Telecoms vs New York: Organizations representing the US’ major telecoms have challenged a New York state law requiring ISPs to provide affordable broadband. The lawsuit could definitively determine whether states can regulate broadband pricing.

Amazon has enrolled millions of devices without user consent, potentially exposing private Wi-Fi networks and user data, and using customers bandwidth to connect.

The broadband industry reportedly spent $4.2 million—through a group called Broadband for America—to submit more than 8.5 million fake comments to manufacture support for repealing net neutrality rules. Another 7.7 million comments reportedly originated from a college student who used software to generate fabricated names and addresses in support of net neutrality.

But many patients, especially those in rural areas, lack or have insufficient home broadband connectivity. More than 5%, or 18 million people in the US, lack access to broadband—and this figure jumps to 20.7% in rural areas, according to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) data cited in a November 2020 Pew article.

5G stands for the “fifth-generation standard” for broadband cellular networks. This standard was created by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a consortium of international telecommunications partners.

5G stands for the “fifth-generation standard” for broadband cellular networks. These standards are created by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a consortium of international telecommunications partners.

Viewers in pay cable/satellite TV homes, for example, are more likely to watch linear TV versus those with only a broadband connection. Over-the-air homes may spend more time tuned to broadcast channels than pay or broadband-only households.

Under the FCC’s accounting, 21.3 million people in the US did not have broadband access as of January 2017—but this figure underestimates the true number. The FCC lumps anyone in a census block with broadband access as having access to broadband even if they do not personally have the service available.

For example, it will be difficult to sustain telehealth uptake with internet speeds that are currently present in the rural US, given that only 22% of residents in these areas currently have access to internet speeds that are capable of conducting a telehealth visit, according to the FCC’s 2020 Broadband Deployment Report.

5G’s not free

In a recent earnings call, AT&T CEO John Stankey said the deal would provide AT&T "better flexibility to spend on 5G and fiber," per Fortune, noting the telecom would increase its capital expenditure for 5G and broadband to around $24 billion, up from $21 billion presently. AT&T’s deal underscores a broader effort by US telecoms to cut their media losses and double down on 5G.