Cable TV Networks Celebrate Black History Month
Black History Month has kicked off and cable TV networks are rolling out programs, specials, and documentaries that celebrate the achievements of Black Americans. The cable industry is deeply committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive America. One important way that it works to achieve this is by airing programming that not only includes diverse actors on the screen and writers behind the scenes, but by showcasing the stories of and by Black Americans that have been overlooked for far too long. And while cable TV networks work year-round to find ways to amplify the voices of Black
NBCUniversal Will Deliver Most Accessible Winter Olympic Games Than Ever Before
Today marks the first day of coverage of the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing, with the opening ceremony set to take place on Friday. In its 18th year of covering the Olympic Games (12th consecutive total and sixth straight Winter Games), NBCUniversal has been preparing to present over 2,800 hours of coverage over the next two and a half weeks across NBC, Peacock, USA Network, CNBC, NBCOlympics.com, and the NBC Sports app. "Ensuring that the Olympic and Paralympic Games are available to be enjoyed by the widest possible U.S. audience is core to our mission," said Gary Zenkel
How Cable ISPs Are Expanding Broadband Access in Rural Virginia, Part 2
Cox's Public-Private Partnerships Help to Close the Digital Divide in Underserved Virginia As millions of Americans have experienced during the COVID pandemic, broadband has become an indispensable service for participating in everyday activities. The recently enacted infrastructure bill validated this assertion with the inclusion of $65 billion to expand broadband access. But cable internet service providers have for decades invested their own capital into building out networks to connect more homes with broadband service. Yet there are still communities where a broadband network hasn't
Broadband Stats: Internet Prices Are Not Fueling Inflation
For decades, inflation in the United States had remained remarkably stable, spurring economic growth and helping Americans make financial decisions with confidence. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, however, disruptions in the supply chain and labor force, combined with other factors, have resulted in new concerns about rising prices. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the overall inflation rate in the U.S. economy hit 7% from December 2020 to December 2021. But the factors that lead to inflation matter since the price increase of certain goods and services have severely outpaced
How Cable ISPs Are Expanding Broadband Access in Rural Virginia, Part 1
Comcast Secures Rural Buildouts Through Different Approaches Last year's $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure package accentuated the national priority of building broadband networks to reach unserved communities. Cable internet service providers (ISPs) understand better than anyone how challenging it can be to connect people who live in these hard-to-reach areas. In fact, cable ISPs invest billions of their own dollars to make that happen every year. But federal programs and state grants dedicated to funding broadband deployment are especially critical to accomplishing the goal of reaching
How the Semiconductor Chip Shortage Could Harm America's Universal Broadband Ambitions
The cable industry's historic and ongoing role in providing robust and reliable broadband for Americans has never been more apparent than during the COVID pandemic. The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provides over $42 billion to fund broadband projects, is a testament to the Biden Administration's recognition of the critical role that connectivity plays in everyday life and in helping America stay productive during this global health crisis. The goal of the legislation is to make high-speed internet available to unserved areas across the country. But the
Broadband Prices Are Trailing Far Behind Inflation
America has an inflation problem. Consumer demand for goods and services is driving an increase in prices (the definition of inflation) to rates not seen since 1982. In December 2021, price increases for used cars jumped 37%, gasoline skyrocketed nearly 50%, and groceries climbed about 7% relative to December of the previous year. These increases are felt by all Americans. But the price of internet service has remained steady and is not mirroring these radical price spikes. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI), the cost of internet services increased 2.6% in
Broadband Stats: Americans Are Satisfied With Their Internet Service
Over the past two decades, internet speeds have dramatically increased, with many Americans now having access to gigabit speed networks. That increase is thanks to the over $300 billion invested by cable internet service providers (ISPs) in critical infrastructure, and has meant that capacity and speed have stayed ahead of the curve. A new report from Leichtman Research Group shows that Americans are satisfied with their internet service and experience. America’s internet success is exemplified by the fact that 68% of broadband subscribers say that their service meets the needs of their
CES Highlights Technology Areas to Watch in 2022
The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) kicked off its 55th annual Consumer Electronics Show earlier this week, showcasing the latest developments in emerging tech. While COVID-19 might not have prevented the trade show from happening in person this time, the pandemic can be felt in the innovation on display this year. “In these periods of economic downturn and certainly crises like the pandemic, what we typically see … Innovation tends to accelerate and even bunch up,” remarked Steve Koenig, vice president of research at CTA, during his “CES 2022 Tech Trends to Watch” panel session. Data
Latest FCC Report Shows Cable Broadband Speeds Continue to Outperform
The FCC in late December released its latest broadband performance analysis, the "Eleventh Measuring Broadband America Fixed Broadband Report," reflecting testing conducted in September and October of 2020. The MBA program is administered by SamKnows, the world's foremost authority on broadband performance testing. It utilizes a hardware-based measurement methodology that controls for network factors to render the most accurate measurements of the performance of broadband networks. The 11th MBA Report shows, as have past reports, that cable broadband providers deliver speeds that consistently