Light Reading Podcasts

The concept of "digital equity" has been a hot topic as the FCC and private entities attempt to resolve the issue of accurate broadband mapping and uncover where resources need to be applied to get people connected in underserved and unserved rural areas. That work also extends into cities, where broadband might be available but factors like affordability or access to devices and digital training can limit the rate of adoption.Broderick Johnson, who joined Comcast just over a year ago, has a history of focusing on the pursuit of digital equity. In fact, it's right there in his title: EVP for public policy and EVP for digital equity. "This goes back … really decades," he explained, noting that the digital divide was part of the discussion during his time at the Clinton White House, where he served as deputy assistant to the president for legislative affairs. "Back then, it was more about access," recalled Johnson, who recently was in Denver to meet with community leaders and representatives from state and local government about how they and Comcast can better collaborate on digital adoption. Over time, he said, the discussion has "morphed into a more complicated set of issues" with respect to where investments are being made and what other barriers exist where deployments are happening. "We do know that there has been, over the course of these decades though, really difficult disparities based on race and economic class, and where people live," Johnson explained.Sign up today for the Light Reading newsletter.Here's a snapshot of topics discussed during this podcast: How Johnson defines "digital equity" (2:20)Beyond access and affordability, other barriers are keeping consumer adoption at bay (4:05) An update on projects at Comcast focused on bridging the digital divide – including Internet Essentials, which was launched more than a decade ago, Project UP, Comcast Rise, and the deployment of more than 1,000 Wi-Fi-connected "Lift Zones" in venues such as community centers and libraries (6:30) The roles that community-trusted Digital Navigator volunteers can play in boosting Internet adoption with respect to getting access to devices and obtaining digital skills and training, and how that can translate to projects such as the FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) (10:30) — Jeff Baumgartner, Senior Editor, Light Reading Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Light Reading's Mike Dano joins the podcast to discuss Cox Communications' new mobile service. He explains why it was a long time coming, why T-Mobile tried to slow Cox's deployment with a lawsuit, which service provider Cox ultimately chose to partner with on the mobile service, and more.Sign up today for the Light Reading newsletter.Related stories and links:Cox to enter US wireless industry this fallNew ruling reopens door for Cox's mobile launchHere's how Cox blew its mobile launchCox readies a re-entry into mobile Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Phil Harvey joins the podcast to discuss Light Reading's Leading Lights Awards and how to enter a submission. In addition, we share advice for how to craft a solid entry, tell you when the deadline to enter is, how much it costs and more.Here are just a few things covered in this podcast:Background on the Leading Lights Awards (01:10)How the award winners will be announced (03:50)How the judging process works (06:20)Advice for how to craft a solid entry and tips on what to avoid (09:15)What we mean by "innovative," and the importance of supporting documentation (14:27)How to enter, deadlines and early bird discounts (21:10)Related stories and links:Enter now: The 2022 Light Reading Leading Lights awardsAwards CategoriesGeneral Information and FAQsLeading Lights Awards entry systemSign up today for the Light Reading newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're resharing an episode of the Light Reading Podcast featuring Nick Feamster, director of research for the Data Science Institute at the University of Chicago. He joined Light Reading's Phil Harvey and Kelsey Ziser last month to discuss his team's research based on the Internet Equity Initiative data portal, which uses Ookla Speedtest data to map out Internet inequities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Light Reading's Iain Morris joins the podcast with insight into why Ericsson's stock price took a hit despite a solid second quarter."I was a bit surprised to see the share price, they opened at about 11% down, which is a big drop ... and normally that's the kind of thing that happens when they have a bad news item like the investigation for some of their activities in Iraq where there were various wrongdoings going on," said Morris.Morris provides background on Ericsson's missteps in Iraq, but explains that this is an example of poor choices from previous management. While current management's efforts have righted the ship in some ways, the sins of Ericsson's past continue to make investors skeptical.Related stories and links:Ericsson's market share has rocketed, yet investors are unhappyEricsson gets US clearance for Vonage take-offSign up today for the Light Reading newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the pace of broadband subscriber growth showing signs of slowing after big surges during the early days of the pandemic, some service providers are expanding