Network Builder News 4/10/18 ( previous newsletters )
AT&T employees set to strike
The Communication Workers of America has authorized a strike that could impact up to 14,000 AT&T workers if a contract is not signed by Saturday. Legacy T and AT&T Midwest are the two worker groups affected. The AT&T Midwest contract covers workers in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. The union says it is asking for a contract that prioritizes job security, healthcare, and retirement benefits.
Keeping secrets?
An investigative report from The Nation accuses the wireless industry of suppressing research on the link between cell phone use and cancer. That research is almost 20 years old, but the focus of the article is on the industry's alleged efforts to discredit it throughout the years. The incendiary article comes as activists around the country are starting to demand more research into the safety of small cells.

The National Cancer Institute says studies of cell phone use and brain cancer have not found a positive correlation. Brain cancer remains one of the rarest forms of cancer except in children. Children aged 0-14 are diagnosed with brain cancer more often than with any other type of cancer, according to the American Brain Tumor Association , and doctors say it is one of the hardest childhood cancers to treat.

Will CBRS disrupt in-building wireless?
Carriers are talking about private wirelesss networks and analysts are talking about CBRS small cells that companies could install on their own, without a carrier agreement. But there are a number of hurdles to clear before Citizens Broadband Radio Service can live up to its promise.

Oregon governor signs net neutrality law
Oregon governor Kate Brown has signed a law prohibiting the state from contracting with internet service providers who do not guarantee net neutrality. Oregon is the second state to pass a net neutrality law, following its neighbor to the north. Nationwide service providers like Verizon Wireless and AT&T are expected to sue to block the laws passed in both Washington and Oregon. AT&T is calling for a national " Internet Bill of Rights " that would prevent throttling and censorship. The carrier has not called for a ban on paid prioritization.

Broadband subscriber growth is slowing for the cable industry
Analysts at Moody's Investor Service say broadband subscriber growth was down by half a percentage point in the most recent quarter for which data is available (Q3 2017). As a result, the rate at which broadband video subscribers are replacing traditional cable customers is also falling, suggesting an increase in wireless video subscriptions. The two biggest cable companies, Comcast and Charter, are both investing heavily in wireless.

iGR Research has identified five major sources of revenue that operators will turn to finance 5G networks.
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