Bringing Rural America Everything the Internet Has to Offer
Americans nationwide—whether they live in busy cities or remote towns—rely on connectivity for entertainment, to stay up to date on the latest news, communicate with others in real time, and conduct business. But for a good portion of the country where the closest neighbor is miles away and the terrain is hazardous, the challenges of bringing high-speed internet, let alone the gigabit speeds of the future, are significant. That’s why ISPs have been working so hard to connect these most remote regions. Currently, nearly 63 percent of Americans in rural regions have a broadband internet
A Look Back at Streaming TV and Where We Are Now
Say time travel was possible and you go back to 2007. Someone takes out their first iPhone, and you notice something missing. They can't watch that big game live because the WatchESPN app hasn’t been invented yet. There’s no HBO GO, no Hulu, in fact, almost no TV Everywhere technology at all. This means fans of Mad Men back then had to miss the latest episode while they were away on business or simply on the go. Fast forward 11 years later, and TV viewers can breathe easy. It's now almost impossible to keep track of the number of TV Everywhere apps, new streaming devices, and the billions of
Homeland Films in Richmond, Brings Along Jobs and $40 Million to Virginia
"When I tell my kids we only had three television channels back when I was their age, they look at me like I'm an alien. Now, the global demand for content is almost insatiable," said Andy Edmunds, director of the Virginia Film Office. "This is why there are hundreds of film offices worldwide that compete to bring this content manufacturing opportunity into their country, state, province or city." In an interview with NCTA, Edmunds shared what it's like when a big production opportunity—like Showtime's Homeland—comes to the Old Dominion state, and how it touches every facet of the community
Midco Levels the Playing Field for Rural Schools
Stretched along and bordering the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota is the Meade School District, the largest school district in the state, geographically speaking. Spread out over 3,000-plus miles, a district that is this remote has had its fair share of connectivity challenges. Jeff Ward, the district's curriculum and technology director, said that its recent partnership with Midco—which provides internet, phone and cable TV services for communities in South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Kansas—has helped level the playing field for their schools. Students now enjoy
Column: Protecting Consumers in the Digital Age
Three Questions: A Dive into the Industry's Voluntary Energy Efficiency Agreements
Expert: Neal Goldberg, NCTA General Counsel NCTA General Counsel Neal Goldberg discusses the Voluntary Agreement for Ongoing Improvement to the Energy Efficiency of Set-Top Boxes, which has saved consumers more than $3 billion and avoided millions of metric tons of CO2 emissions. The Agreement was just extended for four more years. Goldberg explains why Voluntary Agreements are necessary, how they differ from traditional energy regulation, and why they are effective. Why has the cable industry entered into two “Voluntary Agreements” to improve the energy efficiency of the equipment that it
Protecting Consumers in the Digital Age
By Michael Powell Two days of Congressional hearings this week about the data collection and sharing practices of Facebook have ignited a critical national conversation about online privacy and the dangers that stem from the power of large tech firms to build, use, and share detailed profiles of consumer behavior and track them across the internet. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was well prepared and performed well in answering most of the questions posed to him, but the hearings did not alter the fundamental concern that “tens of thousands of apps” may have accessed the personal data of two
Ovation TV: What Goes Into Launching a TV App?
A lot goes into the making of America’s favorite shows and into bringing viewers the award-winning programming they watch everyday, but cable’s efforts don’t stop there. Behind the scenes, cable programmers put together teams that make it possible for viewers to watch TV on the go—anytime and anywhere—through a subscriber-based app. Ovation, a programming network dedicated to the arts, just came out with their new TV Everywhere app last fall, to the delight of their audience. Will Marks, vice president of business development and digital at the network, shared what goes into launching and
Wi-Fi: How Broadband Households Experience the Internet
It's hard to think back to what life was like without Wi-Fi. Everyday, Americans visit coffee shops, libraries, friends' homes, they sit in airport lounges and train stations and even in their own homes and businesses and Wi-Fi is the technology that keeps them all connected. Business goes on, personal connections stay strong, and news travels fast, as Wi-Fi keeps people up to date and empowers internet users wherever they are. In the first quarter of last year, 89 percent of U.S. households with broadband used Wi-Fi to connect to the internet. In each household, consumers connect nearly 15
How Many Americans Go Online Everyday?
According to new data from the Pew Research Center, 77 percent of Americans connect to the internet on a daily basis–up from 73 percent in 2015. In fact, every category within this group of daily internet users saw increases. While 43 percent of people go online several times a day, 26 percent reported going online almost constantly. This should come as no surprise given the steady rise of technology improvements and broadband enhancements in the last several years, and the widespread use of internet-connected devices that allow for easy access to the internet, whether people are on the go or