Richard Witt

We delivered another solid quarter of financial and operational results, thanks to the builders of Gigabit America. Here are a few highlights: 🎯 We passed a record number of homes and businesses with fiber. 👋 We grew fiber broadband customers by double digits – proving that we have the very best product in the market. 🌐 We grew ARPU because our customers are increasingly choosing Gig speeds and value-added services – like YouTube TV and whole-home WiFi – to enhance their internet experience. 💗 We continued to lead the industry in customer satisfaction. Our NPS scores are the highest of any fixed internet provider and 6X higher than our nearest legacy cable competitor. 📈 We hit our second quarter in a row of revenue growth, which positions us to deliver full-year revenue growth in 2024. I'm proud of what we've achieved and confident in the power of our fiber technology to transform lives, communities and the way we connect. Read our full earnings results. https://lnkd.in/gfSftzNy #BuildingGigabitAmerica Frontier Internet

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EPB’s fiber network made Chattanooga the first gigabit city. Find out how Nokia 10G and 25G PON infrastructure is helping EPB bring transformative energy and communications services to the Tennessee city’s homes and businesses. Know more: https://lnkd.in/d8wzWPaS #fiber #FTTH #SmartCity

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6th circuit’s net neutrality decision appears to remove broadband regulation from the hands of the FCC. It’s going to be very interesting in the industry as the states try to figure out what to do.

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https://lnkd.in/e3x2Mk3J Major mobile carriers like Verizon are shifting their strategy back towards converged broadband offerings combining 5G wireless and fiber. This seems to be a response to some of the challenges and disappointments they've faced with previous investment strategies. 1. 5G ROI challenges: The return on investment for 5G deployments has been lower than many carriers hoped, at least in the short term. While 5G offers significant technical improvements, monetizing those capabilities has proven difficult. 2. Failed content strategies: The attempts by carriers to vertically integrate by acquiring content companies (like AT&T with DirecTV and Time Warner, or Verizon with Yahoo and AOL) were largely unsuccessful. These deals resulted in significant write-downs and eventual divestitures in many cases. 3. Pivot to fiber + wireless convergence: The article suggests that carriers, particularly Verizon, are now focusing on a strategy that combines their 5G wireless networks with expanded fiber broadband offerings. This is evident in Verizon's recent $20 billion bid for Frontier Communications, a major fiber provider. 4. Rationale for convergence: There are several potential benefits to this approach: - Improved network efficiency by offloading wireless traffic to fiber backhaul - Ability to offer bundled services to consumers (home internet + mobile) - Competing more effectively with cable companies offering similar bundles - Leveraging fiber assets for both consumer and enterprise services 5. Potential further consolidation: The analyst quoted in the article suggests that Verizon might also consider acquiring Lumen (formerly CenturyLink) to further expand its fiber footprint. This strategy shift indicates that carriers are refocusing on their core competencies in network infrastructure and connectivity, rather than trying to become content companies. It also reflects the growing importance of high-speed, reliable broadband (both wireless and wired) in today's digital economy. However, it's worth noting that not all analysts are convinced this is the right move. The article mentions some skepticism about whether these fiber acquisitions will provide enough scale to truly transform Verizon's convergence strategy, and concerns about the allocation of capital. 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is also part of broadband portfolio investments.

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As long as antennas remain the bottleneck in wireless broadband networks, the need for spectrum will grow along with the growth in network traffic

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Who would acquire UScellular? Either Verizon or T-Mobile US? This has been the speculation in the industry for last two weeks. Finally, T-Mobile US made it. The Un-carrier acquisition of US Cellular for $4.4 billion is purely a scale-driven deal. As part of this deal, T-Mobile US will acquire UScellular’s customer base, its retail stores and 30% of its spectrum licences. With this deal, T-Mobile US annual revenues and wireless subscribers is expected to increase by $4 billion and 4.5 million, respectively. #telco #mergerandacquisitions Arun Santhanam Umesh Shiknis Ashish Julka Jacques Assaraf Sandeep Arora Praveen Shankar Karl Bjurstrom

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Last Mile architecture vs ‘Middle Mile’ architecture vs ‘Long Haul’ architecture…. IT Folk be mystified ‘Middle Mile’ … the telecom node that is between Central Offices….