their influence into the management and security of IoT devices that are proliferating on the home network. While not all of those strategies have aligned perfectly among ISPs, an analysis of the data on the home Wi-Fi network can provide lots of insight about which brands and device types consumers are gravitating to. Plume, a data and cloud services specialist that manages Wi-Fi in more than 40 million homes worldwide, recently issued its latest Plume IQ report, with this one focused on the IoT brands driving the most consumer loyalty. The report found that Amazon is seemingly in the cat bird's seat, atop of Apple and Google. Notably, Amazon's position in the IoT market runs relatively independent of the smart phone being used while Apple's position is largely determined by whether the consumer is an iPhone user. Bill McFarland, Plume's chief technology officer, recently joined the Light Reading podcast with Editor-in-Chief Phil Harvey and Senior Editor Jeff Baumgartner to dig into the data and the numbers, extrapolate some broad IoT trends and explain how this kind of data can benefit the strategies of broadband operators. To pinpoint some of that activity and gather trends and insights, Plume uses AI and machine language techniques to enable "device typing" to determine what kind of device is connecting to the network. "It's not as easy as it might sound because there isn't a protocol or a standard message they send about what kind of device they are," McFarland said. "You have to kind of look at the way they're behaving, the protocols they are using and so forth, and then compare that with other devices you've seen of that type and you do a matching." Here's an outline of topics covered in this podcast:The technical basis of the Plume IQ report, and how it relies on data to uncover and identify industry trends and indicators. (1:40)Thoughts on why Amazon was high on the IoT brand loyalty list and why it seems to broadly attract consumers independent of the rest of their device ecosystem, including smartphones. (5:30) What other kind of data can be collected to help broadband service providers manage the home network and make better decisions that can cut down on the cost of their broadband delivery. (14:30)How the role of the service provider in IoT and IoT security is evolving as consumers continue to adopt more connected devices that hook into the home network. (17:00)Beyond the likes of Amazon, Apple and Google, what other products, brands and device types are making a mark in IoT? Where does Sonus and even connected cars, for example, fall in the pecking order? (26:30)— Jeff Baumgartner, Senior Editor, Light ReadingSign up today for the Light Reading newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Light Reading's Jeff Baumgartner joins the podcast to provide an update on some of the major players in the streaming video market. He also delivers insight into a recent report on the pay-TV market and why both traditional providers and OTT-TV players are struggling to keep their subscribers. We wrap up with our predictions on which shows win Emmys this year.Sign up today for the Light Reading newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ji Soo Song, broadband advisor at the US Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology (OET), joins the show to discuss the impact of the digital divide on students and the role his department plays in expanding access and affordability. We also discuss what he's learned through the Department of Education's Digital Equity Education Roundtables (DEER) initiative and how states and schools can use infrastructure funding and the Digital Equity Act to help close the digital divide for students. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Light Reading's Mike Dano discusses growth predictions for the wireless industry in 2022 and why Verizon's forecast might be a little bleaker than those of AT&T and T-Mobile. He also explains the battle between WCO Spectrum and T-Mobile over the purchase of 2.5GHz spectrum licenses from academic institutions.Here are just a few things covered in this podcast:Update on wireless industry and growth predictions for 2022 (01:10)Why postpaid customers are more valuable to wireless providers (03:00)AT&T and T-Mobile pull ahead of Verizon in growth of postpaid customers (04:37)Impact of inflation on the wireless market (06:18)WCO Spectrum and T-Mobile battle over 2.5GHz spectrum licenses (08:29)Benefits of leasing versus owning spectrum (12:04)Impact of T-Mobile's right of first refusal to purchase the licenses (13:30)Related stories and links:US wireless bubble to deflate a little, but it hasn't popped yetWCO's Winnick takes huge swing at T-Mobile: 'You should be ashamed'Inside the messy world of T-Mobile's midband 5G spectrum licensesSign up today for the Light Reading newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode features Matt Larsen, CEO of Vistabeam, a fixed wireless provider covering underserved areas of Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming. He joins the podcast to discuss the important role of fixed wireless and unlicensed spectrum in reaching underserved and unserved US populations. We also get into the role of federal funding in closing the digital divide, and why Larsen thinks more funding could negatively impact broadband expansion in the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.