Remarkable success from FCC "unserved" reverse auction
700,000 unserved rural homes will now be connected. The cost, $1.488B, just over $2,000/home, startled me. Rural builds are expensive; I was involved in one in Vermont that came in over $4,000 home. $2,000 is half or less of the costs in the CAF program for the big telcos or New York State's separate program. The government saved $billions.
Nearly all will have speeds of 25 megabits or more. Half will receive 100 megabits. Some will get gigabit fiber. About 1/4th will receive Internet from a Viasat satellite, which keeps getting better. Bids were rated by the speeds offered, with a preference for higher speeds. Favoring faster service in the bidding process paid off.
Almost half the money went to independent wireless operators, WISPs. Rural electric coops also are deeply involved. The traditional telcos won few of the bids.
Google Fiber has developed Super-PON, designed to go 50 kilometers. That's more than twice the reach of today's GPON. The illustration at left is a mid-sized city served by three central offices. Below, the same city using today's PON. It requires 16 COs. 
Carl Russo of Calix, Earl Lum confirm reports from Nokia & Joe Madden. 
"Just one more level," and other Internet temptations cut your sleep. "Individuals with DSL access tend to sleep 25 minutes less than their counterparts without DSL Internet. They are significantly less likely to sleep between 7 and 9 hours... Furthermore, they are less likely to be satisfied with their sleep. These effects are mostly concentrated among younger adults."
20% growth is common. Telefónica Spain has passed twenty million premises - over 70% - and continues at two million a year. Telefónica Brazil is going from seven million in 2018 to ten million in 2020. China has 328 million connected and added 5M in the month of June. AT&T on July 26 announced 5M more in the next 12 months.
Your equipment could be delayed, especially if