WASHINGTON, Thursday June 18, 2009 – After a frenetic burst of activity on and off Capitol Hill, Acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps (D) announced on Thursday an investigation into whether consumers are being harmed by exclusive contracts between handset manufacturers and wireless carriers.

ARLINGTON, Va., June 18, 2009 – House Energy and Commerce Communications Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher, D-Va., has no plans to influence the Federal Communications Commission’s development of a national broadband plan. But speaking Thursday morning at the Pike and Fischer Broadband Policy Summit here, he made clear his experience representing a rural district informs his ideas on how the FCC should assist the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and Rural Utilities Service in defining unserved and underserved markets.

WASHINGTON, June 18, 2009 – Wireless carriers deals with equipment vendors and their commitment to rural coverage came under the microscope Wednesday as executives and industry analysts testified before the Senate Commerce Committee during a hearing on “the wireless consumer experience.”

WASHINGTON, June 16, 2009 – Legislation to require federal highway construction to include conduits and fiber was introduce in the Senate Monday by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. The Broadband Conduit Deployment Act of 2009 a similar House bill introduced last month by Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif.

June 12 – Industry and consumer groups butted heads at the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday over early termination fees, or charges imposed on the customers of communications services prior to the expiration of their contract.