WSKG (https://wskg.org/tag/broadband/)
Listen Live WSKG Listen Live WSKG Classical Watch Live WSKG TV
Watch Live PBS Kids
“There still is a digital divide, particularly in rural parts of the state, and for lower-income New Yorkers, who don’t have access or can’t afford a home subscription.”
“Getting these costs nailed down is really the next step.”
“I think this will be a magnet for small businesses to locate within the city of Binghamton because I think there’s going to be more choice for them.”
“We’re going to try to make sure that it’s really good broadband.”
“When so many people had to work and learn and play at home, the lack of broadband internet service clearly became a real problem for those families.”
The legislation would allow the state to treat high-speed internet as a utility, which would empower regulators to drill down on the industry, like they do with other utilities.
“For America, broadband holds great power. It will either be the great equalizer for society, or it will be the great divider.”
The legislation would have required the Public Service Commission to study the availability, affordability, and reliability of high-speed internet
“A basic high-speed internet plan costs on average more than $50 per month. For too many families, this just isn’t affordable.”
Each candidate claims the other did not do enough while in office to limit Spectrum, while still accepting its money.
“If we’re going to get serious about bridging the urban-rural divide and making sure that schoolchildren are not left behind then we have to work together to do a few things.”
“This legislative package will require more accurate data from internet service providers and ensure that new broadband service funded through the FCC will deliver internet at speeds required for the modern era.”
Last week, Congressman Antonio Delgado hosted a hearing in Columbia County where the public and some experts had the ear of the Federal Communications Commission, the agency responsible for broadband.
The hearing is expected to cover how internet access affects students, small businesses and rural hospitals.
State lawmakers will lead a hearing in Albany Wednesday that focuses on rural access to broadband, an issue the state has tried to improve.
“We electrified the country in 10 years through the New Deal. We can do the same thing with rural broadband.”
New York State Senate James Seward wanted more upstate issues in this week’s State of the State and budget address by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
ITHACA, NY (WSKG) – Tuesday, the New York State Attorney General announced a $174 million consumer fraud settlement with Charter/Spectrum, the largest internet and cable provider in New York State. Wednesday, Congressman-Elect Anthony Brindisi called for the state’s Public Service Commission to move forward with their case against Spectrum. That case challenges Spectrum’s right to operate in the state. Brindisi said customers deserve better options than Spectrum provides. “No one’s losing their cable,” Brindisi said.
Opponents of Thursday’s FCC decision to roll back net neutrality rules are concerned about the effect on broadband internet access, especially in rural areas. Bringing broadband to these areas can be expensive. For the last couple years, the FCC had regulated the internet as a utility. Now, that’s changed and some fear providers won’t have the incentive to bring better access to rural areas. One solution could be open access networks. These supply the infrastructure for broadband internet; things like fiber are laid down.
New York’s Broadband for All program hopes to bring broadband speed internet to the entire state by the end of 2018. This has led to an opportunity for local companies in rural areas, who are taking advantage of the state funds to expand to underserved customers. “How Many of Us Are There?” Husband and wife duo Bill Gruber and Helen McLean live in Franklin, New York. Their home sits among the rolling hills of rural Delaware County.
The deadline for the final round of funding for New York’s Broadband Program is August 31.* The funding will cover projects for the last two percent of the state. These are some of the most remote areas, where the terrain can be rough and population is sparse. Jeff Golden works for HaefeleTV, a small telecom company in Spencer, New York. He said the public investment is needed for these areas. “There isn’t a version of this story where these are areas that are going to be covered via private investment,” Golden said.
Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers lack what the FCC considers “broadband speed” internet. As part of our series on the issues at stake in this election, WSKG’s Sarah Gager and Gabe Altieri discuss the problem and possible solutions. Interview Highlights
On why is rural broadband important
Gabe Altieri: Well, this is a big problem for a lot of people. I took a trip to Windsor to meet Steve Herz. He’s a former Broome County Legislator and led a charge to get funding for rural broadband about a decade ago.