Douglas L Ross: Regulation

UNE-P Rules From FCC

Fri, 22 Aug 2003 16:18:49 GMT

The FCC released it's 576 page order on UNE-P yesterday. It's hard to tell whether there are any surprises in such a massive thing, but it doesn't appear so.

This is the link to the order [ http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2003/db0821/FCC-03-36A1.pdf] And this is Chairman Powell's comment [http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2003/db0821/FCC-03-36A2.pdf]

F.C.C. Discloses New Rules for Telecom Industry. The rules elaborate on an F.C.C. decision that local telephone companies must share older equipment but not newer technology dedicated to high-speed data. By Jennifer Lee. [New York Times: Technology]

AOL Video Instant Messaging Ban Lifted By FCC

Fri, 22 Aug 2003 16:06:20 GMT

The NYT wrote another editorial in its news pages by focusing about 75% of the arguments in this article on the anti-monopoly viewpoint and backhanding the logic for why the FCC had no business interferring in an emerging technology in the first place.

F.C.C. Lifts Ban on Video for AOL Instant Messaging. The Federal Communications Commission has granted a request by AOL Time Warner to drop restrictions on adding video to its AOL instant messaging service. By David D. Kirkpatrick. [New York Times: Technology]

Ultrawideband

Mon, 11 Aug 2003 21:11:27 GMT

It looks like Samsung is convinced that the standard for UWB proposed by the Multiband OFDM Alliance [http://www.multibandofdm.org/] is likely to win the standards race, so they are trying to get jump on the industry with commercial products. What markets they will go after first should be interesting, but they apparently aren't saying yet.

Samsung to team on ultrawideband. The consumer-electronics company pairs with chipmaker Staccato Communications to develop products using ultrawideband, a technology that's 100 times faster than Bluetooth. [CNET News.com]

Broadband Cable Access

Fri, 04 Apr 2003 19:49:16 GMT

A lot is being written lately about broadband cable access. This article summarizes a debate at the Computers, Freedom and Piracy conference. Will broadband providers control content?. CFP speakers concerned that major cable operators will control access [InfoWorld: Top News]

AOL Accounting for Cross-Deals Under Review

Mon, 31 Mar 2003 14:38:43 GMT

AOL Says S.E.C. Is Challenging Its Accounting. AOL Time Warner disclosed that securities regulators believe that the company improperly overstated its revenue by $400 million. By David D. Kirkpatrick. [New York Times: Technology]

NCTA Responds To New Must-Carry Proposal By Public Broadcasters

Thu, 27 Mar 2003 12:11:40 GMT

The NCTA filed a response to a Feb 27 proposal on must-carry and and multicasting made by the Public Broadcasters association, PBS and CPB. This is the link to NCTA's response. http://www.ncta.com/PDF_FILES/lpow_0320_CSDock98-120.pdf

Supreme Court On Spam

Thu, 06 Mar 2003 13:50:26 GMT

Foes lock horns in Web filtering case. The Supreme Court hears arguments to decide whether a law aimed at installing Net filters on public library systems balances free speech with the need to restrict porn. [CNET News.com]

Gambling, The Ultimate Online Moneymaker

Thu, 06 Mar 2003 13:30:45 GMT

Cable firms look to gaming. Online gaming could offer a way out of debt for cash-strapped cable TV firms in the UK. [BBC News | Technology | UK Edition]

Spectrum Auctions or Spectrum Commons

Wed, 05 Mar 2003 14:59:46 GMT

Spectrum allocation draws intense debate [InfoWorld: Top News]

SBC Response to FCC Action

Mon, 03 Mar 2003 19:13:43 GMT

Here's an exerpt from SBC's response to recent FCC decision on local competition rules...

"The FCC faced clear alternatives in developing local competition rules and it chose the path of political expediency, said SBC Communications President William Daley. "It is a decision that harms consumers by threatening real competition, investment, jobs, and the viability of the nation's telephone networks," he said."

Mon, 03 Mar 2003 14:23:20 GMT

Copyright Office Posts Reasons to Curb Copyright Law's Reach. The Copyright Office of the Library of Congress has posted the Reply Comments on Rulemaking on Anticircumvention, commentary from the... [Dan Gillmor's eJournal]

FCC Media Ownership Hearings

Fri, 28 Feb 2003 16:07:28 GMT

Media coverage of the FCC hearing on media ownership rules suggested the hearing was loud but not very conclusive:

Advertising Age http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=37251

San Francisco Chronicle coverage http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/02/27/financial1646EST0254.DTL

The Nation http://www.thenation.com/thebeat/index.mhtml?bid=1&;pid=445

The Seattle Times http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/134642965_mediaownership28.html

The FreelanceStar http://www.freelancestar.com/News/FLS/2003/022003/02282003/894595

Powell On Telecom Spending

Thu, 27 Feb 2003 15:34:53 GMT

FCC chief says bells will end up spending again [InfoWorld: Top News]

FCC Takes The Heat

Thu, 27 Feb 2003 15:07:54 GMT

F.C.C. Members Testify About New High-Speed Rules. The members of the Federal Communications Commission defended their new telephone and broadband policy in front of a Congressional hearing on Wednesday. By Jennifer 8. Lee. [New York Times: Business]

FCC's Latest Telecom De-Regulation Ruling

Mon, 24 Feb 2003 15:13:06 GMT

This is the press on the FCC's UNE-P ruling last Thursday (Feb 20, 2003)

The FCC UNE-P ruling: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-231344A1.pdf

Chairman Powell's dissenting opinion: http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2003/db0220/DOC-231344A3.pdf

Gilder's Article in the WSJ: http://www.gilder.com/Gilder.comNews/GGWSJ02.19.03.htm

From Cato: http://www.cato.org/new/02-03/02-20-03r-2.html

From Progress and Freedom Foundation: http://www.pff.org/pr/pr022003FCCunevote.htm

From The San Jose Mercury News: http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/editorial/5224826.htm

From Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37942-2003Feb20.html

From the NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/21/business/21PHON.html?dlbk

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/21/business/21COMP.html?dlbk

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/21/business/21BROA.html?dlbk

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/21/business/21IMPA.html?dlbk

From USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/regulation/2003-02-23-martin_x.htm

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/telecom/2003-02-21-fccside_x.htm

From Mediaweek: http://www.mediaweek.com/mediaweek/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1823133

From America's Network: http://www.americasnetwork.com/americasnetwork/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=47359

Here's Bell South's Response: http://bellsouthcorp.com/proactive/newsroom/release.vtml?id=42268&;PROACTIVE_ID=cecfcccecdc7cdcbcbc5cecfcfcfc5cececfc6cdcececccfcbc5cf

Thu, 20 Feb 2003 14:39:30 GMT

Slate is running Kevin Werbach's [Werblog] column [my column] on why he thinks FCC chairman Michael isn't as ideologically conservative as everyone else thinks.

Ultra Wide Ban (UWB)

Mon, 17 Feb 2003 21:16:16 GMT

Time Domain (http://www.timedomain.com) and the other UWB folks won this round at the FCC and would seem now to have the regulatory cover to begin commercial depolyment of UWB technology.

Time Domain is also pushing this "Wimedia Alliance" ( http://www.wimedia.org/about.asp ) whose purpose is to promote UWB as the best solution:

"To promote wireless multimedia connectivity and interoperability between devices in a personal area network."