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Gigi Sohn

Infrastructure/Press Releases

Regional Broadband Conference in Connecticut on Thursday, November 8

NEW BRITAIN, Conn., November 2, 2018 - Consumer Counsel Elin Swanson Katz is pleased to announce a broadband conference entitled, Connected New England: A Regional Broadband Convening at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, Connecticut, (300 Capitol Ave.), Room 2C, on November 8, 2018, from 9:00 am – 4:30 p.m. Registration is required, but the event is free for government, academic, and non-profit employees to attend, while the registration fee for others will be $150. Press are invited to attend. The event is being co-hosted by Next Century Cities, a non-profit coalition of innovative municipalities that recognize the importance of leveraging gigabit level internet to attract new businesses and create jobs, improve health care and education, ensure civic participation, and connect residents to new opportunities. Keep Reading

Broadband's Impact/FCC/Net Neutrality/Senate

Washington Post Piece Criticizes Senate Democrats on Net Neutrality, Giving Them ‘Three Pinocchios’

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: This piece by The Washington Post has, in turn, prompting some gloating by Republicans over at the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which criticized the "sweeping claims" of Democrats: "That consumers will see a sharp drop in Internet speeds if the Federal Communications Commission proceeds with its plan to unwind net neutrality… Keep Reading

Broadband News/Broadband's Impact/FCC/Net Neutrality/Net Neutrality Comments

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Tackles Twitter, Not ISPs, on Issues of ‘Neutrality’

BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Is everyone having enough fun on this issue of network neutrality/open internet/"search neutrality"/Twitter-fenestration? It's been a wacky week, and the craziness is likely to accelerate over the next two weeks. Here, CNET's Marguerite Reardon covers Pai's Tuesday speech at the R Street Institute in Washington. FCC chairman calls Twitter the real threat… Keep Reading

Broadband's Impact/FCC/Infrastructure/National Broadband Plan

Former Architect of National Broadband Plan Says That Every City Needs a Broadband Plan

September 14, 2015 - Every city should create a city-wide broadband plan of its own, said the former director of the National Broadband Plan, in wide-ranging speech touting four strategies useful for different types of city broadband plans. Speaking on Friday at the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Officers annual conference in San Diego, Blair Levin of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program and the group Gig-U, said that every city should tackle four key strategies: (1) Getting fiber deeper into neighborhoods; (2) Using community WiFi; (3) Getting everyone online; and (4) Promoting innovative civic applications for broadband. Levin, the former architect of the Federal Communications Commission's broadband plan, crafted from 2009 to 2010, said that the United States was about the 20th country to adopt such a plan for the deployment of high-speed internet. Nearly 150 countries have one now. "With cities, we're where we were with countries in 2010. Several dozen have them," Levin said. "But now, such a plan is becoming table stakes for any city that wants its residents to be part of the 21st Century Information Economy." In his remarks, Levin addressed the pivotal role that Google Fiber has played in spurring the development of Gigabit Networks. Indeed, on Thursday, Google announced upcoming fiber-optic deployments in three new cities: Irvine, Calif., Louisville, Kentucky; and San Diego. He categories the types of cities, and they relative trajectories towards Gigabit Networks, as follows: "The first set of communities is those that either have or are likely to see Google Fiber enter. For these, the starting strategy is pretty simple. Accelerate to the extent possible, Google's entry." Whether or not Google comes, such cities will be well-situated for others, as well. Blair Levin [More...] Keep Reading

Broadband's Impact/FCC/Fiber/Infrastructure/Net Neutrality

Three Women in Communications Policy Highlight Citizen Participation, Activism and Engagement for Broadband

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., September 22, 2014 - Three of the most prominent women in communications policy on Thursday highlighted the vital role of citizen participation, activism and corporate engagement to ensure a collective high-speed broadband future. "The next six to eight months are perhaps going to be the most important months in the history of communications… Keep Reading

Broadband's Impact

Broadband Conference in Western Massachusetts Aims to Highlight Internet’s Role in Economic Development

September 5, 2014 - Broadband Communities Magazine is hosting its third annual conference on the role that broadband plays in economic development from Tues., Sept. 16 through Thurs., Sept. 18 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The conference builds on successful prior event held in Danville, Virginia, in fall 2012; and in Tinley Park, Illinois, just outside of Chicago,… Keep Reading

IP Transition

Senate Hearing Explores Issues Surrounding Wireline Communications

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2013 — The Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet held a hearing examining the implications of the transition to Internet Protocol for wireline communications on Thursday. Several of the witnesses stressed the need for modernization, both in terms of regulations and technology. Gigi Sohn, President of Public Knowledge, stated that now… Keep Reading

