Digital age is slow to arrive in rural America
After a couple of days in this part of rural Alabama, it is hard to complain about a dropped iPhone call or a Cee Lo video that takes…
Networking & Broadband
House Republicans seek to block FCC internet rules
House Republicans are seeking to prevent the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from enforcing new rules that prohibit broadband providers from interfering with internet traffic on their networks.
Obama promotes plans for wireless expansion
President Barack Obama wants nearly all Americans to have access to speedy wireless services. He's promoting that plan in a small city in Michigan that's becoming a model…
FCC to update phone subsidy program for broadband
The federal government spends more than $4 billion a year, collected from phone bills, to subsidize phone service in rural and poor areas. Now, it's considering ways to…
Netflix CEO wades into net neutrality debates
Netflix, the DVD mail-order-company-turned-online-video-giant, is firing back at cable and telecom firms as it weighs in on an increasingly thorny debate over net neutrality, the Washington Post reports.
Google and Mozilla announce new privacy features
Add two more internet browser makers to the list of companies planning to offer web users new ways to control how their personal data is collected online, reports…
Comcast’s legal win raises questions for education
Educators and students could see new internet service options after the federal government on Jan. 18 gave Comcast Corp., the country's largest cable company, the green light to…
Survey: Schools need faster broadband speeds
More than half of school and library respondents in a recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) e-Rate survey say they provide some form of wireless internet access for school…
The top 10 ed-tech stories of 2010: No. 3
More students should have access to online learning, and the federal e-Rate program should be more widely deployed and should embrace and encourage innovation, according to the National…
New report highlights barriers to online learning
Students must have reliable broadband access if they are to take advantage of 21st-century online education programs that can increase their access to educational opportunities, according to a…
Troubling gaps still exist in broadband use
The U.S. still faces a significant gap in residential broadband use that breaks down along incomes, education levels, and other socio-economic factors, even as subscriptions among American households…
SD gets more federal money for broadband mapping
South Dakota is getting $3.8 million in federal funding to continue a broadband mapping project for three more years, reports the Associated Press.
Your guide to securing 2011 e-Rate dollars
Over the years, the federal e-Rate has undergone minor tweaks to prevent waste and bring more value to applicants. This year, however, marks the biggest set of changes…
What you should know about the 2011 e-Rate program
To fully leverage 2011 e-Rate funding in boosting broadband access, it’s important to understand the latest changes to the program (and there are many)—but don’t overlook the things…
Why buy the cow? Open Wi-Fi networks slow broadband adoption
A report by analyst firm Mintel released this week claims that "Wi-Fi pirating" could be a main reason for the slow growth of broadband adoption over recent years,…
FCC seeks more info from Comcast, NBC
The Federal Communications Commission is requesting additional information from Comcast Corp. and NBC Universal as it reviews the cable operator's plan to acquire a controlling stake in the…
House Democrats punt on net neutrality
In the latest development in the fight over so-called “net neutrality” regulations, House Democrats have shelved a last-ditch effort to broker a compromise between phone, cable, and internet…
FCC opens up unused TV signals for broadband
In a highly anticipated move that could lead to faster, more robust Wi-Fi networks in schools, the Federal Communications Commission is opening up unused airwaves between television stations…
e-Rate gets facelift with wireless pilot, community access
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Sept. 23 voted to upgrade and modernize the federal $2.25 billion-a-year e-Rate program by allowing schools to make e-Rate funded, internet-enabled computers…
Panelists: Digital tools expand learning opportunities
The nation's ed-tech director called on schools to replace textbooks with mobile learning devices, and the head of the FCC said his agency would be voting this week…
Coming soon: ‘Super Wi-Fi’ connectivity?
A new flavor of Wi-Fi, with longer range and better wall-piercing power, could show up in wireless gadgets a year from now if the Federal Communications Commission works…
IETF: AT&T’s net neutrality claim is ‘misleading’
The head of the internet's leading standards body said Sept. 2 that it is "misleading" for AT&T to claim that its push to charge customers for high-priority service…
FCC rejects proposal for free wireless service
Federal regulators have shot down a proposal by a startup called M2Z Networks Inc. to build a free, nationwide wireless broadband network using a spare slice of airwaves,…
FCC seeks input on rules for online services
In the latest twist in the Federal Communications Commission’s pursuit of “net neutrality” rules to prevent broadband providers from discriminating against certain types of traffic flowing over their…