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WASHINGTON — Feb 01, `08 — Although a major auction of prime public airwaves, the 700 MHz, is far from finished, there already appears to be a big winner: the US consumer.

A bid on the largest portion of public wireless airwaves, now being auctioned by the US government, reached $4.7 billion Thursday, surpassing a threshold price that would trigger so-called open-access rules that would allow any legal mobile device or software program to use those airwaves.

While bidding was anonymous, analysts speculated that Google and Verizon Wireless, a joint venture between Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group, were the likely bidders on that swath, or about one-third of the total spectrum being auctioned.

Winners, however, will not be known until the entire auction by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission ends, a process that could take several more weeks. The auction began Jan. 24.

To retain the open-access conditions on that spectrum, a minimum $4.6 billion bid was required. The commission is selling a spectrum that is being freed as part of the switch to digital television in February 2009. The airwaves are considered especially valuable because the frequencies travel long distances and can easily pass through walls.

The rules, advocated by Google and a coalition of consumer and public interest groups, will help pry open traditionally closed wireless networks that prevent people from taking their phones with them when switching providers.

Google, AT&T and Verizon Communications are among 214 qualified bidders for nearly 1,100 licenses to pieces of the spectrum that vary from a nationwide swath to regional slivers.

Because of strict rules to prevent collusion, bidders won’t be identified until the auction ends, and companies are forbidden from commenting on their activity. Based on the limited bidding information available, Verizon is probably the high bidder on the open-access chunk, but Google is also a possibility, said Blair Levin, an analyst at brokerage Stifel, Nicolaus & Co.

“The amount of activity that we’ve already seen occurring demonstrates just how significant the interest is in this piece of spectrum,” FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin said.

“The openness requirement is important both in terms of the innovation it will lead to on the edges of the network and the ability of consumers to take advantage of that innovation,” Martin further added during a briefing with reporters yesterday.

Washington — The Federal Communications Commission on Monday, Dec 31, approved new rules giving US broadcasters more flexibility in making the switch to digital television from traditional analog signals, Reuters reported.

The rules would, among other things, allow some broadcast stations to make a “phased transition” to digital broadcasting. Stations also will be allowed to reduce or terminate their analog service before the Feb. 17, 2009 deadline for the transition “if doing so is necessary to achieve their transition,” the FCC said.

“The rules we adopt in this item attempt to provide broadcasters the flexibility they need while at the same time ensuring that any disruption to over-the-air viewers is minimized to the fullest extent possible,” FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said in a statement.

Congress ordered the switch to digital television to free up public airwaves for other uses, such as for police and fire departments. The switch will also to improved picture and sound for TV viewers.

US lawmakers, many of whom face re-election in November, are closely watching the switch because their constituents, who own analog television sets, will be unable to watch programs sent via digital signals unless they subscribe to satellite or digital cable, get a converter box, or buy a new digital TV.

The government will subsidize the cost of buying a digital-analog converter box by offering $40 discount coupons to anyone who owns an analog television set.” More at Reuters, FCC (in Word).

Dec 19, `07 — FCC has revealed all the tiny details, except the price and availability (obviously), of Creative Lab’s unannounced video conferencing device - inPerson -

To make a video call / chat you’ll need a wired or wireless Internet connection and account with SlightSpeed (provider of Internet video chat and voice calling) or alike(?)

Key Features
• High video quality (up to VGA resolution and 2 Mbps bit-rate)
• Excellent low light performance
• Wide-angle lens
• Dual Microphones with Acoustic Echo Cancellation and Noise Reduction
• Wi-Fi
• Rechargeable, removable Lithium-ion battery
• Auto Login
• Auto Answer
• Screen Saver
• Speed dial
• Call History
• Contact List

Usage Scenarios
• Built-in dual microphones, and audio output to external speakers (not included) with the bundled RCA cables.
• Built-in dual microphones and internal speaker.
• For privacy: bundled microphone and earphones.
• Viewing on a larger screen: video output to TV with the bundled RCA cables.

Network Connection
• If inPerson is connected to the network using both Ethernet and Wi-Fi, the Ethernet connection will be used.
• Wi-Fi networks requiring a webpage login are not supported.

