If you’re going to shake up the FCC’s open meeting by focusing on Katrina and moving to Bell South’s emergency HQ, why couldn’t Martin have focused a little bit on the future? Rather than looking at the way in which technology changed relief, Martin summoned the usual industry suspects who, unsurprisingly, explained to the FCC why they need regulatory goodies to better serve the public. Perhaps the Chairman can be persuaded to hold another meeting or forum a month or two down the road to look at where we should go, not where we’ve been.
Tag: fcc
Brief follow up on Logan Wi-Fi Fight
A quick hit now as I dig my way out on my return from vacation.
For anyone interested in commenting on the fight between Continental, Logan and its wider implications for users of non-exclusive wireless, the FCC has extended the deadline for comments. Comments now due September 28 and replies due October 13 (conflicting with Yom Kippur).
Stay tuned . . .
DSL Item Released — coulda been worse
After pushing the FCC’s open meeting off for a day and then delaying another hour and half to reach a compromise, Martin got his DSL reclassification order by a uninamous Commission. Instead of the complete deregulation proposed by Powell, the Commission will take steps to protect “network neutrality” and will take steps to protect various other “social” policies (including, unfortunately for us civil libertarian folks, the ability of the FBI to read your email).
Fighting Big Cable (and why it matters)
Most of my time the last few weeks has been taken up with cable ownership issues. If you want the short version and the immediate, easy action to take, click through to my friends at Free Press. For those interested in a little more detail and what else you can do, read on . . .
FCC Pulls Broadcast Ownership Item and Makes My Summer Easier
Given my current insane workload, I can only rejoice at the last minute decision by the FCC to pull from this morning’s meeting agenda a new rulemaking that would start the broadcast media ownerhsip fight all over again. Contrary to what I’m sure will be the popular wisdom, I think this demonstrates a healthy, functional agency rather than the usual partisan sniping. My analysis below.
Small But Potentially Significant Spectrum Ruling
Unnoticed by most folks, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau issued a public notice on the legality of cell phone jammers. (They aren’t.) Oddly, this may have very significant impacts for users of unlicensed spectrum.
FCC, Hartford and Tribune
For them what follow media ownership at the local level, the recent doings in Hartford offer an interesting opportunity for some tea-leaf reading about how the FCC will address these issues. I’ll preface by saying I haven’t actually talked to anyone at the FCC about the case, so all this is just my educated guesses. But what’s life without speculation in an ignorance of actual facts . . .
FCC to put the kibosh on regulations requiring "naked DSL"
According to this story at CNet, the FCC is considering striking down local regulations in California, Florida, and several other states that require phone companies that provide DSL services to offer those services without requiring the customer to also have a traditional land line.
Blocking this regulation will essentially raise the price of DSL service, and strangle the move many people are making away from traditional land lines to relying solely on cell phones or VOIP services, such as Vonage (both of which I’ve been considering, given that Verizon is charging me $45 just for local phone service).
Good to see the FCC is still looking out for the big guys.
Martin Gets Official Nod
Although long expected, Kevin Martin will be officially named Powell’s replacement as Chair of the FCC today.
For my personal take on Martin, see below.
Quick Take on FCC 3650-3700
The FCC decided the 3650-3700 Order today. You can find a link on the FCC Home page.
As is customary, the Order is not yet released, so we have only the press release to go on.
My first take is below. I know a lot of people are going to be upset that it requires licensing, but it is not a “licensed” regime anymore than a truly “unlicensed” regime. We need to keep an open mind and wait for the actual order to come out.
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Brief follow up on Logan Wi-Fi Fight
A quick hit now as I dig my way out on my return from vacation.
For anyone interested in commenting on the fight between Continental, Logan and its wider implications for users of non-exclusive wireless, the FCC has extended the deadline for comments. Comments now due September 28 and replies due October 13 (conflicting with Yom Kippur).
Stay tuned . . .
DSL Item Released — coulda been worse
After pushing the FCC’s open meeting off for a day and then delaying another hour and half to reach a compromise, Martin got his DSL reclassification order by a uninamous Commission. Instead of the complete deregulation proposed by Powell, the Commission will take steps to protect “network neutrality” and will take steps to protect various other “social” policies (including, unfortunately for us civil libertarian folks, the ability of the FBI to read your email).
Fighting Big Cable (and why it matters)
Most of my time the last few weeks has been taken up with cable ownership issues. If you want the short version and the immediate, easy action to take, click through to my friends at Free Press. For those interested in a little more detail and what else you can do, read on . . .
FCC Pulls Broadcast Ownership Item and Makes My Summer Easier
Given my current insane workload, I can only rejoice at the last minute decision by the FCC to pull from this morning’s meeting agenda a new rulemaking that would start the broadcast media ownerhsip fight all over again. Contrary to what I’m sure will be the popular wisdom, I think this demonstrates a healthy, functional agency rather than the usual partisan sniping. My analysis below.
Small But Potentially Significant Spectrum Ruling
Unnoticed by most folks, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau issued a public notice on the legality of cell phone jammers. (They aren’t.) Oddly, this may have very significant impacts for users of unlicensed spectrum.
FCC, Hartford and Tribune
For them what follow media ownership at the local level, the recent doings in Hartford offer an interesting opportunity for some tea-leaf reading about how the FCC will address these issues. I’ll preface by saying I haven’t actually talked to anyone at the FCC about the case, so all this is just my educated guesses. But what’s life without speculation in an ignorance of actual facts . . .
FCC to put the kibosh on regulations requiring "naked DSL"
According to this story at CNet, the FCC is considering striking down local regulations in California, Florida, and several other states that require phone companies that provide DSL services to offer those services without requiring the customer to also have a traditional land line.
Blocking this regulation will essentially raise the price of DSL service, and strangle the move many people are making away from traditional land lines to relying solely on cell phones or VOIP services, such as Vonage (both of which I’ve been considering, given that Verizon is charging me $45 just for local phone service).
Good to see the FCC is still looking out for the big guys.
Martin Gets Official Nod
Although long expected, Kevin Martin will be officially named Powell’s replacement as Chair of the FCC today.
For my personal take on Martin, see below.
Quick Take on FCC 3650-3700
The FCC decided the 3650-3700 Order today. You can find a link on the FCC Home page.
As is customary, the Order is not yet released, so we have only the press release to go on.
My first take is below. I know a lot of people are going to be upset that it requires licensing, but it is not a “licensed” regime anymore than a truly “unlicensed” regime. We need to keep an open mind and wait for the actual order to come out.