ED. NOTE: This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly. There are still further updates coming, and this guide will also include Canadian providers shortly. This article is pinned at the top for now. Scroll down for other articles.

Last updated: 3/18/20 6:25pm EDT — Next update will include Canadian providers.

Internet service providers, who may know manufacturers looking for reps, are relaxing data caps, boosting speeds and capacity, and opening Wi-Fi hotspots to non-customers for at least the next 30-60 days in response to the coronavirus crisis.

Stop the Cap! was among the first to call on providers to ditch data caps at a time when millions of Americans will be working and learning from home. The prospect of getting a larger internet bill with overlimit fees during a pandemic was likely to happen. The decision to suspend caps is applauded by Stop the Cap!, but we cannot help but point out that the rationale for data caps as a traffic management tool is no longer a credible argument. At the same time caps are being relaxed, many providers are boasting their networks are already equipped to handle additional traffic. That admission undercuts the need to have data caps in the first place.

With the recent statement by President Trump that the coronavirus could be with us until July or August, the decision by many providers to suspend caps for up to 60 days is not enough. In our view, caps should be permanently dropped, but providers should be at least willing to make suspension of them indefinite so families need not worry about a rising internet bill just as the economy sinks into shambles.

This guide, to be updated as needed, will explain the various policies in effect at many of the nation’s internet providers. Some discount programs and bill relief may be available to those experiencing income issues. If you click the name of your provider, you will be taken to its coronavirus update page, where available.

AT&T

Consistent with FCC Chairman Pai’s “Keep Americans Connected Pledge” announced today and concerns raised by members of Congress, which we share, AT&T is proud to support our customers by pledging that, for the next 60 days, we will:

• Not terminate the service of any wireless, home phone or broadband residential or small business customer because of their inability to pay their bill due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
• Waive any late payment fees that any wireless, home phone or broadband residential or small business customer may incur because of economic hardship related to the coronavirus pandemic.
• Keep our public Wi-Fi hotspots open for any American who needs them.

The coronavirus pandemic is causing many hardships. If you find yourself in financial trouble and unable to pay your bill, we’re here to help you. Please contact us at 800-288-2020 for AT&T broadband, residential wireless or small business services and 611 from your AT&T device for wireless.

To provide further relief and support, AT&T announced:

• Unlimited AT&T Home Internet – All AT&T consumer home internet wireline customers, as well as Fixed Wireless Internet, can use unlimited internet data.  Additionally, we’ll continue to offer internet access for qualifying limited income households at $10 a month through our Access from AT&T program.
• AT&T World Connect Advantage – Business customers currently on or who purchase an AT&T World Connect Advantage package receive 50% off the current rate in a monthly bill credit (max $7.50/mo.).*
• Helping You Work and Learn Remotely – Businesses, universities and schools can keep their teams and classrooms connected through conference calls and video conferencing with Cisco Webex Meetings with AT&T for 90-days, and seamlessly forward calls to both mobile and landline phones with AT&T IP Flexible Reach.
• Distance Learning – AT&T is underwriting expenses for a “one-stop” resource center to support eLearning Days from the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) available to all educators in schools to help them handle school closures and the increase in virtual learning due to COVID-19.

We are currently experiencing a high volume of calls due to COVID-19. To allow us to help as many customers as quickly as possible, we recommend reaching out through att.com or the myAT&T app for support, additional resources or to access our online store.

At this time, our stores are open for business unless there are unique local circumstances.

_{* Must add World Connect Advantage (WCA) package to eligible postpaid plan during promotion period (3/13/20 to 5/29/20).  Existing WCA customers must contact AT&T to receive credits. Credits start w/in 3 bills. If WCA subscription is cancelled/modified, credits cease.  Other fees & restr’s apply. See offer details}

ALASKA COMMUNICATIONS

“Keeping our employees safe, Alaskans connected and giving our customers peace of mind is our priority,” said Alaska Communications President and CEO Bill Bishop.

Alaska Communications offers unlimited internet to all customers today. We have never capped data, so customers will continue to enjoy unlimited data. For the next 60 days, Alaska Communications will also:

• Not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic
• Waive any late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic
• Waive long distance overage fees as appropriate, related to the coronavirus pandemic
• Work with communities and government agencies on remote learning and business continuity opportunities, as appropriate

“We have business continuity plans in place to keep our networks up and running to support our communities as we all work together to manage the Coronavirus spread,” said Bishop.

ALTICE/OPTIMUM/SUDDENLINK

For households with K-12 and/or college students who may be displaced due to school closures and who do not currently have home internet access, we are offering our Altice Advantage 30 Mbps broadband solution for free for 60 days to any new customer household within our footprint.

Starting Monday, March 16, 2020, eligible households interested in this solution can call:

•  866-200-9522 to enroll in Optimum region
•  888-633-0030 to enroll in Suddenlink region

In addition, Altice USA is proud to have joined the Keep Americans Connected Pledge recently announced by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai. As part of the pledge, Altice USA has committed for the next 60 days to:

• not terminate broadband and voice service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic;
• waive any late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic; and
• open our WiFi hotspots to any American who needs them.

Altice USA is also taking various measures to keep our communities safe, healthy and connected; more information can be found at www.alticeusa.com/coronavirus.

ANTIETAM BROADBAND

Antietam Broadband has taken steps to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In addition, with school​closings and more people working remotely, Antietam will take a variety of steps to make our​broadband Internet more accessible to local residents during this crisis.​

Beginning Monday, March 16, 2020:

• Low-income families, who live in Antietam Broadband’s service area, with a student attending​ Washington County Public Schools can sign up for the Antietam Edu-Net Program and get the first 60 days free. Learn more here.
• Antietam will suspend fees for exceeding data caps through April 30, 2020. 
• Antietam will open access to its 120 Community WiFi Hotspots throughout Washington​County for all residents. To locate the nearest hotspot, download the free Antietam WiFi Finder​App from Google Play and Apple App Store, or consult the map on our website here.
• Antietam will suspend fees for exceeding data caps for all customers through April 30, 2020.​
• Antietam will temporarily waive late fees and suspend disconnections of service due to failure to pay.
• To accommodate additional customer needs, Antietam has added more technicians and ​increased its capacity to perform service installations.​

ATLANTIC BROADBAND

We’ve conducted extensive business continuity preparations and, by investing heavily in our broadband network, we’re ready to accommodate increased levels of demand during this time, with no data caps, especially as work-from-home arrangements become increasingly necessary. We’ll also give first priority to network maintenance and service-related appointments for homes and businesses to ensure customer connectivity.

We also want you to know that we have customer care options available that can be accessed from home so that you can quickly get answers and resolve issues:

• Online and digital self-service: At any time, you can connect with us using convenient self-service tools on our website (and mobile apps that can be downloaded from the Apple and Android app stores). You can troubleshoot services, reboot modems and boxes, check and pay balances, upgrade services, enjoy services remotely, and more.
• Bill payment options: We have convenient online billing options so that you do not need to travel to an office location to make a payment. See here for more details.

In addition to these measures, to ensure that you and our customers continue to have access to these services:

• Until further notice, we will not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
• Until further notice, we will waive any late fees that any residential or small business customers might normally incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide any pertinent updates to keep you informed. In the meantime, please feel free to contact our Customer Care team 888-536-9600 or contact us by email or chat.