Specifications
Dimensions (W x D x H) 7.6’’ x 5.9’’ x 1.9’’ (194.3 mm x 150.5 mm x 48 mm)
Image Sensor Color VGA CMOS (5.04 ?m active square pixels)
Lens Precision glass lens, F/2.0
Field of View 76° ultra wide angle
LCD (Color Display) 7’’diagonal (16.7 million colors)
Microphone Built-in hardware AEC with dual microphones
Video Resolution Maximum 640 x 480 (VGA)
Exposure (brightness) Automatic, manual adjustment
White Balance Automatic, manual (Auto, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Outdoors) adjustment
Video Resolution 640 x 480 (VGA), 352 x 288 (CIF), 320 x 240, (QVGA), 176 x 144 (QCIF)
Effective Focal Range 30 cm to infinity
Video Codec Support H.264, H.263, H.263+
Audio Codec Support dvi4, ilbc, G.711, G.723.1a, G.729ab, telephony tone signalling (rfc2833)
Communication Protocol SIP/SDP, RTP/RTCP, STUN, ICE
Network Protocol UDP, TCP, ARP, DHCP, SNTP, ICMP
Ethernet Connection RJ-45
Ethernet Network Interface 10/100 Base-T
Wireless Standards Compliance IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g
Wireless Security WEP (64-bits), WEP (128-bits), WPA-PAK (TKIP), WPA-PSK (AES)
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) 0.138 mW/g
Power Source AC power adapter:100 - 240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 5 V/2.4 A
Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery: 3.7 V/3500 mAH
Power Consumption 6 W (typical), 12 W (maximum)

More at FCC: Creative InPerson Details, External Photos, Internal Photos, User Manual (in PDFs)

Washington — Dec 18, ‘07 — A venture led by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has applied to bid in an upcoming auction of 700 MHz wireless airwaves, according to FCC’s “Accepted Applications” list released on late Tuesday, Reuters reports.

Allen was listed with an entity called Vulcan Spectrum LLC among the applicants who filed to bid in the FCC auction of 700-megahertz spectrum, which is scheduled to begin on January 24.

Allen and Vulcan Spectrum were on a list of scores of potential bidders who filed applications ahead of a December 3 FCC deadline. The auction applicants also included, Google, AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Qualcomm.

The FCC-run auction is expected to take several weeks, or even months, of daily, back-and-forth bidding, with the identities of the bidders kept secret. The radio waves are being returned by broadcasters as they move from analog to digital signals early in 2009. The signals can go long distances and penetrate thick walls.

FCC List of “Accepted Applications“, “Incomplete Applications” (in pdf). More at FCC (in Word).

Washington — Dec 18, `07 — The Federal Communications Commission approved rules today to allow ownership of a newspaper and a television station in the same market in the 20 largest metropolitan areas in the US, easing a long-standing rule prohibiting such ownership in any market and voted to maintain its cap on cable ownership, limiting the number of subscribers a cable operator may serve at 30% of US households.

Cable:
The 30 percent limit, set first in 1993 and modified in 1999, was challenged by Time Warner in 2001. The DC Circuit Court then remanded it back to the FCC seeking further justification. That remand has been pending six years at the Commission.

The 30 percent cable horizontal ownership limit set by the Commission will ensure that no single cable operator can create a barrier to a video programming network’s entry into the market or cause a video programming network to exit the market simply by declining to carry the network. In devising a limit to achieve this goal, the Commission first determined the minimum number of subscribers a network needs in order to survive in the marketplace, and then estimated the percentage of subscribers a network is likely to serve once it secures a carriage contract.

Newspaper/Broadcast:
The newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rule currently prohibits common ownership of a broadcast station and a daily newspaper in the same market. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (Court), affirmed the Commission’s determination that this blanket ban on
newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership was no longer in the public interest while remanding the specific cross-media ownership limits drawn by the Commission in 2003. The Court agreed that “…reasoned analysis supports the Commission’s determination that the blanket ban on
newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership was no longer in the public interest.”

The media marketplace has changed considerably since 1975 when the newspaper/broadcast cross ownership was put in place. At that time, cable was a nascent service, satellite television did not exist and there was no Internet. Consumers have benefited from the emergence of new sources of news and information.

But according to almost every measure newspapers are struggling. For example, at least 300 daily papers have stopped publishing over the past thirty years and circulation and advertising revenues at approximately half of all U.S. dailies has dropped precipitously in recent years. Permitting cross-ownership can preserve the viability of newspapers by allowing them to share their operational costs across multiple media platforms.

