural groups want FCC to reinstate spectrum cap at 110 MHz below 2.3 GHz band
Resurrection of the spectrum cap could prove tricky for the Federal Communications Commission next year when Democrats seize control of the agency, given President-elect Barack Obama´s call for expanded broadband deployment in a market dominated by telephone and cable TV giants and the promise of wireless technology to bring high-speed Internet access via cellphones, laptops and other devices to a highly mobile society that increasingly demands instant access to information...
RCR Wireless , December 28, 2008

FairPoint ready for final switch from Verizon
FairPoint Communication is cutting the cord to the Verizon telephone network next month and with it 1.5 million landlines in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. The company is notifying phone and Internet customers by mail that it will cut over from the existing Verizon network to its own network Jan. 31. FairPoint spokeswoman Beth Fastiggi said Friday that Internet customers will keep their existing user names and passwords but will use a different domain: myfairpoint.net. Starting Jan. 31, users of e-mail software applications like Microsoft Outlook can begin adjusting their e-mail settings. The process can be automated by visiting www.activate.MyFairPoint.net/emailupdate and following the instructions. Users can also update their settings manually.
Rutland Herald , December 27, 2008

Why LTE Vs. WiMax Isn't Your Typical Standards Battle
Since both Verizon Wireless and AT&T have publicly shunned WiMax in favor of a cellular technology called Long Term Evolution, or LTE, the competitive clash is set as these fourth-generation offerings come to market. Their emergence, which once seemed safely several years off, is now around the corner. And with mobility at the center of change in business computing, CIOs should equip themselves with a clear sense of the rivalry that lies ahead between LTE and WiMax. Unlike other VHS/Betamax-type standards battles, the one for wireless data supremacy in the United States might not be a zero-sum game, given the widely divergent technology qualities, regional spectrum positions, and go-to-market plans of the various providers. Still, everyone loves a horse race.
Information Week , December 27, 2008

Clearwire and Sprint Nextel close the deal
Clearwire Corporation and Sprint Nextel Corporation announced today that they have completed the transaction to combine their next-generation wireless Internet businesses. With the closing, Sprint contributed all of its 2.5 GHz spectrum and its WiMAX-related assets, including its XOHM business, to Clearwire. In addition, Clearwire has received a $3.2 billion cash investment from Comcast, Intel, Time Warner Cable, Google and Bright House Networks. The transaction with Sprint and the new cash investment were completed on the terms originally announced on May 7, 2008. The new company retains the name Clearwire and remains headquartered in Kirkland, Washington.
MobilTechNews , December 24, 2008

Should the U.S. Spend $44 Billion on Broadband Infrastructure?
President-elect Barack Obama will have his hands full trying to get the economy back on track once he officially takes office next month, and if the media reform group Free Press has any say in the matter, a major investment in the nation's broadband infrastructure should be high on the list. In a 30-page reported titled "Down Payment on Our Digital Future: Stimulus Policies for the 21st-Century Economy", the Free Press proposes spending $44 billion in broadband stimulus funds over the next three years. The vast amount of funds would be used to build next-generation broadband networks, connecting rural areas without broadband service, making high speed connections more affordable, providing PCs and training to low income users, promoting children's access to technology at school and at home, and ensuring clear standards of quality, affordability, and competition.
MaximumPC , December 24, 2008

Public safety group urges $15B broadband investment
President-elect Barack Obama should allocate $15 billion for a nationwide wireless broadband network, according to a federally designated organization that holds a license to create such a network for public safety. The Public Safety Spectrum Trust wants Obama to include funding for a network that commercial users and first responders would share in an upcoming economic stimulus package, according to a Dec. 19 letter from Harlin McEwen, chairman of the corporation, which represents 15 national public safety groups. "This would be a win-win-win decision by the president-elect and the Congress because it would create jobs," which is the main goal of the package, McEwen said in a news release today. "It would bring wireless broadband Internet access to the public that doesn´t have it, and it would result in a nationwide 700 MHz public safety wireless broadband network."
FCW.com , December 23, 2008

AT&T cell service, iPhone coming in January
Vermonters waiting for the iPhone won't have to wait much longer. AT&T announced Monday it has completed its acquisition of Unicel's Vermont network and will roll out its new products and calling plans next month and in the process add 75 jobs as AT&T expands staffing at the former Unicel stores. "The former Unicel stores in Vermont will start transitioning to AT&T mid-January," AT&T Mobility spokeswoman Kate MacKinnon said. She said it means "Unicel customers can take advantage of AT&T calling plans and exclusive devices like the Apple iPhone, the Blackberry Bold." AT&T expects to complete re-branding the 10 former Unicel stores by the end of February. Details are still being worked out, but MacKinnon said current Unicel customers will be able to keep their current calling plans for approximately a year.
Barre Times Argus , December 23, 2008

The Story of 2009 Will Be 3G
Amid a Smartphone Explosion, WiMAX, LTE Set to Square Off, But HSPA Is Here Now. Is the coming 4G smackdown between LTE and WiMAX the biggest development in wireless broadband? Probably not, but it´s getting a lot of press. The real story is how the 3G business model will change in 2009...
xChange Magazine , December 23, 2008

Expanded cell, broadband coverage needed
...Many rural areas in Vermont lack access to cellphone and broadband Internet service. This includes many communities in Bennington and Windham counties. On Thursday, December 18, Sears and state senate pro tem Peter Shumlin, of Windham County, held a public forum at the Grand Summit Hotel to discuss plans for hooking up the hard-to-reach communities.The forum attracted local officials, nonprofits, and private businesses from around the area. They agreed the longer they go without universal coverage, the more business the area loses. Shumlin said now is the time for the state to develop the necessary infrastructure....
Deerfield Valley News , December 23, 2008

AT&T to add cell phone options in Vt.
AT&T plans to add jobs and cell phone options for consumers as it completes the takeover of a major cell phone provider in Vermont. AT&T is acquiring the Vermont territory of Rural Cellular Corporation, which operates in Vermont as Unicel. The transaction means Vermont consumers will soon be able to use the latest cell phone technology, such as the Apple iPhone. AT&T spokeswoman Kate MacKinnon says the new services should be available in mid January. (MacKinnon) "And that's when iPhone and other products like the Blackberry Bold will be available to Unicel customers in Vermont." (Host) MacKinnon says customers shouldn't notice much difference as the Unicel network is folded into A T and T's system.
Vermont Public Radio , December 22, 2008

AT&T Mobility Hiring for Nearly 75 New Jobs in Vermont
AT&T Inc. today announced that AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets will add nearly 75 new jobs in Vermont as a result of its completed acquisition of the Vermont assets of Rural Cellular Communications, a provider of rural and suburban wireless communications services doing business in Vermont under the Unicel brand. The two companies have a long-standing roaming relationship, and AT&T Mobility is committed to a smooth transition for its customers and employees. Part of this transition includes additional staffing and network support in the state. Candidates interested in a career with AT&T Mobility are invited to apply online (http://www.att.jobs/). Positions include (but are not limited to) wireless sales and sales management.
SOA World , December 22, 2008

AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless Complete Wireless Asset Swap
AT&T Inc. today announced that AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets has finalized its swap of wireless assets with Verizon Wireless, following regulatory approval from the FCC and Department of Justice. Under the terms of the agreement, AT&T Mobility acquired some former Rural Cellular Corporation properties previously acquired by Verizon Wireless, including licenses, network assets and subscribers, in the Burlington, Vt. metropolitan service area and in rural service areas (RSAs) in New York (RSA-2), Vermont (RSA-1, RSA-2) and Washington (RSA-2, RSA-3). AT&T also acquired a cellular license from Verizon Wireless in portions of Kentucky RSA-6.
Market Watch , December 22, 2008

