Message from Dave Koren, Executive Director,

OCTA – Ohio's Broadband and Cable Association 

Welcome to the year-end 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.

House Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chair Bob Latta (R-OH) delivered the following opening remarks at today’s hearing titled “Oversight of President Biden’s Broadband Takeover.” Read More

The Hill: Republicans Rip Biden's Broadband Policy at FCC Hearing 

House GOP members and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) leaders attacked the Biden administration’s broadband policy at Thursday’s FCC oversight hearing.  After two years without a fifth commissioner, FCC Democrats have started the process to reinstate Obama-era net neutrality rules. The 3-2 vote reinstated the policy that brings internet service providers under the jurisdiction of the FCC as telecommunications carriers. The FCC repealed net neutrality in 2017 under the Trump administration. Read More

That includes coverage maps as well as metrics on the types of technologies being used, the percentage of households that fall into each provider's footprint and insight into the speeds available to those customers, should they choose to sign up. The most recent update went live in mid November 2023 and brings the database up to date with the latest info as of June 2023. Read More

CNET: Best Internet Providers in Ohio

Sports, rock ‘n’ roll and Cincinnati chili. Birthplace to multiple US presidents and Neil Armstrong. Ohio has it all. It’s home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But is Ohio also worthy of the Home Internet Hall of Fame? Ohio came in 16th in a recent Ookla Speedtest.net ranking of US states by home internet speeds, so it’s not exactly the Roger Staubach of residential broadband, but it’s doing OK. Ohio has some reliable internet service providers to lean on. Spectrum is our choice for the best ISP in Ohio, largely based on its availability across the state and reasonably fast speeds. Read More

Logan Daily News: Ohio University to Build Broadband Workforce in Region

In Athens County, 81% of the populated area and 52% of households do not have access to the minimum 25/3 megabits per second internet speed, according to Ohio’s broadband website. The rugged terrain and large amount of undeveloped land that makes southeast Ohio naturally beautiful also makes broadband infrastructure installation difficult. However, federal and state governments are expanding infrastructure and Ohio University is working to develop a workforce ready to impact the expansion. Read More

Charter Communications

Cox Communications

• A World Within Reach - Championing Digital Equity

Statement of NCTA - The Internet & Television Association Regarding the National Spectrum Strategy

“The National Spectrum Strategy appropriately recognizes the critical role that unlicensed spectrum and dynamic sharing solutions will play in making more spectrum available for commercial use and promoting innovation and competition across the marketplace for wireless services. While we acknowledge and support the Administration’s reaffirmance of this principle, we are concerned that further studies of the lower 3 GHz band could set aside the substantial contributions of the two‑year, multi-stakeholder study that already occurred, and threaten and delay the adoption of viable spectrum sharing approaches that will advance innovation and competition for consumers." Read More

VIDEO: Cable's Dedicated Journey to Deliver Rural Broadband Access

In the rugged landscape of rural America, the quest for widespread broadband connectivity faces formidable challenges. Battling rocky terrains and adverse weather conditions, cable operators navigate the complexities of deploying high-speed internet and advanced technology. But despite these hurdles, internet service providers are relentless in their efforts to bring next-generation connectivity to the farthest reaches of the country.

What Broadband Expansion Strategies Will Lead to Success?

Cable broadband providers deliver high-speed connectivity across the United States, even in remote and hard-to-reach regions. Their ongoing efforts to expand infrastructure and connect as many Americans as possible underscore the importance of gathering insights from industry leaders at the forefront of broadband deployment. Read More

How SCTE's Training Programs Are Fostering the Future Workforce of the Cable Industry

In the ever-evolving landscape of the cable industry, the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) plays a crucial role in preparing its workforce for the future. With a diverse membership base of over 20,000 professionals, SCTE focuses on providing technical training and certifications to equip individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the cable industry. The organization hosts 60 nationwide chapters, and offers approximately 70 courses online and 13 certifications representing a range of industry competencies. Read More

Voluntary Agreements Result in Ongoing Positive Impact

Across the industry, key players have created impact at scale by joining forces to reduce the environmental impact of small equipment used by customers such as modems, routers, and set-top boxes. Through "voluntary agreements," manufacturers, service providers, and energy advocates work toward ongoing improvements of set-top boxes (STB) and small network equipment (SNE), with a focus on decreasing environmental impact while continuing to drive speed and innovation. Read More