The rule adopted today would presumptively permit cross ownership only in the largest markets where there exists competition and numerous voices. Under the new approach, the Commission presumes a proposed newspaper/broadcast transaction is in the public interest if it meets the following test:
(1) the market at issue is one of the 20 largest Nielsen Designated Market Areas (“DMAs”);
(2) the transaction involves the combination of only one major daily newspaper and only one television or radio station;
(3) if the transaction involves a television station, at least eight independently owned and operating major media voices (defined to include major newspapers and full-power TV stations) would remain in the DMA following the transaction; and
(4) if the transaction involves a television station, that station is not among the top four ranked stations in the DMA.

More at FCC here and here (in Word).

WASHINGTON — Dec 5, ‘07 — The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission defended his plan to ease media ownership restrictions at a congressional hearing on Wednesday, saying it would leave a “high hurdle” to consolidation in smaller markets.

Facing close questioning from a House subcommittee, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin denied criticism that the plan to relax ownership restrictions in the top 20 U.S. markets would also open the door for local newspapers and TV broadcasters to combine in smaller markets around the United States.

Martin said proposals to combine newspapers and TV stations in smaller markets would still face a steep climb to get FCC approval.

The comments came during a hearing of the House subcommittee on the Internet and Telecommunications held to air concerns about Martin’s proposed changes to the 32-year-old ownership restrictions.

Martin and his fellow commissioners appeared before the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet Wednesday in a lengthy hearing to field questions about proposed changes in media ownership rules.

The chairman released the text of a proposed rule on Nov 13 that he said would allow a radio or television broadcaster to own a newspaper, but only in the nation’s 20 largest markets. But Democratic commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps say the rule creates a broader exception than what is currently on the books.

The commission is scheduled to vote on the cross-ownership rule Dec 18. Democrats on the commission and on the House panel have accused Martin of not allowing enough time for public review of his proposal.On Tuesday, the Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill that would delay the adoption of Martin’s proposal for at least six months until the agency completes studies on localism and minority ownership.

The commissioners are scheduled to make another trip to Capitol Hill before the ownership vote. On Dec 13, they will testify before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is moving toward resurrecting a proposal that would limit the size cable operators could reach on a nationwide basis, agency officials said Thursday, Nov 29, the AP and Reuters are reporting.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is circulating the proposal among his fellow commissioners for a possible vote at the agency’s next meeting, scheduled for Dec 18 and has enough support on the five-member commission to pass a measure that would bar cable companies from owning systems that have more than a 30-percent share of U.S. multichannel video subscribers, according to one FCC source.

Martin, fresh off a marathon meeting that featured a bruising battle with the cable industry, also wants commissioners to vote on a number of media ownership issues, including his proposal to allow one company to own both a newspaper and a radio or television station in the nation’s 20 largest markets.

Fearing the potential monopoly power of cable television companies, Congress in 1992 directed the FCC to establish limits on how many customers cable television companies could reach nationwide. The FCC settled on a 30 percent cap, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected the rule in 2001, saying the agency had failed to adequately justify its reasoning.

The issue has remained largely dormant since then as direct broadcast satellite providers — and more recently, traditional telephone companies — have continued to cut into the market share of the nation’s major cable television companies.

The immediate impact of such a cap would appear to be negligible. Comcast Corp., the nation’s largest cable company, reported 26.2 million subscribers to the FCC through Sept. 30, for a nationwide market share of all pay-television subscribers of 27 percent. More at AP, Reuters.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif — November 30, 2007 — Google announced today that it will apply to participate in the Federal Communications Commission’s upcoming auction of wireless spectrum in the 700 megahertz (MHz) band.

As part of the nationally mandated transition to digital television, the 700 MHz spectrum auction — which begins January 24, 2008 — will free up spectrum airwaves for more efficient wireless Internet service for consumers.

Advocacy by public interest groups and Google earlier this year helped ensure that regardless of which bidders win a key portion of the spectrum up for auction (the so-called “C Block”), they will be required to allow their users to download any software application they want on their mobile device, and to use any mobile devices they would like on that wireless network.

The winner must ensure these rights for consumers if the reserve price of $4.6 billion for the C Block is met at auction.

“We believe it’s important to put our money where our principles are,” said Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Google. “Consumers deserve more competition and innovation than they have in today’s wireless world. No matter which bidder ultimately prevails, the real winners of this auction are American consumers who likely will see more choices than ever before in how they access the Internet.”

Schmidt also praised the leadership of FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and his fellow commissioners for adopting the new rights for consumers earlier this year.

