Broadband - SlashGear

‘broadband’ Stories

Google Fiber breaks ground in Kansas City

Rue Liu, Feb 6th 2012 Discuss [0]

Google announced that it will begin laying fiber today in Kansas City as part of its plans to build out a new high-speed broadband network that aims to bring speeds 100 times faster than what Americans have today. Kansas City was picked out of more than 1,100 companies bidding to receive Google's fiber network. Read The Full Story

FCC changes Lifeline home phone subsidy program to help fund low income broadband

Shane McGlaun, Feb 1st 2012 Discuss [0]

One of the things that the FCC has been pushing hard is for the expansion of broadband into rural America. Many rural Americans don't have access to broadband, and some in rural America can't afford broadband if they do have access. The FCC has announced changes to the Lifeline subsidy program, which was a subsidy to help pay for basic phone service in homes where families can't afford phone service otherwise. The changes are designed to save money from the program, and funnel those funds to pay for rural broadband. Read The Full Story

LightSquared may be doomed, FCC casts doubt on new plans

Shane McGlaun, Jan 16th 2012 Discuss [7]

I will admit to being a bit excited at the thought of LightSquared coming to market. Anyone who lives in an area with only one broadband provider offering only slow speeds at a high price would appreciate competition. One of the services that I was hoping would provide that competition is LightSquared. The company is on the ropes though. Read The Full Story

Sky testing huge cable & WiFi broadband roll-out

Chris Davies, Nov 30th 2011 Discuss [2]

Sky has trialled its own cable installations, the company has confirmed, experimenting with the possibility of bypassing BT in the UK and operating its own broadband network over which it would have full control. Another possibility - though only rumored at this stage - is using a huge expansion of The Cloud, a UK WiFi hotspot service, Electricpig reports, to bring high-speed communal wireless internet access directly to subscribers' homes. Read The Full Story

ISPs threatened over UK Net Neutrality transparency

Chris Davies, Nov 24th 2011 Discuss [0]

UK communications regulator Ofcom has threatened ISPs with stricter net neutrality rules if they do not improve the way bandwidth shaping policies and traffic management are explained to users, warning that "it is important that we are able to understand how our access might be restricted." While the organization concedes that ISPs do go some way in communicating what limits are placed on broadband access - such as P2P throttling at "peak" times of the day - it argues the current explanations are only of real use "to technically savvy consumers" and greater work needs to be done on broadening understanding. Read The Full Story

Comcast rolls out $10 internet for low-income families

Rue Liu, Sep 20th 2011 Discuss [9]

Comcast has rolled out its Internet Essentials program that provides entry-level internet service at only $9.95 a month for low-income families. The service offers up to 1.5Mbps downloads and up to 384Kbps uploads and even offers a Windows 7 Starter netbook with internet and PC training for $150. Read The Full Story

Comcast $10 broadband targets low-income families

Chris Davies, Aug 8th 2011 Discuss [1]

Comcast has kicked off its Internet Essentials program, a $9.95 entry-level broadband option for any family with at least one child taking advantage of the National School Lunch Program. Offering up to 1.5 Mbps downloads and up to 384 Kbps uploads, the discount connection also offers a budget $150 Windows 7 Starter netbook and inclusive internet and PC training. Read The Full Story

Rice University graduate student extends WiFi for a mile using empty TV stations

Shane McGlaun, Apr 28th 2011 Discuss [2]

I would bet most of us are cable users, so we don't think much about the airwaves around our homes that local stations use to broadcast to people that still use antennas. In many smaller local markets there will only be one or two networks using those airwaves leaving much of the bandwidth unused and wasted. A graduate student named Ryan Guerra at Rice University has devised a really cool way to extend WiFi signals for over a mile using the vacant TV broadcast airwaves. Read The Full Story

ViaSat and JetBlue Airways to bring Ka-band high-speed internet to flights

Shane McGlaun, Apr 12th 2011 Discuss [0]

We have been able to get internet service in the air on flights on most major airlines for years now. The ability to get online at 30,000 feet closed one of the few remaining holes where travelers weren't able to gain access to the internet. JetBlue and ViaSat have announced an agreement that will bring faster web access to passengers. Read The Full Story

4G: What does this really mean?

Kevin Fubar, Mar 30th 2011 Discuss [2]

Texas resident, Keith Geissler, contacted the Better Business Bureau when he found that his ATRIX 4G was only pushing around 300kbps up the tube instead of the expected 5.5mbps.

The ATRIX is a HSUPA-capable device, and we currently are performing the testing and preparations necessary to ensure that, when we turn this feature on, you will continue to have a world class experience.

AT&T hasn't quite gotten their act together as quick as they had hoped with this one. Sometimes the real answer is that these systems are technically the bleeding edge, and it's not some conspiracy to keep you from achieving your top speeds on the wireless internet. Here's a little help discerning the technical specs from behind the marketing malarkey surrounding the wireless broadband available on the market. Read The Full Story

Sprint To Launch Direct Connect For More Data And Push-To-Talk Coverage

Rue Liu, Mar 16th 2011 Discuss [0]

Sprint announced today that they will expand their push-to-talk coverage, increase their data capabilities, and add some new features as they roll out their Network Vision overhaul. The improved services will be launched under the branding Sprint Direct Connect, and will come with a new offering of handsets packed with next-gen push-to-talk features. Read The Full Story

AT&T to add caps to DSL and U-verse broadband plans

Shane McGlaun, Mar 14th 2011 Discuss [9]

If you are an AT&T subscriber with U-verse or DSL connectivity in your home we have some bad news. AT&T is set to add caps to the broadband plans that will see users that go over set amounts monthly being hit with overage charges. Letters will be going out next week to notify users of AT&T services. Read The Full Story