C SPIRE

During health emergencies, hurricanes, power outages and just in daily life, we know people rely on our wireless, home and business services. At C Spire, we have a proven history of helping our customers and communities stay connected in times of need, and we’ve spent years preparing our networks, data centers and other services for situations like this.

Here are a few ways that we’re delivering on our customer inspired promise during this uncertain time and every day.

C Spire Wireless

• Working with customers impacted by COVID-19 on an individual basis to ensure they have access to the services and assistance they need.
• Expanded curbside pickup so more customers can get their orders more efficiently.
• Disinfecting our retail stores daily and regularly cleaning high-traffic areas.
• Discounted wireless plans for first-responders, military, educators and government employees.
• Higher data priority for first-responders.
• No upgrade fees for our wireless customers.
• No restrictions or fees on making wireless plan adjustments.
• Certified phone and Mac computer repair for quick, affordable fixes.
• Free next-day delivery in most cases for online shoppers.
• Extra deals online, including waived activation fees.

C Spire Home

• No data caps or overage charges, making it easier for students and employees working from home.
• C Spire Home technicians are taking extra precautions as they work and adhering to CDC guidelines, helping to protect themselves and others.
• Local care representatives are available 24/7 to offer support if any issues arise.
• Symmetrical upload and download speeds for a better experience for videoconferencing, sharing files and more.
• Ultra-fast gigabit speeds, delivering enough bandwidth for everyone to be on their devices at once without slowdowns.
• Individual fiber connection for each home so customers don’t have to share bandwidth with their whole neighborhood.
• Wall-to-wall WiFi coverage with C Spire Smart WiFi, featuring AI security to protect against hackers, malware and more.

C Spire Health

• Providing an easy-to-use telehealth app that lets Mississippians quickly connect with UMMC clinicians from their phones.
• Lowering the cost of the C Spire Health app to $29 for all Mississippians. No insurance required.
• App users can avoid the waiting room and get treated for non-emergency conditions – such as colds, flu and nausea – over audio or video chat.
• Sharing tips from UMMC health experts on best practices during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Our top priority is the safety of our customers, communities and team members. We’ll continue offering relevant updates as circumstances change, but know that C Spire, as always, is prepared and committed to our customers and communities today and every day.

For more information about COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at cdc.gov.

CENTURYLINK

We’re Doing the Right Things

We are proud to share that we’ve taken the Keep Americans Connected Pledge. This means that for the next 60 days, we’ve committed to waive late fees and to not terminate a residential or small business customer’s service due to financial circumstances associated with COVID-19. We are also suspending data usage limits for consumer customers during this time period due to COVID-19.

CINCINNATI BELL

As your hometown provider, we’re here to help you stay connected throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

• We recognize that staying in touch with your family, friends, school and work has never been more important.
• Consistent with FCC Chairman Pai’s “Keep Americans Connected Pledge” announced today and concerns raised by members of Congress, which we share, Cincinnati Bell is proud to support our customers by pledging that, for the next 60 days, we will:
  • Not terminate the service of any Cincinnati Bell residential or small business customer because of their inability to pay their bill due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Waive any late payment fees that any Cincinnati Bell residential or small business customer may incur because of economic hardship related to the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Keep our “Fioptics Free Wi-Fi” public Wi-Fi hotspots open for any American who needs them.

COMCAST

Comcast is taking steps to implement the following new policies for the next 60 days, and other important initiatives:

• Xfinity WiFi Free For Everyone: Xfinity WiFi hotspots across the country will be available to anyone who needs them for free – including non-Xfinity Internet subscribers. For a map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots, visit www.xfinity.com/wifi. Once at a hotspot, consumers should select the “xfinitywifi” network name in the list of available hotspots and then launch a browser.
• Pausing Our Data Plan: With so many people working and educating from home, we want our customers to access the internet without thinking about data plans. While the vast majority of our customers do not come close to using 1TB of data in a month, we are pausing our data plans for 60 days giving all customers Unlimited data for no additional charge.
• No Disconnects or Late Fees: We will not disconnect a customer’s internet service or assess late fees if they contact us and let us know that they can’t pay their bills during this period. Our care teams will be available to offer flexible payment options and can help find other solutions.
• Internet Essentials Free to New Customers: As announced yesterday, it’s even easier for low-income families who live in a Comcast service area to sign-up for Internet Essentials, the nation’s largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program. New customers will receive 60 days of complimentary Internet Essentials service, which is normally available to all qualified low-income households for $9.95/month. Additionally, for all new and existing Internet Essentials customers, the speed of the program’s Internet service was increased to 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream. That increase will go into effect for no additional fee and it will become the new base speed for the program going forward.
• News, Information and Educational Content on X1: For those with school-age students at home, we’ve created new educational collections for all grade levels in partnership with Common Sense Media. Just say “education” into your X1 or Flex voice remote. To help keep customers informed, we also have created a collection of the most current news and information on Coronavirus. Just say “Coronavirus” into your X1 or Flex voice remote.
• 24×7 Network Monitoring: Underpinning all of these efforts, Comcast’s technology and engineering teams will continue to work tirelessly to support our network operations. We engineer our network capacity to handle spikes and shifts in usage patterns, and continuously test, monitor and enhance our systems and network to ensure they are ready to support customer usage. Our engineers and technicians staff our network operations centers 24/7 to ensure network performance and reliability. We are monitoring network usage and watching the load on the network both nationally and locally, and to date it is performing well.

COX COMMUNICATIONS

Cox is offering the following over the next 60 days, through May 15:

• A $19.99 offer for new Starter internet customers with a temporary boost up to 50 Mbps download speeds, no annual contract or qualifications to help low income and those impacted from Coronavirus challenges, like seniors and college students.
• Eliminating data usage overages beginning today to meet the higher bandwidth demands. Customers with a 500 GB or Unlimited data usage add-on plan will receive credits.
• Pledging to support the FCC’s Keep America Connected initiatives by:
  • Not terminating service to any residential or small business customer because of an inability to pay their bills due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Waiving any late fees that residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Opening Cox Wi-Fi outdoor hotspots to help keep the public connected in this time of need.
• Providing temporary increases for residential customers in the company’s Starter, StraightUp Internet and Connect2Compete packages to speeds of 50 Mbps.
• Extending our Cox Complete Care remote desktop support at no charge to residential customers in those tiers to provide remote helpdesk and assistance for loading new applications they may need to use during this time like online classroom support applications and web conferencing services.
• Offering the first month free to new customers of Connect2Compete, Cox’s low-cost internet product for families with school-aged children who are enrolled in low-income assistance programs ensuring digital equity for students without internet at home. Schools are being asked to contact [email protected] with a list of eligible low-income students that currently do not have an internet connection.
• Fast-tracking the qualification process for Connect2Compete and https://cox.pcsrefurbished.com/
• Increasing the speeds of our Essential tier customers from 30 Mbps to 50 Mbps, which was originally planned for later in the year.

GOOGLE FIBER

At Google Fiber, we don’t have the answers to the big questions facing us. But we know that a lot of experts are working to find them, and we’re thankful to the scientists, doctors and nurses, public health experts, government officials and nonprofit organizations working day and night to address the global pandemic of COVID-19.

