-
Blogs
-
News
-
Industry
-
Community
-
Topics
The U.S. Senate on Thursday approved the Obama administration's nomination of Julius Genachowski, a telecommunications industry executive, to head the Federal Communications Commission. Genachowski is set to chair the five-member panel that will be dominated by Democrats seeking to bring more power to consumers and extend high-speed Internet access to rural parts of the United States. more»
Following his pick of Julius Genakowski as FCC chairman, President Obama moves to fill an open Democrat seat on the five-person panel with Mignon L. Clyburn, a member of the South Carolina Public Service Commission since 1998 and the daughter of House Majority Whip Rep. James Clyburn. If approved by Congress, Clyburn will fill the seat of Democrat Jonathon Adelstein, who is leaving the FCC to head up the Dept. of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service... more»
Cecilia Kang of the Washington Post reporting: "The Obama administration yesterday unveiled the first steps of its plan to pour $8 billion into the construction of new broadband Internet networks around the nation. And while many details haven't been finalized on how the stimulus money will be spent and who will qualify for the grants, interest in the high-speed Internet plan was high. Long lines stretched outside the Commerce Department building, where the three federal agencies in charge of the broadband stimulus plan hosted the first of seven public meetings..." more»
President Barack Obama has officially nominated Julius Genachowski as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), according to statements released from the White House. Genachowski, who must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, was widely expected to be offered the position regulating the industry. He was a top aide to the FCC chairman under Democratic president Bill Clinton, a classmate of Obama's from Harvard Law School and has been advising Obama on telecoms policy. more»
he Obama administration Feb. 26 proposed to tax wireless carriers as much as $550 million per year for the right to hold a spectrum license. The fee would be in addition to the billions carriers have already paid in spectrum auctions held by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission). Under the budget outline provided by the Obama administration, the new fees would be used to help reduce the $1.7 trillion national deficit. The proposal before Congress would charge carriers like AT&T, Verizon and Sprint $50 million this year. The fee per carrier would jump to $200 million in 2010 and eventually rise to $550 million by 2019. more»
In the move towards enabling mobile devices to use TV white spaces spectrum, Google along with Comsearch, Dell, HP, Microsoft, Motorola, and Neustar today announced the launch of White Spaces Database Group. The creation of this database has been part of FCC's big vote and approval of white spaces for broadband back in November. This is a required measure to ensure devices can locate channels and avoid interference. more»
With the upcoming inauguration of United States' 44th President, USTelecom Association has released a Broadband Now video highlighting challenges facing the country, and how broadband can make a significant difference. From revitalizing the economy to tackling health care, education and global climate change, broadband can play a vital role, says the association which represents broadband service providers, manufacturers and suppliers providing advanced applications and entertainment. more»
Bush administration officials are trying to put the brakes on the Federal Communications Commission's plan to encourage a free, national wireless Internet plan, which the agency could approve next week. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez sent a letter to the agency's Republican chairman Wednesday afternoon expressing the administration's displeasure with the idea. "The administration believes that the (airwaves) should be auctioned without price or product mandate," Mr. Gutierrez wrote. more»
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today approved, in a 5-0 unanimous vote, the plan to open up unused, unlicensed portions of TV white space spectrum for wireless applications and devices. However, to prevent interference, FCC has also placed some "rigorous certification process" which device offered by a technology company for use on the white spaces will have to go through. more»
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) last Friday filed an emergency petition with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in order to stop the November 4th vote from taking place which may result in favorably supporting the use of "white space" spectrum. Today, Google's Washington Telecom and Media Counsel, Richard Whitt, urges all citizens to get involved in Free the Airwaves initiative; emphasizing that "it can happen only if the FCC moves forward with rules that make the best possible use of this spectrum." Whitt further explains the situation in a post on Google's Official Blog... more»
Google's Co-Founder Larry Page said today that recent tests conducted by the FCC that determined mobile devices in the so-called "white space" spectrum can cause interference with microphones and TV stations were rigged and shouldn't serve as the basis for government policy. Speaking at a Wireless Innovation Alliance event hosted by the New America Foundation here, Page said "I'm telling you the test was rigged" and urged the FCC to act on a proposal to free up the spectrum, slices of the airwaves set aside so that broadcast stations don't interfere with each other. more»
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a ban on some wireless microphones and other low-powered devices that operate in the 700-MHz band after the digital TV transition in February, next year. This is part of an attempt to clear any potential interference with the "white spaces" spectrum which will be fully available for "public safety as well as commercial wireless services". more»
Broadband competition in the US is as good as it gets in the foreseeable future and will potentially decrease according to telecom and tech regulatory analyst, Blair Levin. "There's not that much left to be disruptive," Levin said. "White spaces could be in rural areas, and a little bit in broadband, but I don't think so. Other things that people are looking to be disruptive I don't think will happen." more»
Google has announced today the launch of a new website promoting the unlicensed use of "white space" spectrum. The initiative is called "Free The Airwaves" which encourages Internet users to get proactive on the white spaces issue, if they "care about the future of the Internet." Minnie Ingersoll, Google Product Manager, explains in a related blog post: "For quite some time we've been talking about the potential of the unused airwaves between broadcast TV channels ("white spaces") to provide affordable, high-speed wireless Internet connectivity nationwide. For this to happen, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must allow unlicensed use of this spectrum..." more»
In a post today on Google's Public Policy blog, Senior Staff Engineer, Phil Gossett, addresses complaints from companies such as MTV that TV white space devices would harm their ability to use wireless microphones for performances. From today's post: "In previous postings, we've made the case that the TV "white spaces" could be used to provide broadband internet for all Americans without harming current users of this spectrum (TV broadcasters and wireless microphone users). In a new white paper, we make the case that better use of the white spaces could actually lead to new, vastly superior wireless microphones, rather than pose a threat to live events." more»
Copyright © 2002-2010 CircleID.
Iomemo Inc.
All rights reserved unless where otherwise noted.
