Will a 2017 Tax Cut Rule Prevent Rural Broadband Expansion? April 18, 2022 When Congress and former President Trump pushed through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, little did they know that a less-discussed part of the bill might make closing the digital divide more difficult. As of…
Compute North breaks ground on 300MW data center in Granbury, Texas
Compute North breaks ground on 300MW data center in Granbury, Texas April 12, 2022 Compute North is building a 300MW data center at a gas-fired power plant in Texas. The blockchain & HPC data center firm has announced that construction is underway to build a 300MW data center next to…
US telecommunications company likely targeted by Russian hackers shares details of Feb. 24 attack
US telecommunications company likely targeted by Russian hackers shares details of Feb. 24 attack MAR 30, 2022 The U.S. telecommunications company targeted as the Russian military attacked Ukraine on Feb. 24 said Wednesday that a misconfigured virtual private network allowed hackers to gain the access needed to knock key modems…
Spam text messages flood Verizon Wireless phones
Spam text messages flood Verizon Wireless phones March 29, 2022 According to Verizon Wireless, the company is currently investigating a mass spam text message campaign targeting its customers. “Verizon is aware that bad actors are sending spam text messages to some customers which appear to come from the customers’ own…
Federal agencies warn Russian cyber operations pose continued threat to U.S. energy infrastructure
Federal agencies warn Russian cyber operations pose continued threat to U.S. energy infrastructure March 28, 2022 In a joint advisory published this week, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the United States Department of Energy (DOE) assessed that state-sponsored Russian cyber operations…
New Broadband Forum specs allow ISPs to begin tapping 5G capabilities
New Broadband Forum specs allow ISPs to begin tapping 5G capabilities Mar 22, 2022 The Broadband Forum wrapped Phase II of its wireless-wireline convergence (WWC) effort, unveiling new specifications which will allow legacy residential wireline gateways to take advantage of certain 5G capabilities. Read more
The SEC wants companies to disclose how climate change is affecting them
The SEC wants companies to disclose how climate change is affecting them March 21, 2022 Every year, public companies in the U.S. are required to provide investors and regulators with detailed data about their financial performance and the risks they face. Soon, they may also have to disclose information about…
Biden warns the private sector that Russia is exploring options for cyberattacks
Biden warns the private sector that Russia is exploring options for cyberattacks March 21, 2022 President Biden warned on Monday that Russia is exploring the possibility of waging potential cyberattacks against the United States in retaliation for economic penalties imposed on Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine. Read more
Maine-based telecom is bought by Idaho company
Maine-based telecom is bought by Idaho company March 12, 2022 Unity telecommunications company UniTel has been sold to an Idaho-based broadband provider that plans to rapidly expand fiber internet service. Direct Communications of Rockland has found a niche providing high-speed internet in small rural areas. Read more
SEC plans to force public companies to disclose greenhouse gas emissions
SEC plans to force public companies to disclose greenhouse gas emissions March 15, 2022 The Securities and Exchange Commission plans to require all publicly traded companies to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and the climate risks their businesses face, part of the Biden administration’s broader push to force the private…
MetTel secures Marine Corps telecommunications recompete
MetTel secures Marine Corps telecommunications recompete MARCH 8, 2022 MetTel has won a chance to expand the connectivity services it provides to the Marine Corps’ recruiting arm under a $58 million EIS task order. Read more
NYC’s First Net Zero Community Brings Housing to Storm-Ravaged Neighborhood