We also know this: in times like this, connections matter. Possibly — probably — more than at any other time. We believe internet service is always critical to people and communities. In times of crisis, internet service is an even more critical lifeline.

We also feel a deep responsibility to do whatever we can to help flatten the curve and slow the spread of COVID-19 in our Fiber communities. So, we’re closing our Fiber retail spaces and discontinuing outbound sales processes until this crisis abates. We’ll continue to install service for new customers as long as it’s safe and we’re able to do so, and we’ll do everything we can to repair and maintain our network for customers who are relying on it, and on us.

We’ve never had data caps or late fees, and we’ve committed to making sure anyone who is financially impacted by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak will be able to continue their Google Fiber service during this difficult time.

GCI

GCI knows that staying connected is everything, especially now. So, all of us at GCI are pulling together to help you stay connected to the things that matter most. We’re working diligently to provide our neighbors with tools, offers, and customer support during this time.

Here are some of the ways we are working to take care our neighbors. And we are working on even more for you, Alaska. Stay tuned over the next several days as we work to keep our friends and neighbors throughout the state connected.

We’ve signed the Keep Americans Connected Pledge

We have joined other carriers across the nation in signing the Keep Americans Connected Pledge, helping ensure our customers stay connected during this critical time.

GCI pledges for the next 60 days to:

• Not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to COVID-19.
• Waive late fees any residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances due to COVID-19.
• Open our Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.

If your ability to pay is impacted by this pandemic, please contact us so we can work with you individually to waive late fees and avoid suspended service.

Wi-Fi Hotspots Open to Public

Looking to access our Wi-Fi hotspots? There are over 1,000 locations across the state that you can use, and you do not need to be a GCI customer to have access. Some of these locations may have limited public access to their facilities due to health concerns—please contact the organization before you visit and remember to practice social distancing when in public.

Increased our Urban No Worries Internet Speed

Starting on Wednesday 3/18, we are increasing your download speeds on our Urban No Worries internet plans at no additional cost to our customers. We’re opening up more possibility for you to connect. More streaming. More connecting to your loved ones.

As always, your No Worries Internet plan does not have surprise overage fees. Even if you use all the high-speed data included in your plan, you stay connected with 10 Mbps for the remainder of your billing cycle. It truly provides a worry-free online connectivity experience for your entire household, and at the fastest speeds around. With more people staying home right now, No Worries will let more people connect, stream and download at the same time.

GWI

As part of trying to help in any way we can regarding the current coronavirus situation in the US, we at GWI have decided to the following with some other ISP’s in the country, in coordination with FCC:

• Not terminate service to any residential or small business customer because of an inability to pay their bills due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
• Waive any late fees that residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic.
• GWI does not have data caps so not an issue for us, but some ISPs who do have it, are relaxing those constraints.

HAWAIIAN TELCOM
How we’re preparing to handle business during the pandemic:

• Social distancing of critical employees across separate buildings
• Network redundancy and backup of our communications infrastructure and network operations
• Universally trained agents available 24/7 that can answer all of your calls or questions
• Enabling work from home for many employees by equipping them to safely support customers remotely, leveraging our communication and cloud technologies
• Ensuring that we’re able to respond to customers in a timely manner through their preferred channel, including chat, phone, web and social media
• Implementing a health screening pre-survey qualification for all on-premise technician visits

HUGHESNET
If you and/or your family members are at home due to the coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic, you probably are using more of your data than you have in the past. To help you better manage your data usage, here are some recommendations:

• To track your data usage, download the  HughesNet Mobile App on your mobile device or visit  myHughesNet.com
• Manage the devices that you have connected to Wi-Fi:
  • Disconnect non-essential devices from Wi-Fi (such as TVs, e-readers, tablets, etc.)
  • Turn off automatic updates on your devices and delay them until the  Bonus Zone, from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m.
  • Reconfigure security cameras to use less data
• Download movies, TV shows, audio books and other large files during Bonus Zone  hours, from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m.
• Use audio-only mode with conferencing apps like Zoom, Skype, WebEx, Teams and Google Hangout to limit data use

To help improve service for all of our customers during this unusual time, we are increasing the amount of available capacity across the network and providing more data for users who have exceeded their data plan. Additionally, we will not terminate service or impose penalties or fees on those who cannot pay due to the impact of the coronavirus.

MEDIACOM

Mediacom Communications announced today a series of company initiatives directed at helping American families address work, education and health care challenges created by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Specific initiatives include:

• Increasing the speed of the Mediacom Connect2Compete low-cost internet program to 25 megabits per second (Mbps) down by 3 Mbps up (currently 10 Mbps down by 1 Mbps up). Qualifying families who subscribe before May 15, 2020, will receive 60 days of complimentary Mediacom Connect2Compete service.
• Extending the pricing of Mediacom’s Access Internet 60 broadband service to new customers at $19.99 per month for the next 12 months (currently retails for $29.99 per month).
• Pausing monthly data allowances across all Mediacom broadband service tiers through May 15, 2020;
• Providing complimentary access to all Mediacom Xtream Wi-Fi Hotspots for 60 days.

“Mediacom recognizes our broadband network will continue to be a powerful tool used to combat the spread of the Coronavirus in the more than 1,500 communities we serve,” said John Pascarelli, Mediacom’s EVP of Operations. “By helping as many people as possible get online, we hope to create opportunities for patients to safely connect with their doctors through telemedicine applications, for students to continue their studies online, and for employees to work from home.”

In addition to these changes, Mediacom joined dozens of other internet service providers in signing onto the 60 day Keep Americans Connected Pledge issued by Federal Communications Chairman Ajit Pai on March 13, 2020. As part of this pledge, Mediacom will not disconnect service or assess late fees to any customer that calls and informs the company that they cannot pay its bills during this period.

RCN/GRANDE/WAVE

Our RCN Network is engineered and built for capacity, speed, reliability, and expansion. In addition, we closely monitor network usage 24×7 to ensure there is ample capacity for an optimal customer experience. With more and more people working from home in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, we continue to see optimal performance of the network, and plenty of excess capacity should that usage increase, while also standing ready to address network issues that may arise with trained and seasoned local technicians. Our robust, fiber-rich network enables us to operate in interconnected footprints on the East and West coasts and in the Central U.S., with back-up capabilities for each. We also have dedicated staff, equipment and supplies across 10 states at the ready to identify and remedy mission critical operations.

We have and will continue to proactively educate our employees on prevention and precaution steps as identified by the CDC and local health officials to ensure they do not exhibit any symptoms and feel safe for themselves and our customers when entering a home.

Our customers, the public, and government agencies are all counting on us to have our services up and running as reliable communication is a critical tool during this time. We are committed and ready to do our part in taking care of each other during this time – our customers, communities, businesses and employees. We’re prepared and here for you!

SONIC BROADBAND

During the COVID-19 outbreak, Sonic is offering three months of free internet access and unlimited nationwide home telephone service to households with K-12, college students, or senior citizens 60 or older.

Based on location, service is available through our fiber-optic network, with symmetric speeds of up to 1Gbps(1000Mbps/1000Mbps download, and upload) or our copper network, with speeds up to 50Mbps. There are no data caps, so it is ideal for students who are streaming distance learning during the coronavirus crisis.

