Jim Dollard has an extensive background in codes and standards. If you have a query about the National Electrical Code (NEC) , Jim will help you solve it. Send questions to codefaqs@gmail.com. Answers are based on the 2017...

In a perfect world, before designing or installing an underground fiber optic network, you phone the Call-Before-You-Dig number, 811, and get a file (or a set of paper drawings, if you are old-school) that would include...

Last time, I wrote about what you can learn from keeping your eyes open, and I continue on that theme this month. This time, we’re looking up and discussing aerial fiber optic cable. Some years ago, in the Fiber Optics...

With the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) net-neutrality rules expiring Apr. 23, many proponents of net neutrality are braced for what seems to be an imminent demise of federally regulated internet freedom. However...

I like to walk. Always have. It's low-impact, highly effective exercise that keeps you healthy and, if you keep your eyes open, helps you learn about what's happening in the world around you. Of course, I live in an area that...

Over the last year, fiber installations have grown so quickly that big companies are getting worried about the ability of industry to meet their needs for fiber and cable. Verizon made commitments recently for more than $1...

The Fiber to the Home (FTTH) Council Americas has released the results of a survey it commissioned to be conducted by RVA LLC, which shows that fiber deployments in the United States grew 13 percent in 2015.
 “From our survey...

As the Internet continues to expand its reach into every facet of our daily lives, so too does the speed with which we want to connect to it. One recent analysis confirms this trend, revealing that both Internet reach and...

As use of the Internet grows more sophisticated and complex, so does the need for greater capacity and faster downloads. It is only fitting, then, that users are signing up for broadband at a rate that can be described as...

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a report on the state of broadband connectivity at schools and libraries receiving funds from the federal E-rate program, which provides support to help connect schools and...

With the cornucopia of wireless technology products consumers enjoy today, it’s almost hard to remember that, only a few years ago, much of it was only a pipe dream. Then, wired broadband was still the rage. On the other hand...

In response to a Congressional directive to inquire whether broadband “is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion,” the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) concluded in its sixth Broadband...

Channeling the best of the New Deal in its efforts to jumpstart the economy, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is proposing an ambitious program to bring broadband to every household in America. At a speech in...

According to two recently released studies, broadband access is surging in countries around the globe, and wireless broadband is riding the wave. A study published by Gartner, a Stamford, Conn.-based research firm, projects...

According to the Wired News, two of the United States’ largest Internet service providers are looking to create a broadband revolution with what they call “Broadband 2.0,” which promises home connections of 50 to 100 megabits...

The capacity to innovate ensures longevity for any new technology; for example, broadband access continues to show its versatility and carve new inroads. According to one study, broadband over power line (BPL) is advancing...

People are racing to install the quickest methods for accessing information over the Internet. However, the trend does not necessarily translate into unbridled growth for broadband users. At least one industry analyst is...

According to the Associated Press, a 75-year-old woman in Karlstad, Sweden, is now the proud owner of what is believed to be the fastest residential uplink in the world. Her 40-gigabit-per-second fiber-optic connection is so...