Global internet speed is picking up. In 2017, world internet speeds increased more than 30%. Adriane Blum, Head of Communications at Ookla, a company specialized in broadband testing, network diagnostic applications, and data, was with us to discuss what's driving this improvement.
With the FCC rolling back net neutrality regulations, many questions about the future of the internet are beginning to surface. Internet speed is one of the factors that could potentially be impacted by the vote. Blum says the key takeaway is transparency of data, as we face new risks.
Despite improved global speed, Ookla says there were far too many countries and regions where internet speed decreased. Hurricane Maria put a dent in Puerto Rico's internet capabilities, contributing to the island's 39.8% drop in mobile download speed over the past year.
Between Bells EP Conor White recaps some of the biggest stories of the week, while Baker Machado and Hena Doba test their knowledge, and maybe learn a thing or two. It's This Week in Trivia!
U.S. regulators are sounding the alarms about the meme stock mania fueled by retail investors. FINRA, the regulator for all brokerage firms and exchanges in the U.S. is warning that retail traders could easily get in over their heads due to their lack of knowledge about complex investments like options, ETF's and structured notes. Thomas Gorman, Attorney, Dorsey Whitney & former Securities Exchange Commission Regulator joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss how regulators and trading platforms can crack down on retail investors.
Gas prices are driving up demand for electric vehicles, but many potential buyers are having trouble finding them.
Thanks to a perfect storm of consumer demand and supply issues, EVs and hybrids are becoming increasingly hard to come by. Jesse Toprak, Chief Analyst for Autonomy, breaks down the factors contributing to this EV crunch.
The DOJ has endorsed an antitrust bill targeting tech giants like Apple, Amazon, Meta, and Google. The legislation would ban the companies from favoring their own products and services over their competitor's, making it more difficult them to dominate the marketplace. Greg Day, Assistant Professor of Legal Studies at the University of Georgia, breaks down the bill and its potential impact on anti-competition in the tech sector.
