Rural Connect

NRTC offers Rural Connect as a place for its members and others interested to follow all topics related to communications technology and how it affects rural electric cooperatives and telecommunications providers. NRTC uses this blog to announce and discuss its products and services. NRTC posts all Rural Connect content on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, where you can use the blog to discuss technology, regulatory, legislative and business issues.

Apr 15, 2021

Viasat Wins CNET “Best Satellite Provider” Recognition

by Randy Sukow

Technology news publisher CNET has named long-time NRTC partner Viasat as the “Best Satellite Provider” for 2021. The company based its decision on several factors, including consumer pricing, availability, speed performance and data capacity. Low earth orbiting (LEO) satellite systems, such as...

Apr 14, 2021

Administration Gives State-by-State Descriptions of Broadband Infrastructure

by Randy Sukow

In a pitch to gain popularity for its $2-trillion American Jobs Plan, the Biden Administration this week is distributing a series of “Fact Sheets” in which it grades the current level of infrastructure quality and availability in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. The plan ...

Apr 12, 2021

NTIA Announces Broadband Funding Webinar Series

by Randy Sukow

The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) has announced the dates for a series of webinars to assist potential applicants to its new Broadband Infrastructure Program. The series will run over two days each month for the next four months. Each ses...

Apr 7, 2021

Big Streamers Are Draining Rural Broadband Network Capacity

by Randy Sukow

Most of the rural broadband focus today is on reaching those communities that are not yet connected. But established rural providers are facing a challenge of their own – the skyrocketing demand for internet capacity brought on by streaming video services. Some providers worry that they will not b...

Apr 2, 2021

Rural Organizations Request List of RDOF Defaults

by Randy Sukow

It is certain that at least some of the award winners from last year’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) Phase I reverse auction have already defaulted on their obligations under the RDOF rules. Yesterday, NRTC joined with NTCA, The Rural Broadband Association, NRECA and other rural groups to ...

Apr 2, 2021

CrowdFiber Offers Online Support for Every Stage of a Broadband Business

by Randy Sukow

It’s been a year since NRTC acquired CrowdFiber, the Rome, GA-based developer of online broadband marketing and sales automation systems. A string of happy clients is testament to CrowdFiber’s growing benefit to rural America. Rural telephone and electric providers with experience providing bro...

Apr 1, 2021

Jobs Plan Includes Electric Infrastructure and Additional Broadband Funding

by Randy Sukow

Broadband service to 100 percent of the United States is among the goals stated in The American Jobs Plan, a $2 trillion initiative the White House announced yesterday. At the heart of the plan is billions in spending on infrastructure projects, including electric infrastructure. In addition, the bi...

Mar 26, 2021

Alliance Works for Electric Co-op Transitions to pLTE

by Randy Sukow

Earlier this month, NRTC joined the Utility Broadband Alliance (UBBA), a trade association with a mission to help electric, gas and water utilities adopt private Long-Term Evolution (pLTE) wireless networks. The alliance brings together utilities, equipment vendors, regulators and other stakeholders...

Mar 25, 2021

House Commerce Drumming Up ISP Support for EBB Program

by Randy Sukow

The leadership of the House Commerce Committee yesterday put out the call for more ISPs to participate in the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program. The Committee fears low public awareness of the $3.2 billion FCC program to provide discounts on internet service and devices to low-income familie...

Mar 19, 2021

A Flood of Funding on the Way

by Steve Pastorkovich

After years of rural broadband providers needing to fight tooth and nail for every penny of federal funding, the political pendulum has swung the other way. Broadband funding programs now have bipartisan popularity. There’s a lot of buzz, and some confusion, about funding opportunities, so let’s...

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