NYC’s First Net Zero Community Brings Housing to Storm-Ravaged Neighborhood March 4, 2022 Along 116 acres of vacant oceanfront land, development has begun on what could become New York City’s first and largest community to reach a goal of net zero carbon emissions. Read more
6G launch planning should start now to avoid another 5G mess – FCC
6G launch planning should start now to avoid another 5G mess – FCC Mar. 1st 2022 New Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Jessica Rosenworcel has today told delegates at the Mobile World Congress that 6G launch planning should begin now, even though switch-on is not expected until 2030. Her remarks follow the embarrassing clash between…
AT&T is shutting down its 3G network. Here’s how it could impact you
AT&T is shutting down its 3G network. Here’s how it could impact you February 22, 2022 Twenty years after 3G was first introduced in the United States, paving the way for a new generation of mobile apps, the network is officially being phased out. Read more
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation Completes Testing of Hydrogen Blending in Continued Move Toward Lower Carbon Energy Sources
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation Completes Testing of Hydrogen Blending in Continued Move Toward Lower Carbon Energy Sources Feb 22, 2022 Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (NYSE: CPK) announced today that it successfully blended hydrogen with natural gas to power the Company’s Eight Flags Energy Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant in Nassau County, Florida. Read…
Cyber insurance premiums soar for energy companies
Cyber insurance premiums soar for energy companies Feb. 18, 2022 Cyber insurance rates are rising because of geopolitics, ransomware, a growing threat to operational technology, and continued fallout from last year’s Colonial Pipeline attack, say experts. Read more
Berthoud votes to sign MOU with private broadband provider
Berthoud votes to sign MOU with private broadband provider February 15, 2022 The Berthoud Town Board decided last week to join with three neighboring towns in a memorandum of understanding with a broadband internet provider that will provide fiber optic connections to every property in the four communities within three…
Louisiana ‘aggressively’ dedicating federal money for broadband
Louisiana ‘aggressively’ dedicating federal money for broadband FEBRUARY 7, 2022 Louisiana is ahead of most states in its efforts to improve internet access and usage, says Jon Wilkins, a consultant and former chief operating officer for the FCC. By dedicating money from the federal American Rescue Plan Act to provide…
AT&T’s latest 5G network upgrade may only work with 2022’s best phones
AT&T’s latest 5G network upgrade may only work with 2022’s best phones Jan. 31, 2022 The Federal Aviation Administration’s war against 5G has finally begun to wind down with the assurance that flights and new 5G network expansions can peacefully coexist, leaving carriers to continue adding high-speed coverage across the US. Now AT&T is going public…
Germany: 2 oil storage and supply firms hit by cyberattack
Germany: 2 oil storage and supply firms hit by cyberattack Feb. 1, 2022 wo companies involved in storing and supplying oil and other materials said Tuesday they have been hit by a cyberattack that has impacted operations in Germany. Read more
Emergence of the New Payments Paradigm – The Case for Utility CX Transformation
Emergence of the New Payments Paradigm – The Case for Utility CX Transformation By Paridhi Gupta, Marketing, Smart Energy Water Utilities across the geographies have started their journey to improved customer self-service capabilities. Now millions of people enjoy the digital convenience of managing their utility account, tracking usage, paying bills,…
How the U.S. 5G Rollout Has Pitted Air Giants Against Telecom Behemoths
How the U.S. 5G Rollout Has Pitted Air Giants Against Telecom Behemoths January 25, 2022 The parties involved in the controversy over 5G technology for broadband cellular networks are like tectonic plates moving inexorably toward one another. On one side, there’s AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and the U.S. Federal Communications Commission;…
Explainer: Do 5G telecoms pose a threat to airline safety?