Sonic service provided for three months at no charge to new customer households with Kindergarten through 12th grade students, college students, or senior citizens 60 or older. For financial assistance for current customers, please contact us at [email protected].

NO DATA CAPS: We’ve never had them — so Sonic service is perfect for distance learning and working from home.
NO CONTRACT: There is no long-term commitment. Service is month-to-month, and households may cancel the service at any time during or after the free period.
FREE EQUIPMENT RENTAL: Free WiFi equipment is included for three months.
FREE INSTALLATION: Installation and setup are free. Installers will take COVID-19 precautions, including hand sanitization, gloves, and safety glasses. Sonic staff will not enter homes where any household members are sick or have been in contact with those who are sick, so please contact us if this is your situation to schedule a visit at a later date.

SPARKLIGHT (FORMERLY CABLE ONE)

In an effort to help ease the financial burden and provide continued connectivity for customers impacted by coronavirus (COVID-19), Sparklight today announced that effective immediately, it will be making unlimited data available on all internet services for the next 30 days and waiving late fees for its customers for the next 60 days.

Additionally, Sparklight is offering payment deferrals to customers who call to make arrangements.  The company plans to reassess after 30 days based on the continued impact and evolving nature of the virus.

“We live and work in the communities we serve and these are our friends and neighbors impacted by effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19), so we want to do our part to help,” said Julie Laulis, President and CEO.  “We understand that our customers rely on their Internet service to stay connected to family, work, school and information, and we are committed to ensuring they receive the assistance they need during this time.”

Customers can call 877-692-2253 for more information.

CHARTER/SPECTRUM

To ease the strain in this challenging time, beginning Monday, March 16, Charter commits to the following for 60 days:

• Charter will offer free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription and at any service level up to 100 Mbps. To enroll call 1-844-488-8395. Installation fees will be waived for new student households.
• Charter will partner with school districts to ensure local communities are aware of these tools to help students learn remotely. Charter will continue to offer Spectrum Internet Assist, high speed broadband program to eligible low-income households delivering speeds of 30 Mbps.
• Charter will open its Wi-Fi hotspots across our footprint for public use.
• Spectrum does not have data caps or hidden fees.

SPRINT

As more and more people across the country are being impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19),we want our customers, employees and communities to know that during this very difficult time, Sprint is putting in place the following measures to help customers impacted by this unprecedented event:

For our customers:

• Today, Sprint signed FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s Keep Americans Connected Pledge. For the next 60 days, we will support our residential and small business customers by:
  • Not terminating service if they are unable to pay their Sprint bill because of the coronavirus, and
  • Waiving late fees incurred because of economic circumstances related to the pandemic.

• Customers with international long distance calling plans will receive complimentary international calling rates from the U.S. to countries defined by the CDC as Level 3.
• We’ve expanded our capacity, coverage and roaming access with T-Mobile to thousands of additional locations over the next 60 days.
• We have waived all activation and upgrade fees. Plus, we are providing free next day shipping for upgrades and new phone orders.

• By next Thursday:
  • Customers with metered data plans will receive unlimited data per month for 60 days (a minimum of two bill cycles) at no extra cost.
  • We will provide customers with an additional 20GB of mobile hotspot data per month for 60 days (a minimum of two bill cycles) at no extra cost.
• Coming soon:
  • Customers with mobile hotspot-capable handsets who don’t have mobile hotspot today will now get 20GB as well per month for 60 days (a minimum of two bill cycles) at no extra cost.

Sprint’s Support of 1Million Project Foundation:

• The 1Million Project Foundation’s efforts to connect kids without home internet has become that much more important to schools, community leaders and district administrators as they grapple with ongoing educational challenges as schools are canceled. Starting next Tuesday, we will be increasing the data allotment provided to students from 10GB to 20GB each month from now through June 30, 2020.
• Sprint will continue to support the 1Million Project Foundation’s 350,000 high school students who lack critical internet access at home and its mission to connect hundreds of thousands more in the future.
• We are making every effort to accelerate our receipt of more than 100,000 new devices intended for use next school year so that we can deploy them as soon as possible to respond to the new environment.

Sprint’s Stores:

• We will temporarily close approximately 71% of Sprint retail stores across the country starting today, March 17. We strongly urge customers visit sprint.com or their My Sprint mobile app for service and sales needs. However, if a store visit is necessary, please visit storelocator.sprint.com to find an available store near you.
• In addition, all of Sprint Express at Walgreens locations will close temporarily, as well as stores within indoor malls and all stores in Puerto Rico (per the mandate of the local government).

Starry

As part of its commitment to keep our communities connected and online during the nation’s response to COVID-19, Starry, a wideband hybrid fiber wireless internet service provider, will provide all of its current Starry Connect customers with free service until the end of May. Starry Connect is a specialized affordable broadband program that partners directly with public and affordable housing owners to provide low-cost true broadband access with no data caps, long-term contracts or complex eligibility requirements for only $15 per month. To support this effort to keep families connected and online during the response to COVID-19, Related Companies, Starry’s largest affordable housing partner, has committed to covering the cost of Starry Connect for its residents who currently subscribe to the program.

“Our country is facing uncertain times and anything that we can do to bring a little more certainty to the communities we serve is important,” said Virginia Lam Abrams, Starry’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Strategic Advancement. “Beginning today, for subscribers currently in our Starry Connect program or for those who wish to sign up, we will cover the cost of their internet connectivity through the end of May, so they don’t have to worry about the cost of staying connected during this COVID-19 crisis. Keeping our communities connected and productive is essential over these next few weeks and Starry is proud to do what we can to help.”

Starry has taken a number of actions in response to the COVID-19 health crisis to support the communities it serves:

• Last week, Starry pledged to suspend cancellation of service due to nonpayment as it relates to COVID-19.
• Starry moved to expand its Starry Connect program to nearly 600 additional units of affordable housing in New York City.
• The Federal Communications Commission and Congressional Leaders last week called upon internet service providers to suspend certain punitive customer practices, such as data caps and waive certain fees during the nation’s response to COVID-19. Starry’s internet service has never had additional fees, late fees or data caps as a standard business practice.

TDS TELECOM

TDS is committed to offering reliable, resilient communications service to our customers, in good times and in times of crisis. We anticipate the COVID-19 viral outbreak will increase Internet usage demands as more customers find themselves working, learning and otherwise staying at home. We’d like to share our operations support and business continuity strategy with you, so you can rest assured your service is supported.

Our Pandemic Tactical Team is actively monitoring the situation in a coordinated manner with federal, state, and local health and safety officials. We are implementing the following strategies and protocols to protect our customers and employees, while also keeping our network performing for you.

