Small, independent telcos are deploying some form of...

Small, independent telcos are deploying some form of broadband services to 96 percent of K-12 schools in their service areas and 98 percent of public libraries, an NTCA survey found. About 75 percent of schools receive fiber to the premises, 17 percent use copper, 5 percent receive fiber to the node and less than 1 percent use fixed wireless, said the association in a news release Tuesday (http://bit.ly/1sxQWzu). Nearly 47 percent of public libraries are connected via FTTP, 38 percent use copper, and 13 percent receive FTTN, it said. NTCA members offer an average maximum speed of 435 Mbps down and 62 Mbps up to schools, and an average of 296 Mbps down and 47 Mbps up to public libraries. Schools on average buy 65 Mbps down and 13 Mbps up, while libraries take 17 Mbps down and 2 Mbps up, said NTCA. “The results of this survey are a clear indication that NTCA members and other small, rural providers understand the importance of these anchor institutions having high-quality broadband service,” NTCA Economist Rick Schadelbauer. The FCC considers an E-rate order Friday, and it may be a party-line vote (CD July 9 p1) (See related story above.)