Qwest Cuts Internet Rates Across the Board
Qwest Communications..has cut prices across the board for its residential access offerings. Qwest cut its 1.5 mbps service Connect Silver with Windows Live from $29.99 per month to $14.99. Qwest Connect Platinum with Windows Live, which supports speeds of up to 7 mbps, has been cut from $36.99 to $24.99...Connect Titanium...which supports speeds of up to 12 mbps, now costs $46.99 and carries what Qwest calls a "Price for Life Guarantee." It applies to residential customers who don´t downgrade to another service or make other changes. And Qwest´s fastest Internet offering (20 mbps), Connect Quantum, has been cut from $99.99 to $59.99...
xChange Magazine , December 22, 2008

Telecommunications plan would provide coverage to Southern Vermont, create new jobs
...Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin, southern Vermont business leaders, and the Vermont Telecommunications Authority met Thursday at Mount Snow to discuss Vermont's telecommunications troubles and the VTA's plan to provide coverage to the entire state by 2010. "We can take this crisis and turn it into an opportunity," said Shumlin. "During the next economic boom, there will be more jobs and we can move with the technology. But we can't do it without a telecommunications plan."
Brattleboro Reformer , December 20, 2008

Can you hear me now? Cell service forum held
Legislators, business owners, state officials and townspeople discussed the quality of cell phone and broadband Internet coverage at a forum at Mount Snow on Thursday. State Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin, D-Windham, said the forum was created out of concern that the southern part of the state was being ignored.... 50 percent of the state lacks cell phone service, but added that 80 percent of the state's people have coverage. She said this is because most of the people living in Vermont live in concentrated areas. Evslin said, in order to provide service to those...
Bennington Banner , December 20, 2008

Mobile Market Expecting Decline In 2009
The mobile market will not be able to escape the looming global slowdown, and analysts said they expect sales to shrink next year. According to a poll conducted by Reuters, analysts predict global shipments will dip on average 6.6% next year. Despite the release of high-profile devices like the BlackBerry Storm, analysts see a 5.7% decline for the fourth quarter 2008. "A 5-10% decline is the best guess at the moment," Nordea analyst Martti Larjo told Reuters. "This can move either way: if the economy continues to go downward the number could be worse. But while growth is not impossible, it's unlikely."
Information Week , December 18, 2008

iPhone service in Vermont moves one step closer
The iPhone, the groundbreaking and heavily hyped cell phone available to most Americans since the summer of 2007, is one step -- and possibly days away -- from being available to Vermonters. AT&T Corp. -- which provides the cell phone services required to operate Apples' iPhone -- has been cleared by the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice to take control of Unicel's Vermont network, AT&T and the Vermont Attorney General's Office said Wednesday. Unicel is now owned by Verizon Wireless. "AT&T is pleased to have received FCC and DOJ approval to acquire Unicel's assets in Vermont, New York and Washington," said AT&T spokeswoman Kate MacKinnon. The rulings from the federal agencies were not immediately available.
Burlington Free Press , December 18, 2008

Broadband Stimulus Proposals Mushroom To $44B
Free Press, whose charter mandates "working to reform the media," has jumped on the broadband-stimulus bandwagon, calling on the government to spend $44 billion during the next three years to improve U.S. broadband connections. The Free Press proposal would be funded by taxpayer dollars that in part would be used to leverage far larger sums with a "Broadband Bonds" plan, under which corporations would get to borrow money for free and taxpayers picking up the interest cost. In theory, the $44 billion expenditure would generate many times that in returns in the coming decades.
TelecomWeb , December 18, 2008

Ahead of LTE, AT&T tests 7.2 Mbps speeds in Chicago
AT&T Mobility is in no hurry to transition to Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology. In response to accelerated next-generation rollout schedules by Sprint Nextel Corp. and Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility spokesman Mark Siegel said the carrier has plenty of room for upgrades before making the switch to LTE. "We have some real advantages with our (GSM-based) technology path," Siegel said. "We still have plenty of room left to increase speeds" before moving to LTE. Siegel said the carrier plans to first upgrade its current HSPA network to HSPA+, before moving to LTE. (Siegel would not offer a specific date for an LTE rollout by AT&T Mobility, noting only that it will begin some type of rollout within the new two years.) Further, Siegel declined to give any details related to the HSPA+ upgrade, including when it would happen and any possible benefits the upgrade would provide.
RCR Wireless , December 18, 2008

For the Web, Change All Sides Can Believe In
President-elect Barack Obama's call to bring high-speed Internet to all Americans has set off a scramble among service providers for a piece of the action. Building out networks to rural and underserved urban areas -- with possible help from the economic stimulus plan being crafted by Congress -- could create hundreds of thousands of jobs and enrich telecom, wireless and cable companies whose businesses have suffered as households tighten spending. Within the well-funded world of telecom lobbying, even fierce opponents are in rare agreement that Obama's plans to expand networks would boost the economy with jobs digging trenches for fiber lines and designing complex networks. But the interest groups differ on how that ambition should be executed, and that has sparked a race that one lobbyist calls a "telecom takefest."
Washington Post , December 17, 2008

Six Bidders for Australia's National Broadband Network Project
Australia's top two telecoms firms are among six bidders for building a national high-speed broadband network in Australia, according to Dow Jones. An expert panel will assess the bids and make a recommendation by the end of January 2009. "The stage is now set for an extremely competitive assessment process," Communications Minister Stephen Conroy told reporters, adding that four national bids and two state-based proposals had been lodged with the government...
CommunicationsDirect , December 17, 2008

FCC Cancels Vote on Free Wireless Broadband
Under pressure from Congress and telecom carriers, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin decides to drop a vote on a proposal to impose a free wireless broadband mandate on the FCC's next spectrum auction. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin finally gave in to pressure Dec. 12 from both Congress and the Bush administration to cancel a scheduled Dec. 18 agency vote on a controversial proposal to impose a free wireless broadband mandate on the FCC's next spectrum auction. Martin's decision to cancel the vote came after Sen. John D. Rockefeller, D-W.Va., the incoming chairman of the Senate Commerce and Science Committee, and Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., who will be heading the House Energy and Commerce Committee, co-signed a letter to Martin stating it would be "counterproductive" to vote on "complex and controversial items that the new Congress and new administration will have an interest in reviewing."
Pubish , December 16, 2008

Free broadband access is a right, not a privilege
"No one is in control anymore!" That may sound like a dire call for help in an alien-filled sci-fi movie, but instead it was the happy pronouncement of Milo Medin, co-founder of M2Z Networks, one of the companies awaiting the FCC's decision on whether it will auction AWS-3 (Advanced Wireless Service-3) spectrum. Should it go through, the auction would require the winner to roll out a free broadband service in a reasonable amount of time and over an area that includes more than just the major cities.
InfoWorld , December 16, 2008

$1 million grant seeks to transform schools
A grant from two of the world's largest philanthropic organizations will help Vermont better prepare its students for 21st century jobs, state education officials said Monday....$1 million grant from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The money will fund a four-state "New England Secondary School Consortium" that aims to transform school systems in the face of evolving technology and a new career landscape.
Times Argus , December 16, 2008

Sprint Survey on Mobile Value
Today Sprint released the findings of the Sprint Survey on Mobile Value, which evaluated how U.S. consumers are using their mobile phones and making financial decisions in today's challenging economic times.
Sprint , December 16, 2008

AT&T VDSL2 bonding trial slips into 2009
AT&T plans to conduct a trial early next year of bonded VDSL2, ...after having previously targeted late 2008 (and before that, late 2007) to start deploying the bandwidth-boosting technology...AT&T has repeatedly cited the promise of bonded VDSL2 when asked about the bandwidth limitations of its fiber-to-the-node architecture. The technique effectively combines the bandwidth of multiple copper pairs, treating them as a single line and boosting the capacity of those lines by an amount that depends on their length.
Telephony , December 16, 2008

Net Neutrality and the Obama Stimulus Package
Whatever portion of the Obama stimulus package is devoted to telecommunication should be directed away from the incumbent telcos and cablecos – whose lobbyists are indubitably doing their job and already lining up for the lion's share of federal funds – and used to create infrastructure on which competition can flourish (ideas to follow). It will be a huge squandered opportunity and a misuse of public funds if the telecom infrastructure project ends up reinforcing the telco-cableco duopoly which now controls most of our Internet access.
Fractals of Change , December 15, 2008

