AST SpaceMobile and the problem of delivering broadband from space
AST SpaceMobile will have 60 BlueBird satellites up by 2026 The firm is promising the launch of its next generation of satellites from summer this year Mobile Experts analyst Joe Madden finds that data from the BlueBirds will still be...
Hazardous waters lie ahead for the broadband equipment market
Broadband providers are likely to spend slightly more on satellite equipment than optical line terminals (ONTs) and optical networking terminals (ONTs) What was supposed to be a good year for the broadband access market is now up in the air,...
Ohio, Vermont showcase successful municipal network financing
Financing municipal broadband networks is no cakewalk, with opposition from incumbents and interest groups adding to the difficulties But community leaders in Ohio and Vermont say they’ve succeeded in running financially stable networks Hiring the right expertise is key if...
Will telecom be priced out with Trump’s tariffs?
Vendor supply chains could feel the burn from newly implemented tariffs There’s still uncertainty on whether the tariffs will last and which products will be affected Sustained tariffs may stunt the U.S. economy along with tech innovation, said AvidThink’s Roy...
Some Republican senators are concerned about a pause to BEAD
Some Republican Senators don’t want to see a pause in the BEAD program The incoming Secretary of Commerce has been non-committal in how he might handle the BEAD program Senator Shelly Capito (R-WV) wrote in comments, “My state has jumped...
How Trump’s DEI executive orders could impact telecoms
The Trump administration is trying to stamp out public and private DEI initiatives But industry experts told us DEI is integral to telecom programs and workforce recruitment Both broadband and wireless groups said a diverse workforce is key The U.S....
Has BEAD frozen over? What you need to know
The White House wants to temporarily freeze federal grants – a move that would presumably impact the BEAD program New Street Research saw this coming, as Republicans amp up the conversation around BEAD reform Despite the pending freeze, there are...
CEO exclusive: FWA startup Kwikbit goes where fiber won’t – or can’t
Kwikbit offers fixed wireless service to manufactured home communities, where it can be difficult for providers to deploy fiber Roughly 66,000 MHCs exist in the country, said Kwikbit CEO Joe Costello Few FWA providers target that segment of the broadband...
With Trump now in office, what about BEAD?
Before anything changes with the BEAD program, Trump needs to name a new NTIA administrator States waiting for NTIA to approve their BEAD proposals may see their deployment plans stall A new NTIA regime could lower the program’s high-cost threshold,...
Is the OTT juice worth Starlink’s squeeze? Not really
Strand Consult thinks Starlink could enter the over-the-top service game in the coming years OTT features may include streaming/gaming add-ons or premium services on X But there’s really no need for Musk to create OTT services on Starlink when he...