Specifically:

1. Our network infrastructure is built and maintained to anticipate future demand, not simply to keep up with what today might bring.
2. Our Business Continuity Plan further addresses crisis events. The cornerstone is a robust, redundant network with backup systems strategically placed to safeguard against unexpected disruptions in the network. We are taking steps to monitor available bandwidth and will increase staffing to address isolated incidents, if they arise.
3. Our Operations team leverages real-time technology with human expertise to match customer bandwidth demand with system performance.
4. Our geographically diverse workforce is able to transfer traffic, inquiries and workload to alternate locations if needed. Our workforce is also equipped to work from home as much as necessary to adapt to evolving CDC recommendations.
5. All non-essential travel and in-person meetings are being suspended in lieu of virtual meetings.
6. Any staff that interacts directly with customers has received additional hygiene training and sanitation toolkits, to ensure both the employee and the customer is fully protected.
7. Before scheduling business or in-home visits, customers will be asked if anyone in the home or business is exhibiting symptoms. To maximize everyone’s safety and to prevent further spread of illness, our staff may ask for your cooperation in rescheduling service appointments if the status has changed by the time of the appointment.
8. We would like to proactively ask for your patience when it comes to scheduling on-premise technician visits. We may experience some unavoidable periods of peak demand if we have staff following CDC recommendations for self-isolation.
9. Finally, we are committed to supporting customers who are the hardest hit by the economic challenges attributed to the outbreak. Customers directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic will remain connected and late fees will be suspended for at least the next 60 days.
10. New customers with students or financial need will be eligible for 60 days of free internet access, to help assist with work- or school-at-home scenarios.

If you have any service-related questions or concerns, please reach out to us at 1-866-278-2472.

T-MOBILE

The vast majority of customers on T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile plans already have unlimited talk, text and data, and our T-Mobile Home Internet customers already have unlimited plans with no data caps or surcharges. But in these unique circumstances, access to unlimited data is more important than ever. So today we are stepping up to take measures that will ensure that ALL current T-Mobile customers on plans that currently have data are provided the unlimited connectivity they need to learn and work.

• Starting now – ALL current T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers who have plans with data will have unlimited smartphone data for the next 60 days (excluding roaming).
• Providing T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers an additional 20GB of mobile hotspot / tethering service for the next 60 days – coming soon.
• Working with our Lifeline partners to provide customers extra free data up to 5GB of data per month over the next two months.
• Increasing the data allowance for free to schools and students using our EmpowerED digital learning programs to ensure each participant has access to at least 20GB of data per month for the next 60 days.

Additionally, we are now:

• Offering free international calling for ALL current T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers to Level 3 impacted countries.
• Supporting the FCC’s Keep Americans Connected Pledge focused on ensuring residential and small business customers with financial impacts do not lose service.

Important notice about store locations:

• T-Mobile will temporarily close about 80% of its’ company-owned retail stores until at least March 31st
• The stores that remain open, which are distributed across the country, will operate on reduced schedules and only stay open for eight hours each day – from 10 am to 6 pm local time for most stores. Indoor mall stores are closing. 
• In Care facilities (where the public does not access), T-Mobile is taking steps to reduce staffing levels and increasing the distance between workstations to create additional personal space
• At stores and in Care facilities, hygiene and sanitization efforts will remain a priority.

U.S. CELLULAR

To support our customers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Cellular has signed on to the Keep Americans Connected Pledge.

Update to Store Hours:

To help further protect our customers and associates from the spread of COVID-19, we are temporarily reducing store hours at our company-owned retail locations, effective today.

Operating hours will be 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time Monday through Saturday, until further notice.

Many of our authorized agent locations are also operating with reduced hours, and we encourage you to call ahead before visiting one of our locations.

VERIZON

• Verizon’s fiber optic and wireless networks have been able to meet the shifting demands of customers and continue to perform well.
• Verizon will offer free international calling to countries identified by the Center for Disease Control as level 3 impacted by the coronavirus effective 3/18 through the end of April. This is available to wireless postpaid consumer and small/medium business customers, and landline home phone customers. Unlimited calls will be included to mobile and landline termination. Effective 3/19, wireless prepaid customers will also receive a total of 300 additional minutes to call level 3 countries.
• Verizon will also waive activation fees on new lines of service and upgrade fees starting March 18. This applies to all purchases and service-only activations made through Verizon digital channels, such as verizonwireless.com and the My Verizon app.
• Investing in our economy by increasing our capital guidance range from $17 – $18 billion to $17.5 – $18.5 billion in 2020.
• Expanding work-from-home policy to include reduction of retail locations and hours across the country; fewer employees working at stores; limiting the number of customers in our stores at one time.
• Verizon announced support for relief efforts across communities impacted by the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by tripling its monthly data allowance for its Verizon Innovative Learning schools and committing $10 million to nonprofits directed at supporting students and first responders.
• As the list of nationwide K-12 schools shifting to remote learning heightens, Verizon is supporting the students and teachers in its Verizon Innovative Learning program, the company’s education initiative targeting Title 1 middle schools, by tripling their data allowances.
• Created a coronavirus hub page, https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus/, across the Yahoo ecosystem that aggregates trusted and reliable news and content about the pandemic in the U.S. and across the globe.
• Partnering with those on the front lines of the Covid-19 emergency response, first responders, federal agencies, state and local governments, and public health agencies, to deliver on critical missions during crisis.

First responders, governments and public health agencies

We are partnering with first responders, federal agencies, state and local governments, public health agencies and others around the world at the forefront of Covid-19 emergency response to deliver on critical missions for their constituents and all of the communities that we serve.

• We’re giving first responders priority access to our networks so that they can perform their essential duties, including saving lives, while maintaining dedicated communications with their departments, hospitals and others who are battling this crisis on the front line

• We’re coordinating with law enforcement and emergency response teams, deploying portable cell sites to add network capacity at Emergency Operations Centers, mobile testing sites and quarantine areas nationwide.

• In an effort to reduce the stress on hospitals and the healthcare system, we are supporting industry-specific apps to enable telehealth solutions and helping healthcare agencies care for patients and enable coronavirus testing through the use of connected technologies — smartphones and tablets.

• We have enabled thousands of conference lines for federal, state, local and healthcare organizations to enable new, secure work-from-home strategies, and launched new interactive voice response services (IVRs) to help both healthcare and public sector agencies prioritize and more effectively route incoming coronavirus-related calls.

• The Verizon Response Team, which supports governments and nonprofits 24/7/365, is responding to local public sector and government customer needs for additional connectivity, assets and equipment as needed. Teams are also working with government agencies to stand up additional call centers and work-from-home solutions that help serve citizens.

Our retail stores

Out of an abundance of caution and to balance the safety of our employees with that of our customers, all Verizon owned and operated stores will be closed on Sundays beginning March 15 through Sunday, April 12. In addition, from March 15 – 31, stores that are open will operate on reduced hours Monday thru Saturday, 10 AM-5 PM. Customers can find an up to date listing of store hours/locations by visiting: https://www.verizonwireless.com/stores.

Beginning Tuesday, March 17, in order to increase social distancing and allow more employees to take advantage of work from home, we’re reducing by 50 percent, the number of employees working shifts in our retail locations and paying employees for any shifts they may miss due to these scheduling changes. In addition, the number of customers in a store may not exceed the number of employees working at any given time.

VIASAT

In alignment with the FCC’s request to all Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Viasat pledges for the next 60 days to: (1) not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic; (2) waive any late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic; and (3) open its Wi-Fi hotspots, in conjunction with partners, to any American who needs them.

Mark Dankberg, chairman and CEO of Viasat commented, “We understand this is an extremely unsettling time for many of our customers as the world confronts the threat of COVID-19. Our goal is to help provide internet continuity to all of our customers who count on us to stay connected—whether at home or at work. We are committed to enable our customers to stay informed, productive and connected to friends, family, colleagues and loved ones.”

