#Internet Infrastructure

[ivygorgon]

AN OPEN LETTER to THE U.S. CONGRESS

Fund the Affordable Connectivity Program NOW!

130 so far! Help us get to 250 signers!

I’m a concerned constituent writing to urge you to fund the Affordable Connectivity Program or ACP. Digital connectivity is a basic necessity in our modern world and the internet must be treated as a public utility. We use the internet to apply for jobs, perform our jobs, receive telehealth medical treatment, and pay bills, and students use it to complete homework assignments. But for millions of people in rural and urban areas, and Tribal communities, the internet is a luxury they cannot afford. Failure by Congress to fund this program will force millions of households already on tight budgets to choose between being able to stay online or potentially losing access to this essential service. If Congress doesn’t act fast, funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program will run out and more than 22 million Americans -- 1 in 6 households -- will lose this vital service. The implications of this will be devastating. In 2019, 18% of Native people living on Tribal land had no internet access; 33% relied on cell phone service for the internet; and 39% had spotty or no connection to the internet at home on their smart phone. The ACP has enrolled 320,000 households on Tribal lands -- important progress. The largest percentage gains in broadband access are in rural areas. Nearly half of military families are enrolled in ACP, as are one in four African American and Latino households. Losing access and training on using computers and the internet will have devastating impacts on all these communities as technology becomes increasingly integral to work, education, health, and our everyday lives. Without moves to address tech inequality, low-income communities and communities of color are heading towards an “unemployment abyss.” The Affordable Connectivity Program has broad bipartisan support because it is working. As your constituent, I am urging you to push for renewed funding for the ACP before it runs out in the coming weeks.

▶ Created on April 11 by Jess Craven

📱 Text SIGN PJXULY to 50409

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[might-as-well-tumble]

The internet is like Vegas. It went from being run by the fun kind of criminals to being run by the boring kind

[isprevolution]

Bridging the Connectivity Gap: How Fixed Wireless Augments Fiber for WISPs and ISPs

In today’s digital era, reliable internet connectivity is no longer a luxury but a necessity. However, there are still many areas where traditional wired infrastructure, such as fiber-optic cables, may not be feasible due to geographical constraints or cost limitations. This is where fixed wireless technology comes to the rescue, empowering Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to bridge the connectivity gap and provide high-speed internet access in underserved regions. In this blog post, we’ll explore how fixed wireless is being used to augment fiber for WISPs and ISPs, enabling efficient and cost-effective network deployments.

Understanding Fixed Wireless Technology

Fixed wireless technology utilizes radio signals to establish a wireless connection between a transmission point (typically a tower or a base station) and a receiving antenna installed on a customer’s premises. Unlike mobile wireless networks, which serve devices in motion, fixed wireless is designed for stationary connections over longer distances.

Augmenting Fiber with Fixed Wireless

*Extending Coverage to Rural and Remote Areas

Fiber-optic cables are often limited to urban or densely populated areas due to the significant infrastructure investments required. However, rural and remote regions, which suffer from a lack of reliable connectivity, can benefit greatly from fixed wireless deployments. WISPs and ISPs can leverage fixed wireless technology to establish point-to-point or point-to-multipoint connections, enabling them to extend their network coverage beyond the reach of fiber-optic infrastructure. This approach ensures that even customers in remote locations can access high-speed internet services.

*Rapid Deployment and Cost Efficiency

Installing fiber-optic cables involves significant time, resources, and infrastructural modifications, making it impractical in certain areas. Fixed wireless, on the other hand, offers a more agile and cost-effective solution. By leveraging existing towers or infrastructure, WISPs and ISPs can quickly deploy fixed wireless networks, bypassing the need for extensive construction or rights-of-way negotiations. This enables them to serve customers in a shorter timeframe and at a fraction of the cost compared to fiber deployments.

*Last-Mile Connectivity

In many cases, the challenge lies in providing the “last mile” connectivity, which refers to the final leg of the network that connects individual premises to the ISP’s infrastructure. Fiber-optic cables may terminate at a local point of presence (POP), but delivering the service to individual homes or businesses may require additional infrastructure and costs. Fixed wireless acts as a viable solution to address this challenge, offering a wireless connection directly from the nearest tower to the customer’s premises. By utilizing fixed wireless technology for the last mile, WISPs and ISPs can overcome geographical obstacles and deliver high-speed internet services directly to end-users.

*Redundancy and Network Resilience

Fiber-optic networks are known for their reliability and high bandwidth capacity. However, they are not impervious to physical damages caused by natural disasters, construction accidents, or equipment failures. By integrating fixed wireless as a redundant connectivity option, WISPs and ISPs can ensure network resilience. In the event of fiber outages, fixed wireless connections can seamlessly take over, minimizing service disruptions and maintaining internet access for customers.

