---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <20200523174436.GA16712@telecom.csail.mit.edu> Date: Sat, 23 May 2020 17:44:36 +0000 From: Moderator <telecomdigestsubmissions@remove-this.telecom-digest.org> Subject: AL: Programs incentivize rural broadband expansion With broadband internet increasingly becoming a "need to have" rather than a "nice to have," state and federal governments are providing grants to incentivize the expansion of broadband service into rural areas. When Alabama set up its Broadband Accessibility Fund several years ago, there were only a handful of applicants for the grant money. When Jay Fuller, CEO and owner of Cyber Broadband went looking for grants to help with a broadband project his company was going to do at Smith Lake, he discovered the grants and successfully applied for one. At the time, his company was one of nine applicants. This past year, his company again applied for a grant from the state and was one of 55 applications. https://www.cullmantimes.com/news/programs-incentivize-rural-broadband-expansion/article_f9a9d182-9ca2-11ea-86c7-e77c6ef53d75.html -- Bill Horne Telecom Digest Moderator ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20200523172318.GA16593@telecom.csail.mit.edu> Date: Sat, 23 May 2020 17:23:18 +0000 From: Moderator <telecomdigestsubmissions@remove-this.telecom-digest.org> Subject: CWA endorses Joe Biden for President Yesterday the CWA Executive Board voted to endorse Joe Biden for President of the United States. The past three years - and indeed just the past three months - have proven that the 2016 election was the most damaging election of our lifetimes. Donald Trump's victory that year will tear at the fabric of our society and the health of our communities for years to come and will worsen if he is re-elected. http://www.cwa9003.org/?p=4859 -- Bill Horne Telecom Digest Moderator ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20200523175551.GA16755@telecom.csail.mit.edu> Date: Sat, 23 May 2020 17:55:51 +0000 From: Moderator <telecomdigestsubmissions@remove-this.telecom-digest.org> Subject: Making Internet service a utility - what's the worst that could happen? A cable lobby lawyer reveals the industry's darkest fears. By Jon Brodkin It's 2020, and a coronavirus pandemic has underscored how crucial broadband service is to the lives of Americans for work, entertainment, and school. Internet service is a necessity, and yet it isn't regulated as a utility the way services like water and electricity are. But back in 2014 (when this story was originally published) and 2015, there was a hot debate over whether the Federal Communications Commission should treat broadband service like a utility - or, more precisely, as a Title II common-carrier service - in order to impose net neutrality rules. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/05/worst-case-scenario-why-the-cable-lobby-is-scared-of-becoming-a-utility/ -- Bill Horne Telecom Digest Moderator ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20200524043700.GA18557@telecom.csail.mit.edu> Date: Sun, 24 May 2020 04:37:00 +0000 From: Moderator <telecomdigestsubmissions@remove-this.telecom-digest.org> Subject: No Verizon data service in Asheville NC I visited Asheville NC today, and found that I could not get any Verizon data service at any point along the route from Burnsville NC to my destination in Asheville. I had the same problem yesterday, around the Burnsville area: something is broken, and has been for over 24 hours. Both Verizon's *611 and it's 800 number go to the same place, where I had to spend over 20 minutes trying to report the outage. The muzak Verizon plays while customers wait is perfectly tuned to the the most irritable pitch and tempo known to man, but I hung on until I got to a call-taker who promised to transfer me to "technical support," and then the call was dumped. Is any loss of Verizon "data" service reportable to the FCC? What are the rules for scope and duration that would cause Verizon to have an "FCC reportable event," if there is such a thing for "data" service? What other Verizon customers are affected? Downdetector shows reports from "Charlotte," but nothing from my neck of the woods. Bill -- Bill Horne Telecom Digest Moderator ------------------------------ ********************************************* End of telecom Digest Sun, 24 May 2020