Google’s formal application to participate in the 700 MHz auction will be filed with the FCC on Monday, December 3, 2007 — the required first step in the auction process. Google’s application does not include any partners.More at Google.

Bidding separately instead of assembling a coalition does not rule out Google later signing up partners if it wins the bidding, said a source familiar with the company’s strategy. But the FCC has “anti-collusion” rules that prevent deal-making between potential bidders during the auction period.

The auction is expected to take several weeks, or even months, of daily, back-and-forth bidding, with the identities of the bidders kept secret. Big spectrum bidders typically draw up elaborate strategies, often with input from game-theory experts.

FCC officials hope the company’s participation will mean a possible new player in the wireless business and boost the amount of money the government can bring in from the auction.

San Francisco — Nov 28, ‘07 — In the wake of the detection and reporting of Comcast Corporation’s controversial interference with Internet traffic, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has published a comprehensive account of Comcast’s packet-forging activities and has released software and documentation instructing Internet users on how to test for packet forgery or other forms of interference by their own ISPs.

Separate tests in October from EFF, the Associated Press, and others showed that Comcast was forging small parcels of digital data, known as packets, in order to interfere with its subscribers’ and other Internet users’ ability to use file-sharing applications, like BitTorrent and Gnutella. Despite having been confronted by this evidence, Comcast continues to issue incomplete and misleading statements about their practices and their impact on its customers.

“Comcast is discriminating among different kinds of Internet traffic based on the protocols being used by its customers,” said EFF Senior Intellectual Property Attorney Fred von Lohmann. “When confronted, Comcast has been evasive and misleading in its responses, so we decided to start gathering the facts ourselves.”

Protocol-specific discrimination gives ISPs a tremendous amount of power over the kinds of new applications and services that can be deployed by innovators and competitors. To the extent that practices like those employed by Comcast change the “end-to-end” architecture of the Internet, those practices jeopardize the Internet’s vibrant innovation economy.

“This recent interference by Comcast in their subscribers’ Internet communications is a cause for grave concern,” said EFF Staff Technologist Peter Eckersley. “It threatens the open Internet standards and architecture that have made the network such an engine of technical and economic innovation.”

In addition to an account of the results of EFF’s independent testing of Comcast’s packet forging activities, EFF has also issued a detailed document and software to assist other networking experts in conducting their own testing.

“If ISPs won’t give their customers accurate information about their Internet traffic controls, we have to detect and document them for ourselves,” said EFF Staff Technologist Seth Schoen.

For “Packet Forgery by ISPs: A Report on the Comcast Affair”:
http://www.eff.org/wp/packet-forgery-isps-report-comcast-affair

For “Detecting Packet Injection: A Guide to Packet Spoofing by ISPs”:
http://www.eff.org/wp/detecting-packet-injection

For more on EFF’s research into Comcast’s packet monitoring:
http://www.eff.org/testyourisp

More at EFF.

WASHINGTON — Nov 28, ‘07 — The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday backed away from a proposal by the agency’s chairman that would open the door to broader regulation of cable TV operators.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin announced last night he was tabling his drive to expand the agency’s authority over cable companies after failing to win enough support from fellow panel members. The FCC will revisit the issue after obtaining more data from cable companies.

Commissioners including Republican Robert McDowell and Democrat Jonathan Adelstein said the draft report behind the regulatory push was based on questionable figures. The report said more than 70 percent of U.S. households have access to at least 36 cable channels, and more than 70 percent of those homes subscribe to a service.

The FCC balked at a finding proposed by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin that cable companies subscribership levels had risen enough to justify sweeping regulation of the industry, voting instead to postpone a decision and approve more limited restrictions on the industry.

The restrictions include a measure that would limit the rates that cable operators can charge to lease spare channels to independent programmers.

But Martin was forced to drop other new regulations he had proposed to impose on cable, including one sought by the NFL that would have given broadcasters more leverage in negotiations with cable operators.

Martin, a Republican, had earlier proposed that, as part of an annual report on video competition, the agency issue a finding that U.S. cable subscribership figures exceeded 70 percent in areas where the service is available.

Under U.S. law, that finding would give the agency more authority over companies such as Comcast and Time Warner Cable.

But the idea ran into resistance from Martin’s two fellow Republicans on the commission. They questioned the way Martin had arrived at the subscriber figures, saying they conflicted with previous reports on the issue.

On top of that, lobbyists with the cable industry waged a fierce campaign against Martin’s initiatives, including meetings with White House officials.