Congress/Mobile Broadband/Senate/Spectrum/Wireless

Senators Grill Mobile CEOs on AT&T/T-Mobile Merger

WASHINGTON May 12, 2011- The Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights assembled leading mobile CEOs Wednesday to explore the proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile. “The proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile will bring together two of the four remaining national cell phone carriers to create the nation's largest cell phone network, with an estimated 43 percent market share,” said Sen Herb Kohl (D-WI), Chairman of the Subcommittee, setting the tone for the hearing. “Should this deal be approved, AT&T and Verizon will control close to 80 percent of the national cell phone market.” Keep Reading

FCC/Media ownership/Net Neutrality/Wireless

Free Press Panel Blasts ‘Broken’ FCC

BOSTON, April 13, 2011 - Panelists at the Free Press National Conference for Media Reform railed on the Federal Communications Commission over the weekend, debating to what extent the Commission has been "captured" by industry and how to fix it. Joel Kelsey, Political Advisor at Free Press, moderated the panel, entitled "How to Fix the Broken FCC." The event included participants from the public interest, industry and government sectors. Keep Reading

FCC/House of Representatives/Media ownership/Mobile Broadband/Spectrum/Wireless

AT&T Announces $39B Deal To Acquire T-Mobile

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2011 - Nationwide wireless carrier, AT&T announced Sunday that it had finalized an agreement to acquire competitor T-Mobile from Deutsche Telekom for $39 billion in cash and stock. The deal between the nation's second- and fourth-largest carriers would likely create the largest nationwide wireless carrier, topping current leader, Verizon. Keep Reading

Broadband's Impact/FCC/Mobile Broadband/Net Neutrality

Support Dims for FCC Chairman’s Open Internet Proposal

WASHINGTON, December 21, 2010 - Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski on Dec. 1 announced that there would be a set of open internet rules that his agency would vote on during its open meeting on Dec. 21. While many stakeholders in the debate initially were happy to learn that the chairman would finally bring the issue to a vote, support dimmed after learning what he planned to include in the rules. Keep Reading

Broadband Updates/Broadband's Impact/FCC/Net Neutrality

Content Makers Seek Protection but Waver When It Comes to Network Neutrality

WASHINGTON, October 28, 2010 - Many content makers have called upon the Federal Communications Commission to protect their ability to distribute content via the internet, yet these same content makers are reluctant to play by the same rules. Recent decisions by content makers to block some Google TV and an ESPN service show the murkiness of the debates surrounding network neutrality. Keep Reading

Broadband Calendar/Broadband TV/Copyright/Intellectual Property/Patents/Trademarks

BroadbandBreakfast.com Launches Free Monthly Intellectual Property Breakfast Club for 2010-2011

WASHINGTON, September 8, 2010 – The internet and intellectual property news service BroadbandBreakfast.com is offering free tickets to the first event in its Fall Intellectual Property Breakfast Club series, “Will the Obama Administration's IP Czar Crush Internet Piracy?” The event, on Tuesday, September 14, will feature top officials from the Entertainment Software Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Public Knowledge and the Future of Music Coalition. Register for Free. Keep Reading

Broadband's Impact/FCC/National Broadband Plan/Wireless

Near-Universal Chorus of Agreement Greets National Broadband Plan; Parties Seek Their Good in Blueprint

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2010 - An executive summary of the Federal Communications Commission's forthcoming National Broadband Plan drew near-unanimous praise from stakeholders on the eve of the full plan's release, with industry groups, public interest advocates and lawmakers all weighing in positively as they became aware of the agency’s intentions. Keep Reading

Broadband Updates/Broadband's Impact/FCC/National Broadband Plan/Net Neutrality/Transparency

Experts Review Reform and Standards at the FCC

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2010 - Panelists from the Federal Communications Commission, Capitol Hill, public interest groups and the private sector addressed issues of FCC reform and regulatory responsibility at “An FCC for the Internet Age: Reform and Standard-Setting, a half-day conference sponsored by Public Knowledge, Silicon Flatirons and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. Keep Reading

Copyright/National Broadband Plan

NBC-Universal President Compares Copyright Filtering to Anti-Virus Protections

WASHINGTON, February 18, 2010 – NBC-Universal Vice President Richard Cotton on Wednesday called upon internet service providers to be permitted to filter content over their pipes for copyright violations, and compared copyright filtering to filtering for computer viruses. Cotton’s statement was part of a briefing outlining the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s top 2010 intellectual property priorities. Keep Reading

