Rural communities face a notable dilemma. Internet service providers (ISP) claim fast broadband coverage in remote areas but often fail to deliver. As a result, you struggle to offer efficiency to your staff, residents, and prospects. A few hacks can help you improve your broadband offerings until more permanent solutions arrive. Rural Broadband Setbacks Nearly 63 percent of rural Americans have purchased broadband internet connection but many struggle with connectivity issues. Towns with slow broadband face economic setbacks. High-speed internet is a foundational principal in modern businesses and institutions. Without it, commerce wanes. Reliable connectivity is needed to reach prospects and provide services for customers. To address the broadband overage gap, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) set aside $4.5 billion in rural grants for broadband infrastructure improvements. The program stalled before it gained momentum. The FCC soon realized that there were major discrepancies between coverage maps issued by ISPs and functional coverage experienced by users. An investigation is underway to determine if carriers have violated rules and submitted incorrect coverage data. Coverage maps matter. Towns that are dubbed “well connected” are ineligible for FCC improvement grants. Yet businesses and residents of these towns have problems with basic functions like sending emails, streaming webinars, and using navigation around town. “Our maps simply do not reflect the state of deployment on the ground. That’s a problem,” explains FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. “We have a digital divide in this country with millions of Americans who lack broadband where they live. If we want to fix this gap and close this divide, we first need an honest accounting of high-speed service in every community across the country.” Based on coverage maps submitted by ISPs, about 24 million people lack access to broadband at home. In contrast, an independent study...
LA Flips for Fiber
Moving toward citywide network
Since Google started wiring cities like Kansas, Austin, and Provo move 100 times faster than normal via Google Fiber, conversations about jumping on the wireless Autobahn have been held nationwide. Los Angeles has an ambitious plan. Unwilling to wait for a vendor to come and bring the fiber to all 3.5 million residents and businesses, they’ve decided to give it a try and issue an RFP (request for proposals); the vote determining its release will take place soon, reports Art Technica. The costs for the project are estimated between $3 billion to $5 billion; the plan is to have the vendor bear the costs associated with the project, and if in case they’re not willing to cover them, the City Council may consider transferring a general fund to reimburse the respective departments. The new fiber network translates into speeds of 2Mbps to 5Mbps offered for free to everyone, and up to a gigabit for paid subscribers. Through the new network the Wi-Fi hotspots in public areas would be powered as well. Currently Google Fiber is limited to residential connections. Currently, the LA broadband ranges between 5Mbps to 50Mbps, provided by AT&T, Time Warner, Verizon, Cox, and Charter. There are gigabit speeds for commercial use, but at higher prices than in other communities. Having a powerful and solid fiber network at decent pricing could be a boost for the economy, as it might attract new entrepreneurs and retain the existing businesses from moving to greener pastures. The plan of the Los Angeles Information Technology Agency is to have the network open in order to avoid monopoly. Furthermore, the RFP would favor companies that have the possibility to offer more than just fiber Internet. Candidates who can provide cellular service and data center hosting will have a head start, in which case AT&T and Verizon are valid bidders. Without the cellular component companies like Time Warner, Cox, and Charter could be applicants. Should Google want a place in the project, they’d have to change their business model, to include the sector for businesses, and to respond to the RFP, something they never done in their history. The project, although supported by Mayor Eric Garcetti, will take long to be completed – the city will accept bids for three months, followed by six-to nine-month review and negotiation process before the job can get...