Martin has criticized the cable TV industry over steeply increasing rates, over programming that some viewers find offensive and its reluctance to let customers choose individual channels on an a la carte basis.

Martin proposed to have the report rely on data from a communications industry trade publisher, which put U.S. cable subscribership at 71.4 percent.

Under the compromise, the FCC will try to settle the dispute by seeking more data from the cable operators. Cable companies would have 60 days to provide the additional data.

Washington — Nov 27, ‘07 — Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin delayed a vote on a report that would give the agency more power over the cable television industry, signaling he may lack support to pass the measure.

Martin was forced to delay a 9:30 a.m. EST public meeting at which the commissioners were scheduled to vote on the issue. The meeting was postponed to give the five commissioners more time to reach agreement.

FCC members are deciding whether to vote later today on requiring cable companies to submit subscriber data for review, Martin said. The commission, which had been set to meet at 11 a.m., may still vote later on the competition report, he said

The draft report, backed by Martin, found cable companies such as leader Comcast Corp. control enough of the pay-TV market to warrant more oversight. More than 70 percent of U.S. households have access to at least 36 cable channels, and more than 70 percent of those homes subscribe to a service, the report showed.

Under U.S. law, that finding would give the agency more authority over companies such as Comcast and Time Warner Cable.

But the idea ran into resistance from Martin’s two fellow Republicans on the commission. They questioned the way Martin had arrived at the 70 percent figure, saying it conflicted with previous reports on the issue. The FCC’s two Democratic commissioners also had reservations.

Beyond doubts over the data, many Republicans, including lawmakers who have written to the FCC, have fundamental objections to imposing new federal regulations on an industry they say is competitive.

The two Democrats on the FCC, meanwhile, had come under pressure from consumer groups, who support Martin’s 70 percent finding and say previous estimates undercounted the number of cable subscribers.

Consumer advocates say the FCC should adopt rules to spur competition among pay-TV providers. The cable industry surpassed the 70/70 threshold as early as 2005, said Andrew Schwartzman, president of the Washington-based Media Access Project.

“The cable industry has been exercising monopoly power,” Schwartzman said yesterday in an interview. “Cable rates have been rising far in excess of inflation and it’s time to do something about it.”

The proposed compromise to collect more data from the cable operators “would be a reasonable step for the commission to take,” Martin said.

Martin has criticized the cable TV industry over steeply increasing rates, over programming that some viewers find offensive and its reluctance to let customers choose individual channels on an a la carte basis.

In his comments to reporters on Tuesday, Martin said he had not given up on the data he originally cited in the report, gleaned from a communications industry trade publisher, that put U.S. cable subscribership at 71.4 percent.

WASHINGTON — The head of the Federal Communications Commission is struggling to find enough support from a majority of the U.S. agency’s commissioners to more tightly regulate cable television companies. Reports the International Herald Tribune.

The IHT further writes, “the five-member commission is set to vote Tuesday on a report proposed by Kevin Martin, the agency’s chairman, that would give the commission expanded powers over the cable industry after making a formal finding that it had grown too big.

After news reports earlier this month that Martin supported the finding - along with the commission’s two Democrats - the cable industry heavily lobbied the commission and allies in Congress to kill the proposal. Those efforts may be paying off.

One of the Democrats, Jonathan Adelstein, recently joined with one of the Republican opponents of the measure to unsuccessfully try to postpone the vote, commission officials said.

Without Adelstein’s support, Martin’s proposal would almost certainly fail. I don’t think the FCC should be voting this on what’s expedient, but what the facts are,” Adelstein said.

A defeat would be a major blow to consumer groups and a setback for Martin, who has led the commission in an effort to more tightly regulate the cable industry.

Last month, the commission approved his proposal to strike down exclusive contracts that a particular cable company could have to service an apartment building.” More at IHT.

WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO — Nov 19, ‘07 — Reuters is reporting on, Google considering bidding alone on coveted airwaves to launch a US wireless network, as a deadline nears to declare bidding plans, citing sources familiar with the situation.

Reuters further reports, “One source underscored that Google had made no decision as of Friday on whether it would bid with partners or on its own in the auction of 700-megahertz spectrum due to begin January 24.

Bidding could pit Google against top wireless carriers AT&T and Verizon Wireless. Going it alone at the government auction of airwaves would not rule out later signing up partners if Google were to win the necessary spectrum to create a network, the source said.

Google executives discussed the auction last week with Federal Communications Commission officials, including FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, sources familiar with the meeting said.