Broadband TV/Copyright/National Broadband Plan/Net Neutrality

BroadbandBreakfast.com Releases Free Webcast on ‘Net Neutrality, Copyright Protection and the National Broadband Plan’

WASHINGTON, January 27, 2010 - Broadband Census News LLC on Wednesday released, for FREE, the full-length video of the BroadbandBreakfast.com event on January 19, 2010: The Town Hall Webcast on the topic of "Net Neutrality, Copyright Protection and the National Broadband Plan." The event, moderated by Kim Hart of The Hill and Drew Clark of BroadbandBreakfast.com, begins with an introductory welcome by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski, and is followed by two panels, the first focused on technolgy, and the second focused on policy. Keep Reading

Copyright/National Broadband Plan/Net Neutrality/Privacy

Panelists Debate Copyrights, Open Internet in U.S. Broadband Plan

WASHINGTON, January 19, 2010 - Communication and intellectual property experts debated whether a national broadband plan is the right vehicle for addressing copyright and network neutrality issues and whether the FCC is overstepping its bounds by dabbling with copyright issues. Public Knowledge President Gigi Sohn sparred with officials from the Recording Industry Association of America, telling RIAA’s executive vice president and general counsel that the recording and Hollywood industries along with some song writers want iinternet service providers to filter networks for copyright infringement. Keep Reading

Broadband Calendar/Broadband TV/Copyright/National Broadband Plan/Net Neutrality

Last Chance to Register for National Town Hall on ‘Net Neutrality, Copyright and National Broadband Plan’

WASHINGTON, January 18, 2010 - Monday is the last day to register to attend BroadbandBreakfast.com's Town Hall Webcast on "Net Neutrality, Copyright Protection and the National Broadband Plan," which takes place tomorrow, or on Tuesday, January 19, 2010, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Register at http://ipbreakfast.eventbrite.com. Keep Reading

Broadband's Impact/Copyright

Big Media Meets Law Enforcement at White House; Biden Announces Focus on Intellectual Property Theft

WASHINGTON, December 16, 2009 - The U.S. is committed to an inter-agency process for combating piracy of American intellectual property, Vice President Joseph Biden said Tuesday during a press availability with top law enforcement officials. Appearing at the White House complex with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, the directors of the FBI, Customs and Border Protection, and the United States Secret Service, as well as the chief executives of the nation's largest entertainment companies. The meeting was followed by a closed-door, roundtable discussion on international intellectual property theft. Keep Reading

Broadband Updates/Net Neutrality

Net Neutrality Advocacy Video Released Seeks to Touch Hearts (and Minds)

A video posted last month on YouTube from Jesse Dylon of FreeForm in support of Net neutrality wants to touch your heart and has the music and images to boot. “This is a video we made about free and open web access. An Open Internet should be a right for all people, of all backgrounds, with all interests. Net Neutrality is for all of us,” reads the last moment of the screen with the sound of the piano. Starring in the video are Net neutrality advocates Lawrence Lessig, a professor at Stanford Law School, Gigi Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge, Vint Cerf, chief internet evangelist for Google, and Christopher Libertelli, senior director of government and regulatory affairs for Skype, among others. Keep Reading

Net Neutrality

FCC Takes First Step to Formally Regulate the Internet Through Proposed Neutrality Rules

WASHINGTON, October 22, 2009 - The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday approved controversial proposed rules governing internet access during its monthly public meeting. Commissioners on all sides of the debate stressed the importance of having an open internet, and in engaging in constructive dialogue on the issue going forward. The move marked the beginning of a formal phase of regulating internet access. Although the FCC in August 2005 adopted a policy statement pledging fidelity to four Net neutrality principles, such a policy was never binding upon all broadband providers. Additionally, the proposed rules go beyond those four generally-accepted neutrality principles. Keep Reading

FCC/National Broadband Plan

NoChokePoints Coalition to Combat Special Access Providers

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2009 - Wireless carriers and consumer advocates joined forces Monday to open a new front in the battle over pricing for "special access" markets. The newly-formed NoChokePoints coalition brings together a number of unlikely bedfellows that usually clash on many topics, most notably Sprint Nextel and Public Knowledge, in order to battle the "chokehold that these huge phone companies have on the special access market." Keep Reading

Broadband's Impact/FCC/National Broadband Plan/Wireless

Internet Providers, Consumer Advocates Optimistic on Internet Regulatory Outlook

SAN MATEO, Calif., May 12, 2009 - As the Obama administration's FCC and technology policy agenda begins to take shape, internet policy experts at the Tech Policy Summit expressed relief at what they percieved as a more friendly White House for technology, but clashed on America's success in broadband deployment and the role of wireless in expanding internet access. Keep Reading

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