From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: from mail-wm1-x32b.google.com (mail-wm1-x32b.google.com [IPv6:2a00:1450:4864:20::32b]) (using TLSv1.2 with cipher ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256 (128/128 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by lists.bufferbloat.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id CC3EA3B29D for ; Mon, 8 May 2023 11:04:40 -0400 (EDT) Received: by mail-wm1-x32b.google.com with SMTP id 5b1f17b1804b1-3f315712406so174242515e9.0 for ; Mon, 08 May 2023 08:04:40 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20221208; t=1683558279; x=1686150279; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=su/AAZuD6bT0vEueG5pMhynhs/bKXCB7b7fgWc7oWhU=; b=nOJR5YPmYBr4iN97LHOGT+4Av/LUX3IrPMLB+bT4PnPEVbW8QUp0yvdCwrIAvmaDwf 0avjQmRCn8w1lo78Bfp0o8lJ8X817r68Z34kJra0jum0Vu9IsFlddyo/Qzf3O7zrB3G5 VQey1Pw31bi2iRHXAj7/m0E400UV8kZD6graWGSwzBW+nN8FMV01LKJD7OwksHLIfSF3 +uHlU/A1UDETDhNhwD28q4kzoL8NBNYe+5TqR3SBtIHllJF+jHS8FYcjHEYfn3gv8mdY N3VZlgiEERPpAR2G1OWyV+KTXdWNB2MfubHxmj8EK1LwXxhiDu0wYv5RwUJ4CPHSkmqi IdPg== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20221208; t=1683558279; x=1686150279; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=su/AAZuD6bT0vEueG5pMhynhs/bKXCB7b7fgWc7oWhU=; b=jbvRtX1UJ/4vzyHknia9dOTjntR55hOuNgXPH9ZzLCm4AFLj3avlG8jsEcqJZnJEoD 9m1RMOtawZXKbpRxj9HiZUZfBQdou9df0maojDWIxLhXSk+d7dsu9f0svRdjcC51p+pe xa03t6gMaosiBYV/Dth0F+ANeyviiyY1qtCTjxgA22X3Ee1u/M5TIMKDeE1lqORnRsEb Wkqh9guP3MyB4PZB297MjL4oeHkKsReeWxwYet95GCXhyiuxPaeVTte4w6kCh6WitYt+ tUD4YcDDbUDd8wqnCN3AHgEf6JjeDlgLpnuhAeTUd0Ng16zSGMZp69fYvBtjiIJ17A8t P1Pw== X-Gm-Message-State: AC+VfDxjsFsC9p9pY6+qgeHlJ5m02jZGy5RrZTWEkv/Mi/FtjyDqawJa ewVUPhHiNmtP3SA9T0I4NLrp7kC4lD40ugzYYX0klfu3 X-Google-Smtp-Source: ACHHUZ4Qg673VtkT/dc3UDGR8PV4OrDK0mmQ+NG0ks/2oaB5X8xxXjmOd9elz4vl+F4PRKi6ZjsaO6UUkFgmgun2bMA= X-Received: by 2002:a7b:c00d:0:b0:3f3:4264:2c5c with SMTP id c13-20020a7bc00d000000b003f342642c5cmr7412064wmb.13.1683558278836; Mon, 08 May 2023 08:04:38 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <49312101.15858.0@wordpress.com> In-Reply-To: <49312101.15858.0@wordpress.com> From: Dave Taht Date: Mon, 8 May 2023 08:04:26 -0700 Message-ID: To: libreqos Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0000000000002b376105fb2ff5b2" Subject: [LibreQoS] Fwd: [New post] Rural Cellular Coverage X-BeenThere: libreqos@lists.bufferbloat.net X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.20 Precedence: list List-Id: Many ISPs need the kinds of quality shaping cake can do List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 08 May 2023 15:04:41 -0000 --0000000000002b376105fb2ff5b2 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: POTs and PANs Date: Mon, May 8, 2023 at 4:35=E2=80=AFAM Subject: [New post] Rural Cellular Coverage To: [image: Site logo image] Doug Dawson, CCG Consulting posted: "When working in rural areas, I find invariably that any county that has poor rural broadband also has poor cellular coverage. If you plot a 2 or 3-mile circle around the existing cell towers in many counties, it becomes quickly obvious that cell coverage " POTs and PANs R= ural Cellular Coverage Doug Dawson, CCG Consulting May 8 When working in rural areas, I find invariably that any county that has poor rural broadband also has poor cellular coverage. If you plot a 2 or 3-mile circle around the existing cell towers in many counties, it becomes quickly obvious that cell coverage is non-existent in many places. The real cellular coverage in rural areas is drastically different than the national coverage maps that cellular carriers have been advertising for years. The FCC announced a process to address this issue in October 2020 when it announced the creation of a 5G Fund for Rural America. This will be a $9 billion fund that comes from the Universal Service Fund and that will provide subsidies for wireless carriers to build and equip new rural cell towers. This fund would work through a reverse auction in the same manner as RDOF, with the only bidders in the auction being licensed cellular carriers. The first reverse auction will be for $8 billion, with the rest specifically set aside for tribal areas. The FCC tried this a few years earlier and abandoned the process when it became obvious that the cellular coverage