Bernie Arnason

Frontier CFO: We’re Rebuilding Trust to Help Achieve Fiber Goals

Frontier has ambitious fiber goals, which include about 3 to 4 million homes that will probably require government subsidy to reach. CFO Scott Beasley said Frontier intends to be active with government funding programs to do just that. “We want to compete for subsidies on all of that 3 to 4 million homes and if you take a step back and think about our purpose which is build gigabit America, I mean that’s why we’re excited to build,” he said. Of course, Frontier is no stranger to government funding programs for broadband.

Frontier CEO: Fiber is a Superior Product to Cable and it Shows

Frontier reported quarterly results and no surprise, all the focus is on fiber. The legacy telecom carrier is attempting a fiber-first transformation after emerging from bankruptcy in 2021. The company now touts a Building Gigabit America strategy and it’s seeing positive momentum in the turn around. The company added 50,000 residential fiber broadband subscribers in second quarter 2022, which is 4 times better than a year ago. Frontier added 281,000 new fiber locations and raised its total 2022 fiber location build guidance to 1.1 – 1.2 million locations by the end of 2022.

CEO John Stankey Lobbies for AT&T as a Good State Partner for Broadband Infrastructure Funding

AT&T CEO John Stankey recently offered subtle hints about AT&T’s potential participation in broadband infrastructure funding programs. But he wasn’t coy about presenting AT&T as a good partner with the states, who will be key in doling out billions in funding. AT&T was proud to report its fiber broadband progress this quarter, having added 316,000 net new fiber subscribers in second quarter 2022.

Comcast is Big Winner in Latest West Virginia Broadband Grant Funding

West Virginia Gov Jim Justice (R-WV) announced preliminary approval for close to $21 million in funding for six broadband infrastructure projects in the state. Comcast was the largest winner of this latest West Virginia broadband funding.

Google Fiber Embracing Open Access Model to ‘Reach Everyone’

David Finn of Google Fiber outlined the company’s embrace of the open access model for broadband. Finn, a director of corporate development at Google Fiber, highlighted the company’s recent open access partnership in West Des Moines (IA) and a previous example with the public utility in Huntsville (AL) as examples of how they are using the model to expand broadband access. Google Fiber is now finalizing a similar partnership in Vermont that could potentially reach over 100 thousand rural residents.

Charter Updates Progress on Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Work

Charter Communications updated investors during its first quarter 2022 earnings call and offered some insight on the impact of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) program on the operator. Charter was the largest RDOF auction winner,  measured by the number of locations. The cable company won $1.22 billion to bring service to over one million locations in 24 states.

Verizon Broadband Business is Now Very Much a Fixed Wireless Story

Verizon was a pioneer in fiber broadband with its Fios product, having launched it well over 15 years ahead of the fiber frenzy we now find ourselves in. Fios was very much the heart of Verizon broadband, but that appears to be changing. Today, and from all indications, the future of Verizon broadband is very much centered on its emerging fixed wireless business. Out of the 229,000 net broadband adds Verizon gained in Q1 2022, roughly 85 percent came from fixed wireless. In 2021, fixed wireless only accounted for 20 percent of the company’s net broadband adds.

Windstream: $523 Million in Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Authorizations Propel Public-Private Partnership Strategy

Windstream announced that it has received authorizations from the Federal Communications Commission to receive a total of $523 million from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), which the carrier sees as a springboard for growing through public-private partnerships (PPPs). The funding will help Windstream extend broadband to approximately 193 thousand locations across 18 states. RDOF is an FCC program offering funding to help cover the cost of expanding broadband to the unserved, and eventually, the underserved.

Zayo Expands E-Rate Business Through Education Networks of America Acquisition

Zayo announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Nashville-based Education Networks of America (ENA), a provider of managed network services to the education and public sector verticals. ENA targets K-12, higher education, healthcare, library, and government organizations with a variety of network services, specializing in E-Rate funded programs. E-Rate is a program funded through the Universal Service Fund, providing funding to school systems and libraries for connectivity and other technology. ENA has a national reach.

AT&T's Free Internet Offer: Up to 100 Mbps Broadband Through the Affordable Connectivity Program

A new AT&T free Internet plan will leverage the Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), offering speeds of up to 100 Mbps symmetrical where available. The Access from AT&T program used to offer a 10 Mbps plan for $5 to $10 per month. AT&T says those plans will remain, but customers can opt-in to the new free Internet plan leveraging the ACP. Customers can also apply ACP funds towards mobile service provided through AT&T prepaid or Cricket Wireless plans.

Starlink Satellite Broadband Not Exactly Hitting it Out of the Ballpark

It’s still very early in the ‘ballgame’ of broadband and low earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband players haven’t gotten up to bat much yet, but recent performance for SpaceX’s Starlink service reveals somewhat underwhelming momentum. Starlink has a total of 145K subscribers across the globe, according to company engineer Jessie Anderson. That’s up only 5K subscribers from November 2021, according to CNBC.

The Absurdity of Broadband …the Official Speed Definition That Is

In the midst of this historic time, I sometimes lose sight of the fact that the official broadband speed definition, at least according to the Federal Communications Commission, remains at 25/3 Mbps. I’m not sure there is anything more absurd in the broadband industry than this outdated definition. Some would argue it was already outdated when it was established back in 2015, as a benchmark to measure national broadband progress.

