Telecommunications

An Open Internet Excludes Net Neutrality
There is a huge misunderstanding regarding net neutrality. Silicon Valley dot-coms and big e-commerce corporations are pushing the idea that the Restoring Internet Freedom Order approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on December 14...

NYT Is Completely Wrong on Internet Freedom
The New York Times’ April 30 editorial on the effort by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai to restore internet freedom gets everything wrong, particularly the claim that giving something for free as an inducement to sell...

Transparency Needed at the FCC
There is a problem with transparency at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) relating to the sharing of information with the public on critical regulatory matters under consideration.

Copyright Office Details Problems with FCC Set-Top Box Proposal
On August 3, 2016, the Register of Copyrights sent a letter to four members of Congress, detailing potential copyright violations that could occur if the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) proposed rulemaking on s

Time for a Time-Out on Set-Top Box Mandates
It is doubtful the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman thought there would be much concern about his proposed mandates on set-top box standards, which would allow third parties access to program guides and video content without needing...

Don Quixote Alive and Well at the FCC
Rather than tilting at windmills trying to solve problems that don’t exist, government agencies should proceed with great care before imposing technical mandates on an industry. Unfortunately, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) appears to...

The FCC Should Keep Its Hands Out of Our Wallets
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seems to be taking a fast and furious ride through America’s pockets lately. The FCC, under the helm of Chairman Tom Wheeler, announced plans to expand the Lifeline program to give away broadband Internet...

Broadband Fiction versus Fact
Every year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is required to report to Congress the progress being made in deploying advanced communications services in the U.S. On January 29, 2016, the FCC released its latest review of broadband...

A Twentieth Anniversary Not Worth Celebrating
In 1996, Bill Clinton resided in the White House; science produced the first cloned mammal, a sheep named Dolly; folks were dancing the Macarena; and the Simpsons became the longest running prime-time animated series. Unfortunately, not all twenty...

Broadband as a Moving Target
On January 29, 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) redefined what constitutes minimum standards for broadband access, raising the bar from the original standard of 4 Megabytes per second (Mbps) for download speeds, and 1 Mbps for...

Gadgets, Gizmos, Spectrum and IP
On January 6, the 2016 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) kicks off in Las Vegas, Nevada. This annual event showcases a multitude of devices and inventions, demonstrating the ingenuity and entrepreneurship of inventors across a wide range...

Running Down the Clock on Internet Taxes
Nothing like waiting until the last minute to do something important. That is exactly what is happening on the Hill this week. The Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA) is set once again to expire at midnight on December 11, 2015.