C|Net

Five regional internet service providers will be unified under the new name Astound Broadband starting January 12. Digital West, EnTouch, Grande, RCN and Wave when combined will boast coverage in eight of the top 10 metro areas across the country and 10 different states.  Astound Broadband covers some of the biggest cities in the US, including Austin (TX), Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), New York (NY), and San Francisco (CA) among others. While Astound Broadband will be leading the charge, the regional brands will still be included in this evolution of the company.

A new chapter in the ongoing saga of net neutrality and who governs the internet will take shape over the next year thanks to another shift in power at the Federal Communications Commission. With new appointees from President Joe Biden firming up a Democratic majority at the agency, reinstating Obama-era net neutrality rules thrown out under the Trump administration will be a top priority for the FCC. In late 2021, Biden named Jessica Rosenworcel the permanent chair of the FCC.