|
Message from Dave Koren, Executive Director,
OCTA – Ohio's Broadband and Cable Association
Welcome to October's edition of The OCTA Connection, the monthly newsletter from OCTA – Ohio's Broadband and Cable Association.
We are happy to bring the latest in broadband news to your inbox each month and hope that you find this newsletter informative and insightful. Read on to see updates from OCTA members, important industry news and announcements from our national partner, NCTA.
Be sure to follow OCTA on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn. And you can also visit our website at www.octa.org.
| | |
|
Subcommittee Chair Latta Delivers Opening Remarks at Hearing on Rural Broadband Funding | |
“Americans rely on internet connectivity for work, education, health care, and staying connected with loved ones. Yet, despite years of effort and billions of dollars, many Americans are still without a reliable broadband connection. Closing this digital divide is a bipartisan priority and significant federal resources have been dedicated to this effort." Full Remarks Here | |
Brown Pushes to Save Program That Lowers Cost of High-Speed Internet | |
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that he is urging Congressional leaders to extend funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides financial assistance to access high-speed internet for more than one million Ohio households and more than 21 million working families across the nation. The program was created through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Brown helped to write and pass. This program is so popular that its funds are set to run out in a few months, well ahead of the anticipated date included in the law. Read More | |
Brown Welcomes Nearly $9 Million to Expand High-Speed Internet Access, Support Local Businesses, and Promote Economic Development in Appalachia and Northeast Ohio | |
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that he helped secure $8,902,228 to support high-speed internet infrastructure and economic development in communities in Appalachia and Northeast Ohio. The Appalachian Regional Commission awarded these investments through the Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative, which Brown has long been a champion of. Read More | |
West Virginia Senator Calls for 'Prompt' FCC Action on Utility Poles | |
A West Virginia senator wants the Federal Communications Commission to act in a "prompt" manner to revamp rules governing utility pole upgrades to attach broadband equipment, saying providers still face steep obstacles amid pole access and cost-sharing disputes. In a recent letter, distributed Monday, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said she is still hearing rampant reports from the Mountain State of broadband companies being unable to use poles in a timely fashion, risking delays in the use of federal funds for deployment. The issue has been a top priority for Capito because West Virginia's rugged topography precludes large-scale use of underground cable to run internet service. Read More | | |
|
The Columbus Dispatch: Spectrum Accuses AEP Ohio of Hindering Broadband Development in Appalachia | |
"Cable television and internet company Spectrum is accusing AEP Ohio of frustrating efforts to extend broadband service to unserved and underserved areas of the state." ... "Spectrum says nearly 70,000 poles are awaiting AEP Ohio approval, and more than 70% are in rural parts of Appalachia where broadband is desperately needed." Read More | |
LightReading.com: FCC's move to restore net neutrality rules a 'tragic mistake,' NCTA CEO says | |
NCTA CEO Michael Powell didn't mince words when he said he believes the FCC's attempt to reinstall net neutrality rules is unnecessary and labeled it 'regulatory malpractice.' Read More | |
US Chamber of Commerce: Understanding NTIA's Plan to Impose Command and Control Broadband Regulation | |
NTIA is calling for broadband price controls and an application of a ‘disparate impact standard’ to evaluate digital discrimination claims, both of which are unlawful and would hinder the goal of connecting all Americans. Read More | | |
|
Internet for All at Stake: Net Fatality | The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is pushing unnecessary regulation that will slam the brakes on internet for all and deny millions – especially in rural areas – the important opportunities that high-speed internet brings. The FCC’s plan under the auspices of “net neutrality” is actually a Net Fatality. Read More | | |
|
|
"While reviving net neutrality will check a partisan political box, it risks blowing our once-in-a-lifetime chance to get all Americans the internet access they deserve."
Michael Powell, President & CEO, NCTA
| | |
Statement of Michael Powell, President & CEO, NCTA - The Internet & Television Association Regarding the FCC's Net Neutrality Proceeding | |
"With today’s vote, the FCC unfortunately has placed politics over sound policy and fiction over facts, and we are now embarking on yet another unnecessary and distracting net neutrality proceeding. By introducing the most sweeping command and control framework ever imposed on broadband networks, the FCC’s proposal is a monumental change in how the internet will be regulated and will dramatically affect how it will work going forward." Statement Continues Here | |
Statement of NCTA Regarding the FCC's Digital Discrimination Proceeding | |
“The cable industry is proud of its history of offering next-generation broadband internet throughout its service areas. Through decades of investment and billions of dollars in private capital, the industry has built high-speed networks that are widely available and has continuously upgraded the technology and the quality of offerings, regardless of income level, race, ethnicity, color, religion, or national origin." Statement Continues Here | |
Americans Remain Highly Satisfied with Home Internet Service | |
|
Americans rely on and trust that their home broadband service will perform without a hitch at any time of day and keep them safe online, according to a new Morning Consult study commissioned by NCTA. In fact, 85 percent of American adults rate the overall quality of their home internet service as positive, and specific tested aspects remain equally high. Read More
| |
How the Cable Industry Powers the American Economy | |
The Cable Industry's Ongoing Commitment to Digital Inclusion | |
Digital Inclusion Week, spearheaded by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to ensure that all people have access to high-speed internet connectivity. In honor of the week, here are a few ways that the cable industry continually works towards bringing broadband access to as many people as possible through investments, buildouts, partnerships, community programs, and through its long-term commitment to digital inclusion for all. Read More | |
Broadband Stats: Working to Extend Digital Inclusion
| Expanding digital inclusion is a complex challenge that requires a suite of solutions. Digital literacy programs, technology donations, and affordable internet plans are some ways America’s cable broadband industry continues to work to solve this issue. The FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a federal subsidy, is also playing a key role in achieving this goal. Read More | |
|
Broadband Stats: Greening Network Equipment
| Consumers continue to benefit from energy-efficient standards voluntarily set by broadband providers and manufacturers of small network equipment. Since the program began in 2015, the equipment used in homes around the country to connect to the internet has used less energy, saving consumers money and reducing emissions of greenhouse gasses. Read More | |
|
TV Stats: Consumers Benefit from a Competitive Marketplace
| Today, TV viewers have a sea of options to watch whatever they want, whenever they want it. Traditional TV providers, streaming services, and more, offer entertainment at the touch of a screen, a far cry from the days of live TV viewing around a boxy TV set. The dramatic change in video options has ushered in an array of choices on a number of platforms. Read More | |
|
Follow us on social media! @OhioCable | |
|
In 1966 a group of cable pioneers banded together, forming a new association to represent them before the Ohio General Assembly. For more than five decades, OCTA - Ohio's Broadband & Cable Association has built a strong record of success in the legislative and regulatory arenas.
Today, our members look to the OCTA with confidence in its ability to represent the industry before the Ohio legislature, PUCO, Congress, and the Courts.
| | | | |
