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Privacy concerns grow in India
The Indian government’s recent announcement that it taps nearly 300 new phones every day has sparked a debate about privacy in a country that traditionally views such concerns as an ugly offshoot of Western individualism.
FCC Sets USF/ICC Reconsideration Pleading Cycle
On January 12, 2012, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau released a Public Notice listing the 24 petitions for reconsideration of the Federal Communications Commission’s Universal Service Fund/Intercarrier Compensation Transformation Order. Oppositions will be due February 9, 2012, and replies to oppositions will be due February 21, 2012.
Auction 901 Stakes are High for Rural Wireless Companies
Rural wireless carriers, it is time to dust off your auction strategy playbook because Auction 901, the Federal Communications Commission’s very first reverse auction, is coming at you on September 27, 2012.
Verizon’s cable spectrum mash up: Evil genius or simply genius?
Congress is eyeing the competitive implications of Verizon’s $4 billion deals to buy spectrum from the cable companies, hoping to understand how the deals could affect both wireless and wireline markets.
South Carolina PSC’s Randy Mitchell Added to Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service
The Federal Communications Commission appointed, South Carolina Public Service Commissioner Randy Mitchell to serve on the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service.
FCC Inquires and Complaints Rise More than 10% in 3Q
The number of telecom-related consumer inquiries and informal complaints received by the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) increased by more than 10% between the second and third quarter of 2011, rising from 13,023 to 14,419, the FCC reported Jan. 31.
Verizon’s wireless, marketing deal with cable firms to be considered at Senate hearing
Sen Herb Kohl (D-WI) said he is planning a hearing on Verizon’s spectrum purchase deal with cable companies that includes a controversial marketing arrangement.
NCTA Advises USDA to Help Institute FCC's USF Reforms
The National Cable & Telecommunications Association has advised Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack to work with, not against, the Federal Communications Commission to reform the Universal Service Fund.
FCC Reforms, Modernizes Lifeline Program for Low-Income Americans
Acting to reform and modernize a program vital to ensuring affordable communications for low-income consumers, the Federal Communications Commission approved a comprehensive overhaul of its Lifeline program.
Mixed Reaction to FCC's Lifeline/Linkup Reform
Response from industry and the Hill was swift, and mixed, to the Federal Communications Commission's vote to reform the Lifeline low-income phone subsidies program and migrate it to broadband.
Will AT&T Get Rid of the Yellow Pages?
AT&T has hinted that it may sell off parts of its business that are performing poorly. Perhaps the most obvious candidate is the good old-fashioned Yellow Pages.
Verizon Crosses Web Lines
As Verizon Communications pushes for more cable-television and high-speed Internet subscribers, a new competitor is emerging: its own subsidiary, Verizon Wireless.
AT&T names Stankey as chief strategy officer
AT&T, the largest US telecommunications group, has named senior executive John Stankey to the newly created position of group president and chief strategy officer.
AT&T Trails Verizon in Customer Race
AT&T posted a large quarterly loss as it took a $4 billion charge for its failed T-Mobile USA takeover bid, and the phone giant continued to lag behind rival Verizon ...
The continued decline of DSL
For a brief moment in the past decade, Verizon and AT&T gave cable broadband a good run for its money. Not anymore.
FCC Releases tentative Agenda for February Open Meeting
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced that the following items will be on the tentative agenda for the next open meeting scheduled for Tuesday, February 15, 2012...
Want to swap your Verizon copper for FiOS? Just call to complain.
If Verizon has to visit a copper line customer more than twice to repair the line, the communications company thinks it’s a better idea to just switch the customer over to fiber.
FCC’s Jan 31 Meeting Agenda Released – Tees-Up Lifeline Reform
The Federal Communications Commission confirmed just the one item on the Jan 31 Open Meeting agenda. The FCC will consider a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to comprehensively reform the Lifeline program to ensure universal availability of communications services to low-income Americans while minimizing the universal service contribution burden, including by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse; strengthening program oversight and administration; and modernizing Lifeline to support broadband adoption.
With T-Mobile deal dead, AT&T is scaling back on lobbying force
Telecom behemoth AT&T has begun shedding lobbyists in the wake of its failed merger with T-Mobile.
FCC Must Reach Out On Upcoming Changes to Lifeline Telecom Program
By the end of this month, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to issue new rules aimed at reforming and modernizing the low-income Lifeline telephone program. The rules are expected to include many changes to the application process. It will also update the annual check-in which determines continued eligibility for the program. Whether the FCC succeeds in this effort will depend on whether the reform order includes an extensive education and outreach component to explain the changes. Planning must start now.