Conclusion

Fixed wireless technology is revolutionizing the way WISPs and ISPs provide internet connectivity, particularly in areas where traditional wired infrastructure falls short. By augmenting fiber-optic networks with fixed wireless solutions, these service providers can extend coverage to underserved regions, rapidly deploy networks, overcome last-mile challenges, and enhance network redundancy. As technology continues to advance, fixed wireless will play an increasingly vital role in bridging the connectivity gap and bringing reliable high-speed internet access to communities around the world.

Checkout more topics — https://isprevolution.io/blog/

[noob2networking]

Mesh it Up Monday: BGP - The Glue That Holds the Internet Together

🌐💪🔗 Ever wondered how the internet stays connected across the globe? It’s all thanks to a magical protocol called BGP, or Border Gateway Protocol. BGP is like the glue that holds the internet together, ensuring that data flows smoothly between different networks and making the world feel like a smaller, more connected place. In this Mesh it Up Monday post, we’ll demystify BGP, explain how it…

[noonaracha]

baby hannie

for @hongjoongpresent

[baggebythesea]

It's important to me to note that it was not the furries that fucked up.

In fact, I'm pretty sure a lot of the people fixing the problem, one computer at the time, were furries.

A global outage of IT systems worldwide because of one faulty software update?? Totally unpredictable.

[ahsoka-in-a-hood]

It's my headcanon that there's not a galactic-wide holonet. That infrastructure just isn't there. Individual planets like coruscant probably have a holonet, sure, and some core worlds are connected to each other, but for a lot of the galaxy, most of the galaxy even, the average person just doesn't have access to a galactic equivalent of Earth's internet.

[essektheylyss]

re: the fiction/nonfiction kinsey scale poll. just know that I am barely restraining myself from giving nonfiction book recs at all times. there is SO MUCH FUN NONFICTION THAT IS SUPER READABLE AND INTERESTING take my hand we can go pick out some books together

[awkward-teabag]

Love (cannot emphasis how much sarcasm there is in that word) that an official Canadian government response to high cellphone rates is to switch carriers.

Switch it to what? We basically have three companies since one was allowed to eat the forth (with the government saying it wasn't anti-competition and the company eating the other pinky promising they wouldn't jack rates up). Even the smaller companies have to rent infrastructure from the Big Three so there's only so much they can do if that rent costs an arm and a leg.

And that's not touching on how many "small companies" are actually just subsidiaries of the Big Three. You may save $5 but you're still with Telus/Rogers/Bell.

Or that the actual small companies tend to have shit coverage because they don't have the infrastructure available to them and are prevented from getting it. Or their traffic is throttled in favour of the Big Three's customers. Or both.

Or that they're extremely regional thus aren't an option for a huge chunk of Canada's population.

We have no true options and the government has shown time and again that they're fine with monopolies, in multiple industries, and don't care when said monopolies jack up prices to make shareholders and the c-suite more money at the expense of everyone else. At most there will be a verbal slap on the wrist and a giftcard for $25 that people have to register for, for a decade and a half of price gouging.

It's not talked a whole lot about outside the country from what I've seen and heard but Canada is a country of monopolies. A handful of companies own nearly everything, every province has a family or two that owns a hell of a lot (Nova Scotia is basically owned by one family at this point), and our government ignores it. Even the branch that is supposed to be against monopolies is fine with mergers and takeovers in most cases.

Because, you know, the company said it totally wouldn't use consumers' lack of options to increase prices.

[sybilius]

Old Internet Fridays #13: traffic-simulation.de

traffic-simulation.de

What’s this?

What’s this website?

A traffic simulation app, built off the MovSim vehicle simulator. The simulation runs a loop of traffic and an on-ramp. Users can adjust the behavior of the cars to see the effect on traffic.

Okay, how did you find it?

I was recommended the podcast The Big Dig recently, about the madly ambitious Boston highway tunnel project that completed the interstate highway system. Highly recommend, by the way -- great storytelling, lots of firsthand interviews and primary sources, and a real focus on the activism surrounding the project.

So as a result, I was looking for some infrastructure-type stuff today. At first I tried www.highwaytunnels.com -- did you know you can claim that as a domain name? Nothing there in any case. Then after a few dense scientific studies and even denser regulatory pages, I hit on simply putting "traffic simulation" into DuckDuckGo and here we are.

How’s it doing on Internet Archive?

Doing awesome at 539 saves. I checked out the 2003 version of the page, incredibly charming:

What delighted you the most?

Fiddling around with the little behavior bars, evidently! What chuffed me the most was seeing the two extremes of "politeness" in the lane-change options. Very rude drivers fuck up traffic flow immediately with aggressive lane-changing:

But overly polite drivers REALLY start to mess things up over time on the on-ramp:

Insightful stuff, and let's be honest? just plain fun. Highly encourage clicking that link to check this out.

