Research

Biden team wades into open source AI controversy

The Biden Administration has big plans to tackle one of the AI boom's sharpest controversies—whether op

Artificial Intelligence: Agencies Have Begun Implementation but Need to Complete Key Requirements

While there are varying definitions of AI, they generally refer to computing systems that “learn” how to improve their performance. AI has the potential to rapidly change the world and holds substantial promise for improving government operations. However, AI poses risks that can negatively impact individuals, groups, organizations, communities, and society.

Investment in the Virtuous Circle: Theory and Empirics

In the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress directed the Federal Communications Commission to reduce regulation. While the FCC initially made several bipartisan steps in that direction, over the last three presidential administrations the agency has switched between aggressive and relaxed regulation of broadband services on an explicitly partisan basis, including the imposition of legacy common carrier regulation on broadband services in the name of Net Neutrality.

Wireless Technologies for Rural Farming Communities

Conversations about rural broadband access tend to focus on connections to homes and businesses, but precision agriculture increasingly requires reliable connectivity to the farm office and the field. In the field, farmers rely on wireless connectivity—such as fixed wireless and mobile cellular—to make real-time strategic and logistical decisions about their land, crops, animals, equipment, and farm facilities. Connected sensors in the field collect the accurate, timely data that farmers can use to optimize their practices and conserve resources.

Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023

Despite negative headlines and growing concerns about social media’s impact on youth, teens continue to use these platforms at high rates—with some describing their social media use as “almost constant." Here’s a look at the key findings related to online platforms:

  • YouTube continues to dominate. Roughly nine-in-ten teens say they use YouTube, making it the most widely used platform measured in our survey.

US Starlink Data Points to Larger Addressable Base for LEO Broadband ISPs

The telecommunications industry continues to watch SpaceX Starlink’s expansion and performance closely, as the number of subscribers to its broadband service grows and other satellite providers enter the fray. While median download performance remains a key benchmark, we see strong demand to understand how Starlink is balancing net new additions with its network capacity as the service scales, and how LEO Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) performance stacks up against the competition, particularly in rural locations. Key takeaways include:

92 Percent of U.S. Households Get an Internet Service at Home

Ninety-two percent of US households get an Internet service at home, compared to 83 percent in 2018 and 76 percent in 2008. Broadband accounts for 98 percent of households with an Internet service at home, and 90 percent of all households get a broadband Internet service- an increase from 81 percent in 2018 and 57 percent in 2008. Other related findings include:

Reviewing State (Draft) Low-Cost Options

Under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, providers are required to offer a low-cost option to subscribers who are eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). However, the exact definition of what will qualify as “low-cost” is up to state and territory broadband offices to decide.

Cost Models and BEAD Grants

Arizona and Missouri are going to use a cost model as part of their Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program grant review process. Consultants have built complex models that are supposed to predict the cost of building broadband anywhere in the country. The models have to be loaded with specific inputs for any given location, and the models are then supposed to calculate what it will cost to build a broadband network. These two states are using the cost models in the worst possible way because they are using the costs suggested by the cost models to help pick grant winners.

Alaska's Plan to Address Broadband Adversity

laska’s residents know what adversity looks like when it comes to accessing high-speed internet. The scale of unserved and underserved communities across Alaska is an obstacle to community and economic development, particularly for Tribal and rural communities. With federal resources and strong collaboration with Tribal partners, the nonprofit sector serving Alaska’s most vulnerable communities, and cities and boroughs, the State of Alaska is working toward changing this landscape.

Digital Public Library Ecosystem 2023

The Digital Public Library Ecosystem is the network of digital book collection and circulation specifically through public libraries. Three factors contribute to current confusion about the digital public library ecosystem. One, essential terms like reading, library use, circulation, and holds have been inconsistently defined across the industry and in other reports. Two, the digital public library ecosystem is complex, and different elements of the ecosystem do not necessarily work or communicate with each other directly.