Google reaffirms commitment to net neutrality
Google on Monday reaffirmed its commitment to "net neutrality" after a newspaper reported the Internet giant was moving away from its support of the principle that all Web traffic should be treated equally. "Google remains strongly committed to the principle of net neutrality, and we will continue to work with policymakers in the years ahead to keep the Internet free and open," Richard Whitt, Google's Washington-based counsel for telecom and media, wrote in a posting on the company blog. Whitt was replying to a story in The Wall Street Journal which said Google had approached major cable and telecom companies that carry Internet traffic with a proposal to "create a fast lane for its own content."
Yahoo News , December 15, 2008

States Increasingly Put Criminal Records on Web
Worried your daughter's new boyfriend might have a nefarious past? Want to know whether the job applicant in front of you has a rap sheet? Finding out can be a mouse click away, thanks to the growing crop of searchable online databases run directly by states. Vermont launched its service Monday, and now about 20 states have some form of them. The Web sites provide a valuable and timesaving service to would-be employers and businesses by allowing them to look up criminal convictions without having to submit written requests and wait for the responses. And they're popular: Last month alone, Florida's site performed 38,755 record checks.
FOXNew.com , December 15, 2008

Most Will Access Net Via Phone By 2020
Most consumers will be accessing the Web through their mobile phones by 2020, according to new research from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. Pew conducted surveys with about 1,200 online experts, journalists and technologists, and the majority predicted that the affordability, easy accessibility, widespread use and portability of mobile phones will make them the "primary" Internet connection.
Adotas.com , December 15, 2008

Free broadband plan stirs debate on filtering
M2Z Networks' proposal to build a free wireless broadband network is not the only controversial part of its business plan. Just as contentious is its intention to filter the content delivered over that network to block any material deemed inappropriate for children. Free-speech advocates on the left and right have expressed alarm at M2Z's plans to build a family-friendly network that would weed out objectionable sites by blocking particular Internet domain names. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin took up that idea in his proposal to auction off a chunk of spectrum that would be used in part to deliver a basic broadband service over the nation's airwaves. It would ultimately be up to the FCC to decide exactly how any filtering mandate would work, including whether the filters would be located on the network or on user devices.
Washington Post , December 15, 2008

Startup banks on making money from free broadband
For the past three years, a startup called M2Z Networks has been figuring out a way to blanket the nation with a free wireless broadband network to ensure all Americans have access to basic high-speed Internet connections. Along the way, the company has found support in powerful corners of Silicon Valley and Washington. It has attracted funding from several of the Valley's top venture capital firms. And it has captured the interest of Kevin Martin, the chairman of Federal Communications Commission, who is backing a plan essentially mirroring the M2Z proposal as a way to promote universal broadband.
washington Post , December 15, 2008

Speaker nominee sees budget, economy as top Vt. issues
The man widely expected to be elected speaker of the Vermont House next month says state budget issues will be a top concern in the upcoming legislative session. But Rep. Shap Smith, a Morrisville Democrat, says he thinks lawmakers need to take a broader view and plan on how to strengthen Vermont's economy for the longer term....Smith said he wants lawmakers to work to improve Vermont's roads and expand broadband Internet access as ways to build the economy of the future.
Rutland Herald , December 15, 2008

FCC cancels meeting on AWS-3 spectrum auction
Congressional pressure has prompted the Federal Communications Commission to scrap its Dec. 18 meeting, but the action does not necessarily mean the agency will forgo ruling on the free wireless broadband plan and other major items championed by Chairman Kevin Martin before he likely gives way to a successor next year when the Obama administration assumes power...
RCR Wireless , December 15, 2008

Toward 4G Phones: LG Develops World's First LTE Handset Modem Chip
LG Electronics announced today that it has independently developed the first handset (user equipment) modem chip based on 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE)technology standards. The modem chip can theoretically support wireless download speeds of 100Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds of 50Mbps. This represents a significant step toward creating a market-ready 4G phone. The Modem Chip is the most crucial component required to create a viable 4G handset with LTE technology, the leading candidate to become the fourth generation mobile phone technology standard. LG demonstrated the chip today at its Mobile Communication Technology Research Lab in Anyang, Korea, achieving wireless download speeds of 60 Mbps and upload speeds of 20 Mbps. The fastest phones currently on the market use HSDPA technology and download at a maximum speed of 7.6 Mbps.
Physorg.com , December 11, 2008

Internet speed ranking suspect
Vermont appeared near the bottom of a nationwide ranking of Internet speeds this month — but the study´s sponsor cautions against drawing any quick conclusions. Only Wyoming, Hawaii and New Mexico rank below Vermont in the survey conducted by PCMag.com, an established purveyor of computing trends. Nevada topped the list, with an average surf speed of 781 kilobits per second. Vermont averaged 391 Kbps — a result the study attributes to relatively slow speeds of regional Comcast cable connections, which it says are about one-half of the national average for the Internet service provider. The ranking of states was determined from data that was too narrow to be statistically useful, said the online magazine´s executive editor, Jeremy Kaplan, who wrote the article that summarizes its results.
Burlington Free Press , December 11, 2008

Verizon accelerating LTE, putting further pressure on Clearwire, WiMAX
It appears Verizon isn't going to grant Clearwire its two-year grace period to launch 4G unfettered in the US...Verizon Communications Chief Technology Officer Dick Lynch said that Verizon Wireless will have its first 4G networks rolled out by the end of 2009, while Clearwire is still in the midst of its nationwide WiMAX rollout. The acceleration of VZW's timetable for long-term evolution could put a serious kink in Clearwire's plans to develop a market for its mobile broadband service without the pressure of competition.
Telephony , December 11, 2008

Bush, Martin at war over AWS-3 spectrum auction
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin and the Bush administration are on a collision course over a possible Dec. 18 vote on a free, family-friendly wireless auction plan, uncharacteristically bringing into public view a high-stakes policy dispute between the Republican White House and one of its top appointees....
RCR Wireless , December 11, 2008

Smile! You're on my cameraphone.
So much energy is focused on mobile video as a consumable service, but I wonder if the more intriguing business model is mobile video as a production method... most of that content was viewed on a PC, a good deal of it was created using a mobile phone....high-quality digital video and studio editing isn't always the norm. Graf said that media icons often are using camera phones to do off-the-cuff interviews, video blogs and even fan updates, which they then upload immediately to their Web sites. Celebrity news sites such as Extra aggregate star-spotting videos shot from cameraphones. Even CNN Germany covered Barrack Obama's election-night acceptance speech in Chicago not with TV cameras, but with video updates created and uploaded from a few N95 cameraphones.
Telephony , December 10, 2008

Lawsuit Threatens A WiMAX Shutdown
The "new Clearwire," birthed of the merger of Sprint Nextel´s Xohm mobile WiMAX unit and the old Clearwire, is facing a six-count patent lawsuit that could force the shutdown of its nascent 802.16-based wireless broadband network. The lawsuit was quietly filed by Adaptix just a day after the Sprint/Clearwire deal closed (TelecomWeb news break, Dec. 1),...
TelecomWeb , December 10, 2008

Vermont ranks low in a nationwide survey of Internet speeds
Only Wyoming, Hawaii and New Mexico rank below the Green Mountain State in the survey conducted by PCMag.com, an established purveyor of computing trends. Nevada topped the list, with an average surf speed of 781 Kbps. Vermont averaged 391 Kbps — a result the study attributes to the relatively slow speeds of regional Comcast cable connections, which it says are about one-half of the national average for the Internet service providers. But the ranking of states was determined from data that was too narrow to be statistically useful, said the online magazine´s executive editor, Jeremy Kaplan, who also wrote the article that summarizes its results. "It has to be taken with a grain of salt — in fact, with an entire salt shaker," he said. "The study is a great starting point to enter the discussion, but it´s challenged by a vast number of factors."
Burlington Free Press , December 09, 2008

