Page 113 - SAMENA Trends - October 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Law to Give UK Operators Access to Buildings to Install Broadband

Uncooperative landlords have made it where a tenant has requested a service, a year will be connected as a result. The
difficult for up to 9 million flat dwellers to the landlord’s permission is required UK has an estimated 480,000 blocks
have internet access. Operators reported for that service to be delivered, and the of flats (apartments). Steve McCaffery,
that 40% of their requests for access receive landlord fails to respond to repeated SVP of Service Providers, International
no response from landlords, who they can requests from an operator for access. at CommScope remarked, “While further
take to court to resolve the issues, but this The proposed legislation follows the investment in broadband connectivity is
is expensive, uncertain and slow. The new government announcing £5 billion of always welcome, we should be considering
legislation, announced by Digital Secretary new funding to bring gigabit-capable how networks will converge in time to
Nicky Morgan, will be put into place as part broadband to the hardest-to-reach parts deliver superfast, reliable connectivity.
of the UK government’s response to the of the UK at the Tory Party Conference. “There are considerable network
consultation Ensuring tenants’ access to A statement about the new legislation efficiencies to be gained from improving
gigabit-capable connections. The law will read, “It is the latest Government action the interfaces between wired and wireless
amend the Electronic Communications to bust the barriers to faster broadband networks – and these efforts will also
Code to provide operators with a faster, rollout and enable the private sector to get extend to the Internet of Things (IoT), as
cheaper route to gain interim rights the job done.” The measures will make it our smart homes get increasingly smarter.
under the existing, and much criticized, easier to install faster internet connections “There is little value in having an Amazon
Electronic Communications Code via the in blocks of flats where landlords Alexa, for example that…isn’t connected to
Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) and its repeatedly ignore requests for access other relevant intelligent ‘things’. Network
equivalent in devolved administrations. from broadband firms. It is estimated convergence will help enable this as more
This route will apply only in circumstances that an extra 3,000 residential buildings homes are increasingly connected.”

USDA Targets 14 States with $152 Million in Rural Broadband Funding

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $152 million in
19 rural broadband projects across 14 states. The USDA rural
broadband funding projects are in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky,
Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma,
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia
and Wisconsin. “Deploying high-speed broadband internet
connectivity, or ‘e-Connectivity,’ in rural America expands
access to essential health, educational, social and business
opportunities,” Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development
Donald “DJ” LaVoy said in a press release. “President Trump and
Agriculture Secretary Perdue are committed to fully utilizing all
resources Congress provides for building and modernizing this
critical infrastructure in rural America, because we believe that
when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
The press release offered examples of the projects:
Logan Telephone Cooperative Inc. will get a $34.4 million
Telecommunications Program loan to upgrade a FTTH system in
Butler, Logan and Muhlenberg counties in southwestern Kentucky. These rural broadband investments flow from a few USDA rural
In Morton County, N.D., USDA is partnering with BEK development programs, including the Community Connect
Communications Cooperative to provide an $844,000 Community Grant Program, the Telecommunications Infrastructure Loan
Connect Program grant. The 49-mile Fiber-to-the-Home network Program and the Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan
will bring high-speed broadband to 125 underserved households. Guarantee Program. Additional rural broadband funding from a
In southwest Virginia, iGo Technology Inc. will get a $3 million different USDA program, the ReConnect Pilot Program, should
Community Connect grant to bring enhanced broadband be announced soon. That program will allocate $600 million for
opportunities to 820 homes and businesses. The Bee Community rural broadband projects. USDA has received 53 applications from
Center, in the town of Bee in Dickenson County, will get free rural areas across 33 states, representing 1,099 farms and 859
broadband for two years. businesses.

113 OCTOBER 2019