At the talks, executives for the Web search leader gave the impression of “inching more towards” a bid, one source said. Another said it is “within the realm of possibility” that partners could be brought on later if Google wins. Google has talked to a number of prospective partners, not just carriers.

The 700-MHz band airwaves, which are being returned by broadcasters as they move from analog to digital signals early in 2009, can go long distances and penetrate thick walls. The auction is seen as a last chance for a new wireless player.

Google has said it would be prepared to bid at least $4.6 billion for the biggest chunk of spectrum if regulators agreed to policies to promote open use of such networks.

Google won half of what it asked: The FCC imposed a condition on a large portion of the spectrum that would require the winning bidder to open up networks to allow consumers to use any device or applications that works on those frequencies.

But the FCC did not require open access to network capacity to be resold to independent mobile service providers on a wholesale basis, another Google request. Under the auction terms, if no one meets the $4.6 billion minimum bid, the auction for the open-access portion of the spectrum would be rerun without the open-access conditions.

Google unveiled this month plans to offer Mobile Operating System software, Android, for building Internet-ready cell phones in an alliance - Open Handset Alliance - of network operators and device and software makers. The first phones to result from it are due out in mid-2008, partners say.” More at Reuters.

SAN JOSE, Calif – Nov 14, ‘07 – A San Francisco Bay area subscriber to Comcast’s high-speed Internet service has sued the company, alleging it engages in unfair business practices by interfering with subscribers’ file sharing.

Subscriber Jon Hart based his claims on the results of an investigation by the Associated Press published last month that showed Philadelphia-based Comcast actively interferes with attempts some high-speed Internet subscribers to share files online.

Hart’s lead lawyer, Mark N. Todzo of San Francisco, said his client suspected before reading the AP report that Comcast was interfering with his Internet traffic. “What the AP report did was just confirm to him that it wasn’t just him who was suffering from the problem,” Todzo said. “There was this confluence of events where everyone seemed to reach the same conclusion, which was that Comcast was engaging in this activity.”

A coalition of consumer groups and legal scholars formally asked the Federal Communications Commission early this month to make Comcast stop interfering with file sharing. Comcast is the country’s largest cable company and second-largest Internet service provider with 12.9 million Internet subscribers.

The company denies it blocks file sharing. But it acknowledged after the AP report was published that it delays some of the traffic between computers that share files. Comcast said the delays are designed to improve the Internet experience for its subscribers as a whole.

Hart’s lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Alameda County Superior Court, alleges Comcast misleads customers by promising “mind-blowing” speeds and “unfettered access” to the Internet in advertisements while hindering the use of certain applications such as peer-to-peer file sharing. It seeks unspecified money damages.

Todzo is seeking class action status for the lawsuit.

Washington — Nov 09, ‘07 — The Bush administration official who heads the agency charged with ensuring the smooth transition of the television industry to digital broadcasting is leaving that post.

John Kneuer was named administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in May 2006 by President Bush. Kneuer will resign this month to pursue new opportunities, agency spokesman Todd Sedmak said Friday.

Kneuer’s resignation as the president’s top telecommunications adviser comes amid considerable concern on Capitol Hill over the manner in which the government is handling the conversion by television broadcasters from analog to digital broadcasting.

On Feb. 18, 2009, tens of millions of televisions that are not equipped to receive digital signals will no longer be able to receive programming. Congress committed $1.5 billion for viewers to spend on converter boxes that will translate digital signals for older televisions, but only $5 million of the total was earmarked for consumer education.

After the first of the year, the government will be making available to each household two coupons worth $40 each that can be used to buy two converter boxes. The NTIA is responsible for administering the program.

Kneuer has made numerous appearances in recent months before committees on Capitol Hill providing updates to members of Congress who have expressed concern that the public is still largely unaware that the transition is coming.

Taking over Kneuer’s duties until the White House nominates a replacement will be Meredith Baker, deputy assistant secretary, who will serve as acting NTIA administrator. NTIA is part of the Commerce Department.

November 1, ‘07 –SaveTheInternet.com –Cable giant Comcast has become the poster child for Net Neutrality — with actions to block user traffic that make a clear-cut case for Internet protections.  

Today, SavetheInternet.com members and legal scholars took this case to the Federal Communications Commission. We filed an official action urging the agency to stop the cable giant from meddling with your ability to connect and share information.  

In the “most drastic example yet of data discrimination,” the Associated Press exposed that Comcast was actively interfering with its users’ ability to access legal content and share it with one another.  