Explainer: Do 5G telecoms pose a threat to airline safety? January 18, 2022 The chief executives of major U.S. passenger and cargo airlines have warned of a “catastrophic” aviation crisis this week as AT&T and Verizon deploy new 5G services. They said the new C band 5G service set to begin on Wednesday could…
Adding Intelligence to Outage Management with Integrated Cloud-Based Digital Platforms
Adding Intelligence to Outage Management with Integrated Cloud-Based Digital Platforms January 17, 2022 By Paridhi Gupta, Marketing, Smart Energy Water “The grid is not ready for the 21st century.” “Climate change will lead to frequent outages, and utilities are unprepared.” Headlines such as these have become commonplace. Nothing eye-opening about…
Rural Lancaster County would get high-speed internet access under proposed broadband expansion
Rural Lancaster County would get high-speed internet access under proposed broadband expansion Jan 9, 2022 Internet access for rural Lancaster County residents and those who live in its small towns and villages is likely to get significantly faster in the next year. Lancaster County commissioners are considering a $12 million…
US: Telecom operators agree to 5G delay in U-turn decision
US: Telecom operators agree to 5G delay in U-turn decision 1/4/22 Two major US telecom operators, AT&T and Verizon, agreed on Monday evening to a further two-week delay to a planned rollout of 5G networks across the country. The decision followed a request by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on behalf of aviation…
The FCC may be facing another nuclear-sized interference problem
The FCC may be facing another nuclear-sized interference problem 12/20/2021 Federal spectrum regulators at the FCC have come under increasing fire over concerns that 5G in C-band spectrum might interfere with aircraft radio altimeters. Indeed, that issue has ballooned into a major national debate, with executives in the airline industry claiming a “catastrophic…
U.S. former officials urge ‘speedy’ resolution of 5G wireless aviation dispute
U.S. former officials urge ‘speedy’ resolution of 5G wireless aviation dispute December 14, 2021 Six former chairs of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Monday urged the Biden administration to quickly resolve a dispute over the planned use of 5G wireless spectrum that the aviation industry says poses an…
U.S. appeals court will not block China Telecom revocation order
U.S. appeals court will not block China Telecom revocation order December 2, 2021 A federal appeals court on Thursday declined China Telecom Corp’s(0728.HK) emergency bid to halt a U.S. Federal Communications Commission order withdrawing its authority to provide services in the United States. Read more
Macronix Becomes Industry’s First to Bring 120MHz 1.2V Serial NOR Flash Memories to Mass Production
Macronix Becomes Industry’s First to Bring 120MHz 1.2V Serial NOR Flash Memories to Mass Production Nov 30, 2021 Macronix International Co., Ltd. (TSE: 2337), a leading integrated device manufacturer in the non-volatile memory (NVM) market, today announced it has become the industry’s first Serial NOR Flash memory manufacturer to bring…
Life without reliable internet remains a daily struggle for millions of Americans
Life without reliable internet remains a daily struggle for millions of Americans November 22, 2021 Three days and one hour into the 2021-22 school year, the internet went out at Owhyhee Combined School in northern Nevada. Read more
Smart city district gets green light from City of Houston
Smart city district gets green light from City of Houston 15 Nov 2021 Following the City of Houston’s approval of a community benefits agreement (CBA), an abandoned Sears department store and 16 midtown acres are set to be transformed into an “accessible, walkable and integrated” urban community. Read more
Oversight finds ‘small lapses’ in security led to Colonial Pipeline, JBS hacks
Oversight finds ‘small lapses’ in security led to Colonial Pipeline, JBS hacks 11/16/21 A series of “small lapses” in cybersecurity led to several recent successful ransomware attacks, the House Oversight and Reform Committee concluded in a staff memo released Tuesday. Read more
How the infrastructure bill’s $65 billion in broadband spending will be doled out
How the infrastructure bill’s $65 billion in broadband spending will be doled out Nov. 9, 2021 It took a pandemic to finally drive home what has been discussed for decades: The need for a digital infrastructure plan to connect all Americans. The Biden administration’s $1 trillion infrastructure spending package includes…
Microsoft: Chinese hackers are targeting Zoho ManageEngine software
Microsoft: Chinese hackers are targeting Zoho ManageEngine software November 9, 2021 Microsoft has sent an alert about a sophisticated Chinese hacker group targeting an obscure bug in Zoho software to install a webshell. Read more
CISA Begins Program to Identify Critical Infrastructure
CISA Begins Program to Identify Critical Infrastructure November 1, 2021 The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and a congressional committee leader agree that officials must take precautionary steps to identify “systemically important critical infrastructure” to reduce risks of pervasive supply chain cyberattacks. Read more
RCA aims to help cable operators cut power costs
