Hacker News with Generative AI: Internet Access

Trump has officially dismantled the Digital Equity Act (thesarkariform.com)
In a move that has stunned broadband advocates and local leaders across the country, President Donald Trump has officially dismantled the Digital Equity Act, a cornerstone of the Biden administration’s plan to expand internet access in underserved communities.

Politics, Internet Access, Digital Equity

18 points by someotherperson 13 days ago | 6 comments

Senate passes "cruel" Republican plan to block Wi-Fi hotspots for schoolkids (arstechnica.com)
The US Senate today voted along party lines to kill a Federal Communications Commission program to distribute Wi-Fi hotspots to schoolchildren, with Democrats saying the Republican-led vote will make it harder for kids without reliable Internet access to complete their homework.

Education, Politics, Technology, Internet Access

11 points by croes 14 days ago | 2 comments

Internet in a Box (internet-in-a-box.org)
Internet-in-a-Box “learning hotspots” are used in dozens of countries, to give everyone a chance, e.g. in remote mountain villages in India.

Internet Access, Education, Technology, Development

897 points by homebrewer 26 days ago | 247 comments

My Cloudflare R2 has been blocked from LaLiga (Spain football league) (lobste.rs)
I’m living in Spain and suddenly can no longer access my Cloudflare R2 bucket where I keep backups of personal files. (Luckily for me, I don’t use it for business things.)

Cloudflare R2, Spain, Internet Access, Website Blocking, Personal Data

7 points by DanAtC 41 days ago | 0 comments

Broadband Program Killed by Trumplicans Saved Taxpayers More Money Than It Cost (techdirt.com)
Last year Trumplicans killed a popular program that provided poor people with $30 off of their monthly broadband bill. The FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) was unsurprisingly very popular, with more than 23 million Americans benefitting at its peak.

Politics, Government Programs, Internet Access, Economics

19 points by doener 77 days ago | 1 comments

CGNAT frustrates all IP address-based technologies (2019) (sidn.nl)
CGNAT is a godsend for all internet access providers who have no IPv4 addresses left to assign to customers. At the same time, it's a serious impediment for police services and security tools. Whereas it was once possible to assume that an IP address was linked to a single customer, it can now be linked to thousands. As a result, many IP-based technologies and approaches no longer work properly.

Network Security, Internet Access, IPv4, Privacy

54 points by wofo 79 days ago | 61 comments

U.S. Commerce to Overhaul 'Internet for All' Plan, a Potential Boon for Starlink (wsj.com)
The Commerce Department is examining changes to a $42.5 billion Biden-era program aimed at expanding internet access around the country with new rules that will make it easier for Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite-internet service, to tap in to rural broadband funding, said people familiar with the plans.

Internet Access, Government Policy, Elon Musk, Starlink, Rural Broadband

4 points by coloneltcb 80 days ago | 1 comments

New York Requires Internet Providers to Offer $15 Plans to Low-Income Residents (highspeedinternet.com)
A New York law went into effect this month that requires big internet providers to offer $15 or $20 internet service to low-income households throughout the state.

Internet Access, Government Policy, New York, Low-Income Residents

4 points by walterbell 87 days ago | 0 comments

Ted Cruz Blocks FCC Plan to Bring Mobile Wi-Fi to School Kids (techdirt.com)
Last year the Biden FCC passed a new rule that would help bring Wi-Fi access to school kids who struggle to do their homework online.

Politics, Education, Technology, Internet Access

7 points by hn_acker 113 days ago | 6 comments

Can 4G feature phones rise again on QVGA, thin clients, and remote browsers? (theregister.com)
It's hard to get excited about feature phones with 320 x 240 resolution, but Shioupyn Shen thinks precisely such devices are about to bring millions of people to the web in a new way.

Mobile Technology, Feature Phones, Internet Access, Emerging Markets

12 points by rntn 142 days ago | 0 comments

AT&T won't upgrade millions of DSL users to fiber despite billions in subsidies (techdirt.com)
Four years years ago AT&T, a company that, for years, cheapened out on upgrading its broadband lines to fiber, effectively stopped selling DSL. While that’s understandable given the limitations of the dated copper-based tech, the problem is that thanks to concentrated telecom monopolization, many of these customers were left without any replacement options due to a lack of competition.

Telecommunications, Internet Access, Consumer Advocacy, Technology, Business

108 points by hn_acker 161 days ago | 92 comments

Sixteen U.S. states still ban community-owned broadband networks (techdirt.com)
For years we’ve noted how U.S. broadband is expansive, patchy, and slow thanks to mindless consolidation, regulatory capture, regional monopolization, and limited competition.

Broadband, Internet Access, Regulation, Politics, Telecommunications

340 points by speckx 197 days ago | 159 comments

The Frightening Stakes of This Halloween's Net Neutrality Hearing (eff.org)
The future of the open internet is in danger this October 31st, not from ghosts and goblins, but from the broadband companies that control internet access in most of the United States.

Net Neutrality, Internet Access, Politics, Technology, Law

3 points by hn_acker 204 days ago | 0 comments

Study: Access to high-speed internet is associated with increased obesity (sciencedirect.com)
We examine the impact of access to high-speed internet on obesity.

Health, Internet Access, Obesity, Research, Social Impact

4 points by giuliomagnifico 220 days ago | 0 comments

Websites blocked in Hong Kong – when, how, and why the list is growing (hongkongfp.com)
A key feature of Hong Kong’s business environment that differentiates it from mainland China is its free and open internet. However, the city is not immune to internet controls, with a growing list of websites apparently blocked by telecoms firms and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), with some citing police demands.

Internet Censorship, Hong Kong, China, Internet Access

4 points by diggan 223 days ago | 0 comments

Starlink was offered for free to those hit by Hurricane Helene. It is not free (theregister.com)
Starlink's Twitter account declared last week, in a post with tens of millions of views, that "Starlink is now free for 30 days."

Space Exploration, Disaster Relief, Internet Access

17 points by sunkcostisalie 226 days ago | 3 comments

Elon Musk Claims Subsidizing Starlink Would Have Saved Hurricane Helene Victims (techdirt.com)
I know I’ve argued that not every Elon Musk brain fart warrants its own news cycle, but this one is particularly gross given recent events.

Elon Musk, Starlink, Natural Disasters, Internet Access, Public Policy

6 points by speckx 231 days ago | 10 comments

Starlink offering free internet access for 30 days for Hurricane Helene victims (starlink.com)
Starlink aims to enable anyone impacted by a natural disaster to be able to access internet connectivity.

Natural Disasters, Internet Access, Telecommunications, Disaster Relief

237 points by ohjeez 232 days ago | 352 comments

A free and open internet shouldn't come at the expense of privacy (mozilla.org)
Keeping the internet, and the content that makes it a vital and vibrant part of our global society, free and accessible has been a core focus for Mozilla from our founding.

Privacy, Open Source, Internet Access

7 points by HieronymusBosch 232 days ago | 1 comments

Low-income homes drop Internet service after Congress kills discount program (arstechnica.com)