Despite mounting evidence that Comcast is crippling peer-to-peer communication, the company’s spokespeople have thumbed their noses at the public and the press — refusing to admit that the blocking of connections is underhanded or in any way threatens the free flow of information that’s become the hallmark of an open Internet.  

In the complaint, Free Press and Public Knowledge are asking the FCC to fine Comcast $195,000 for every affected subscriber. Comcast is the nation’s largest cable company and second-largest Internet service provider, with 12.9 million subscribers. If the FCC honors the complaint, the size of the fine for violating Net Neutrality could be astronomical. 

The action puts the FCC on notice. The agency has policies that partially defend against discrimination but these have yet to be tested against a real violation such as what Comcast is doing.  

Comcast: A Problem Found: Phone and cable lobbyists have called Net Neutrality “a solution in search of a problem.” Well, here’s the problem. In the past three months, incidents of censorship and blocking by Verizon, AT&T and now Comcast have made headlines around the world. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.  

The FCC should immediately declare that Comcast is violating the FCC’s policy. The Commission now faces a clear choice. It can either side with the interests of consumers and for an Internet unfettered by corporate gatekeepers, or it can let companies like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T erect “walled gardens” and destroy the most democratic communications tool in history. 

You can help convince the agency to do the right thing. More at SaveTheInternet.

Washington–October 31, ‘07–FCC on Wednesday approved a rule that would ban exclusive agreements that cable television operators have with apartment buildings, opening up competition for other video providers that could eventually lead to lower prices.

The Federal Communications Commission unanimously approved the change, which Chairman Kevin Martin said would help lower cable rates for millions of subscribers who live in apartment buildings and other multi-unit dwellings, or about 25 million households. He said the move would particularly help minorities who disproportionately live in multi-unit dwellings.

The rule would prohibit cable companies, such as Comcast and Time Warner Cable from enforcing existing exclusive cable TV contracts with apartment managers and allow telecommunications companies, such as Verizon and AT&T to offer video services along with high-speed Internet access and phone service.

The cable industry, which had previously said it is unlawful for the government to invalidate existing contracts, said the deals provide apartment residents with better pricing and service.

Rochester, NY–BUSINESS WIRE—Oct 31, ‘07–Not only does the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Do-Not-Call Registry continue to have great success, but the agency has also succeeded in alerting people that their registration expires and a renewal is necessary.

Just under three-quarters (72%) of Americans have registered their telephone numbers for the “Do-Not-Call Registry.” Of those who have registered, very few people say they get as many telemarketing calls as before they signed up (6%) and only one percent say they get more than before they signed up. One in five (18%) report that they currently get no telemarketing calls with three in five (59%) reporting that they still get some, but far less than before they signed onto the Registry and 14 percent saying they get some, but a little less than before they registered.

These are the some of the results of a Harris Poll of 2,565 U.S. adults aged 18 or over surveyed online between October 9 and 15, 2007 by Harris Interactive.

Expiration of the Do Not Call Registry

While seven in ten of those who are registered (71%) say they know that the “Do-Not-Call Registry” expires and they will have to renew their registration, 29 percent unaware of this fact. Interestingly, those in the West and those who have Post-Graduate degrees are less likely to be aware they will have to renew their registration (33% for both).

What is a true testament to the success of the ‘Do-Not-Call Registry” is the overwhelming response when those who are signed up are asked if they will renew their registration. Almost everyone (96%) says that they already have or will renew their registration. One-quarter (25%) have already done so and 71 percent plan on renewing their registration. Just two percent say they will not and an additional two percent are unsure.

With the pessimistic attitude toward a great deal of what Washington does, it is rare to see a government agency enjoying such a success as the FTC and this Registry. When very strong majorities of Americans not only sign up for something that the government proposes, but then also say it is working, that is worth noting. Further evidence of how well Americans regard this program is in the 96 percent who plan to renew. DoNotCall.Gov

WASHINGTON — The FCC, hoping to reduce the rising costs of cable television, is preparing to strike down thousands of contracts this week that gave individual cable companies exclusive rights to provide service to an apartment building, the agency’s chairman says. 

The new rule could open markets across the United States to competition. It would be a huge victory for Verizon Communications and AT&T, which have challenged the cable industry by offering their own video services. The two phone companies have lobbied aggressively for the provision. They have been supported in their fight by consumer groups, satellite television companies and small rivals to the big cable providers. 