RCA aims to help cable operators cut power costs 10/21/2021 Robert Cruickshank Associates (RCA), innovators at the intersection of broadband and power networks, today announced a breakthrough that creates energy opportunities for cable broadband operators: the first nationwide availability of standards-based Optimum Load Shaping (OLS) signals that enable operators to…
A China-aligned espionage group is targeting global telecoms, sweeping up call data dating back years
A China-aligned espionage group is targeting global telecoms, sweeping up call data dating back years OCT 19, 2021 An advanced network of digital spies with a nexus to Chinese interests has successfully compromised parts of the global telecommunications network, in some cases allowing access to subscriber information, call metadata, text…
Climate-driven weather disasters threaten global energy infrastructure, IEA says
Climate-driven weather disasters threaten global energy infrastructure, IEA says Energize Weekly, October 20, 2021 Energy and infrastructure systems built over the last century are becoming more vulnerable to the ravages of climate change-driven extreme weather events, according to a series of reports. “Extreme weather events over the past year have…
Google targets telcos with new distributed cloud infrastructure
Google targets telcos with new distributed cloud infrastructure Oct 12, 2021 Google unveiled a new suite of Distributed Cloud solutions designed to extend its infrastructure across a variety of locations, targeting telcos with an edge offering capable of running 5G network functions as well as enterprise applications closer to users.…
Montgomery, Botetourt counties seek state grants for broadband projects to reach underserved rural areas
Montgomery, Botetourt counties seek state grants for broadband projects to reach underserved rural areas Oct 2, 2021 Two counties in the Roanoke and New River valleys with a similar mix of suburban and rural communities are separately seeking state funding to help with major broadband internet access expansion projects. Read…
Pelosi vows to pass $1T bill, move ahead on larger measure
Pelosi vows to pass $1T bill, move ahead on larger measure Sept. 28, 2021 With President Joe Biden’s broad domestic agenda at risk of collapse, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday vowed that Democrats will pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill this week and push ahead on the bigger $3.5 trillion social safety…
Utilities face greatest threat as climate risks intensify
Utilities face greatest threat as climate risks intensify 20 Sep, 2021 Climate change is pushing power, gas and water companies to the frontlines of an intensifying battle against natural disasters that is set to increasingly hit the profits of businesses around the world. Utilities face the highest combined physical risk…
Anterix scores $30M lease with Evergy for 900 MHz spectrum
Anterix scores $30M lease with Evergy for 900 MHz spectrum Sep 20, 2021 Anterix is building steam with utility companies, notching a third long-term lease for use of its 900 MHz spectrum in a 20-year $30 million agreement with power company Evergy. Evergy gets exclusive access to 6 MHz of…
Why telecoms companies can and should gain better network resilience
Why telecoms companies can and should gain better network resilience Monday 13 September 21 Telecoms operators now face a more diverse, fast changing array of threats than ever. The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report found natural disasters, extreme weather, climate change and cyber attacks are among the top threats facing…
GOP pressure to block bipartisan infrastructure bill builds in the House
GOP pressure to block bipartisan infrastructure bill builds in the House September 7, 2021 House Republicans could face increased pressure to vote against a bipartisan infrastructure package when they return to Washington later this month with outside groups and conservatives already ramping up the campaign against a $1.2 trillion package they say…
NTIA Broadband Infrastructure Program Receives More Than $2.5B in Funding Requests
NTIA Broadband Infrastructure Program Receives More Than $2.5B in Funding Requests AUG 30, 2021 The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Association (NTIA) has received over 230 applications, totaling more than $2.5 billion in funding requests for its Broadband Infrastructure Program, Commerce announced August 25. Read more
Alpha Wireless Unveils Antenna Solutions to Enable Utility Network Modernization
Alpha Wireless Unveils Antenna Solutions to Enable Utility Network Modernization Aug 24th, 2021 Alpha Wireless is launching the Alpha Wireless AW3874 dual-band antenna, engineered to empower utilities to modernize and digitize their communications infrastructure. With support for both 900 MHz and 3.5 GHz / Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum…
NM could get billions in new federal funding
NM could get billions in new federal funding August 23, 2021 Congress is gearing up to approve the largest federal investments in infrastructure and social programs since the Great Depression in the 1930s, and New Mexico could reap huge benefits. Read more
Chicago consortium forges smart city agreement with lighting and pole provider
Chicago consortium forges smart city agreement with lighting and pole provider 16 Aug 2021 A consortium of 21 cities throughout suburban Chicago, Illinois, has reached a final 20-year agreement with Viper Networks to build and operate a variety of smart city projects. Read more
