Broadband

Governor Douglas and Vermont’s Congressional Delegation Urge Vice President Biden to Expedite ARRA Broadband and SmartGrid Funding

June 15, 2009 -- Montpelier, Vt. – Vermont Governor Jim Douglas, U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders and U.S. Representative Peter Welch today released a letter sent to Vice President Joe Biden highlighting a proposal put forward by the Vermont Recovery Office and urging him to expedite ARRA broadband and SmartGrid funding.    » read more »

Company's Proposal Focuses on Access, Demand and Adoption

June 8, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - Verizon on Monday (June 8) submitted its suggestions for the national broadband plan called for by Congress and President Obama. The suggestions are contained in a detailed, 10-point proposal filed with the Federal Communications Commission.

"Verizon looks forward to working with policymakers and other stakeholders in developing broadband policies that will ensure broadband availability to all Americans, encourage widespread adoption of broadband services, and empower consumers to make their own choices," Verizon said in its filing.

The FCC is assembling recommendations for Congress to consider for the plan, which is due in February 2010.    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, released the following statement regarding the report outlining a broadband internet strategy for rural America released today by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in conjunction with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).    » read more »

Report to Congress Important Building Block for National Broadband Plan

Washington, D.C., May 27, 2009 - Concluding that all rural Americans must have the opportunity to reap the full benefits of broadband services, Acting Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael J. Copps released a report today providing a starting point for the development of policies to deliver broadband to rural areas and restore economic growth and opportunity for Americans residing and working in those areas.    » read more »

Field Trial With JANET Moves High Bandwidth Optical Service Closer to Commercial Deployment

May 27, 2009 -- BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - Verizon Business has completed a successful trial of 100G optical service with JANET, the United Kingdom's National Research and Education Network.

The field trial, completed in April, is the latest in a series of successful trials conducted by Verizon, which is aggressively working with major equipment suppliers toward 100G commercial deployment. Typical optical carrier network speeds are 10G and 40G.    » read more »

Holds broadband development forum, unveils interactive mapping tool at New Salem town hall

NEW SALEM – Tuesday, May 26, 2009 – As part of his Massachusetts Recovery Plan to secure the state's economic future, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick today held a broadband development forum in Western Massachusetts where he moved to secure federal recovery funding for broadband expansion in the Commonwealth and unveiled a new interactive mapping tool to help further the Patrick-Murray administration's efforts to bring high-speed Internet to communities across the state.    » read more »

Announces formation of Broadband Advisory Council

May 14, 2009 -- RICHMOND - Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today unveiled the Commonwealth's first broadband availability map, available online through the Office of Telework Promotion and Broadband Assistance. The map is an important resource that will give policy makers, local government leaders, and service providers a more detailed picture of broadband coverage in Virginia as they work to provide "last-mile" broadband in their communities.    » read more »

Bill to Ensure Massachusetts Captures Funding Opportunities

BOSTON– Monday, April 27, 2009 – As part of his Massachusetts Recovery Plan to secure the state’s economic future, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has filed legislation to help leverage federal economic recovery funds to boost broadband services throughout Massachusetts.

“This bill builds on our commitment to provide broadband access to all areas of the Commonwealth, and positions the state for long-term economic growth,” said Governor Patrick. “This effort will also help streamline state zoning and permitting rules to expedite the availability of this enabling technology.”    » read more »

Recovery Act Presents 'Unprecedented Opportunity'

April 13, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - The $7 billion-plus broadband stimulus program contained in the nation's economic recovery act presents an "unprecedented opportunity" to extend advanced broadband networks across the nation and to stimulate jobs and the economy, Verizon said Monday (April 13). But, to maximize that opportunity, the program should focus on two key objectives: extending broadband Internet connections to unserved areas, and addressing demand-side factors that hamper growth of broadband subscriptions, such as the lack of a computer in many households.    » read more »

Mapping and Inventory Project for Recovery Act Funding

March 18, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – The ConnectME Authority expects to apply for Recovery Act funds to further the Administration’s goal of expanding broadband throughout Maine. Preparing for such an application, the Authority has recently released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking a qualified independent contractor to develop a statewide comprehensive assessment of current broadband service and infrastructure deployment.

An update of broadband availability inventory in the State is an essential part of the ConnectME Authority’s preparation for grant applications from the federal Recovery Act. The inventory will enable the Authority to focus State and federal funds where they are most needed.    » read more »

Verizon, in Congressional Testimony, Suggests\Guidelines and Practical Reforms

March 12, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - A senior telecommunications executive today made specific recommendations to Congress on how broadband Internet grant money contained in the economic stimulus package and reform of the nation's universal service subsidy system can be used to deploy broadband networks to U.S. households throughout the country.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, Tuesday, March 10, 2009 - U.S. Department of Agriculture Sec. Tom Vilsack, Acting Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Copps and U.S. Dept. of Commerce Senior Advisor and Acting Chief of Staff Rick Wade kicked off the joint broadband initiative under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act today and announced a series of public meetings that will give Americans an opportunity to help shape the program.    » read more »

Washington, DC, March 10, 2009 -- For more than a decade, the expansion of wireless and wired broadband connectivity has transformed how we work and live, fostered dramatic new business opportunity and driven economic growth. The demand for connectivity remains strong and AT&T* continues to invest billions in its wireless and wired broadband networks to expand this critical platform for growth.

AT&T plans to invest $17 billion to $18 billion in 2009, in line with its 2007 capital expenditures of $17.7 billion and expected to exceed the planned investment of any other U.S. telecom company.    » read more »

January 28, 2009 -- HONOLULU – Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle today highlighted the benefits of creating a Hawai‘i Communications Commission to champion the State’s efforts to lead the nation in broadband speeds, prices, accessibility, and usage. She was joined by Sen. Carol Fukunaga, chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Technology and Rep. Kyle Yamashita, a member of the Hawai‘i Broadband Task Force.

The Lingle-Aiona Administration worked collaboratively with the Hawai‘i Broadband Task Force, key members of the House and Senate, and industry representatives to introduce measures (SB895 / HB1077) that focus on the communications infrastructure necessary to make Hawai‘i a leader in education, science, technology, and business.    » read more »

Washington, D.C., July 18, 2008 – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today announced additional details for the public en banc hearing scheduled at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Monday, July 21, 2008, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

As previously announced, the hearing date, time, and location are as follows:

Date: Monday, July 21, 2008

Time: 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time)

Location: McConomy Auditorium, University Center
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Directions: cmu.edu/about/visit/directions-parking.shtml

The Commission will hear from expert panelists regarding broadband and the digital future.    » read more »