Connecticut State Office of Consumer Counsel

Broadband and Telecommunications

https://www.ct.gov/occ/lib/occ/2018-1009_cybersecurity_in_connecticut_bv.docx

UConn Broadband Survey July 2015
UConn, in conjunction with the Connecticut Technology Council and the CTgig Project, is conducting this survey on residential internet speed and usage.
 

Contact: Bill Vallée
State of Connecticut Broadband Policy Coordinator
Office of Consumer Counsel
10 Franklin Square
New Britain, CT 06051
860-827-2905
william.vallee@ct.gov

Links: www.ct.gov/broadband
https://www.facebook.com/CTGetAGig
https://twitter.com/BVJr123

Broadband Communities Magazine, January-February 2015

Economic Development -  Gigabits Across Connecticut
By Bill Vallée, Connecticut Broadband Policy Coordinator, Office of Consumer Counsel
The Connecticut state government is spearheading a public-private project to improve the business climate by helping municipalities improve their broadband options.

Click for  Digital Issue http://bbcmag.epubxp.com/i/460744/54
or http://www.bbcmag.com/2015mags/Jan_Feb/BBC_Jan15_GigabitsConnecticut.pdf

News:
Congress Scrutinizes F.C.C. Following Release of New Internet Rules
NY Times, March 17, 2015
 
Mr. Wheeler emphasized both his agency’s independence and its natural consideration of a variety of perspectives — those voiced by members of Congress, by the millions of members of the public who submitted comments on the issue, and by the president. He added that the F.C.C.’s rules were not entirely reflective of Mr. Obama’s specific vision.
But as Mr. Wheeler anticipates further scrutiny, he said he remained confident in and proud of the agency’s choices. “There is no way I am apologetic,” he said. “I am fiercely proud of this decision.”
ow.ly/KucY8
 
http://ow.ly/ItZ55 USA Today, 2/3/15:
But going the Title II route is a better option, some prominent law and communications professors argue. "A ban on paid prioritization will prevent broadband providers from slowing or breaking the virtuous cycle, particularly by chilling experimentation by emerging 'garage entrepreneurs,'" wrote three dozen university professors in a letter filed with the FCC and sent to the Federal Trade Commission.
 
"If the next Facebook has to pay for an Internet fast lane, the next Mark Zuckerberg might go into investment banking instead of creating the next big new thing on the Internet."
 
The FCC is "on solid ground" should it face a court challenge, said Michael Carroll of the American University Washington School of Law, one of the 36 who signed the letter.  http://ow.ly/Iu3Mm Stamford Law.

Would FCC Plan Harm Telecom Investment? Even Industry Opinion Is Mixed (NPR, 2/3/15)

FCC Chairman Wheeler has spoken in favor of regulating Internet providers as public utilities, an issue the commission is expected to decide on this month.

The differing messages don't necessarily result from a difference of opinion, but a difference of audience, says Susan Crawford. "When they're talking to Wall Street, they say different things than when they're talking to the press about what the FCC might like to do," she says. "They trot out these really simple and nonsensical platitudes, like 'regulation inevitably leads to lower investment.' That's just not true."
ow.ly/IpAIJ

In a party-line 3-2 vote, the FCC has changed the definition of broadband:

The minimum broadband download speeds now begin at 25Mbps, up from 4Mbps

The Verge, by Micah Singleton, January 29, 2015

FCC Chairman Wheeler strongly supported the change, stating, "When 80 percent of Americans can access 25Mbps download speeds, that's a standard. We have a problem that 20 percent can't. We have a responsibility to that 20 percent."
 
FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel wanted to increase the minimum broadband standards far past the new 25Mbps download threshold, up to 100Mbps. "We invented the internet. We can do audacious things if we set big goals, and I think our new threshold, frankly, should be 100Mbps. I think anything short of that shortchanges our children, our future, and our new digital economy," Commissioner Rosenworcel said.
 
