2020.08.21 – Open Broadband News

Cancel your weekend plans! Netflix can now be downloaded in a split second

Scientists in London claim to have achieved the world’s fastest-ever internet speed – quick enough to download the entire Netflix library in a split second.

A University College London-led team used amplifiers to enhance the way light carries digital data through fiber-optic broadband to achieve a record 178 terabits per second – almost three million times faster than the average UK home connection.

Dr Lidia Galdino, who led the research team at a lab in Bloomsbury, said such “ultra broadband” will underpin the next generation of the internet, supporting mobile 5G networks used by data-hungry applications such as driverless cars and smart cities infrastructure.

Limited broadband choice for millions of Americans

Thanks in part to local dominance by certain large cable operators and telcos, almost 50 million Americans live in areas with only one choice of broadband provider, claims a new study from the Institute for Local Self Reliance (ILSR).

In its analysis of FCC Form 477 data, the organization’s report – “Profiles of Monopoly: Big Cable and Telecom” – likewise found that Comcast and Charter Communications have a “monopoly” broadband position in areas containing 47 million people, with another 33 million having slower or reliable DSL as the competitive choice.

The study doesn’t see eye-to-eye with federal data showing that those two cable operators have singular dominance over fewer US homes. “We think this is mostly a mirage resulting from how the FCC reports data,” the report noted. “A significant number of the census blocks showing new competition are likely only partially served.”

Operators must be smarter to prosper in the IoT age

The Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity services market is set to grow steadily during the next few years to be worth an estimated $48 billion by 2025, according to a new report from GSMA Intelligence. That sounds like a healthy chunk of change, but it represents only a fraction of the overall IoT market opportunity and mobile operators need to get smarter if they’re to capture a bigger share of the pie.

According to the forecast, overall IoT revenues will be worth $906 billion in 2025, with connectivity accounting for just short of 5% of that total. Applications, platforms and services are due to account for 67% of the overall market, while professional services will make up the remaining 28%.

Sun, sand and internet access! Brazil connects 900,000 students

Brazil’s Ministry of Education has announced a solution to provide internet access to around 900,000 students in situations of socioeconomic vulnerability, in higher education and professional, scientific and technological education. From the second half of this year, students who do not have enough income to contract a broadband service at home, will get 4G mobile data packages (from 10 GB to 40 GB) for access to educational content and learning activities, offered remotely by educational institutions.

The service will be coordinated by the National Education and Research Network (RNP) and provided by operators Algar Telecom, Oi and Claro. The investment amounts to BRL 24 million and will benefit students across 797 municipalities.

Mississippi takes a break from rollin’ on the river to roll out fiber

C Spire is installing more than 33 miles of fiber across four counties in Mississippi in order to provide faster broadband speeds to rural areas.

The underground fiber infrastructure is being built across parts of Hinds, Madison, Amite and Pike counties in order to provide gigabit speeds and other services to businesses and consumers by December.

“Our current public health crisis has shown that Mississippians are in critical need of fast, reliable, symmetric broadband internet service,” said Hu Meena, CEO of C Spire. “This program will help get more broadband in more places more quickly by relying on public-private partnerships to expand the availability of high-quality, symmetric internet access.”

Fiber is on the menu for Italian families in rural areas

Italy’s biggest operator has brought Fiber-To-The-Cabinet (FTTC) to more than 2,000 municipalities, mainly in rural or sparsely populated areas, in five months.

TIM said its commitment to bridge the digital divide in Italy by 2021 continues and it has accelerated its fiber-optic rollout bringing ultrabroadband to two-thirds of families in poorly served areas. In the coming months TIM will continue its build-out programs, with the target of bringing fibre to 90% of families nationwide by December, which means coverage in 5,000 more municipalities.

Luigi Gubitosi, CEO of TIM commented: “We will continue along this path in the interest of citizens, customers and institutions with the aim of permanently bridging the digital divide in our country and we will continue with the Operazione Risorgimento Digitale project to help close the digital skills gap as well.”