WINDSTREAM

Windstream has signed the FCC’s Keep America Connected pledge. Through May 12, Windstream will not suspend service to customers because of the inability to pay their bills specifically due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Also, during this time, Windstream will waive any late fees because of customers’ economic circumstances specifically related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Additionally, Windstream offers a variety of internet service plans for new and existing customers with no data caps and no overage charges. Discounts also are available for low-income customers through the Lifeline Assistance Program. For more information on current offers, visit www.windstream.com.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Some residents in eastern Queens, N.Y. have paid tens of thousands of dollars to replace copper water pipes, some damaged beyond repair just three months after being installed, after mysterious stray electric current traced back to Verizon caused the pipes to prematurely deteriorate.

In April, without admitting liability, Verizon reached out to homeowners on 188th Street in the Fresh Meadows area, offering to reimburse costs incurred dealing with leaking, corroded copper water pipes.

The problems began nearly four years ago, affecting residents of Jamaica Estates, Rosedale, Flushing, and other nearby neighborhoods. An epidemic of water leaks originating in copper pipes that connect homes to the municipal water supply resulted in waterlogged front lawns and small rivers of water running down streets with no rain in sight. Copper water pipes rated for 60 years of service began failing after as little as three months. Inspection found premature corrosion and leaks.

Joe Concannon on 188th Street in Queens demonstrates how quickly water lines in the neighborhood deteriorate as a result of corrosion. (2:00)

What caused the pipes to deteriorate so rapidly, forcing some homeowners to replace their feed lines four times over the course of a few years? An investigation conducted by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which is responsible for supplying water service in the area, discovered the culprit was stray direct current electricity traveling underground. When DC voltage reaches copper pipes, electrolytic corrosion begins. True electrolysis is rare and had not been seen in most cities for decades, primarily because of the retirement of high amperage DC current-fed trolley cars our grandparents and great-grandparents once rode.

As some homeowners continued to face thousands in repair bills, a classic game of finger-pointing ensued over where the excess leaking voltage was coming from. Con Ed was a natural suspect, except for the fact it supplies alternating current (AC) voltage, which was not responsible for the corrosion problem. Con Ed blamed Verizon, claiming the source of the stray electricity was coming from Verizon equipment on a pole in Rosedale. Verizon called Con Ed’s investigation flawed because that particular pole carried fiber optic FiOS cables. Besides, it was highly unlikely leaking voltage traced to a single overhead pole could cause the kind of damage being found in Queens.

In 2017, the DEP commissioned Corr-Tech, an independent consultant, to find the source of the stray voltage, and verify if city infrastructure was responsible. In a 2018 report, the consultant stated that the leaks were not caused by city infrastructure but rather by a private utility, namely Verizon.

Corr-Tech found that although Verizon had commissioned FiOS fiber optic service in Queens years earlier, its older network remained in service. Verizon’s copper infrastructure is powered by DC voltage and if allowed to fall into disrepair, could leak DC voltage from buried phone cables. In this part of Queens, Verizon used lead-sheathed communications cable in terracotta ducts in the immediate vicinity of the deteriorated copper piping. Terracotta is the same material used to make clay flower pots, and is relatively fragile and subject to cracking and breaking.

After the 2018 report was issued, Verizon announced some results of its own investigation, concluding “when homeowners disconnect traditional copper telephone wires, by either going to FiOS or removing phone service altogether, Verizon continues to emit a current through those lines.”

But Verizon did not accept direct responsibility, and for the rest of 2018 into 2019, copper pipe failures persisted. At least 32 private water service lines along the east side of 188th Street and between 73rd Avenue and the Grand Central Parkway have failed since 2017.

“We’re not talking about one or two or five or ten, were talking about dozens,” said City Councilmember Barry Grodenchik. “Let me do the math for you, one person having a broken water main into their house is bad luck on one block, two of them is a coincidence, 32 in such a short stretch of 188th Street is a statistical impossibility unless there is an intervening force.”

In January, fed up residents were joined by members of the City Council and New York Assembly at a press conference calling on Verizon and the DEP to resolve the situation and reimburse homeowners. Assemblyman David Weprin proposed a bill in the New York State legislature that would put the onus on DEP to replace damaged water pipes at their expense, and then chase Verizon for reimbursement.

“The homeowners should not be responsible,” Weprin said in January. “I will be introducing a bill tomorrow in Albany, hopefully with the support of my Assembly member colleagues, to not require the homeowners to lay out the money. DEP is in a better position to layout the money, in the thousands of dollars, and then go after the third-party, in this case Verizon, rather than the homeowners.”

Because Verizon may ultimately be found financially liable, the company is now disconnecting line voltage from unused landlines, but despite reducing stray DC current, it remains present underground. Verizon will likely have to decommission its copper landline network or replace it to fully eliminate the excess voltage. In the meantime, Verizon recently sent letters to all affected homeowners stating it hired Sedgwick Claim Management Services “to evaluate claims for reimbursement for monetary expenses incurred as a direct result of the leak of your corroded copper water pipes.”

In return for signing a release of all claims against Verizon for damage, the phone company says it will begin reimbursing valid claim holders. Some neighborhood activists have little trust in Verizon or its motives, and questioned whether that signed release would prevent future claims from being processed. Verizon denied that would be the case and said it would continue to reimburse impacted homeowners in the future. Many would prefer not having to cover the costly repairs out-of-pocket and then wait for reimbursement. Some have proposed a fund paid for by utility companies to cover replacement costs directly.

A few lawmakers wonder if Verizon’s deteriorating underground infrastructure could be a ticking time bomb waiting to go off in other neighborhoods and in other states.

“Homeowners have been affected, and yet again we’ve seen a huge corporation just shirk their responsibility for doing the right thing by each and every homeowner,” said Assemblywoman Nily Rozic. “It is incumbent upon the city it’s incumbent on the state the Public Service Commission, to make Verizon step up and really deliver for homeowners.”

WABC-TV’s consumer reporter visited Queens to report on the sudden deterioration of copper water pipes in the neighborhood in July, 2018. Impacted homeowners endured flooded basements and thousands of dollars in unreimbursed expenses. (2:54)

I got whiplash this afternoon doing a double-take on the improbable announcement that Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker has seen fit to appoint David Cohen, senior vice president and chief lobbyist at Comcast, to the first-ever Digital Economy Board of Advisors, which counts among its goals protecting a free and open Internet. He will be joined by AT&T’s chief lobbyist, the omnipresent Mr. James Cicconi.

Neither has much patience for Net Neutrality. Cicconi and Cohen have both lobbied Congress and regulators to keep Comcast and AT&T free from regulation and oversight, even as Comcast imposes usage-billing and data caps on a growing number of its customers, while exempting its own streaming video content from those caps. For its part, AT&T is exploring “zero rating” preferred content partners to escape the wrath of its own wireless data limits and advocates against community broadband competition.

The board will be co-chaired by Markle Foundation president Zoe Baird and Mitchell Baker, executive chairwoman of Mozilla.

“As we develop an agenda to help the digital economy grow and thrive, it is critical that we engage with those on the front lines of the digital revolution,” said Pritzker.

