Idaho lawmakers struggle to find $14M in missing broadband funds; Cox expands its home security, automation service to Omaha, Wichita markets

Wireline news from across the web:

@FierceTelecom RT @ Infonetics: Service providers and enterprises on divergent paths when it comes to public #clouds. Release | Follow @FierceTelecom

> Idaho lawmakers continue to struggle to find $14 million in missing funds to pay for the state's education broadband program. Article

> Cox Communications announced today that it is continuing its expansion of home-security and -automation services by offering Cox Home Security to the Omaha and Wichita markets. Release

> NTT Communications plans to begin building the Osaka 5 data center, which it expects to open in the first quarter of 2016. Article (sub req.)

Cable News
> AT&T is working with a number of cable companies to test DOCSIS backhaul solutions, despite having some misgivings about cable's small-cells-as-a-service model being a viable business. Article

> The proposed $45.2 billion merger of Comcast and Time Warner Cable can add to the list of powerful forces opposing it a group that includes Microsoft, Google, Facebook, T-Mobile and Dish Network. Article

Online Video News
> A move to split the CEO and chairman positions at Netflix was defeated Monday as just over half of the SVOD provider's shareholders voted against a proposal to keep Reed Hastings as CEO but replace him on the board with a member who is not a current or former employee of the company. Article

Wireless News
> Sprint and T-Mobile US are reportedly closing in on a deal for Sprint to pay about $32 billion for T-Mobile. Article

> T-Mobile US updated its GoSmart Mobile prepaid brand to increase the data speeds of its midlevel plan and to cut the price of its high-end plan. Article

And finally … Cisco: Global IP traffic expected to reach 132 exabytes a month by 2018, which equals 940 quadrillion text messages. Article