maps created by the big cellular companies had little to do with reality. As part of that effort the FCC required cellular carriers to submit maps of cellular coverage as a prelude to launching this fund. The smaller cellular companies all complained that the big cellular company maps were wrong and were aimed at locking them out of the reverse auction. The FCC agreed and canceled plans for the fund until the 2020 announcement. I haven=E2=80=99t been following this issue closely enough at the FCC to un= derstand why it=E2=80=99s taking so long to launch the endeavor, but I have to think= that mapping is still a primary issue. Then FCC has now included cellular coverage in the same BDC mapping process used for broadband. When the new maps were released there were a lot of public complaints that the new FCC cellular maps still overstate rural coverage. There is a map challenge process for the public to provide feedback to try to fix the cellular maps by taking speed tests from rural locations =E2=80= =93 but the process is cumbersome, and it=E2=80=99s likely that few people know abo= ut it or are providing the speed tests in the specified way. The speed tests must be logged through an FCC app . There is no question that something like this funding is badly needed. It= =E2=80=99s hard to justify building rural cell towers and installing radios at a tower will only see a handful of homes. Remote rural cell sites can=E2=80=99t pos= sibly generate enough money to justify the cost of the radios and backhaul, let alone the towers. One of the issues that the FCC is going to have to face is that any subsidy for this issue might need to be permanent if the goal is to keep cell towers operating where few people live. Poor cell coverage is devastating to an area. There are huge swaths of the country where folks can't reach 911 by cellphone. We can't get serious about smart agriculture without the bare minimum network to provide connectivity. No cell coverage makes it hard to do tasks that the rest of us take for granted. One of the interesting things about the timing of this effort is how the rural cellular industry will benefit from the BEAD grants. There is no fiber near many of the best spots for rural towers, and the BEAD grants will fund the construction of a lot of fiber in rural areas that could be used to provide backhaul to new cell sites. Interestingly, one of the things that was missed in creating the BEAD rules was any requirement for BEAD grant winners to provide fiber connectivity to rural cell towers at a fair price. That would have been a good opportunity for these different federal programs to mesh together for the benefit of both wireless and wireline rural broadband. One of the legitimate complaints made by cellular companies is that they are often quoted extremely high prices for broadband connectivity at cell towers =E2=80=93 a= lot of ISPs look at cell towers as a chance to make a lot of money. Communities with poor cellular coverage need to keep an eye on this FCC program to make sure that some cellular carrier seeks the funding for building in their county. Just like with the BEAD grants, I have no idea of $9 billion is enough to get cellular coverage everywhere =E2=80=93 but it i= s a good start. Comment ------------------------------ Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from POTs and PANs. Change your email settings at manage subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2023/05/08/rural-cellular-coverage-3/ [image: WordPress.com and Jetpack Logos] Get the Jetpack app to use Reader anywhere, anytime Follow your favorite sites, save posts to read later, and get real-time notifications for likes and comments. [image: Download Jetpack on Google Play] [image: Download Jetpack from the App Store] [image: WordPress.com on Twitter] [im= age: WordPress.com on Facebook] [image: WordPress.com on Instagram] [image: WordPress.com on YouTube] [image: WordPress.com Logo and Wordmark title=3D] Learn how to build your website with our video tutorials on YouTube . Automattic, Inc. - 60 29th St. #343, San Francisco, CA 94110 --=20 Podcast: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7058793910227111937/ Dave T=C3=A4ht CSO, LibreQos --0000000000002b376105fb2ff5b2 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable


---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: POTs and PANs <donotreply@wordpress.co= m>
Date: Mon, May 8, 2023 at 4:35=E2=80=AFAM
Subject: [= New post] Rural Cellular Coverage
To: <dave.taht@gmail.com>


=09 =09
3D"Site Doug Dawson, CCG Consulting posted: "When working in r= ural areas, I find invariably that any county that has poor rural broadband= also has poor cellular coverage. If you plot a 2 or 3-mile circle around t= he existing cell towers in many counties, it becomes quickly obvious that c= ell coverage " =09 =09 POTs and PANs

Rural Cellular Coverage

Doug Daw= son, CCG Consulting

May 8

3D""When working in rural areas, I find invariably that any= county that has poor rural broadband also has poor cellular coverage. If y= ou plot a 2 or 3-mile circle around the existing cell towers in many counti= es, it becomes quickly obvious that cell coverage is non-existent in many p= laces. The real cellular coverage in rural areas is drastically different t= han the national coverage maps that cellular carriers have been advertising= for years.

The FCC announced a process to address= this issue in October 2020 when it announced the creation of a 5G Fund for= Rural America. This will be a $9 billion fund that comes from the Universa= l Service Fund and that will provide subsidies for wireless carriers to bui= ld and equip new rural cell towers. This fund would work through a reverse = auction in the same manner as RDOF, with the only bidders in the auction be= ing licensed cellular carriers. The first reverse auction will be for $8 bi= llion, with the rest specifically set aside for tribal areas.

The FCC tried this a few years earlier= and abandoned the process when it became obvious that the cellular coverag= e maps created by the big cellular companies had little to do with reality.= As part of that effort the FCC required cellular carriers to submit maps o= f cellular coverage as a prelude to launching this fund. The smaller cellul= ar companies all complained that the big cellular company maps were wrong a= nd were aimed at locking them out of the reverse auction. The FCC agreed an= d canceled plans for the fund until the 2020 announcement.

I haven=E2=80=99t been following this = issue closely enough at the FCC to understand why it=E2=80=99s taking so lo= ng to launch the endeavor, but I have to think that mapping is still a prim= ary issue. Then FCC has now included cellular coverage in the same BDC mapp= ing process used for broadband. When the new maps were released there were = a lot of public complaints that the new FCC cellular maps still overstate r= ural coverage.

There is a map challenge process for t= he public to provide feedback to try to fix the cellular maps by taking spe= ed tests from rural locations =E2=80=93 but the process is cumbersome, and = it=E2=80=99s likely that few people know about it or are providing the spee= d tests in the specified way. The speed tests must be logged through an FCC app= .

There is no question that something li= ke this funding is badly needed. It=E2=80=99s hard to justify building rura= l cell towers and installing radios at a tower will only see a handful of h= omes. Remote rural cell sites can=E2=80=99t possibly generate enough money = to justify the cost of the radios and backhaul, let alone the towers. One o= f the issues that the FCC is going to have to face is that any subsidy for = this issue might need to be permanent if the goal is to keep cell towers op= erating where few people live.

Poor cell coverage is devastating to a= n area. There are huge swaths of the country where folks can't reach 91= 1 by cellphone. We can't get serious about smart agriculture without th= e bare minimum network to provide connectivity. No cell coverage makes it h= ard to do tasks that the rest of us take for granted.

One of the interesting things about th= e timing of this effort is how the rural cellular industry will benefit fro= m the BEAD grants. There is no fiber near many of the best spots for rural = towers, and the BEAD grants will fund the construction of a lot of fiber in= rural areas that could be used to provide backhaul to new cell sites.

Interestingly, one of the things that = was missed in creating the BEAD rules was any requirement for BEAD grant wi= nners to provide fiber connectivity to rural cell towers at a fair price. T= hat would have been a good opportunity for these different federal programs= to mesh together for the benefit of both wireless and wireline rural broad= band. One of the legitimate complaints made by cellular companies is that t= hey are often quoted extremely high prices for broadband connectivity at ce= ll towers =E2=80=93 a lot of ISPs look at cell towers as a chance to make a= lot of money.

Communities with poor cellular coverag= e need to keep an eye on this FCC program to make sure that some cellular c= arrier seeks the funding for building in their county. Just like with the B= EAD grants, I have no idea of $9 billion is enough to get cellular coverage= everywhere =E2=80=93 but it is a good start.
=09
=09 =09 Comment
=09 =09

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Automattic, Inc. - 60 29th St. #343, San Fra= ncisco, CA 94110=C2=A0=C2=A0

3D""


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