Evolved HSPA gains ground
A growing number of 3G operators are looking to milk as much capacity out of the current 3G standard before 4G´s anticipated rise next decade....will upgrade...to deploy E-HSPA—also known as HSPA+ or HSPA Evolution...In the US, AT&T has said it would deploy E-HSPA before building its LTE networks but it gave no specific timeline. E-HSPA is an amalgamation of several technical improvements in the UMTS network, building upon the high-speed downlink and uplink packet access (HSDPA and HSUPA) enhancements... That higher-order modulation expands downlink capacity over 5 MHz channel to 21 Mb/s... theoretically doubling capacity on the 3G network to 42 Mb/s....
Telephony Online , December 09, 2008

Billions For Broadband In Stimulus Plan?
The telecommunications industry is racing to persuade the incoming Obama administration to add as much as $33 billion in government incentives to an economic stimulus package that could be enacted soon after Inauguration Day. Individually or as members of trade groups, Alcatel-Lucent, AT&T, Cisco, Corning, Google, Intel, Verizon and other large companies with a stake in the Internet, along with cable providers, labor unions and watchdogs, are among those seeking incentives. The pot of gold could include tax credits, grants or low-interest loans designed to spur broadband deployment to areas without service or competition, and assist with infrastructure upgrades.
National Journal , December 09, 2008

A Second Look at Citywide Wi-Fi
For proponents of citywide Wi-Fi projects, this has been a tough year -- and one of fresh promise. The idea of setting up networks to beam wireless Internet access across entire cities and towns has been touted for years as a spur to economic development. It also has been promoted as a way to help bridge the so-called digital divide -- the gap between those who have access to all the advantages of the Internet and other digital technology and those who don't, mainly because of lower income.Progress on such networks has been halting, however, because of financial, technical and political hurdles. And over the past year or so, there have been a string of reversals. The companies that built and maintained some of the most prominent municipal Wi-Fi networks abandoned them, and other projects stalled or were scaled back.
Wall Street Journal , December 08, 2008

FCC OKs white space use
The Vermont Telecommunications Authority still has a long way to go toward providing broadband service to every corner of the state, but a decision by the Federal Communications Authority this week could go a long way toward helping them meet that goal. The FCC on Tuesday approved the new use of a slice of the television spectrum that some telecommunication experts think will make it easier for companies all over the county to deliver broadband service to the most rural communities.
TMCnet.com , December 05, 2008

Vermont's telecom plan
Backed by the governor and the state legislature, the Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA) is getting kudos for working to extend broadband Internet access and cell phone coverage to every "corner" of the state. Vermont's Internet connection speed is ranked 47th in the nation by PC Magazine, and only half the state has "fast" Internet access and cell phone coverage. VTA's plans to build access lines in partnership with private industry, along with smaller cell towers with cheaper transmitters. Towers would go up on state land where possible to keep down costs.
FierceTelecom.com , December 04, 2008

Mobile broadband to hit 42Mb/sec in 2009
Mobile broadband speeds could hit a blistering 42Mb/sec as early as next year, according to Ericsson's chief technology officer. The idea seems far-fetched given that even the fastest dongles currently hover at around 7.2Mb/sec, but according to John Cunliffe, the technology to smash that barrier is just around the corner. "If you look at what's actually happening, the fastest service in the UK at the moment is 7.2Mb/sec, but we can easily see how we get to 14Mb/sec by improving the codes using the modulation," he tells PC Pro. "After that there are two steps that can boost speed.
PCPro , December 04, 2008

VTA awards $50K grant for Internet
The Vermont Telecommunications Authority has awarded a grant of nearly $50,000 to a company to provide wireless Internet coverage to the town. The grant was announced Monday, as part of the authority's 2008-2009 Broadband Grant Program, which has awarded $180,000 to programs across the state. The goal of the grants is to create demonstration projects that will help provide high-speed Internet access. Charlie Kremer, a spokesman for the authority, said the organization has been giving these grants out for some time, as a way to encourage business to expand coverage. He said this grant was given to APC Services of Rutland. "They applied for a grant for covering the town of Stratton," Kremer said. "It's a wireless project, and people will be able to sign up to get high-speed Internet."
Bennington Banner , December 04, 2008

The Vital Role of Local Governments in Wireless Broadband
When the Center for Digital Government coined the phrase Untethered Nation through the release of an original wireless strategic planning guide in 2005, the paper served as recognition that broadband wireless extended the value of public networks. Moreover, the guide was based on the modest proposition that broadband landline and wireless networks have earned a position alongside roads, bridges and ports as key public infrastructures that support commerce, education, recreation and government in communities across the nation..... The Center's intention with the original guide was to capture pioneering local governments' emerging practices for the benefit of those jurisdictions that follow their lead. Some success factors from the original Untethered Nation include: - Coming to terms with a public entity's responsibility for ensuring success. - Understanding the responsibility of a provider (including fiscal stability). - Committing to a long-term view of wireless deployment. - Deciding whether public entities will be providers (utility), brokers or customers of wireless infrastructure. - Reflecting infrastructure choice in architecture.
Government Technology , December 04, 2008

Editorial: Telecom authority has broadband plan
Credit the Vermont Telecommunications Authority led by Chairwoman Mary Evslin with looking for innovative ways to extend broadband Internet access and cell phone coverage to every corner of the state. The authority is carrying out a mandate handed down by Gov. Jim Douglas and the Legislature to extend access to places where commercial Internet service providers and cell phone companies are unwilling to go on their own. The plan involves the authority's building access lines in partnership with private industry, and smaller cell towers and cheaper transmitters....
Burlington Free Press , December 04, 2008

SMS continues to rule worldwide
A report by Portio Research shows that mobile messaging industry revenues for 2008 came in at more than US$130 billion and predicts that amount to grow to US$224 billion by 2013. SMS (short message service) is such a ubiquitous technology — it works across all phones and all networks, and is cheap and easy to use — that very little will stop its growth, says the report, "Mobile Messaging Futures 2008 - 2013." Other mobile messaging services, such as MMS (multimedia messaging service), mobile e-mail, and mobile IM, will also help drive growth. Mobile messaging was a slow starter in the U.S. market, but has taken off like a bullet in recent years -- SMS use per subscriber per month is now almost double the European average.
Telecommagazine.com , December 04, 2008

US telco spending could drop 10% in 2009
Spending among US telcos could drop 10% or more next year, according to UBS analyst Nikos Theodosopoulos, who had previously predicted only a 5% drop. Spending among US cable companies, he wrote in a note today, could drop 5% to 10%. And domestic wireless spending could drop 7%, in line with his earlier prediction.
Telephony Online , December 03, 2008

New Coalition Drawing Up Nationwide Broadband Access Strategy
President-elect Barack Obama has said getting affordable high-speed Internet service to every American home would create jobs, fuel economic growth and spark innovation. Yesterday, representatives from technology and telecommunications companies, labor unions and public interest groups frequently at odds with one another agreed to provide the next president with a roadmap for how to accomplish those goals. That map could include tax breaks, low-interest loans, subsidies and public-private partnerships to encourage more investments in upgrading and building out high-speed networks, representatives from Google, AT&T and public interest group Free Press said during a panel discussion on broadband policy that also served as a coming-out party for their newly formed coalition.
Washington Post , December 03, 2008

Bad Economy, Green IT and Web 2.0 Shape 2008 IT Trends
What issues had the biggest influence on government's technology use in 2008? That's a broad question and a tough one to answer. I'll take a crack at it, anyway. The following list is subjective, but it's based on topics that drove our coverage throughout the year, and it's shaped by what we heard from readers at events across the country. These particular issues are significant because each drove multiple IT-related activities this year -- and they'll continue to do so in 2009... Before we reach the main course, though, I'll add a few caveats. My list could easily include data security and mobile applications. I chose to leave them off. Security is a bottom-line concern that's crucial any year; therefore, it didn't shape 2008 any more than last year. Mobility's growing like wildfire, but it's narrower than the topics below. So, here are three issues that made the cut:
Government Technology , December 03, 2008

