LONDON, August 10, 2010 – U.K. regulator Ofcom has stepped up its efforts to close the gap between headline speeds advertised by the country’s internet service providers and real performance delivered. A new survey from ISPreview, an independent online source of broadband service information, revealed that dissatisfaction among U.K. subscribers is rising despite improvements in performance. Keep Reading
The Saudi government has decided to back down from its threat to shutter the BlackBerry corporate messenger service in the United Arab Emirates, saying it is making progress in talks with device maker Research in Motion. Meanwhile, Germany's interior minister told a German newspaper that the German government is recommending banning the use of the BlackBerry and iPhone because of increased attacks on Germany networks. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 10, 2010- In the most recent Broadband Development Report the Federal Communications Commission stated that deployment was not increasing. This was the first time that the commission had made the claim due to their decision to update the definition of broadband. In reaction to this new definition the commission has released a Notice of Inquiry for next year’s report. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 10, 2010 - The announcement of a joint policy on network neutrality by Google and Verizon has garnered both criticism and support. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 9, 2010- Google and Verizon have announced a joint statement of principles on network neutrality and hosted a conference call Monday to outline their effort to the press. Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg announced that this new policy calls for an open and transparent wireline internet with special conditions given to the “burgeoning wireless market.” Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 9, 2010 – T-Mobile is being sued in California for putting limits on their unlimited data plan. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 9, 2010 - The National Telecommunications and Information Administration and Rural Utilities Service are doing a pretty good job awarding broadband stimulus funding, although both agencies face risks as the Sept. 30 deadline nears for doling out the money. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 9, 2010 -In an effort to promote the issue of network neutrality representatives from eight of the major public interest think tanks met with officials from the Federal Communications Commission. Keep Reading
With the advent of continued proliferation from wireless coverage throughout the U.S., and the projected exponential growth in mobile access, adoption and affordability through LTE to 4G technology; the realities of serving less populated areas becomes increasingly more likely. The strides being made in technology within the mobile arena can significantly impact the broadband community. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 6, 2010 – Attached to yesterday’s Federal Medical Assistance Percentage Bill was an amendment which removed “$302 million in Recovery Act funding provided to the Department of Commerce for broadband grants.” The bill passed the Senate 61-38. Overall the amendment includes $7.5 billion in recessions as offsets. House Speaker Pelosi has already called… Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 6, 2010 - The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has approved legislation that gives the Secretary of Energy the power to issue orders regarding threats to the electric grid. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 6, 2010 - Massachusetts Representative Ed Markey (D) is urging the Federal Communications Commission to enforce network neutrality. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 6, 2010- Lebanon’s Telecom Minister has announced plans to install a new nationwide fiber network. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 6, 2010- Senator John Kerry (D- Mass) is urging Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski to preserve and protect the open internet. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 5, 2010 – WiMax has always been seen as one of the ideal solutions to bring high-speed internet access to rural America, but it has yet to achieve its full potential. With the majority of mobile providers choosing long term evolution, or LTE, as their preferred 4G technology, WiMax seems to have lost its momentum. However the technology has become increasingly popular in Asia. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 5, 2010- The Federal Communications Commission has decided to end the current closed door meetings with stakeholders on network neutrality. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 5, 2010 - It has been reported that Google and Verizon are working on a secret pact about network neutrality. The New York Times says this pact will give Google products preferential treatment on the Verizon network. However both firms are claiming this is untrue. Public interest organizations however bemoan the entire concept of a secret pact. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 5, 2010 –The Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to pass all items on the agenda before closing business. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 5, 2010- Wednesday’s announcement by the Department of Agriculture included 44 DSL projects, of which 39 were given to a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems (TDS). Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 4, 2010-With only 60 days left to disperse the remaining $4 billion in stimulus funding the departments of Commerce and Agriculture have released a schedule of disbursement. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 4, 2010 -- Hughes Network Systems and China UnifiedNet have formed a joint venture called HughesNet China Co. Ltd. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 4, 2010 -- Public Knowledge has chosen three recipients for the advocacy group's 2010 IP3 awards, to be presented Oct. 13 in Washington. The winners have, according to the press release, "advanced the public interest in one of the three areas of 'IP' - Intellectual Property, Information Policy and Internet Protocol." Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 4, 2010 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the funding of 126 new broadband projects with a funding total of $1.2 billion. The projects will span 38 states and a number of Native American tribal areas. Keep Reading
LONDON, August 4, 2010 - The plan announced this week by the United Arab Emirates to ban use of BlackBerry Messenger, e-mail and web browsing services by Oct. 11 unless the company allows it to access the encrypted messages on demand has drawn universal condemnation from freedom and privacy groups, but more a muted governmental response. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 4, 2010 –Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) attributed the aftermath of the Big Branch Explosion in West Virginia to “a troubling lack of communications facilities in our rural communities.” The cause of this void, Rockefeller argued, was the Federal Communications Commission’s model for reaching universal service. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 4, 2010 - Dr. Muhammad Yaseen, chair of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has announced that his group would be auctioning third-generation spectrum within three to four months. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 3, 2010 – Yesterday, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski named Phoebe Yang as Senior Advisor to the Chairman on Broadband. Yang will be responsible for managing the Commission’s broadband priorities pursuant to the National Broadband Plan. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 3, 2010 – Federal agencies have not provided top-level leadership for the United States on cybersecurity issues, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office. Additionally, the United States possesses no “clear vision” of how cybersecurity impacts national goals. Rather, the nation has engaged in an ad hoc selection of cybersecurity measures. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 3, 2010 – The Senate has passed a bill based on recommendations from the Copyright Office that will make it easier to transition to digital recordkeeping. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 3, 2010 – According to the UK’s Information Commissioner Office (ICO), data Google accidentally collected about WiFi networks is unlikely to cause damage to those networks’ owners. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 3, 2010- Guam area telecom company GTA Teleguam has claimed that IT&E's grant request is frivolous since there are no unserved areas in Gaum. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 3, 2010- The Indonesian government has repealed the licenses of four WiMax auction winners. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 3, 2010 –The Obama administration has made the expansion of telecommunications services to disabled people a top priority. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 3, 2010 – Greek mobile provider Cosmote to launch a LTE network based just outside of Athens. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 2, 2010 – Regulators in the state of Hawaii have recently rejected a $115 million smart grid expansion project. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 2, 2010 - Clearwire will sell its majority share of Irish WiMax provider Imagine Communications Group. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 2, 2010- Indian mobile provider Vodafone Essar is set to launch a new 3G network by the end of the year. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON August 3, 2010- While many of the nations of the world are struggling to bring basic high speed access to their populations Australia has announced that it will expand its already ambitious goal. Initially the National Broadband Network was supposed to reach 90% of the Australian population recently the Prime Minister announced that the program will now expand to 93% of the population. Keep Reading
WASHINGTON, August 2, 2010 – According to a study on Cybercrime released by Verizon Wireless almost half of security breaches in the United States Government are committed with the help of insiders with knowledge of the system. Keep Reading
China Unicom and China Telecom account for 20% of worldwide broadband market share, a statistic which TeleGeography researchers predicted would only increase. Keep Reading