It apparently doesn’t matter that the front lines being explored are those of the allies and enemies of Net Neutrality. Putting David Cohen on the case to protect a free and open Internet is like appointing Bernie Madoff to head the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Consumers are, as usual, woefully under-represented on the panel. Only Marta Tellado, president and CEO of Consumer Reports, is likely to solely advocate for ordinary Internet users. The rest of the panel is made up of bankers, businesspeople (including the CEO of a home shopping channel), academia, think tanks and dot.com interests:

• Karen Bartleson, president-elect of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Greg Becker, president and CEO of Silicon Valley Bank and SVB Financial Group
• Austan Goolsbee, Robert P. Gwinn Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business
• Mindy Grossman, CEO and director of HSN
• Oisin Hanrahan, co-founder and CEO of Handy
• Sonia Katyal, Chancellor’s Professor of Law at the University of California at Berkeley School of Law
• James Manyika, director of the McKinsey Global Institute
• William Ruh, CEO of GE Digital and Chief Digital Officer for GE
• Brad Smith, president and chief legal officer at Microsoft
• Corey Thomas, president and CEO of Rapid7
• Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
• John Zimmer, co-founder and president of Lyft

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has sent a shockwave across the D.C. Beltway and academia after complaining a Brookings Institution scholar co-authored a research report that was paid for by a corporation that used it to lobby Congress to reject consumer protections for retirees.

Warren’s encounter with paid research is nothing new for Stop the Cap! readers. We have been documenting Big Telecom’s “Phoney” research advocating against consumer protections for broadband and for usage caps and usage-based billing since 2009.

In our view, it is nothing short of unethical for a researcher to accept funding for a corporate-backed research study, bury that fact in a footnote, and leave out the dollar amounts involved. But with tens of thousands of dollars ready for the taking per “study,” a cottage industry of academia and “independent” researchers has sprung up to supply customized findings that “coincidentally” mirror that company’s public policy agenda.

Warren followed the money after reviewing a report written by Robert Litan and co-authored by Hal Singer, who often writes about broadband issues for the Progressive Policy Institute, which itself receives significant funding from Big Telecom companies.

Litan’s report advocated against a proposed rule written by the Labor Department that would prohibit retirement plan brokers from receiving financial commissions, bonuses and other quiet incentives from giant investment banks that could potentially influence the advice brokers give consumers. During the housing bust of the Great Recession, similar financial conflicts of interest occurred when realtors and loan officers were accused of steering consumers into loan/mortgage products that paid substantial commissions to both, despite the fact those products may not have been in the best interests of homebuyers.

Litan concluded the new rule would “be too costly” to manage, a claim dismissed as ridiculous by Barbara Roper, director of investor protection for the Consumer Federation of America.

What could have made an economist with ties to the prestigious Brookings Institution reach a conclusion that would, in the words of Roper, leave “millions of working families and retirees without meaningful protections when they turn to financial professionals for retirement investment advice?”

It might be the $85,000 paid by the study’s sponsor — the Capital Group, a leading mutual fund manager with an obvious interest in the outcome.

Warren’s staff noticed a tiny footnote on the first page of Litan and Singer’s report acknowledging the study was sponsored by the firm, but did not disclose the amount paid or the conditions under which the study was written.

Warren complained the report was little more than a “highly compensated and editorially compromised work on behalf of an industry player seeking a specific conclusion.” Warren also notified both the Brookings Institution and the Obama Administration that using these types of reports to “independently” bolster a corporation’s lobbying was little more than influence peddling, and implied it threatened Brooking’s reputation.

The practice of writing corporate-sponsored research is well-established, usually dependent on the names and reputations of well-respected think tanks and policy institutes to provide cover for the more blatant practice of direct corporate lobbying. Most corporations avoid drawing attention to their direct financial relationship with study authors. Litan’s money connection was revealed in follow-up written questions from Warren. The answers conflicted with the study authors’ original claims they were “solely responsible” for the study’s conclusions, finally revealing Capital Group had paid $85,000 for the study, and Litan’s share was $38,800.

Tom Joyce, a spokesman for the Capital Group, said his company was following standard practice. “It is typical for organizations to sponsor academic studies,” Joyce said, noting that in this case, “no preconditions or predetermined conclusions were imposed.”

Few D.C. insiders believe Joyce, noting they have never seen a corporate-sponsored report that concluded anything markedly different from the corporate sponsors’ own positions.

In the end, Litan resigned his “non-resident scholar” position at the Brookings Institution, not because of his association with corporate-sponsored research, but rather his violation of a new think-tank rule prohibiting researchers from citing their affiliation with Brookings when testifying before Congress.

After that, the D.C. establishment and a threatened coterie of fellow pay-for-research writers went on the warpath, realizing a lucrative revenue stream was at risk if the public knew the independence of corporate-funded research is often suspect.

“This is McCarthyism of the left,” Hal Singer, a senior fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute and co-author of the research Warren criticized told Politico. “What Warren is doing is suppressing scholars [who] speak independently through her threats.”

An editorial in the Wall Street Journal accused Warren of launching an inquisition against ideas and used the names of several former officials in the Clinton Administration to defend the bipartisan practice of corporate writing on spec.

The National Review (seeing a trend yet?) also blistered Warren for having a double standard in a piece Bloomberg News dismissed as “interesting though a bit breathless.” The fact pro-regulation lobbying group Better Markets often agrees with Sen. Warren’s political views was enough for the conservative magazine to indict her for essentially doing the same thing Litan did. Only Bloomberg concluded Warren was more of a bystander than a participant.

[The National Review piece] accuses Better Markets of “failing to adequately disclose its relationship” with its hedge-fund-manager founder Michael Masters, even though that relationship seems to be fully disclosed, and it insinuates that Masters was shorting Prudential and MetLife while Better Markets was arguing to have them regulated as “systemically important,” even though the only evidence for that is that Masters [had] long call options on Pru and Met.

Warren has made a point of publicly exposing the cozy relationships corporations have with lobbyists, paid consultants, and academia in her one-woman war to protect consumer interests and punish big banks and corporations for anti-consumer behavior. Her practice of tearing the lid off D.C.’s revolving door of lobbying and public service has made Democrats and Republicans nervous, and more than few are looking for revenge.

As far as we’re concerned, Warren’s isn’t the issue. The problem rests with those that willingly choose to risk their credibility for cash, writing reports with glaring conflicts of interest.

A Short History of Wireless Cable

Long before many Americans had access to cable television, watching premium commercial-free entertainment in the 1970s was only possible in a handful of large cities, where television stations gave up a significant chunk of their broadcast day to services like ON-TV, Spectrum, SelecTV, Prism, Starcase, Preview, VEU, and SuperTV. For around $20 a month, subscribers received a decoder box to watch the encrypted UHF broadcast programming, which consisted of sports, popular movies and adult entertainment. The channels were relatively expensive to receive, suffered from the same reception problems other UHF stations often had in large metropolitan areas, and were frequently pirated by non-paying customers with modified decoder boxes.

With the spread of cable television into large cities, the single channel over-the-air services were doomed, and between 1983-1985,virtually all of their operations closed down, converting to all-free-viewing, usually as an independent or ethnic language television outlet.

But the desire for competition for cable television persisted, and in the mid-1980s the Federal Communications Commission allocated two blocks of frequencies for entertainment video delivery. The FCC earlier allocated part of this channel space to Instructional Television Fixed Services (ITFS) for programming from schools, hospitals, and religious groups, which could use the capacity to transmit programming to different buildings and potentially to viewers at home with the necessary equipment.