AT&T bumps U.S. MPLS backbone speed up to 40 Gbps
Here´s one that slipped through the cracks among all the M&A activity and FCC edicts this month; AT&T recently announced the completion of an upgrade to its U.S. core IP/MPLS backbone network, raising its per-wavelength capacity to SONET OC-768. That´s 40 Gbps, across more than 80,000 lit wavelength-miles of fiber, according to AT&T, though, given the carrier´s four-fiber routes, that number might come down to 20,000 route miles of 40 Gbps ultra long-haul DWDM—the largest such deployment in the world. This backbone is the transport foundation for all of AT&T´s Internet and IP services, wireline and wireless, for both consumer and business customers....
Telecommagazine , December 03, 2008

Stimulus Plan to Include Internet-Access Funds
The federal government's economic stimulus package will include investment in broadband Internet infrastructure and funds to upgrade and repair the national power grid alongside more traditional funding for road and bridge repair, a senior aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday. Details of the package including how much money will be included in the larger economic rescue package for the technology investments and how such funding would be allocated are still being worked out, the aide said.
Wall Street Journal Online , December 02, 2008

The Fastest ISPs in America and Where You Live
When comparing the nation's ISPs, there are few metrics of particular importance for the average consumer. How to determine which one is fastest, or which has the most satisfied customers? Sure, price plays a big role, but beyond that, what does one look for beyond sheer advertising dollars to ascertain which ISP is the best? Look no further than this analysis of results from PCMag's SurfSpeed app...
Vermont Business Mag. , December 02, 2008

3 Vermont communities get broadband bucks
Three areas of rural Vermont will be getting money to help provide broadband Internet services in remote parts of the state. The Vermont Telecommunications Authority announced it had awarded $180,000 as part of the 2008-2009 Broadband Grant Program. The grants will help provide coverage in the towns of Lunenburg, Guidhall and Maidstone in Essex County, West Fairlee and Topsham in Orange County and Stratton in Windham County. The goal of the grants is to create demonstration projects that will help provide high speed Internet access. The Telecommunications Authority is trying to provide broadband service available to all Vermonters by 2010.
FOX44.net , December 01, 2008

Free, Slow, Censored Internet: A Bad Idea
The FCC is looking for an organization to provide free, slow, and censored Internet access. The censorship apparently would include email as well as websites. According to an article in today's Wall Street Journal: "Outgoing Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin is pushing for action in December on a plan to offer free, pornography-free wireless Internet service to all Americans, despite objections from the wireless industry and some consumer groups [nb. and from me]… The winning bidder would be required to set aside a quarter of the airwaves for a free Internet service[ nb. the WSJ hasn't got that part quite right. More below]."
Fractals of Change , December 01, 2008

FCC Chair To Push Free Porn-Free Internet
During the FCC's December meeting, chair Kevin Martin plans to push for a free, but porn-free Internet service that would be available to all Americans. Reports the Wall Street Journal: The proposal to allow a no-smut, free wireless Internet service is part of a proposal to auction off a chunk of airwaves. The winning bidder would be required to set aside a quarter of the airwaves for a free Internet service. The winner could establish a paid service that would have a fast wireless Internet connection. The free service could be slower and would be required to filter out pornography and other material not suitable for children. The FCC's proposal mirrors a plan offered by M2Z Networks Inc., a start-up backed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers partner John Doerr.
Silicon Alley Insider , December 01, 2008

Cyber Monday
It's a trend that's catching on. "What they're predicting this year is 70% of adults between the ages of 18 and 34 will shop in the work place," said Tasha Wallis, Executive Director of the Vermont Retail Association. That translates into nearly 73 million people shopping online from work the Monday after Black Friday. Retailers coined the term "Cyber Monday" five years ago to mark the day, and it's grown in popularity ever since, as shoppers cite no crowds, convenience, and free shipping as their biggest reasons for buying online
WCAX-TV , December 01, 2008

With credit strains over, munis expected to stabilize
After the worst year in the past two decades, municipal bonds -- securities known for for modest and stable returns -- may have nowhere to go but up, even as more local governments wrestle with a bruising recession, some investors say. "The market is going to stabilize, if not get better," said Gary Pollack, ...Hopes of a rebound hinge on uniteasing in the broader credit markets ...Congress is expected to craft a fiscal stimulus package after President-elect Barack Obama enters the White House in January. Some of that money may help municipal governments.
Wall Street Journal , December 31, 1969

Town says Comcast lax in responding to Internet questions
ROCKINGHAM -- The town has grown impatient with Comcast Cable's response to provide information on how the company is progressing with its plan to provide high speed Internet service to the rural sections of town. Rockingham Selectboard Chairman Tom MacPhee sent a letter to the Vermont Public Service Board asking the board to look into why Comcast has refused to keep the town updated on its work. Public Service Board Chairman James Volz, in a seperate letter, asked the company why it was not providing the town with information, but Comcast spokesman Marc Goodman said the company was on target with its promise to deliver the high speed cable service.
Brattleboro Reformer , December 31, 1969

November

FairPoint to cut Verizon ties
FairPoint Communications said yesterday it is ready to sever ties to Verizon Communications telephone systems Jan. 30, after regulators in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont approved the cutover schedule this week. "We're certainly pleased that we're going to be able to get on our own systems and start offering products and services that our customers want and need," FairPoint spokesman Jill Wurm said. FairPoint acquired Verizon's 1.6 million telephone lines in the three northern New England states March 31 for approximately $2.17 billion. FairPoint said late yesterday it has delivered its "irrevocable notice of cutover readiness" to Verizon and will allow Verizon to establish the exact date of the switch in early December.
Union Leader , November 27, 2008

Grandma’s on the Computer Screen
Her grandfather wanted to play tea party, but Alexandra Geosits, 2½, insisted she had only apple juice. She held out a plastic cup, giggling as she waited to see if he would accept the substitute. Joseph and Elizabeth Geosits, talk to their two and a half year old grandaughter Alexandra via Skype on their computers....That they were a thousand miles apart, their weekly visit unfolding over computer screens in their respective homes, did not faze either one.
NY Times , November 27, 2008

State authority pushes cellular, Internet service
The Vermont Telecommunications Authority is taking its message - statewide cellular phone and broadband Internet access - on the road. The authority, set up by the Legislature, made a stop in the rural southern Vermont town of Townshend on Tuesday, promising area residents it would do its best to fill in the gaps on Vermont's map when it comes to state-of-the-art telecommunications. Authority Chairwoman Mary Evslin says the agency hopes to use a radio-based technology to expand cellular and broadband service to rural areas that currently lack it.
FOX44.net , November 26, 2008

The FCC White Space Regs – Pretty Good at First Look
My comm prediction #3 is that LTE and WiMAX are toast. The new great thing will be WRANs (wireless regional area networks). WRAN's will extend and eventually subsume WiFi. The detailed regulations which implement the FCC decision to free the spectrum formerly known as TV white spaces have now been released. They look pretty good from the POV of someone who believes the unlicensed use of this spectrum has the potential to make a huge difference in the way the world communicates.
Fractals of Change , November 26, 2008

VTA sets goals for statewide Internet
Representatives from the Vermont Telecommunications Authority spoke Tuesday night at the Windham Regional Commission meeting. VTA Board Chairman Mary Evslin spoke about the plans to increase communications services in Windham County. The plans hinge mainly on attaching smaller radios to local sites from which cell phone and Internet signals could be broadcast. Act 79, passed by the Legislature about a year ago, required the VTA to come up with solutions for providing 100 percent coverage in all of Vermont. The group aims to complete the project by 2010. Evslin pointed out that no other state has ever passed this kind of aggressive legislation and that currently 50 percent of Vermont's geography has no cell phone sites.
Reformer.com , November 26, 2008

Telstra Defiant As Aussie National Network Bidding Closes
Bidding closed on Australia´s would-be government-subsidized $9 billion fiber to the node (FTTn) national broadband network, with five formal bids and a non-conforming "offer" by a defiant incumbent Telstra to build the network (but on its own terms)...by the time all the bids...were in hand at high noon (Australian time) , all that had appeared was a bid by Optus itself and not a Terria bid. The last two bids were for state and territory proposals, and not for the entire country; these were submitted by the Tasmanian Government and TransACT....Various other would-be bidders also seem to have fled.
Telecomweb , November 26, 2008