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I'll be attending Fiber Broadband Association #FiberConnect24 #FB24 in Nashville between 28-30th July. If anyone would like to meet, or if you're a vendor or CSP running analyst briefings, please let me know. I'm principally interested in: - Trends in US fiber business models, especially #openaccess and wholesale - Integration of #FTTP and #FWA - Disaggregated FTTP infrastructure, eg whitebox OLTs, OpenBNG etc - #WiFi for CSPs, especially #WiFi7 and support of IoT / Matter etc - Broadband olicy eg BEAD, impact of Chevron, link to spectrum for FWA etc - Overall views on fixed broadband industry structure & competition - Read-across from US FTTP market to/from international market Drop me a line and we can try to schedule something, although FYI I'm intending to be in quite a lot of the conference breakout sessions. UPDATE: sadly I will not be at FC24 after all, because of a family issue that means I need to stay in London

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It's devastating to see the damage caused by the California wildfires. T-Mobile is doing everything we can to help affected communities and first responders stay connected. Here are a few updates:  🔘 T-Mobile and Starlink opened up our T-Mobile Starlink Direct-to-Cellular service in impacted areas, delivering wireless emergency alerts, SMS, and enabling 911 texting, even without commercial power.  🔘 We’ve restored over half of the sites affected by power loss and are working to support the rest with portable generators.  🔘 We are collaborating with federal, state, and local officials to ensure critical connectivity, including deploying Wi-Fi routers at key locations.  Additional details on community support can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gnpXud6B

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We’re here to do internet differently. BAM Broadband is blazing trails where the big companies haven’t, connecting our communities with fiber-to-the-home internet that’s so BAM good, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it! That's BAM Good Internet. #LocalInternetProvider #ServiceProvider #HighSpeedInternet #FiberInternet #DirectLinkCO

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We’re here to do internet differently. BAM Broadband is blazing trails where the big companies haven’t, connecting our communities with fiber-to-the-home internet that’s so BAM good, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it! That's BAM Good Internet. #LocalInternetProvider #ServiceProvider #HighSpeedInternet #FiberInternet #DirectLinkCO

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FirstLight is excited about our additional plans for network expansion in Maine!! A special thanks to the FirstLight team, Mia Purcell, Mike Wilson and the MCA for making this happen. Project Will Provide High-Speed Internet to More Than 6,600 New Locations Albany, NY – November 20, 2024 – FirstLight, a leading provider of digital infrastructure services to enterprise and carrier customers throughout the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, has finalized an agreement with the Maine Connectivity Authority to receive funding to build more than 450 miles of fiber to provide Internet service to several areas of Western Maine. The grant, which is part of a statewide initiative called the Partnerships for Enabling Middle Mile (PEMM), will provide high-speed, low-latency connectivity to more than 6,600 locations that either don’t have access to the Internet or have access to slower broadband or copper-based connections. The project will benefit the areas of Bethel, Newry, Greenwood, Woodstock, Bryant Pond, Albany, Gilead, West Bethel, Mason, Upton, Turner, North Turner, Buckfield, Hebron, Canton, Sumner, West Paris, Andover, Roxbury Pond, North Norway, Hartford, Minot, Hanover, Milton Township, Byron, and Livermore. Construction will be completed in phases, beginning with the Town of Bethel, over the next several months. “Many parts of Western Maine have had to rely on slow and non-existent Internet access,” said John Romagnoli, Vice President, Product & Marketing for FirstLight. “This new fiber build is literally a lifeline for many, and helps pave the way for small businesses to flourish and compete in an increasingly connected world. FirstLight is proud to provide rural areas with the same enterprise-class services we offer in some of the largest and most highly connected cities in the Northeast.” “Many communities in Western Maine are remote and heavily depend upon the Internet to access amenities like telehealth, online learning, banking, order fulfillment, and other services that require broadband,” explained Mia Purcell, who helped lead and staff the Mahoosuc Broadband Committee. “Many entrepreneurs also seek to locate to rural areas for the quality of life that Maine offers, but require fast, dependable connectivity to power their small businesses. This investment by FirstLight and our other partners provides a way to accommodate that lifestyle.” This regional infrastructure project represents an investment of over $11 million, which includes contributions of $317,000 from the towns of Bethel, Greenwood, Gilead, Woodstock, and Oxford County. The project is expected to be completed in 2029.

