AT&T Mobility since its T-Mobile merger was shot down is attempting smaller spectrum acquisition deals like the one they had with Qualcomm that was approved. Despite AT&T losing some AWS spectrum to T-Mobile as part of the breakup agreement they gained some licenses to 700 MHz airwaves from Qualcomm and now want more from 700 […]
Verizon T-Mobile Deal Appeasing FCC To Allow SpectrumCo Swap
Jul 16
According to the rumor mill Verizon’s proposed AWS spectrum swap with T-Mobile and their 700 MHz divestitures are appeasing the FCC into accepting the SpectrumCo swap but the DOJ is still worried about the JOE with the cable companies. Whether the FCC is intent on approving it its reported they won’t do so without DOJ […]
U.S. Copyright Office To Decide Fate Of Phone, Tablet Jail Breaking
May 17
The Librarian of Congress must issue a ruling this year on whether the U.S. Copyright Office‘s existing DMCA exemptions for legally jail-breaking smartphones will be renewed and/or extended to cover tablets or not. I support the jail-breaking exemptions and am hopeful they will be renewed and extended. Another DMCA exemption to cover general purpose computer […]
Carterfone & AT&T Breakup Enabled Opening of Equipment Business
Apr 24
In 1984 AT&T in exchange for government permission to enter the computer equipment business agreed to a breakup of its subsidiaries into several Regional Baby Bells. The breakup was very beneficial for consumers and resulted in greater competition. Unfortunately, in the 2000s AT&T Corp., as it came to be known was allowed to re-merge with […]
T-Mobile Call Center Layoffs Results in AT&T Disingenuous Attack on FCC
Apr 24
A few weeks back it was announced that T-Mobile USA which survived a takeover attempt from AT&T Mobility would layoff several call center workers. AT&T which has also laid off call center workers reacted saying their merger could have saved these jobs. Never mind the fact that many duplicative jobs would have been lost as […]
Communications & Journalism Lifeblood of Democracy
Apr 18
Quality journalism is the lifeblood of democracy. There is no doubt that is true as the Founding Fathers believed that if they had to choose between a government without newspapers or newspapers without government they would choose the latter. An informed electorate is important. Communications too are important. Access to communications technologies like broadband, e-mail, […]
Advancing Broadband Availability Through Digital Literacy
Apr 18
Access to high-speed Internet services – also known as broadband – has become a basic public necessity like water or electricity. Yet despite its importance, broadband in America is far from universal. Part of the solution is improving digital literacy for all Americans so they can acquire the skills they need to connect to the […]
Advancing Broadband Availability Through Competition & Digital Literacy
Apr 18
We need to decide whether like universal mail service or universal basic telephone service whether to make universal broadband a reality. That being said the decisions we make as a country will determine whether such service will remain a luxury marketed by monopoly cable and phone companies to the few who can afford their exorbitant […]
Advancing Broadband Availability Through Competition
Apr 18
Access to high-speed Internet services – also known as broadband – has become a basic public necessity like water or electricity. Yet despite its importance, broadband in America is far from universal. Broadband Internet Providers have been allowed to remain largely deregulated and to only market service in areas of they’re choosing. We need to […]
Stop CISPA The New SOPA
Apr 15
As if the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act weren’t bad enough now Congress will be debating CISPA an online snooping bill pretending to be a cyber security bill. The Cyber Intelligence Sharing & Protection Act allows government and corporations to spy on our electronic communications making it easier for big businesses to […]
