Message from Dave Koren, Executive Director,

OCTA – Ohio's Broadband and Cable Association 

Welcome to March'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.

Reminder: ORBEG Round 2 Challenge Deadline is April 19

The Round 2 ORBEG addresses have been posted by BroadbandOhio. All challenges must be submitted to BroadbandOhio by Friday, April 19. More details about the ORBEG Round 2 process can be found here.

FCC: Starks Urges Action on ACP

Commmissioner Starks issued the following statement about the event:

“I was thrilled to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Congresswoman Clarke to raise awareness of the urgent need to refund the Affordable Connectivity Program and to support the Affordable Connectivity Plan Extension Act. Over the past month, I’ve hit the road to meet and learn from ACP participants in Nevada, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, New Jersey, and now New York. At every stop, I hear about how ACP has changed lives for the better by helping Americans start a business, access better health care, stay connected with friends, family, and faith, and keep our young folks engaged in school and on top of their homework. These families also continue to share stories about the impossible challenges they will face if we allow their ACP benefits to lapse due to inaction. And for every story I hear, you can bet there are thousands more just like them all across the country. Over 23 million American households stand on the precipice of losing access to a vital program. We must act now to refund ACP. Read More

Building A Spectrum Policy for All

Federal policymakers at NTIA are poised to release a plan to implement the National Spectrum Strategy to open certain spectrum bands for commercial use while balancing national security and other important federal operations. The task before NTIA is challenging, but certain things are clear: innovative uses of spectrum have unlocked new opportunities for consumers and are disrupting the wireless marketplace.

Cable providers are part of that new ecosystem of innovation and competition. Building on widely deployed next-generation broadband networks, cable providers are increasingly delivering ultrafast connections to homes and businesses with gigabit Wi-Fi and providing meaningful and growing competition to consumers’ mobile offerings.

Read More

Light Reading: The death of ACP could cut $4B out of telecom industry

According to a new report from the financial analysts at New Street Research, the US telecom industry stands to lose roughly $4 billion in market value – and $1.1 billion in revenues – if the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) ends.

New Street said it based its latest calculation on its own survey of over 1,000 ACP recipients as well as data from Recon Analytics, the FCC and the Benton Institute, plus commentary from companies in the ACP program and historical data obtained during the pandemic. Read More

Fierce Telecom: Municipalities Can Apply for BEAD ply for B

In spite of all the public broadband haters, municipalities will be allowed to vie for money from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. Whether they'll win BEAD grants or even bother trying, however, is still anyone's guess. Read More

Broadband Breakfast: Broadband Providers Oppose Another Petition to Change FCC Pole Rules

Broadband providers and trade groups are opposing another utility company petition asking the Federal Communications Commission to remove a provision in its updated pole attachment rules that requires pole owners to provide their most recent inspection reports to prospective attachers. Read More

Fierce Telecom: FCC cranks fixed broadband standard up a notch

After nearly a decade, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is finally raising the bar with a new definition for broadband of 100/20 Mbps. The upgraded definition for fixed broadband service could influence billions in federal and state broadband funding and might stir up more debate around "tech neutrality,” according to some experts.

Under the Telecommunications Act, Congress requires the FCC to regularly assess and report on broadband deployment. The new 100/20 standard was among several changes included in the Commission's first report in three years, and marks a substantial departure from its old benchmark of 25/3 Mbps, set in 2015. Read More

Charter Communications

Comcast

ACP Has Been Transformational for America

Unless Congress acts, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is set to run out of funds by May. When that happens, millions of Americans could lose their internet access and access to critical services like healthcare, education, and job opportunities. Statement Continues

Lower Prices, More Choices: How American Consumers Benefit From the Competitive and Innovative Broadband Marketplace

In his State of the Union address to the nation tonight, President Biden will acknowledge that Americans are facing inflationary pressures when it comes to groceries, energy bills, and rent costs.



One household staple, however, has notably bucked this trend: home internet service. Adjusted for inflation, consumers paid 7.8% less for broadband services in January than three years ago. Read More

Here’s What It Will Take to Achieve “Internet for All”

While details of President Biden’s State of the Union address are being closely guarded, we can expect infrastructure, including our nation’s broadband networks, to play a starring role.

There’s no doubt that we have already made, and continue to make, significant strides to close the country’s digital divide. Forty million new U.S. homes subscribed to broadband between 2016 and 2021. 89% of American homes and businesses now have access to gigabit-speed service and 95% of U.S. customers have multiple choices for wired or wireless broadband. Read More