DeLauro, D-3, state Comptroller Kevin Lembo and Consumer Counsel Elin Swanson Katz spoke Friday, 1/22/15, about Connecticut’s desire to become the first “gigabit” state in the country.
http://ow.ly/HXCsN
 
“We are very hopeful both at the quality of the responses that we received from various sophisticated multinational investors backed by billions of dollars, as well as folks in the industry who seem to be coming around and saying, ‘well, listen, if you guys can build this giant pipe for us’ (with a model of open access) ... that means Frontier can use it, Comcast can use it, anybody else can use it,” state Consumer Counsel Elin Swanson Katz said.
 
State Comptroller Kevin Lembo said his understanding of private business is that the successful ones adapt to change, otherwise they die.
 
Each address should have one electric line, one water line, one fiber line.
We choose where we eat, where we shop, where we live.
We should be able to choose #BetterBroadband! #LocalNetChoice 
 
GOP makes U-turn on net neutrality
“Millions of people and businesses have stood up and once again made clear that they want to keep the same rights they’ve always had,” said Matt Wood, policy director of Free Press. “Self-identified conservatives, just like everyone else, overwhelmingly support keeping the rules that have kept the Internet open.”
http://ow.ly/Hr58K
 
Today, 1/13/15-Responses due to the RFQ for proposals to build a statewide fiber network from ISPs, fiber investment banks, and construction firms. Consumer Counsel Katz explains how enthusiastic the towns of CT are to join the project -
With 46 of Connecticut’s Cities and Towns Planning a Gigabit Network, Deadline for Responses is January 13 - Broadband's Impact, Gigabit Networks January 12th, 2015
Drew Clark, Publisher, www.BroadbandBreakfast.com
 
". . . like having the first train station in the 1800s:
from Senator Beth ByeBye, senate chair of CT's Appropriations Committee, other pet project in 2015 will be her work with the consumer counsel, comptroller, and local officials from around Connecticut to bring an ultra-high speed gigabit Internet network to the state, in order to assure Connecticut has among the fastest Internet speeds in the country."
"It will be like having the first train station in the 1800s," Bye said. "This would be so big for business … We have a really cool opportunity." 
www.ow.ly/GTrSN
 
www.hartfordbusiness.com   Sen. Bye leads efforts to balance CT's $1.4B budget deficit
Any year in which the Connecticut General Assembly has to balance the budget, talks of raising taxes and making spending cuts often dominate the political discussion.
 
Chris Mitchell, national authority on community municipal fiber and open access networks, lays out the true story re munis and open access fiber; and no cap ex planned by incumbents in spite of their claims to be "building fiber networks in dozens of cities across the US - a must see: http://youtu.be/_x6L1LJtIhM
 
Woodbridge joins CT-gig Project - The Milford Orange Bulletin
Increasing chance that building fiber in CT is a win-win for telecoms and investors - 1st Selectman Ellen Scalettar.
 
Cable Companies Dismiss Gigabit Proposal
Theme: "Who Needs a Gig when you can pay more for less?" Greenwich News, Hugh Bailey, December 26, 2014  
ow.ly/GAyX4

Hartford Courant,  46 Connecticut Cities And Towns Join Ultra-High-Speed Internet Project www.ow.ly/GhhF5
A total of 46 Connecticut cities and towns have now signed on to a project to bring ultra-high-speed Internet service to their communities, according to state Consumer Counsel Elin Swanson Katz.
CT Get A Gig shared a link.  https://www.facebook.com/CTGetAGig
Posted by Bill Vallee •
 
Wash Post, Half of Connecticut says it wants fiber-optic Internet — and soon.
12/18/14, Brian Fung
www.ow.ly/GhlY1
https://twitter.com/BVJr123
 
46 Connecticut towns back ultra-fast Internet initiative
12/21/14, Luther Turmelle, New Haven Register,
http://www.nhregister.com/general-news/20141221/46-connecticut-towns-back-ultra-fast-internet-initiative
 
Connecticut takes first steps to reach super-fast Internet
12/14/2014, Stephen Singer,  Associated Press
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article4478611.html
 
Connecticut Mayors seek Gigabit Partners
9/15/14, John Eggerton

 

 
Glossary of Telecommunications Terms
 
Information from the FCC