BBWN Bites: CenturyLink Says 'Hola' to Miami, LatAm
Also in today's roundup: Ajit Pai seems to rethink broadband mapping, Huawei wonders about rural broadband, Full Fibre's PON pick, and something for landlords to mull over.
CenturyLink is expanding its network by adding a new facility in Miami to serve Florida and enterprises in Latin America. The data-efficient complex and data center, set to begin construction in September, will include a new network gateway to manage the flow of Internet and data traffic across CenturyLink's global network. The site for the 98,000-square-foot compound is about a mile from a network access point and on one of the highest points in a "500-year flood zone" -- a key concern in often waterlogged Miami. Eventually, the gateway will connect to three long-haul fiber routes as well as subsea cables. CenturyLink expects to begin moving infrastructure into the new facility next year.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai apparently heard the questions and discontent over the US's broadband map, its use of census blocks and sole reliance on operators' self-reported data. During a Senate hearing on Wednesday, Pai said he now wants operators to give more specific details on where their services are available and wants to include public feedback in a map. The agency plans a vote in August. (See Broadband Map Gets Open Sourced via App and Why Did FCC Kill NTIA's Broadband Map?)
The US government will ruin rural broadband if operators must rip and replace Huawei equipment, the Chinese giant warned in an ex parte filing with the FCC this week. Huawei has made 11 filings so far in the FCC's open docket (18-89), in which the Federal Communications Commission proposes banning carriers from using federal funds to buy gear or services from vendors that pose a national security threat. The vendor has not met face-to-face with the agency, according to Huawei's most recent filing. But the US potentially may be violating World Trade Organization rules, it cautioned. (See Huawei: We're Not a Threat to Our Customers.)
UK broadband wholesaler Full Fibre chose Dhasan Zhone (DZS) Keymile's GPON and XGS-PON technologies for its new fiber network. The operator is beta testing and piloting DZS Keymile's modular V8106 OLT platform.
High-Speed Broadband Is Important to Apartment Renters
Tenants may not know what technology connects them, but if they make a separate payment, they know whether a cable, telco or wireless operator delivers their broadband access.
(Source: BroadbandNow)
Speaking of fiber, apartment renters will pay more for high-speed broadband, according to a recent study. Of customers without a fiber connection today, 17% will shell out $50 or more per month, while 35% of current fiber subscribers will pay an additional $50 each month, BroadbandNow found. When considering an apartment, availability of fiber would play a role in almost half of current fiber users' decisions, the poll of 5,786 Americans determined.
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— Alison Diana, Editor, Broadband World News. Follow us on Twitter or @alisoncdiana.
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Here's where you can find episode links for 'The Divide,' Light Reading's podcast series featuring conversations with broadband providers and policymakers working to close the digital divide.
As we have for the past two years, Light Reading will present our Cable Next-Gen Europe conference as a free digital symposium on June 21.
Charter has sparked RDOF work in all 24 states where it won bids. The cable op booked about $19 million in RDOF revenues in Q1, and expects to have about $9 million per month come in over the next ten years.
As we have for the past two years, Light Reading will stage the Cable Next-Gen Technologies & Strategies conference as a free digital event over two half-days in mid-March.
Launch of 2-Gig and 5-Gig FTTP tiers in 70-plus markets puts more pressure on cable ops to enhance their existing DOCSIS 3.1 network or accelerate their upgrade activity centered on the new DOCSIS 4.0 specs.
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