In practice, ITFS channels allocated during the 1970s were underutilized, because running such an operation was often beyond the budgets and technical expertise of many educational institutions. Premium movie entertainment once again drove the technology forward. After signing off at the end of the school day, Home Box Office, Showtime, and The Movie Channel signed on, using microwave technology to distribute their services to area cable systems and some subscribers. As those premium services migrated to satellite distribution beginning in 1975, reallocation for a new kind of “wireless cable TV” became a reality.

Wireless cable (technically known as “multichannel multipoint distribution service”) began in earnest in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with a package of around 32 channels — typically over the air stations, popular cable networks, and one or two premium movie channels. Some operations in smaller cities sought to beam just a channel or two of premium movies or adult entertainment to paying subscribers, the latter at a substantial price premium. Installation costs paid by providers were more affordable than traditional cable television — around $350 for wireless vs. $1,000 for cable television. That made wireless attractive in rural areas where installation costs for cable television could run even higher.

However, it was not too long before wireless cable operators ran into problems with their business models. Obtaining affordable programming was always difficult. Some cable networks, then-owned by large cable systems, either refused to do business with their wireless competitors or charged discriminatory rates to carry their networks. By the time legislative relief arrived, the wireless industry realized they now had a capacity problem. As cable television systems were being upgraded in the 1990s, the number of channels cable customers received quickly grew to 60 or more (with many more to come with the advent of “digital cable”). Wireless cable was stuck with just 32 channels and a then-analog platform. Satellite television was also becoming a larger competitive threat in rural areas, with DirecTV and Dish delivering hundreds of channels.

Wireless providers simply could not compete with their smaller packages, and most closed down or sold their operations, often to phone companies. The few remaining systems, mostly in rural areas, have typically combined their wireless frequencies with satellite provider partners to deliver television, slow broadband, and IP-based telephone service.

Rebooting Wireless Cable for the 21st Century

By the early-2000’s the Federal Communications Commission proposed a new allocation for a “Multichannel Video and Data Distribution Service” (MVDDS). Designed to share the 12.2-12.7GHz band with Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) services DirecTV and Dish, MVDDS was partly envisioned as a potential way to deliver local stations to satellite subscribers over ground-based transmitters. But things have evolved well beyond that concept, especially after both satellite providers began using “spot beams” to deliver local stations to different regions from their existing fleet of orbiting satellites.

MVDDS was ultimately opened up to be either a competing cable television-like service or for wireless broadband, or both. Michael Powell, then-chairman of the FCC during the first term of George W. Bush, said the technology was free to develop as providers saw fit:

What is MVDDS? The short answer is that we do not know.  Its name, Multichannel Video Distribution and Data Service, seems to suggest everything is possible – and perhaps it is.

But the service rules the Commission has adopted do not require MVDDS to provide any particular kind of service – it could be a multichannel video, or data, or digital radio service, or any other permutation on spectrum use.

The Commission was once in the business of requiring spectrum holders to provide a certain type of service.  That approach failed because government is a very bad predictor of technology and markets – both of which move a lot faster than government.  Over the past decade or so, the Commission has adopted more flexible service rules that bound a service based largely on interference limitations and its allocation (fixed or mobile, terrestrial or satellite).  In this Order, we follow that flexible model for MVDDS.

In 2004 and 2005, licenses to operate MVDDS services were opened up for auction, and a handful of companies won the bulk of them: MDS America, which built a 700-channel wireless cable system in the United Arab Emirates, DTV Norwich, an affiliate of cable operator Cablevision, and South.com, which is really satellite provider Dish Network. Another significant winner was Mr. Bruce E. Fox, who wants to partner with other providers to finance and operate MVDDS services.

Cablevision and Fox are the two most active license recipients at the moment.

A Look at Today’s MVDDS Wireless Players

Fox launched Go Long Wireless in Baltimore as a demonstration project. Go Long transmits its signal from the roof of the World Trade Center at the Baltimore Inner Harbor to the Emerging Technology Center, a business incubator site a few miles away. Fox believes the technology is especially suited to multi-dwelling units like apartment complexes and condos. He plans to work with other service providers who will market and bill the service under their own brand names. Fox does not seem to be interested in challenging the marketplace status quo. He does not believe in using MVDDS to provide television service, for example. In Fox’s view, the real money is in broadband and Voice over IP telephone service.

Cablevision’s involvement is more direct-to-consumer. Its Clearband service– now operating under the new brand ‘OMGFAST’ — is now selling up to 50/3Mbps wireless broadband service in the Deerfield Beach, Fla. area. The company has had nothing to say about whether this service is slated to expand, and if it does, Cablevision will not be permitted to operate it in areas where they already provide cable service, due to the FCC’s cross-ownership rules.

OMGFAST originally bundled voice service in its broadband packages, which it sold at different price points: 12Mbps for $39.95 a month, 25Mbps for $59.95 a month, and 50Mbps at $79.95. The company also tested a 50Mbps promotion priced at $29.95 a month for three months, $59.95 ongoing. Today it offers a better deal: $29.95 a month for 50Mbps service as an ongoing rate. (Expect to pay $10 a month more for mandatory equipment rental, and $14.95 a month if you also want voice service.)

[flv width=”640″ height=”450″]http://www.phillipdampier.com/video/Clearband FAST 50 Mbps Internet.flv[/flv]

Here is a promotional video explaining how Clearband (now OMGFAST) wireless broadband works. (3 minutes)

MVDDS currently delivers broadband with similar constraints cable systems operate under — namely, download speeds are much faster than upload speeds. That is because upstream bandwidth relies on another transmission technology, often WiMAX, in the 3.65 GHz or 5 GHz bands.

The wireless technology is also very “line of sight,” meaning the tower must be within six miles of the subscriber and not blocked by any obstructions. Hills, buildings, even heavy foliage can all block MVDDS signals the same way satellite signals can be blocked (they share the same frequencies).

Most customers end up with an antenna that very much resembles a traditional satellite dish from DirecTV or Dish, mounted on a roof. To maximize available bandwidth, MVDDS uses a configuration similar to cellular systems, with up to 900Mbps of total bandwidth available to each 90-degree narrow beam sector.

The question is, how will license holders ultimately use the technology. Although originally proposed as a competitor to traditional cable or satellite TV, deregulation has left the fate of MVDDS in the hands of the operators.

Some are considering not selling the service to consumers at all, but rather making a market out of providing backhaul connectivity for cell towers. Dish may be interested in using its licenses to offer customers a triple play package of broadband and phone service with its satellite TV package. Nobody seems particularly interested in providing television service over MVDDS, primarily because programmers’ demands for higher carriage payments would cut into revenue.

Even Cablevision isn’t completely sure what it wants to do. Although it currently is trialing broadband and phone service in Florida, the company earlier petitioned the FCC for increased power to establish a more suitable wireless backhaul service it can sell to mobile phone companies.

For the moment, reviews seem relatively positive for the Florida market test. Of course, as more customers pile on a wireless service, the less speed becomes available to each customer. OMGFAST does not appear to be currently concerned, noting it has no usage caps on its service.

Want to know which provider may be coming to your area? See below the jump for a list of the top-three bid winners and the cities they are now licensed to serve, in order of market size.

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