Commission officials and consumer groups said the new rule could significantly lower cable prices for millions of subscribers who live in apartment buildings and have had no choice in selecting a company for paid television. Government and private studies show that when a second cable company enters a market, prices can drop as much as 30 percent.

The change, which is set to be approved Wednesday, is expected to have a particular effect on prices for low-income and minority families. They have seen cable prices rise about three times the rate of inflation over the last decade. A quarter of American households live in apartment buildings housing 50 or more residents, but 40 percent of households headed by Hispanics and African-Americans live in such buildings. 

“Exclusive contracts have been one of the most significant barriers to competition,” said Kevin Martin, chairman of the commission, in a recent interview. Cable prices have risen “about 93 percent in the last 10 years,” he said. “This is a way to introduce additional competition, which will result in lower prices and greater innovation.”

Oct 28, ‘07 — The Wall Street Journal reports, “Small businesses in Boston, New York and four other East Coast markets could face billions of dollars in added telecom costs if regulators grant a Verizon Communications Inc. request allowing it to charge competing phone companies much more to lease access to its network, critics of the proposal say.The Federal Communications Commission must vote by the end of the year on an attempt by Verizon to be excused from several FCC rules in… More at WSJ (subscription required)

Washington - Oct 26, ‘07 - The AP is reporting on the Wireless Association, CTIA, taking Verizon’s place and quietly filing a lawsuit that contains some language identical to the original complaint against FCC, on the same day Verizon Wireless withdrew its legal challenge.

AP reports, “The spectrum is being made available thanks to the transition to digital broadcasting by television station owners. It is expected to raise as much as $15 billion in an auction to begin Jan. 24.

The auction rules, approved by the Federal Communications Commission on July 31, include “open access” requirements on about a third of the spectrum. The winning bidder for those frequencies will be required to permit wireless customers to use whatever phones and software they choose, as long as it doesn’t harm the network.

The provision was pushed by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, who billed it as a victory for consumers. The wireless industry was not so enthusiastic. Verizon filed suit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on Sept. 10 claiming the agency had exceeded its authority, violated the Constitution and acted in “an arbitrary and capricious” manner.

CTIA argues that the government-mandated open access provisions are unnecessary in a competitive wireless market and that the agency’s mandate is built upon “an irrational and inconsistent foundation.”

Despite the fact that one portion of CTIA’s complaint contains language nearly identical to the Verizon Wireless suit, the company and the trade association say the events are not connected. “The dropping of the lawsuit speaks for itself,” said Verizon Wireless spokesman Jeffrey Nelson. “It is clear, it gives the real rationale and that’s all there is.”

Joe Farren, spokesman for CTIA, said “there was no agreement or discussion about CTIA’s suit taking the place of Verizon.” The point of the CTIA suit was to “correct the record” regarding the FCC’s position that there is insufficient competition in the handset marketplace.”

More at AP

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23, ‘07 –(Dow Jones/AP)–Verizon Wireless on Tuesday abandoned its legal challenge of the Federal Communications Commission’s rules for its auction of radio spectrum, removing a potential obstacle to the much-anticipated sale. The company filed a notice in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia that it was dropping its appeal.

The court earlier rejected an attempt by Verizon Wireless to have its appeal considered on an expedited schedule so it could conclude before the auction begins in January. Legal experts had said that the challenge was unlikely to succeed because the courts generally defer to the F.C.C. in rule-making procedures.

The company sought to force the F.C.C. to abandon the open-access conditions it has attached to around a third of the spectrum being sold to the commercial wireless industry. The conditions are aimed at encouraging another provider of wireless broadband services to enter the American market, which a few companies dominate.

FCC reveals Dell’s up coming Dell XPS One A2010 All-in-One PC with 22″ WSXGA, optional TV tuner card. Dell should have come out with All-in-One PC long time ago but finally we have it. Obviously there is no word on price or availability yet.

Specs:

Dell XPS One A2010
Microsoft Windows Vista
Intel Core 2 Duo
800/1066/1333 FSB
22″ 1680×1050 WSXGA Display, 1000:1 Contrast, 5-ms Response Time
1 to 4 GB, 667/800 MHz RAM
300GB HD
DVD+/- RW / Blu-Ray
Intel /ATI HD2400 Graphics
Optional TV Tuner Card
802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth
6 USB 2.0
15.9×23.5×3.3″, 28.2 lbs

More at FCC

The Associated Press reports, “An e-mail w