Cable One Plots Course for 10 Gbps Broadband to Compete with Fiber

Diversified broadband provider Cable One is on a path to launch 10 Gbps service. The company said it has already made gigabit service available to 99 percent of its footprint across 24 states, first offering it back in 2016. Cable One is actively upgrading its network to facilitate DOCSIS 4.0, which is the cable industry’s answer to the proliferation of fiber broadband from primarily telco competitors.

Charter Updates FCC on Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Plans

Cable operator Charter is participating in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) clean-up and notifying the Federal Communications Commission of census blocks it intends to remove from its RDOF plans. The FCC notified 197 winning bidders about concerns with their RDOF applications, suggesting there were numerous census blocks in those bids that shouldn’t qualify for the RDOF program.

Hurricane Ida takes out cell towers in its path in Louisiana

The Gulf Coast region is just beginning to recover from Hurricane Ida, with a significant impact on cell towers in the state of Louisiana. According to the Federal Communications Commission, 52 percent of cell towers in the hurricane’s path in the state are out of service as of August 30. That equates to 1,437 towers, most of them down due to loss of power, and some localities are far worse than others. Terrebonne Parrish has 100 percent of its 81 towers out of service, while Lafourche Parrish has 97 percent down.

Windstream CEO: Industry Should Not Repeat Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Mess, USF Reform Needed

Windstream CEO Tony Thomas revealed he’s no fan of the Federal Communications Commission's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) program implementation and he is among many now calling for USF reform. “It was a mess, why was it a mess?” said Thomas. “There’s lessons hear that we should learn.” Thomas says the auction didn’t properly vet bidders at the beginning of the process, as the FCC does with wireless spectrum auctions.

Billions in Funding From American Rescue Plan Act May Pit Rural Carriers Against One Another

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) includes up to $350 billion in funding to be distributed to the states for a variety of projects, broadband included.

Rural Fiber Penetration at 23%, Almost 1/3 of Rural Customers Seek Faster Broadband

Rural fiber penetration now stands at 23%, according to a study conducted by Pivot Group (parent company of Telecompetitor) and sponsored by Innovative Systems. The 6th Annual Rural Video and Broadband Industry Study from Pivot Group also found that cable broadband penetration leads all access technologies in rural America at 39%. DSL ranked at 14%, followed by fixed wireless at 10% and satellite broadband at 6%.

With AT&T Fiber Penetration on the Rise, CEO Questions Rural Fiber Viability

AT&T added over 1 million new fiber subscribers in 2020, with 273K net adds in 4Q20 alone. AT&T fiber penetration now stands at 34%, up from 28% a year ago. That’s a 21% year-over-year improvement in AT&T fiber penetration, with the company now counting 4.9 million total FTTP connections. With this momentum, the company also announced plans to increase homes passed with fiber by an additional 2 million locations in 2021. While AT&T fiber penetration is on the rise, its legacy DSL and VDSL base is a drag on the company’s overall broadband numbers.

Consolidated Fiber Expansion May be an Example of RDOF Halo Effect

Consolidated Communications announced a major fiber network expansion that will add 300,000 new gigabit-capable locations. This expansion is funded in part by the Federal Communications Commission's recently concluded Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auction. Consolidated won close to $59 million to bring broadband to 27,000 locations across 7 states. That funding will help accelerate the Consolidated fiber strategy, which aims to reach an additional 300,000 locations in 2021 alone.

TDS Rides Video and Fiber Broadband Growth, Cites Expansion Evaluation Plans

TDS revealed 3Q 2020 results and both video and broadband -- specifically fiber broadband -- are leading the charge. Customers are adopting higher speeds and it’s driving revenue growth. About 12% of TDS broadband subscribers now take gigabit service. And over 38% take 100 Mbps or faster service. These higher speeds have pushed broadband ARPU up 5%. TDS now reaches 280K locations with fiber broadband, both in its incumbent territory and in its expansion territories. That translates to 34% coverage of its footprint with FTTP.

Broadband Surge Continues Amidst COVID-19

Comcast now has over 30 million broadband customers, by far the largest broadband provider in the US. Usually, Comcast’s broadband gains overshadow modest broadband performance at rivals AT&T and Verizon. But broadband growth during COVID-19 is shared. Combined, AT&T and Verizon added nearly 500K fiber broadband subscribers during the third quarter of 2020 -- as Comcast added 633,000 customers. 

AT&T, Verizon See Fiber Broadband Momentum. AT&T CEO Calls for USF Reform to Accelerate It

AT&T reports it now has 4.7 million fiber subscribers, adding 357K net new fiber subscribers in 3Q 2020, up over 12% from 3Q 2019. AT&T now reports 33% penetration of its fiber homes passed. Verizon reported 139K net adds for consumer Fios fiber subscribers, the most net additions since 4Q 2014. That’s up over 450% from 3Q 2019. Verizon now counts 6.1 million fiber subscribers.

T-Mobile Seizes on AT&T DSL Stoppage with Fixed Wireless Markets Expansion

T-Mobile is expanding its fixed wireless markets, bringing the service to 450 additional cities and towns. T-Mobile claims many of those markets are experiencing AT&T’s recent stoppage of new DSL orders, giving impacted subscribers a new option for home broadband. T-Mobile says this fixed wireless markets expansion will reach 20 million people. T-Mobile Home Internet uses 4G LTE-based fixed wireless service to deliver average speeds of 50 Mbps for $50 per month.