Scottsdale Healthcare adds wireless to list of growing amenities
Arizona-based Scottsdale Healthcare has always made serving its clientele with a strong set of services its priority....However, there was one thing it could not offer its patients and medical staff: consistent was Verizon, it realized that its doctors and patients were subscribers to various cellular providers. That drove it to look for a carrier-independent option to increase the penetration in the buildings...
Telecommagazine.com , November 25, 2008

FCC Issues White Space Rules
First clarification by the FCC on how the TV White Space spectrum is to be used by service providers and equipment manufacturers
Federal Communications Commission , November 25, 2008

Electric Utility Looks To The Future With 700 MHz Rollout
East Central Energy (ECE), which claims to be Minnesota's third-largest electrical cooperative, is deploying a Smart Grid-ready communications system linking 36 substations with a 700 MHz broadband network from Arcadian Networks....The system, ECE says, is made possible through a partnership with the cooperative's wholesale power supplier, Great River Energy of Maple Grove...
TelecomWeb , November 25, 2008

Clearwire, with Sprint XOHM onboard, is a go
Clearwire cleared the last hurdle in its path to finalizing its merger with Sprint-Nextel XOHM this week, when Clearwire shareholders approved the acquisition. There´s still a few legal and financial wrangles to go through, as the final papers detailing the deal are drawn up, but most observers expect the deal to close by year´s end, or possibly, December 1. Hailed as potentially the first major national WiMAX provider, Clearwire is an important addition to the telecom scene.
http://www.telecommagazine.com/default.asp , November 24, 2008

Obama’s Team Promotes Open Access, Net Neutrality
ILECs and cellcos might have more to worry about more than they thought when President-elect Barack Obama takes office on Jan. 20, since the two leaders of his FCC review team are well-known proponents of mobile open access and net neutrality. Susan Crawford, a professor at the University of Michigan Law School, and Kevin Werbach, a Wharton professor, have made their open Internet ideas known in blogs and speeches, including the idea of Internet access as a utility. The open-access debate in the wireless world, for instance, is bound to heat up....
Xchange Magazine , November 24, 2008

Mobile Trumps Fixed Broadband – Comm Prediction #2
"80% of Web users will choose mobile broadband over fixed by 2013" is the headline of a Total Telecom interview with John Cunliffe of Ericsson. I agree with the conclusion although I think Ericsson will be unpleasantly surprised to find that LTE is NOT the technology which leads to this revolution. Mobile access at speeds at least equal to what cable offers and at a price lower than today's cable broadband will be available both in the home and on the road within a year or two at the most. From the Total Telecom article: "Cunliffe said that over the last 12 months Ericsson has been running LTE tests in Sweden. These have taken place in urban environment, with clear line of sight between the cell tower and the device for less than 40% of the time, while moving at speeds of up to 45 kilometres per hour. "'We recorded peak speeds of 154 Mbps, an average of 78 Mbps, and minimum speeds of around 16 Mbps,' he said."
Fractals of Change , November 21, 2008

FairPoint says it is on track for taking over Verizon's lines
Money borrowed from now-bankrupt Lehman Brothers and a hiring "hold" brought on by the tough economy will not change a January timetable for taking over Verizon's telephone lines in northern New England, according to FairPoint Comunications....
Rutland Herald , November 21, 2008

Sen Rockefeller Will Be Active Overseer In New Role
With Sen. John Rockefeller, D-W.V., all but assured the helm of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, big telephone and Internet companies can expect stepped-up oversight on a host of consumer-related issues, from phone and Internet prices to privacy. Industry insiders expect Rockefeller to be more active in telecom than his predecessor, the mild-mannered Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, who is vacating the Commerce post to chair the powerful Appropriations Committee. Rockefeller is next in line on the Commerce Committee. "I don't think we'll have a hands-off chairman," when it comes to telecom, said one industry insider of Rockefeller.
CNNMoney.com , November 20, 2008

80% of Web users will choose mobile broadband over fixed by 2013
Ericsson said this week it expects 80% of global Internet subscribers will connect via mobile broadband instead of fixed by 2013. "That includes people who have abandoned their fixed-line connection in favour of mobile broadband, or are new broadband subscribers that have selected a mobile connection over a fixed one...
Total Telecom , November 20, 2008

The iPhone Cometh
When Apple introduced the iPhone 3G, it was available in 22 countries (but not Vermont). Soon, the iPhone will be available in 77 different countries. The background chatter has been intensifying in recent days about whether Vermonters will join the rest of the developing world and be able to buy (and use) the iPhone. Legally. Seven Days even received several tips that folks visiting local Unicel stores (the carrier that AT&T is buying, the exclusive service carrier for the iPhone) were told that within weeks Unicel will be transformed into AT&T Wireless outlets. A quick check uncovered that AT&T is hiring in Vermont.
Seven Days , November 19, 2008

Marlboro will lose Internet
Brattleboro-based wireless Internet service provider Great Auk Wireless announced plans to shut down service in Marlboro, Tuesday. Service will be discontinued for 55 homes on Dec. 1. According to Great Auk Wireless, they plan to shut down service because they were unable to reach an agreement with Marlboro's Broadband Committee on a plan to implement a new wireless broadband system on the Ames Hill and Lyman Road sites. Great Auk Wireless installed the initial Marlboro access point after its acquisition of Lastmile Networks in the summer of 2006. This site had been under construction by Lastmile, and according to Great Auk, the site and network engineering inherited by Great Auk during the company's purchase of Lastmile proved to be inaccurate.
Brattleboro Reformer , November 19, 2008

FCC okays white space spectrum for wireless service
...FCC voted unanimously for a proposal to allow unlicensed wireless devices to access so-called "white spaces" found in the spectrum band normally allocated to TV transmission. These white space frequencies can be used to deliver a variety of mobile broadband services over previously untapped spectrum range, as mobile traffic growth continues to surge and occupy more and more of the airwaves.... Indeed, the FCC referred to its initial approval as a first step only to deploying services contingent upon proper protection for already licensed broadcast service carried in the TV bands. ...Before going online, the FCC has mandated all white space devices, which are required to support spectrum-sensing technology, must go through laboratory testing in real-world environments to make sure they do not interfere with already-licensed services. The FCC has pledged to "closely oversee and monitor" use of these devices....
Telecommagazine.com , November 19, 2008

Vermont Senator Wants Low-Cost Cable
Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.) is about to introduce legislation that would require cable operators to provide local TV signals at a reduced cost indefinitely to people who lose over-the-air TV service as a result of the digital transition next February. Sanders, who sought support for the bill in a Nov. 13 letter circulated to other senators, is worried that hundreds of thousands of homes could lose TV service when traditional analog signals are turned off on Feb. 17, 2009. "That is why I am introducing legislation that would require cable, satellite, and other paid TV companies to provide a basic broadcast service to those consumers who have lost channels due the DTV transition at a reduced cost, indefinitely," his two-page letter said.
Multichannel News , November 18, 2008

No More Landlines – Comm Forecast #1
By the end of President Obama's first term, there won't be any more copper landlines left in the country. One of the challenges facing the Federal Communications Commission and the new administration is how to deal with the fallout from the end of this venerable technology. It's gonna get ugly for some people – people who can't afford to do without communication – unless we're proactive about this problem. Here's what's happening as you probably know. Young people don't bother with landlines (unless they live beyond cell coverage); they just use their mobile phones or Skype for voice communication. The slightly older set are buying cable's bundle of entertainment, Internet access, and VoIP. They cancel their landlines. People who have broadband access don't need the extra line they used to rent for their dial-up Internet access.
Fractals of Change , November 17, 2008

The New Washington Tech Agenda
By Roy Mark President-elect Barack Obama brings a decidedly different technology agenda to the White House than President Bush did eight years ago. Widely considered the most tech-savvy president ever elected, Obama sees an activist government – tinkering here, readjusting there and spending here, here and here – as the path to innovation and the future. Obama plans to bring the same tech-centric focus of his campaign to his new government. Obama spoke often on the campaign trail of using technology to make the government more open to citizens. Among his proposals: making more government reports and data available online; Webcasts of all government meetings; and creating tech tools to allow users to track federal grants, contracts, lobbyist information and earmarks.
eWEEK.com , November 17, 2008

