By a vote of 6-1, with two councilors absent, the Loveland City Council approved the second reading of an ordinance allowing the city to issue the bonds. Loveland staff will now begin the three-year process to construct a city-wide fiber broadband network that is capable of offering up to gigabit speeds for any resident or business. The city and its consultants will immediately start the process of bonding for about $97 million (the exact amount depends on a number of factors, including the interest rate on the bonds, the term of the bonds and structure of the financing).
Senate vote unanimous for state broadband office
A statewide broadband office would be created under legislation passed by the Washington state Senate in a unanimous vote March 6. Senate Bill 5511 would establish the Governor’s Statewide Broadband Office, require the Public Works Board to create a grant and loan program, a...
When Google fiber abandons your city as a failed experiment
Google Fiber started a relationship with Louisville in 2015. After a two-year delay and negotiations over its rollout, the company adopted a cost-effective plan to bring ultrafast internet speeds to Louisville. This February, only 16 months after it turned on its service, Google F...
Senators: FCC should diversify broadband mapping data sources
A bipartisan quartet of senators has introduced a bill to improve the FCC’s broadband coverage maps. The Improving Broadband Mapping Accuracy Act requires the FCC to launch a rulemaking, which includes collecting and vetting public comment, on whether to use consumer-reporte...
Corning supports proposed state broadband act
The Corning City Council unanimously authorized a letter of support for a proposed act to overturn an FCC order that limited local jurisdictions’ authority over wireless cell phone infrastructure. HR 530, also known as the Accelerating Wireless Broadband Development by Empow...
Verizon to launch mobile 5G in Chicago and Minneapolis on April 11
Verizon will launch its first mobile 5G service in select areas of Chicago and Minneapolis on April 11. Customers will be able to access the network with the Motorola moto z3 smartphone paired with the Motorola 5G moto mod to create a 5G-enabled phone. The 5G service in Chicago an...
New app could help expand broadband access in Montana
The National Association of Counties has created an app called TestIT to build a better map of broadband access. The app records the speed of upload and downloads and tracks your GPS location. No matter where you are, a tap of the app tells where you do and don’t meet minimu...