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EPB’s fiber network made Chattanooga the first gigabit city. Find out how Nokia 10G and 25G PON infrastructure is helping EPB bring transformative energy and communications services to the Tennessee city’s homes and businesses. Know more: https://lnkd.in/gXqyFmfn #fiber #FTTH #SmartCity

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AT&T unveiled a multi-year plan to expand its fiber and 5G networks, targeting over 50 million fiber locations by 2029 and mid-band 5G coverage for 300+ million people by 2026. It aims to phase out legacy copper networks, invest $22 billion annually through 2027, and achieve $18 billion in free cash flow by 2027. Shareholder returns include $20 billion in dividends and $10 billion in stock repurchases. The strategy focuses on enabling advanced technologies like AI and IoT, positioning AT&T for long-term growth and industry leadership. https://lnkd.in/dj-mf_jn

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Dec 16 - Today USTelecom | The Broadband Association shared some much-needed good news this holiday season with the release of its annual Broadband Pricing Index (BPI) showing that prices for consumers’ most popular broadband service choices declined by 9.4% over the past year, notably.. - As consumers struggled under the weight of a 32.2% rise in the cost of essential goods and services since 2015, nominal BPI-Speed prices dropped by 41%. - Similarly for gigabit service, inflation took a 27.5% bite out of household budgets since 2017, while BPI-Gigabit prices declined by 21.4%. Link to the full USTelecom | The Broadband Association report https://lnkd.in/eWtVTisy #broadband #competition #consumervalue #consumerwelfare #pricecompression https://lnkd.in/eHnN-hRR

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The FCC’s approval of Starlink’s direct-to-cell service with T-Mobile is significant. This partnership aims to provide cellular coverage in areas where traditional networks don’t reach, addressing long-standing issues with dead zones. It also strengthens emergency communication capabilities and improves network reliability, particularly in rural and remote locations. However, could this partnership potentially cannibalize some of Starlink’s revenue? Kathleen and I are both T-Mobile and Starlink customers. We are a “work from anywhere” couple and we use Starlink at our cabin in a remote part of Alaska because T-Mobile service doesn’t work there. With this new partnership, we might find we no longer need Starlink. The same could be true for boats, RVs, and other remote homes that currently rely on Starlink due to lack of coverage from traditional networks. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. #telecommunications #connectivity #motivation #success #mindset #growth #SolutionsAsAService

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Congratulations to AT&T ... AT&T Fiber the fastest & most consistent fixed internet service provider This report reflects one of the key focus areas for AT&T ... "Everything we do is with the customer in mind" ...  "the results are driven by the consumers themselves. The wins are based on nationwide test results that come from millions of real people taking tests daily with Speedtest" https://lnkd.in/eENJA668

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Come learn how other Service Providers are overcoming API challenges.

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The best network is getting better. Verizon has reached a deal to buy Frontier Internet, America's biggest "pure-play fiber internet provider." Frontier, having invested $4.1 billion upgrading and expanding its network to cutting-edge fiber-optic cable, will deliver Verizon’s network to millions more customers. • Verizon gains 7.2 million new fiber locations across 25 states with an additional 2.8 million fiber locations by the end of 2026 • Increases scale with 2.2 million fiber subscribers and will extend Verizon’s network reach to 25 million premises across 31 states and Washington, D.C. • Combined fiber customer base jumps to 10 million • Expands Verizon's Intelligent Edge network, paving the way for #AI and #IoT innovation ➡️ Click here for more information: https://lnkd.in/eB82JK5G Verizon Business #forwardtogether #convergence

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