FairPoint outlines Underhill broadband plan
FairPoint Communications officials preached to the choir when they outlined their broadband Internet plans in Underhill this week. At a Selectboard meeting Thursday night, about 20 residents in this rural Chittenden County town celebrated the impending extinction of dial-up Internet service in the 899 exchange. They cheered, clapped and offered plenty of reasons why the project, scheduled for completion next summer, should have arrived yesterday. Or last year. Friday, FairPoint submitted permitting requests to upgrade its switching facilities in Essex. It was a prelude to the company's ambitious DSL expansion (over copper telephone wires) and WiMax wireless (over the air) broadband for the region's most far-flung customers.
Burlington Free Press , November 15, 2008

FairPoint plans to complete Verizon transition in months
After four months of delays, FairPoint Communications is banking on completing the acquisition of Verizon's Vermont telephone and Internet systems by the end of January 2009. The North Carolina company, which bought much of Verizon's assets in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine in February, this week made a major procedural move to take over the systems by filing a provisional notice of cutover readiness with state regulators. Company officials now say they are on track to switch Verizon's network of 600 computer systems over to FairPoint's new 60 systems here in Vermont by the end of January — so long as a status conference with regulators scheduled for today goes well.
Rutland Herald , November 14, 2008

Ex-FCC boss, wireless whiz land on Obama transition team
As Ars has reported, in late October, Former Federal Communications Commission Chair Reed Hundt was asked if he knew who Barack Obama might appoint as the next head of the FCC if he won the election. "Oh, I know who it will be," Hundt said with a straight face—then laughed. "Gotcha. I have no idea." Betcha he has an idea now. President elect Barack Obama is setting up agency review teams for his transition to the White House, and Hundt has signed on. Hundt was Bill Clinton's FCC Chair from 1993 through 1997. More recently, he has played a key role in the company that everybody expected to buy the agency's 700 MHz public safety license, or D Block, and then didn't.
ARStechnica , November 14, 2008

The Coming Wireless Revolution
Gadgets that operate over television frequencies promise to transform the wireless landscape. If you believe some radio researchers and engineers, within the next couple of years, high-bandwidth, far-reaching wireless Internet signals will soon blanket the nation. Thanks to a decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last week, megahertz frequency bands that were previously allocated to television broadcasters will be opened to other device manufacturers. The frequency liberation means that future wireless gadgets will be able to blast tens of megabits per second of data over hundreds of kilometers. They will cover previously unreachable parts of the country with Internet signals, enable faster Web browsing on mobile devices, and even make in-car Internet and car-to-car wireless communication more realistic.
Technology Review , November 14, 2008

Telecom Warily Waits on 'Wired' President
President-elect Barack Obama famously made the Web a pillar of his campaign, so it is not surprising that the man called the nation's first "wired" president has championed the idea of an open Internet. And that is what Sprint Nextel chief executive Dan Hesse said recently "should scare" the telecom industry the most. Republican lawmakers and technology regulators have fought the idea of an open Internet, or net neutrality, calling it a "solution in search of a problem." But it is widely expected that Obama will make net neutrality and access to broadband in rural and poor areas a key part of his agenda to close economic divides and help spur job creation. Obama on Net Neutrality
Washington Post , November 14, 2008

NOWIRZ brings Wi-Fi Internet access to So. Vermont
NOWIRZ, a Vermont based network-engineering firm has expanded its operations into Southern Vermont and signed several significant new customers. Founded five years ago and based in Moretown, NOWIRZ has enjoyed considerable success with Wi-Fi installations at such notable sites as, The Trapp Family Lodge, Highridge at Killington, Green Mountain Valley School and in Dorset at the Vermont Summer Festival. Jim Rousseau, founder and principle engineer said, "It was time to grow and the market in Southern Vermont is available and eager for Wi-Fi solutions.
Manchester Journal , November 13, 2008

FairPoint Files Provisional Notice of Cutover Readiness; Triggers Formal Process to Expected Cutover at the End of January
FairPoint Communications, Inc. today announced it has filed its provisional notice of cutover readiness with the Public Utility Commissions (PUC) in New Hampshire and Maine and the Department of Public Service (PSB) in Vermont. The notice was filed after Liberty Consulting Group indicated in its November 12th monthly Status Report that FairPoint had met substantially all of the criteria required to cut over at the end of January. The state PUCs/PSB will now hold technical conferences with FairPoint and, if necessary, or at the request of intervening parties, public hearings. Subsequent to the hearings, FairPoint expects to file its irrevocable notice of cutover with Verizo
Market Watch , November 12, 2008

IBM Will Bring Broadband Access To Rural America
International Broadband Electric Communications has awarded a nearly $10 million contract to IBM to bring broadband access to rural areas in the Eastern United States. IBM will install Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) networks at electric cooperatives. IBEC will provide the BPL equipment and serve as the Internet service provider. IBM has been tapped by International Broadband Electric Communications to bring broadband access to rural areas. In a deal worth nearly $10 million, Big Blue will team up with IBEC to install Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) networks at electric cooperatives throughout the Eastern United States, the companies said Wednesday. Electric co-ops are private, independent electric utilities owned by the members they serve. The deal between IBM and IBEC is first of its kind and comes after IBEC received a $49.2 million loan from the Department of Agriculture on top of $19.2 million it received in 2005.
NewsFactor.com , November 12, 2008

Taiwanese Researchers Introduce Blink of the Eye Transmission Speed System On A Chip
A world-wide expert on wireless communications, Professor Jri Lee of the National Taiwan University (NTU) and UCLA PhD conferred has created a system on a chip (SOC) with transmission speeds 100 times faster than WiFi and 350 times faster than 3.5G cell phones. Professor Jri Lee's team broke the speed record with the SoC design which is about 1/10th the size and cost of existing chips. Preliminary figures indicate the SoC chip can be massed-produced for less than $1 per unit. A demonstration of Professor Lee´s SoC chip was conducted recently at NTU. The system on a chip combines Front-End Circuits and an antenna array to reach the ultimate transmission speed. In practice the SoC chip can download a 4-GB video in about 10 seconds. The same video would take up to 2-hours using WiFi, 1.5-hours using ADSL and 4.5-hours using Bluetooth to complete the download.
Physorg.com , November 12, 2008

The Importance of the FCC
The decision as to who will be appointed FCC Chair is a critical one, for in coming years the country faces some major issues that will need to be addressed head on — not from a corporate, but from a citizen perspective, including Network Neutrality, the availability of broadband, telecom competition and privacy…. "…President-elect Obama should look outside the beltway and find someone who truly represents the taxpayers. "Tom Evslin, who is a retired telecom executive, is the kind of person I would expect to be in the FCC. He knows the machinations of the big companies and at the same time is an Internet liberal who can keep broadband providers and their anti-consumer tricks under check."
fractals of Change , November 12, 2008

AT&T, VZW fuel growth through dueling acquisitions
AT&T isn´t giving up its top-dog slot to Verizon Wireless so easily. AT&T is buying Centennial Communications for $944 million in cash and in the process gaining 1.1 million wireless customers, which won´t propel AT&T over Verizon Wireless after it closes its acquisition of Alltel this quarter, but it will keep AT&T within striking distance. Though the capital markets have dried up, it hasn´t stopped the wireless operators´ acquisition sprees. Verizon Wireless is not only picking up Alltel, but it acquired Rural Cellular Corporation this fall, further boosting its numbers. Meanwhile AT&T acquired Dobson Communications late last year to grow its already formidable subscriber base. Though both operators are showing they can attract new subscribers still, many of them are coming at the expense of Sprint, which lost 1.3 million net subscribers last quarter.
Telephony Online , November 11, 2008

