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Cable TV companies will no longer be able to use a federal loophole to withhold sports networks and other popular programming that they own from satellite providers and other rivals. The Federal Communications Commission voted 4-to-1 on Wednesday to close the so-called “terrestrial loophole” in a 1992 federal cable law.
The Federal Communications Commission staked out new ground nearly three months ago when it began drafting rules that would require Internet providers to give equal treatment to all data flowing over their networks. Now the FCC hopes to use a dispute with the nation’s largest cable TV and Internet provider to establish its legal authority to adopt such “Internet neutrality” regulations.
The Obama administration is calling on federal regulators to make more radio spectrum available for wireless Internet services so they can compete with broadband plans provided by the major phone and cable companies. Lawrence Strickling, head of the NTIA, said in a letter to the FCC on Monday that wireless connections offer the best hope for injecting new competition into the duopoly market for broadband services.
Federal regulators receive tens of thousands of customer complaints about wireless services every year, but don’t do enough to follow up or protect consumers who have problems with their mobile carriers, government auditors found. In a report released Thursday, the GAO said the FCC needs to ramp up oversight of the wireless industry.
Google said late Wednesday that its free messaging and calling service, Google Voice, blocks calls to fewer than 100 specific phone numbers likely to be adult chat lines and free conference call services. The company made the disclosure in a letter to the Federal Communications Commission.
Federal regulators took an important step Thursday toward prohibiting broadband providers from favoring or discriminating against certain kinds of Internet traffic.
Despite the concerns of the agency’s two Republicans and prominent telecommunications companies, the Federal Communications Commission voted to begin writing so-called “network neutrality” regulations.
Republican opposition is mounting as federal regulators prepare to vote this month on so-called “network neutrality” rules, which would prohibit broadband providers from favoring or discriminating against certain types of Internet traffic flowing over their lines.
The FCC is taking a closer look at the practices of the wireless industry, potentially the first step toward more regulations intended to push down prices and increase choices for consumers. At its first meeting with all five commissioners seated since the President Obama took office, the FCC voted unanimously to open an inquiry into the state of competition in the wireless industry.
Among the economic stimulus proposals moving through Congress is one that fulfills an old dream of broadband boosters. It would offer substantial funding for high-speed Internet networks in corners of the country that still rely on dial-up connections or have only one broadband option
After weeks of debate, Congress is giving consumers four more months to prepare for the upcoming transition from analog to digital television broadcasting. The House voted 264-158 on Wednesday to postpone the shutdown of analog TV signals to June 12, to address growing concerns that too many Americans won’t be ready by the Feb. 17 deadline that Congress set three years ago.
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