I've been overbooking the odd little science-adjacent sites lately. Promise I'll get you some weird art next week ;)

[layzeal]

so i was thinking back to some discussions on the watchtowers jgy built and whole "was there some insidious motivation?" "was it money laundering?" etc etc but imho these questions are not only unfounded but also neglect one point it was actually brought up in the book about them: "why weren't there any watchtowers near yi city?"

[birdyverdie]

Damn. A tornado hit my area and I still don't have power.

I'm good tho! But outside is a whole mess

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Judd Legum at Popular Information:

In 2024, reliable access to high-speed internet is no longer a luxury; it is a basic necessity. From job applications to managing personal finances and completing school work, internet access is an essential part of daily life. Without an internet connection, individuals are effectively cut off from basic societal activities. 

But the reality is that many people — particularly those living around the poverty line — can not afford internet access. Without internet access, the difficult task of working your way from the American economy's bottom rung becomes virtually impossible.   On November 21, 2021, President Biden signed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The new law included the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provided up to $30 per month to individuals or families with income up to 200% of the federal poverty line to help pay for high-speed internet. (For a family of four, the poverty line is currently $31,200.) On Tribal lands, where internet access is generally more expensive, the ACP offers subsidies up to $75 per month.  The concept started during the Trump administration. The last budget enacted by Trump included $3.2 billion to help families afford internet access. The FCC made the money available as a subsidy to low-income individuals and families through a program known as the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. The legislation signed by Biden extended and formalized the program.  It has been a smashing success.

Today, the ACP is "helping 23 million households – 1 in 6 households across America." The program has particularly benefited "rural communities, veterans, and older Americans where the lack of affordable, reliable high-speed internet contributes to significant economic, health and other disparities." According to an FCC survey, two-thirds of beneficiaries "reported they had inconsistent internet service or no internet service at all prior to ACP." These households report using their high-speed internet to "schedule or attend healthcare appointments (72%), apply for jobs or complete work (48%), do schoolwork (75% for ACP subscribers 18-24 years old)." Tomorrow, the program will abruptly end.  In October 2023, the White House sent a supplemental budget request to Congress, which included $6 billion to extend the program through the end of 2024. There is also a bipartisan bill, the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act, which would extend the program with $7 billion in funding. The benefits of the program have shown to be far greater than the costs. An academic study published in February 2024 found that "for every dollar spent on the ACP, the nation’s GDP increases by $3.89." The program will lapse tomorrow because Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) refuses to bring either the bill (or the supplemental funding request) to a vote. The Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act has 225 co-sponsors which means that, if Johnson held a vote, it would pass. 

[...]

The Republican attack on affordable internet

Why will Johnson not even allow a vote to extend the ACP? He is not commenting. But there are hints in the federal budget produced by the Republican Study Committee (RSC). The RSC is the "conservative caucus" of the House GOP, and counts 179 of the 217 Republicans in the House as members. Johnson served as the chair of the RSC in 2019 and 2020. He is currently a member of the group's executive committee.  The RSC's latest budget says it "stands against" the ACP and labels it a "government handout[] that disincentivize[s] prosperity." The RSC claims the program is unnecessary because "80 percent" of beneficiaries had internet access before the program went into effect. For that statistic, the RSC cites a report from a right-wing think tank, the Economic Policy Innovation Center (EPIC), which opposes the ACP. EPIC, in turn, cites an FCC survey to support its contention that 80% of ACP beneficiaries already had internet access. The survey actually found that "over two-thirds of survey respondents (68%) reported they had inconsistent internet service or no internet service at all prior to ACP."

[...] The RSC also falsely claims that funding for the precursor to the ACP, the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB), "was signed into law at the end of President Biden’s first year in office." This is false. Former President Trump signed the funding into law in December 2020. The RSC's position is not popular. A December 2023 poll found that 79% of voters support "continuing the ACP, including 62% of Republicans, 78% of Independents, and 96% of Democrats."

In 2024, access to the internet is a necessity and not just a luxury, and the Republicans are set to end the Affordable Connectivity Program if no action is taken. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) provided subsidies to low-income people and families to obtain internet access.

[cryptidize]

I think we may see the end of Google and YouTube in our lifetimes.

[noob2networking]

Subnet Sunday: ICMP - The Voice of the Internet

📢🌐📡 Did you know that the internet has its own way of talking? It’s called ICMP, also known as the “Voice of the Internet.” ICMP, or Internet Control Message Protocol, is a crucial communication protocol that helps keep the internet running smoothly. In this Subnet Sunday post, we’ll unravel the mysteries of ICMP, explain how it works, and why it’s essential for the functioning of our…

[monsterhugger]

"your adblocker is causing the site to not function properly" okay maybe stop doing things that my adblocker recognizes as malicious?