According to a new American Consumer Institute Center for Citizen Research study, "network" companies, such as AT&T and Verizon - produce more, better paying jobs than non-network companies like Google and eBay. It found that for every $1 billion in revenue, network companies provided 2,329 jobs while non-network companies provided 1,199 jobs. Read More »
In its public notice on the National Broadband Plan, the Communications Workers of America cited the "adoption gap" as one of the main barriers to implementing effective broadband policy. CWA noted that individuals with disabilities are disproportionately less likely to adopt broadband, in part because of complications with accessibility. The Coalition of Organization for Accessible Technology (COAT) praised CWA for their inclusion of disability access in the recommendations. Read More »
The Communications Workers of America used the FCC's last request for public comment before the release of the national broadband plan to issue a public notice laying out what they consider to be top priorities for the plan. CWA's proposals include bringing U.S. networks to world-class standards by setting ambitious, but achievable goals, with an immediate goal of 10 megabits per second downstream and 1 megabit per second up; and 50 megabits down and 20 up to 80 percent of the population by 2015. Read More »
Broadband infrastructure is expanding job opportunities and increasing access to healthcare in rural villages across the world. The latest example comes from Uttar Pradesh, India. Read More »
With the price tag of college tuition rising and unemployment growing, distance learning is allowing community colleges to increase enrollment without overburdening finite resources. Thanks to broadband, offering courses virtually has never been easier - and that's good news to the nation's community colleges, which are being swamped by job seekers going back to school. Read More »
According to a study by ABI Research, the market for broadband-enabled consumer devices - which range from smart phones and readers to GPS and mobile gaming systems - is expected to grow by a factor of 55 over the next five years. Read More »
In front of an audience of social justice advocates, the FCC's Blair Levin declared that "broadband can help people get access to better jobs, better education, better health care information and improved government services" - and it can broaden equality overall. Read More »
During an appearance on C-SPAN's The Communicators, CWA President Larry Cohen proposed ambitious goals for the expansion of broadband in America. "We need to aim higher," he said during a discussion of broadband speeds, "Only significant investment in broadband buildout will enable the country to catch up to the rest of the world regarding speed and accessibility." Read More »
Employment growth correlates with broadband availability according to a report released by the Public Policy Institute of California. Especially in sparsely populated areas, and in areas with tech-heavy industries, adoption and deployment of broadband increases the number of jobs available. Read More »
France announced public investments to promote the deployment and adoption of fiber networks. As in the United States, major French cities such as Paris are quickly becoming connected to high-speed networks. The challenge is extending that coverage to the more rural provinces that make up the majority of the country. Read More »
