In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined by Sean Gonsalves and Sascha Meinrath (X-Lab and Penn State University) for a wide-ranging conversation on broadband data, satellite security, and the creeping influence of AI on everyday life.

Together, they start with Vermont’s new VT Speed Check, a partnership with Ookla that asks residents to test early and often as fiber reaches more of the state. Sascha praises the effort but makes the case for open data and open methodologies over proprietary platforms, whose licensing terms can bar researchers from asking hard questions about individual ISPs. 

The group also takes on the federal government’s failure to collect pricing data, the more than $500 million spent on broadband mapping, and an FCC challenge process that lets inaccurate provider claims stand. Chris then argues that today’s higher interest rates are normal rather than extreme, and the panel weighs what that means for municipal fiber and the costs of not building.

Moving to satellite, they discuss reports that Starlink service was cut off for Ukrainian drones and the troubling question of whether one person can degrade military communications. They also cover research linking an ad-tech firm to spyware affecting Starlink devices worldwide, and how big tech scales by eliminating customer service.

Concluding with a What the Tech!? segment, Sean explains “baby schema,” the psychology behind the adorable mascots AI companies use to win trust for agents that need access to your email, calendar, and contacts. 

Sascha describes how mainstream AI tools increasingly restrict access to legal information, why some open-weight models are less restrictive, and how AI customer service has become a war of attrition against users.

This show is 56 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Whitedrift for the song Operator, licensed Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined by Chao Jun Liu (Electronic Frontier Foundation) to discuss Condition 50. NTIA added this term to the BEAD program last November. 

It would bar states that accept BEAD funds from enforcing laws that regulate the rates, terms, or conditions of broadband service, including net neutrality, open access, and affordability rules.

Together, they break down what California stands to lose. That includes its landmark 2018 net neutrality law and the $20 low-income plans required as conditions of the Charter-Cox and Verizon-Frontier mergers. 

Chao explains net neutrality’s core protections against blocking, throttling, zero rating, and paid prioritization. She also recounts how Verizon throttled firefighters during a record wildfire in 2018, which helped push California’s law over the finish line.

Moving to the stakes, they weigh roughly $1.4 billion in BEAD deployment funds against a Public Knowledge estimate that Condition 50 could cost California $5 to $16 billion in existing broadband benefits. 

They also cover New York’s decision to sign the agreement despite its Affordable Broadband Act, and how NTIA’s exemption from the Administrative Procedure Act let it add the condition without public comment.

Concluding with the decision facing Governor Newsom ahead of the November 1 deadline, they explore the legal and strategic calculus for a state that has already filed 100 lawsuits against the administration. They also discuss what the outcome could mean for Internet users well beyond California.

This show is 42 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Whitedrift for the song Operator, licensed Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined by Doug Dawson (CCG Consulting), Doug Adams (Broadband.io), and Jade Piros de Carvalho (IdeaTek) for a candid, wide-ranging discussion on why new Internet Service Providers stumble and the administrative realities bearing down on state broadband offices.

Together, they break down the common operational traps that derail network builds—from easily overlooked execution details like pouring concrete pads for field huts, to vendor bottlenecks with OSS/BSS software, poor contractor restoration that angers local communities, and the pitfalls of passive marketing. 

Moving behind the scenes of federal policy, the panel tackles the mounting compliance fatigue surrounding the BEAD program, examining high staff turnover in state offices, environmental review delays, pole attachment friction with co-ops, and shifting NTIA timelines.

Concluding with a look at the future of digital infrastructure, the group explores what happens when federal funding programs hit administrative walls and how local, state, and community-driven efforts can maintain momentum to get unserved communities connected.

This show is 52 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Whitedrift for the song Operator, licensed Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined again by Doug Dawson of CCG Consulting for a wide-ranging conversation about fixed wireless access performance, federal broadband definitions, the BEAD program's true-up process, and the potential impact of artificial intelligence on network infrastructure.

Chris and Doug begin by diving into a recent Ookla report on Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. They break down how FWA operates on de-prioritized cellular capacity, why seasonal foliage can slow down speeds, and how the limitations of upload performance highlight the stark difference between cellular home broadband and wireline fiber connections.

From there, the conversation turns to federal policy and mapping challenges. Chris and Doug critique potential shifts at the FCC regarding broadband speed definitions and discuss a GAO report highlighting the hurdles local governments and Tribal nations faced during the bulk broadband collection challenge process. They also examine the NTIA’s plan for truing up unserved locations under the BEAD program, as well as the final funding distributions across fiber, Low Earth Orbit satellites, and fixed wireless networks.

Finally, Chris and Doug tackle the popular debate around AI and network congestion. They unpack why data center traffic differs from residential internet usage, address the security and infrastructural risks of rapid AI development, and discuss the long-term economic viability of major AI models.

Throughout the episode, Chris and Doug connect these technical and policy developments to broader questions about network reliability, federal oversight, market competition, and who will ultimately build and control the future of telecommunications.

This show is 46 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Whitedrift for the song Operator, licensed Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).

In this episode of Unbuffered, Chris is joined again by Douglas Dawson for a conversation about the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of broadband.

Chris and Doug begin by discussing the latest developments in the National Digital Inclusion Alliance's lawsuit against the Trump administration over the Digital Equity Act, examining what the case could mean for digital equity efforts and the communities working to expand access, affordability, and digital skills.

From there, they turn to the results of a recent survey examining how rural Americans use the Internet, exploring what it reveals about changing consumer habits, growing bandwidth demands, and the ways AI and other emerging technologies are reshaping how people connect online.

The conversation then shifts to the practical realities of building broadband networks, including the rising cost of Fiber construction, permitting delays, make-ready work, and why better pole inventories could significantly reduce deployment costs and speed up network expansion.

Chris and Doug also take a closer look at the Federal Communications Commission's evolving approach to satellite broadband, discussing recent regulatory changes, what they could mean for the industry, and whether the agency's approach strikes the right balance as more companies look to launch satellite broadband services. They also explore how satellite fits alongside Fiber and other technologies as communities work to expand reliable Internet access.

Throughout the episode, Chris and Doug connect today's policy debates with broader questions about technology, infrastructure, and what it will take to ensure communities have reliable, affordable Internet in the years ahead.

This show is 48 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed. 

You can also check out the video version via YouTube.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes (formerly Community Broadband Bits) or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Whitedrift for the song Operator, licensed Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).