Recent Posts
News•Mar 2, 2026
New Mexico’s New Broadband Affordability Plan
New Mexico’s legislature approved the Low‑Income Telecommunications Assistance Program (LITAP), a state‑run broadband subsidy mirroring the expired federal Affordable Connectivity Plan. Eligible households receive a $30 monthly discount, rising to $75 for tribal residents, with funding drawn from the State Rural Universal Service Fund. The program caps subsidies at $10 million in its first year, expanding to $45 million and covering roughly 120,000 homes. To finance LITAP, the customer surcharge could increase to about $2 per month.
By POTs and PANs
News•Feb 27, 2026
A Telehealth Success Story
The San Francisco Tech Council launched a state‑funded program that teaches low‑income, limited‑English‑proficiency patients how to use online medical portals. Participants received a 45‑minute hands‑on session with a digital navigator, enabling them to schedule appointments, view results, and request prescriptions. Feedback...
By POTs and PANs
News•Feb 26, 2026
Broadband Shorts February 2026
Amazon One has asked the FCC for a two‑year extension to meet its 1,600‑satellite launch deadline, currently operating only 212 satellites, while the FCC approved an additional 4,500 satellites for its constellation. The NTIA quickly rebuffed Starlink’s push to loosen...
By POTs and PANs
News•Feb 25, 2026
Broadband Grant Deadlines
Federal broadband grants from programs such as CAF II, RDOF, ReConnect, the Capital Projects Fund, ARPA, and NTIA face hard completion deadlines, many of which fall on December 31, 2026. The federal government has signaled no appetite for extensions, meaning...
By POTs and PANs
News•Feb 24, 2026
Cellular Backup for Broadband
Amazon introduced the eero Signal, an add‑on for its eero Wi‑Fi mesh that automatically switches to cellular broadband when the primary internet fails. The 4G‑only device retails for $99.99 and includes six months of service, after which a $99.99 annual...
By POTs and PANs
News•Feb 23, 2026
Broadband Usage in 4Q 2025
OpenVault’s Q4 2025 Broadband Insights Report shows U.S. households downloaded an average 59 GB more and uploaded 10 GB more per month than a year earlier. Upload growth outpaced downloads, driven by video calls, cloud backup and IoT traffic. Fiber subscribers uploaded 93 GB...
By POTs and PANs
News•Feb 20, 2026
Unintended Consequences
EchoStar exited the facility‑based cellular market after FCC pressure to monetize its spectrum, selling valuable bands to Starlink and AT&T while walking away from thousands of tower lease payments. The lease abandonment has prompted tower owners to seek FCC intervention,...
By POTs and PANs
News•Feb 18, 2026
The FCC 2024 Broadband Report
The FCC released its Internet Access Services report for December 31, 2024, intended to update Congress on broadband availability. The analysis highlights persistent flaws: inconsistent location definitions, reliance on ISP‑self‑reported marketing speeds, and omission of significant Fixed Wireless Access customers. Moreover, the...
By POTs and PANs
News•Feb 17, 2026
Revamped Opportunity Zone Financing
Opportunity Zone financing is being overhauled under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, creating OZ 2.0 effective Jan 1, 2027. The new rules make the program permanent, introduce a rolling five‑year deferral, a 10% basis step‑up after five years, and a 10‑year...
By POTs and PANs
News•Feb 13, 2026
Financial Limitations on Growth
Rural ISPs repeatedly cite financing caps as the primary barrier to expanding broadband, not a lack of willingness. Lenders impose strict borrowing limits based on cash flow, debt ratios, and broader market conditions, which many small providers cannot exceed. Grant...
By POTs and PANs