Map spam paints false picture of U.S. broadband service

2 September 2013 by Steve Blum
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The national broadband map has been updated and it now includes coverage claims submitted by service providers as of the end of 2012. The map is supposed to a guide for federal and state policy makers as they try to manage, regulate, subsidise and, overall, encourage the development of broadband infrastructure and service. But unless you dig deep into the raw numbers and ignore the consumer (and politician) friendly interface, all it does is prove, once again, that garbage in, garbage out is a universal law.… More

Proprietary home automation platforms spring security leaks

1 September 2013 by Steve Blum
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Open source makes it harder to open doors.

The open source versus proprietary platform debate is moving into the home automation sector. Z-Wave is a proprietary protocol for wirelessly managing home devices, including locks, sensors and security cameras. It’s been hacked by two network security professionals who wanted to see if it’s really as secure as advertised.

It is and it isn’t.

Behrang Fouladi and Sahand Ghanoun took over a Z-Wave motion sensor using an idiot-simple trick – intercept a wireless command, record and replay it – and defeated a lock with only a little more effort.… More

U.S. group drafting standards for industrial strength Internet

31 August 2013 by Steve Blum
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Sorry. I thought you said the castanet of things.

The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology is coordinating an effort – with broad industry support – to create security and operating standards for industrial machine-to-machine (M2M) data communications.

There are already a couple of efforts underway amongst mobile carriers and equipment makers to standardise protocols for wireless segments of those networks. The expectation is that billions – 50 billion by 2020? – of devices will communicate directly back to the Internet of Things via mobile data modules.… More

The California assembly will vote on funding broadband infrastructure

30 August 2013 by Steve Blum
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Legislative leadership lines up behind broadband.

Californian broadband subsidies are back on track and heading, it seems to a vote by the full assembly. Big thanks to Elizabeth Munguia in senator Alex Padilla’s office for the news that the assembly leadership released senate bill 740 from the appropriations committee’s suspense file, which puts it in play for the final, hectic two weeks of the legislature’s current session.

SB 740 would add $90 million to the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) and make it possible – although maybe not practical – for independent Internet service providers and cities to apply for grants and loans to build out broadband infrastructure.… More

Chattanooga notches up a major geek milestone with Ironman selection


I’ve been waiting a long time for an excuse to post one of my Ironman finisher photos.

When people outside of the industry ask me “What do you do?”, I usually answer “Swim, bike, run. Eat, sleep. Repeat.” If pressed, I’ll admit to doing something or other with broadband, then quickly steer the conversation back to triathlon, particularly the ultra-distance form of the addiction sport. So I can’t resist the temptation of a press release from the World Triathlon Corporation and the Chattanooga Sports Committee, announcing Ironman Chattanooga, a new race beginning in 2014.… More

Second round of funding coming for California broadband consortia

28 August 2013 by Steve Blum
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Filling in the white spaces.

Most of the $225 million that’s being nicked off of California telephone bills and put into the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) goes toward building broadband infrastructure in areas that can’t get Internet service that meets the state’s minimum 6 Mbps download and 1.5 Mbps upload standard. But $10 million has been set aside to pay for regional broadband consortia, which are groups that are made up of public and private sector organisations, usually representing several counties.… More

Private capital is part of the investment plan for broadband on California’s central coast

27 August 2013 by Steve Blum
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Nice location for a meeting.

The California Public Utilities Commission paid a visit to Carmel this month. Periodically, the commissioners hold hearings and conduct meetings in different communities around the state. This time, they met with local leaders, conducted a regular voting meeting and held a two hour public participation meeting where anyone could speak for three minutes.

Several members of the Central Coast Broadband Consortium attended, to talk about what we’re doing and what we need here.… More

CPUC briefed on central coast broadband projects

26 August 2013 by Steve Blum
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Connected central coast.

The Central Coast Broadband Consortium was well represented when the California Public Utilities Commission met in Carmel this month. I was one of the speakers, with the assignment of highlighting the proposals made from our region for grants and loans from the California Advanced Services Fund…

Good afternoon commissioners. My name is Steve Blum, my company is Tellus Venture Associates, I’m on the executive team for the Central Coast Broadband Consortium, one of the fourteen regional consortia you’ve generously funded, thank you very much.

… More

Grumbles aside, no one is opposing giving California's Digital 395 project $10 million more

25 August 2013 by Steve Blum
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The opposition has yet to emerge.

The first round of comments on a proposed $10 million spiff for the Digital 395 middle mile project from the California Advanced Services Fund are in, and so far, no one has registered formal opposition to it. On 5 September 2013, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is scheduled to decide whether to cover the overrun costs racked up by the project. That would boost the state’s contribution to $29 million, which is on top of $80 million from the 2009 federal stimulus program and about $1 million from project principals and local agencies.… More

Next Microsoft CEO needs to come from outside of the shrink-wrapped box

24 August 2013 by Steve Blum
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Steve and Mini-Steve.

The best news Microsoft has had in many months came Friday with the announcement that CEO Steve Ballmer would be stepping down some time in the next twelve months, and a top level board committee, that includes Bill Gates, will be looking for his successor.

Ballmer took over as CEO in 2000, when Gates began pulling back from day to day management of the company and increasingly focused on tackling the big problems that face mankind via the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.… More