Big Tech Backslide

After the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, tech companies finally seemed to accept that their failure to moderate content was undermining public safety and democracy. In the aftermath, most social-media companies removed users who spread anti-democratic conspiracies or used their online platforms to incite violence. Leading up to the 2022 U.S. midterm elections, tech companies promised users, civil-society groups and governments that they would safeguard election integrity and free expression on their platforms.

Zuckerberg and Meta Reach Deep into Academia

Mark Zuckerberg’s personal philanthropy and his company, Meta, have collectively donated hundreds of millions of dollars to more than 100 US colleges and universities across the country, giving the CEO powerful potential leverage to influence the institutions. The recipients of these donations range from research powerhouses like the University of California, Berkeley, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to smaller institutions like Des Moines Area Community College.

Broadband/Internet Availability Survey Report

This survey asked about technologies used to provide broadband service in members’ historical incumbent and competitive service areas, broadband availability and subscription rates, anchor institutions, fiber deployment and supply chain considerations, competition, internet backbone and middle mile connections, and video service. This survey found that:

In a New York State of Digital Equity

In November 2023, the Empire State Development’s ConnectALL Office released the draft New York State Digital Equity Plan and sought public comment on how New York will bridge the digital divide in the state.

Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States

The Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States finds that access to broadband infrastructure is not readily available in rural America, despite it having become a fundamental necessity. The Task Force seeks to address these gaps with recommendations that advise the federal government on ways it can improve access to reliable, scalable, and low latency broadband access, specifically on rural and agricultural lands.

Inside America’s School Internet Censorship Machine

Thanks in large part to a two-decade-old federal law, school districts across the US restrict what students see online using a patchwork of commercial web filters that block vast and often random swathes of the internet. Companies like GoGuardian and Blocksi govern students’ internet use in thousands of US school districts.

A Plan for Digital Equity in Delaware

Delaware seeks to promote digital equity to ensure that all residents, regardless of their background or location, have equal opportunities to access education, health care, job prospects, government services, and information critical to personal growth and well-being.

Equity for the Digital Age: Maryland's Plan

In its draft Digital Equity Plan, the  Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband (OSB) recognizes that digital equity is crucial in today’s interconnected world.

2023 Report on School Connectivity

The past decade has been marked by unprecendented challenges and opportunites for digital transformation in K-12 education. Today, the broadband landscape continues to thrive for education and the impact is inspiring. 74 percent of all districts are now meeting or exceeding the Federal Communications Commission’s recommended bandwidth goal of 1 Megabit per second per student, an increase of 57.4 percent since 2020. Prices continue to decrease, making upgrades more affordable.

AT&T’s and Verizon’s scores take off around the U.S. airports after 5G interference mitigations ease

Open Signal users on AT&T and Verizon’s networks have enjoyed substantial boosts in their download speeds around U.S.

What the 2022 American Community Survey Tells Us About Digital Equity

The American Community Survey (ACS) 2022 one-year estimates, which were released in September 2023, reveal the impact of digital inclusion work and the disparities that still exist. First, we have to celebrate the progress made in broadband adoption reflected in the 2022 data. From 2021 to 2022, 2.5 million new households subscribed to wireline broadband (DSL, cable, or fiber connections). This is a huge number to celebrate.

What Congress Needs to Know About Affordable Connectivity Program Funding

Roughly one in seven Americans have come to rely on the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) since it was created almost exactly two years ago by the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act). As of November 1, 2023, the ACP had roughly $4.7 billion in remaining funds. If the current rate of program uptake continues, April 2024 will be the last full month of funding for the ACP. To avoid this problem, the White House recently asked Congress for an additional $6 billion for the ACP in order to extend the program, and give Congress and the Federal Communicat

New report highlights AT&T's dominance in Q3 fiber expansion

A new analysis from New Street Research revealed that the telecommunications industry collectively increased fiber locations by 1.8 million in the third quarter of 2023, with “most of the increase driven by AT&T.” A broadband trends report from analyst Jonathan Chaplin highlighted that over the past year, AT&T has passed 2.2 million new consumer locations with fiber, although he wrote that pace is “slightly below expectations based on management guidance.” AT&T added 1.1 million fiber subscribers during the past year.