Policy & Industry
FCC Moves to Open More Unlicensed Spectrum
February 20, 2013 5:24 pm | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsThe FCC today issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to make more unlicensed spectrum available for robust public Wi-Fi networks. According to a press release, the commission today proposed to make up to 195 megahertz of additional spectrum in the 5 GHz band...
FCC Adopts New Guidelines for Signal Boosters
February 20, 2013 3:38 pm | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsThe FCC today issued a Report and Order concerning cellular signal booster use and preventing them from interfering with wireless networks. Under the new rules, consumers are required to obtain permission from and register their signal booster with their wireless carriers in order to continue using it.
Report: Mobile Adoption by Public Sector Could Be Worth $50B Annually
February 19, 2013 10:51 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsContinuing adoption of mobile technologies by government agencies could result in $50 billion in added value annually, according to new research from Deloitte. The report found that the public sector lags in its ability to use new technologies to their fullest...
FCC Aims Improve Completion Rate of Long-Distance Calls to Rural Areas
February 8, 2013 10:50 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsThe FCC Thursday issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) which seeks comment on rules to help address problems in the completion of long-distance telephone calls to rural customers. The the NPRM is specifcally aimed at intermediate carries...
CTIA Announces Keynotes for May Show, Including Ashton Kutcher
February 7, 2013 9:26 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsCTIA announced the roster of keynote speakers for its 2013 spring show including U.S. Cellular CEO Mary Dillon, Telefonica S.A. COO Jose Marie Alvarez-Pallete Lopez, Deutsche Telekom Chief Product and Innovation Officer Thomas Kiessling and Ashton Kutcher, tech venture capitalist and portrayer of Steve Jobs in the upcoming film jOBS.
FCC Sandy Field Hearings Emphasize Modernizing Infrastructure
February 6, 2013 11:11 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsAt Tuesday's Hurricane Sandy field hearings, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski made it clear the wireless communication outages experienced during the storm couldn't happen again. "The inability to communicate with family and emergency personnel during a disaster is simply unacceptable," he said.
FTC Issues Mobile Privacy Guidelines
February 4, 2013 9:42 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsThe FTC has issued a set of guidelines for mobile application developers. While not legally binding, the new rules were released on the same days as regulators announced a settlement with social network provider Path...
FTC Wanders Down the Wrong Path
February 1, 2013 5:06 pm | by Andrew Berg | Blogs | CommentsFriday’s announcement of Path’s settlement is illustrative of the way regulation works when you're trying to safeguard consumers from technology that the regulators themselves don't understand. It's also the way regulation works when you're trying to drum...
Shriek! Texts on Missing Kids Startle Cell Users
February 1, 2013 10:51 am | by Tami Abdollah, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe next time a child is abducted near you, your cell phone may shriek to life with an alert message. A new national Amber Alert system officially rolled out earlier this month to millions of cell phones, and because the alerts are automatically active on most newer phones, the messages...
Largent Slams NYT Op-Ed Piece
January 31, 2013 11:02 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsCTIA President and CEO Steve Largent slammed an opinion piece, "How to Get America Online", which was published by New York Times. In the piece, Times contributor Susan Crawford argues that access to Internet services...
Dish Lays off Sprint, Softbank Deal
January 30, 2013 10:31 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsDish Network told the FCC that it would not file to block Softbanks' proposed $20 billion acquisition of Sprint. In January 16 filing, Dish had asked that the shot clock in the Sprint, Softbank proceeding be paused until Sprint's bid for Clearwire...
Unlocking Your Cell Phone is Now A Crime
January 28, 2013 10:47 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsAn order issued Saturday by the U.S. Copyright Office of the Library of Congress will make unlocking a cell phone illegal under certain conditions. An amendment to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act will apply to all cell phones...
FCC Actions Aim to Accelerate Broadband Deployment
January 28, 2013 10:11 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsThe FCC on Friday announced a number of new actions that it hopes will help accelerate the deployment of wireless broadband, by removing barriers from a number of areas in the build-out of new networks. On Friday, the Commission announced new rules...
