congress
Big cable pushes 7 "consumer principles" for cable, IP video
As the Federal Communications Commission hands its National Broadband Plan over to Congress, the cable industry’s top trade association has issued a manifesto that looks pretty good, at least on paper. It boils down to seven “consumer principles,” says the National Telecommunications and Cable Association, to which cable operators will adhere, “and which we believe could serve as the foundation for Commission and inter-industry efforts.” The principles have a sort of FCC Internet Policy Statement or even FDR Four Freedoms speech feeling to them, but focus on mobility of content, portability of devices, and ease of Internet access. They include the Holy Grail: “1.
Continue reading »Congress wants big NatSec exemptions for spectrum inventory
A newly revised version of a House bill requiring the government to inventory the nation’s radio spectrum would give Federal agencies and private license owners a national security pass on publicly disclosing information about their spectrum holdings or related data. The proposed bill, as now amended by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce , would let government agencies duck out on releasing such intel if they can prove that doing otherwise “would reveal classified national security information or other information for which there is a legal basis for non-disclosure and such public disclosure would be detrimental to national security, homeland security, or public safety.” Read the comments on this post
Continue reading »Congressional Research Service says Comcast/NBC deal a go
The proposed Comcast/NBC merger has aroused plenty of controversy in Congress and elsewhere; it’s also the subject of two antitrust reviews, one at the Department of Justice and one at the FCC. According to the Congressional Research Service , though, the deal appears to be done and will certainly be approved. CRS is Congress’ private research agency, and it prepared a report a few weeks ago on the Comcast/NBC deal.
Continue reading »Week in tech: a chicken in every pot, 100Mbps broadband in every home
If it’s a school-issued laptop, does the school have the right to spy on kids while they’re at home via the built-in webcam? One school supposedly did, and the kid’s parents are suing for privacy violations. Administrators have since backed off the policy .
Continue reading »Cisco and Juniper armed for wireless showdown
The Falcon has (kinda) landed The industry’s two largest network vendors will be dueling on wireless with competing wares on display at the Mobile World Congress in Spain next week.…
Continue reading »