Ericsson Predicts Mobile Phones With Full HD, 1 GHz Processor Frequency By 2012
New technologies aptly named HSPA Evolution and LTE which means long term evolution will increase the transmission speeds initially to 100Mbps and make possible the progression to full HD quality images. Ericsson plans to actively develop embedded modules, base station facilities and other products in order to bring about the future mobile terminal hand-held device, according to reporter Hiroki Yomogita published on November 6 by Nikkei Electronics. According to Hakan Eriksson, Chief Technology Officer at Ericsson, LTE will significantly enhanced the mobile broadband experience for users, who will be able to enjoy more performance-demanding applications like interactive TV, advanced games or professional services. It is expected that 1.8 billion people will have broadband by 2012 and of this amount 2/3 will be mobile broadband subscribers.
Physorg.com , November 10, 2008

The E Word
When the global economy began its meltdown this fall, I started polling all of my expert financial sources about what it would mean for the Independent telecom industry. The upshot? The impact will be less severe than for some other types of businesses. But the financial crisis could magnify problems the industry already is facing...the average stock value of publicly held ILECs was down 36% over the same period a year ago. Yet despite how dismal that number would appear, it's virtually on track with the S&P Index, which was down 34% over the same period. The two key lenders to Independent telcos...both say they expect
Telephony Online , November 10, 2008

FCC green-lights 'Wi-Fi on steroids'
Federal regulators approved the largest ever expansion of wireless Internet access last week, unanimously backing a controversial plan to allow a new generation of devices to use the empty airwaves between television channels to go online. Dubbed "Wi-Fi on steroids" by its supporters in the high-tech industry, the plan promises to offer wireless Internet service across America -- most likely for free -- and spur new systems for transmitting video and other data between devices in homes. It overcame staunch opposition from the entertainment industry, which is worried that the Web-surfing devices will interfere with TV broadcasts and wireless microphones. Though expected to be slower and possibly less secure than commercial broadband services from cable and telephone companies, the new Internet connections will ride on the highest-quality broadcast airwaves, which are able to carry signals long distances and easily penetrate trees and walls.
HeraldNet.com , November 09, 2008

High-speed Internet gets boost in rural areas
Vermont officials say a move by the Federal Communications Commission is a great leap forward in efforts to bring high-speed Internet to rural areas. The FCC vote on election day allows access to the Internet via unused television frequencies, which are abundant in rural states such as Vermont. Mary Evslin of the Vermont Telecommunications Authority says the FCC decision was innovative. But Evslin says the new technology won´t be available for some time. Larry Lackey of Sovernet Communications says the next step is for the market to begin incorporating the technology in computers that is needed to use the frequencies.
Burlington Free Press , November 09, 2008

'Mobile Phones Will Shoot Full HD Video in 2012,' Ericsson Says
Ericsson AB of Sweden revealed its efforts in the mobile broadband market at a press conference Nov 6, 2008. In the area of mobile communications, innovative technologies such as "HSPA evolution," which is the successor to HSPA, and "LTE (long term evolution)," which features high-speed communications of more than 100Mbps, are drawing interest. For both of these technologies, Ericsson intends to proactively develop and market embedded modules, base station facilities and other products. During the conference, Ericsson mentioned its concept of a future mobile terminal as "a mobile device in 2012." According to the concept, high-function terminals, in the future, will be equipped with a 12- to 20-Mpixel camera and support full HD video shooting capability.
TechOn , November 08, 2008

FCC OKs white space use
The Vermont Telecommunications Authority still has a long way to go toward providing broadband service to every corner of the state, but a decision by the Federal Communications Authority this week could go a long way toward helping them meet that goal. The FCC on Tuesday approved the new use of a slice of the television spectrum that some telecommunication experts think will make it easier for companies all over the county to deliver broadband service to the most rural communities. The FCC voted 5 to 0 to allow the unlicensed use of the television white space. The white space was developed more than 50 years ago to provide a buffer zone in between television station signals. When television stations move over to digital signals next year the spectrum space will become available.
Brattleboro Reformer , November 07, 2008

FairPoint Communications Reports Third Quarter 2008 Results
FairPoint Communications, Inc., a leading provider of communications services to communities across the country, today announced its financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2008. FairPoint completed its acquisition of Verizon Communication's wireline operations in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont (the Northern New England business) on March 31, 2008. As a result of that transaction, which was treated as a "reverse acquisition" for accounting purposes, the financial statements for all periods prior to March 31, 2008 reflect the operating results and assets and liabilities of the Northern New England business only.
Market Watch , November 07, 2008

Globalstar gets OK for rural WiMax
Broadband satellite service provider Globalstar has been granted temporary permission to offer some WiMax terrestrial services through a partner, opening the way for a five-year rollout of rural mobile services beginning next year. The Federal Communications Commission granted its permission in a split vote last week, although the service offering fails to meet FCC technical requirements for fully integrated space-based and terrestrial services. The waiver will let Globalstar and its partner, Open Range Communications Inc., begin deployment using a $267 million loan from the Agriculture Department´s Rural Development Utilities Program.
http://www.gcn.com/ , November 07, 2008

FCC clears the way for Sprint Nextel/Clearwire merger
The FCC has just made public its long-awaited decision on the fate of the Sprint Nextel/Clearwire merger, approving a US$14.5 billion deal that would forge one of the first nationwide mobile WiMAX U.S providers leveraging 2.5 GHz spectrum. Yesterday´s verdict vaults the Clearwire venture over its final regulatory hurdle and sets up a final shareholder vote on November 22. If that goes through, the new Clearwire will likely be launched by December 1 or January 1, 2009, according to some analysts, with an additional US$3.2 billion in investments from Intel, Comcast, Google and Time Warner upon final shareholder approval.
http://www.telecommagazine.com/default.asp , November 07, 2008

FairPoint Directors Support CEO, But Prepare His Exit
The directors of FairPoint Communications, faced with continuing delays in taking over Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ)' landline assets in northern New England, said on Thursday that they have formed a search committee and hired an outside executive search firm to find a successor for current lead executive Eugene B. Johnson. At the same time, FairPoint's directors said they "reaffirmed" Johnson's standing as the company's chairman and chief executive officer, and noted the Johnson's long-standing employment contract calls for him to retire on December 31, 2009.
Information Week , November 06, 2008

The White Space Opportunity - Priceless
"Priceless" is not an overstatement of the value of the radio spectrum opened for free, unlicensed use by the Federal Communications Commission order on TV white spaces. Literally, this spectrum is priceless because no one has to buy a license to use it – just like the spectrum we all use for WiFi today. Figuratively, this spectrum is priceless because it's impossible to calculate the innovation which will result from making the spectrum available WITHOUT specifying either the technology to use it (other than non-interference with licensed use and power limitations) or the applications which can be built here. Voice? Data? Entertainment? Power management? Who knows? Stuff we never even though of; you can count on that.
Fractals of Change , November 06, 2008

Location, location, location _ and broadband
In less than a decade, broadband has gone from a luxury to a must for many people, and for some of them, it's started to influence their real-estate decisions. Homes that have broadband are winning out over more remote ones that don't. Areas with better and faster broadband are becoming more desirable than ones with slower access. Edward Redpath, a real estate broker in Hanover, N.H., said he has seen deals fall through once the buyer realizes a home doesn't get broadband. Across the Connecticut River (otcbb: CRCA.OB - news - people ) in Norwich, Vt., only the center of the village has cable. "We have a lot of people that don't go into the rural neighborhoods or consider the rural neighborhoods because they need the broadband," Redpath said. "Our lifestyle demands speed."
Forbes , November 05, 2008

FCC Vote Results – We The People Won
The Federal Communications Commission has just voted to open up the so called TV Whitespaces for UNLICENSED use (FCC press release here). This is incredibly good news for rural America in particular but actually for all of America. It's not as important as the election the rest of us in the US voted in today – but this action is a very, very big deal. Just a few of the benefits: Within a year there could be new, cheap radios and commercial services that make mobile broadband available with greater bandwidth than cable offers today AND at lower prices. Mobile phones on these frequencies will be much cheaper to use AND will have much better data capability than they have today. Since the US is the first country to make so much desirable spectrum available for open unlicensed use, the door is open for a