August 31, 2026: All final BEAD proposals approved! Plus digital equity, M&A, grants…

In this week’s episode of The Broadband Exchange, from ⁠Telecompetitor⁠, we discuss recent news about SpaceX’s plans for Starlink Mobile, a BEAD milestone reached last week, our interview with Gateway Fiber’s CEO, the recent FCC meeting, developments in satellite broadband, and much more. Chapters (00:00:04) - Intro(00:00:18) - BEAD Program: All States Sign, California's Dispute(00:00:53) - Charter/Cox Withdraws from RDOF(00:01:59) - FCC Tightens Vetting for Universal Service Funding(00:02:34) - FCC Commissioner Nomination Politics(00:03:09) - FCC Satellite Spectrum Expansion Proposals(00:03:44) - AT&T/AST SpaceMobile Satellite-Terrestrial Handoff(00:04:16) - SpaceX Starlink Mobile and Qualcomm Partnership(00:04:54) - Starlink Mobile Challenges and Boost Mobile Talk(00:05:28) - Fiber Investment: Oak Hill Buys Wired Stake(00:05:58) - Gateway Fiber CEO on Expansion Strategy(00:07:09) - T-Mobile Fiber's New Pricing Tiers(00:07:54) - Why Broadband Customers Switch Providers(00:08:30) - Rural Workforce and AI Skills Gap(00:09:43) - Outro

In this week’s episode of The Broadband Exchange, from Telecompetitor, we discuss the NTIA’s new BEAD guidance, Amazon Leo’s acquisition of Globalstar, and more. Chapters (00:00:04) - Intro(00:00:18) - BEAD Supplemental Funding Guidance(00:01:22) - State Funding: Kansas and Wisconsin(00:02:37) - Gateway Fiber's Major Financing Deal(00:03:49) - Colorado Springs Network Tenant Switch(00:04:53) - FCC Considers Prison Cell Phone Jamming(00:05:20) - Cybersecurity Threats to Small Broadband Providers(00:06:23) - Preparing for Quantum-Safe Network Security(00:07:03) - T-Mobile's New TMIX Plans and Network Slicing(00:08:13) - Noble Mobile Acquires Smartless Mobile(00:08:40) - Streaming Sports Viewing Trends(00:09:45) - Closing Remarks

In this week’s episode of The Broadband Exchange, we discuss Telecompetitor’s interview with South Carolina’s broadband director about BEAD 2.0, a new Starlink partnership and a report on the limitations of Starlink, an update from AST SpaceMobile, news of RiverStreet’s Chapter 11 filing, and much more. Chapters (00:00:04) - Intro(00:00:20) - River Street Networks Bankruptcy and Oaktree Sale(00:00:52) - South Carolina's BEAD Second Round Strategy(00:01:58) - Broadband Affordability Rules and Rural Provider Concerns(00:03:12) - Alaska Communications and Starlink Reseller Deal(00:03:53) - Skeptical Take on Starlink's Long-Term Role(00:04:51) - AST SpaceMobile's Direct-to-Phone Satellite Service(00:05:27) - C Spire Expands Converged Home Internet Offering(00:06:01) - US Mobile and PayPal's Free Your Phone Program(00:07:07) - JD Power Business Wireless Satisfaction Study(00:07:53) - Consumer Cellular Survey on Human Customer Service(00:08:22) - AI's Behind-the-Scenes Benefits for Broadband Providers(00:09:32) - Outro

In this week’s episode of The Broadband Exchange, we look at the SpaceX purchase of Grain Management spectrum, and more. Chapters (00:00:04) - Intro(00:00:19) - SpaceX spectrum deal for direct-to-device(00:01:18) - UWiFi's ad-supported free internet(00:01:58) - JD Power satisfaction study: wireless vs wired(00:03:09) - AT&T and Optimum customer experience programs(00:04:00) - G Fiber's AI-native Wi-Fi 8 gateway(00:04:34) - STL Partners study on autonomous broadband operations(00:05:58) - Fiber Broadband Association's low level design guidance(00:06:41) - Pew Trusts on state broadband funding after BEAD(00:07:24) - Cable One's Megabroadband acquisition legal challenge(00:08:03) - Survey on viewing habits: highlights vs full episodes(00:09:07) - Closing

In this week’s episode of The Broadband Exchange, from Telecompetitor, we discuss the FCC’s approval of SpaceX’s 15,000-satellite direct-to-device constellation, the Lumos acquisition of ALLO Fiber assets, Starlink’s plan to sell hourly and weekly passes, a new USDA grant, reports on BEAD and cybersecurity, and much more. Chapters (00:00:04) - Intro(00:00:19) - SpaceX FCC Satellite-to-Phone Authorization(00:01:27) - Starlink Community Host Pay-as-you-go Model(00:01:56) - Ookla Study on VoNR vs 4G Call Performance(00:02:33) - T-Mobile vs Charter Advertising Dispute(00:03:06) - Parks Associates: Wi-Fi Issues and Churn Risk(00:04:17) - Cybersecurity as a Broadband Differentiator(00:05:06) - Comcast Business Cybersecurity Threat Report(00:06:18) - BEAD Fiber Construction and Locate Ticket Demand(00:06:52) - Siletz Tribes USDA Reconnect Grant(00:07:32) - Language Access Barriers Online(00:08:03) - Lumos Acquires Allo Fiber Network in Joplin(00:09:09) - Closing Remarks

In this week’s episode of The Broadband Exchange from ⁠Telecompetitor⁠, we discuss various actions taken at the September FCC meeting—including NEPA reform and the release of more spectrum—Washington state’s BEAD awards, and new analyses of customer churn and possible upcoming mergers and acquisitions.

In this week’s episode of The Broadband Exchange, from Telecompetitor, we discuss the BEAD award for Maverix Broadband canceled by the state of Colorado, new grant announcements from Indiana and New Mexico, Lifeline policy in California, comments on proposed FCC permitting rules, and more.

In this week’s episode of The Broadband Exchange, from Telecompeitor, we discuss a new report about AI spending in the telecom sector and share our interview about AI scam calls. The news from last week also includes several reports on speeds, capex spending, wireless data, wireless devices, disaster readiness, and more.

In this week’s episode of The Broadband Exchange, from Telecompeitor, we discuss the NTIA’s announcement of a new BEAD deployment round to reach newly unserved locations. Also, we wade through the FCC’s recent moves on permitting and robocalls, share news about a merger, and catch up on all the broadband news since the week before Labor Day.

In this week’s episode of The Broadband Exchange, we celebrate the approval of all 50 states’ final BEAD proposals, discuss the NTIA’s resumption of the digital equity grant program, and hear about some new offers, grants, and acquisitions.