China's Huawei Criticizes US Security Complaints
January 21, 2013 9:50 am | by Joe McDonald, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsChinese tech giant Huawei on Monday criticized U.S. claims the company might be a security risk as trade protectionism that harms consumers. The comments came as Huawei Technologies Ltd., a maker of network switching gear and smartphones, disclosed details of its 2012 performance...
North Korea Loosens Restrictions on Foreign Cellphones
January 21, 2013 9:24 am | by Jean H. Lee, Associated Press | News | CommentsNorth Korea is loosening some restrictions on foreign cellphones by allowing visitors to bring their own phones into the country. However, security regulations still prohibit mobile phone calls between foreigners and locals. For years, North Korea required...
Public Knowledge Suggests ULS is Broken
January 18, 2013 11:14 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsPublic Knowledge yesterday released a research that it says shows that the Universal Licensing System (ULS) is incomplete and too complicated. In comments submitted to the FCC, the consumer advocate wrote that while...
FCC Launches Website to Keep Broadcasters Informed on Auctions
January 18, 2013 11:12 am | News | CommentsThe FCC yesterday launched a website that aims to keep broadcasters informed and engaged in the upcoming incentive auctions. The new LEARN website (www.fcc.gov/learnprogram) provides access to a range of information and resources that the FCC...
Clearwire Files Opposition to Crest's Petition for Reconsideration
January 15, 2013 10:08 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsClearwire filed with the FCC an opposition to Crest Financial's earlier petition to reconsider the Eagle River Holdings deal from 2012 which gave Sprint a controlling interest in Clearwire. In Clearwire's new opposition, dated Jan. 14, the Wi-Max provider states Crest's petition "provides no credible basis for the FCC to reverse its actions" and should be "promptly denied."
Carriers Spat Over Spectrum Weighting
January 10, 2013 2:59 pm | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsIt seems everyone agrees that the FCC needs to simplify its spectrum screen, but there's a big division on exactly how that should be done. Such was the case in a spate of comments filed with the FCC this past week. AT&T and Verizon Wireless come down on the "light touch" side of things...
FCC to Move on Better Wi-Fi
January 10, 2013 10:59 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsThe FCC is pursuing a plan to open a nationwide swath of unlicensed spectrum specifically for the deployment of "Gigabit" Wi-Fi technology in major hubs, such as airports and convention centers. The plan increase the capacity and speed of Wi-Fi networks in public spaces...
CTIA, IFA Partner for "Borderless" Show
January 9, 2013 10:45 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsCTIA and IFA announced that they are joining forces on what the two organizations are calling the world’s first "borderless" trade show in 2014. IFA is an annual consumer electronics and home appliances tradeshow based in Berlin, which is now reaching its 52nd edition...
Dish Jumps in With Unsolicited, $3.30 Per Share Offer for Clearwire
January 9, 2013 10:18 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsDish Network has offered to buy up to all of Clearwire’s common stock at $3.30 in a proposed deal that would allow Dish to purchase some spectrum assets from Clearwire. Under the conditions of the preliminary offer, Dish would acquire approximately 11.4 billion MHz-POPs from Clearwire, or 24 percent of its total spectrum holdings, for $2.2 billion.
Crest Financial Files to Block Sprint, Clearwire Deal
January 8, 2013 10:45 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsCrest Financial Limited, which owns an 8.3 percent share of Clearwire, has petitioned the FCC to block Sprint's proposed 100 percent acquisition of Clearwire, citing proper public notice was not issued in Sprint's 2012 deal with Eagle River Holdings to re-acquire a controlling stake in Clearwire.
Rural Proponents Come Out for Lightsquared Proposal
January 4, 2013 10:48 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsA number of comments were filed today with FCC, encouraging the commission to approve Lightsquared's most recent proposal to give up 10 MHz of spectrum located closest to the GPS band and instead share spectrum currently used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)...
RIM, InterDigital Extend Patent Agreements
January 2, 2013 11:14 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsInterDigital and RIM have reached an agreement to extend thet temr of their patent licensing agreement. In addition, the companies said in a statement that they have agreed to amend the patent license to add coverage for 4G products, including LTE and LTE-Advanced products...
