WASHINGTON, March 10, 2010 – Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan on Tuesday compared broadband expansion in the United States to the development of the interstate highway system under President Eisenhower, speaking at the Knight Center for Digital Inclusion.

Also speaking at the event was Federal Communications Commissioner Chairman Julius Genachowski, who addressed the various impacts of broadband on the wider economy and the need for expansion in order to spur innovation. Genachowski also commented on the fact that the United States has fallen behind on key metrics; once number two globally, the United States has fallen to a distant 15 in connectivity.

WASHINGTON, January 21, 2010 – The Federal Communications Commission in a Tuesday workshop explored consumer choice, user control of their online experience and the importance of transparency.

The agency’s fourth Open Internet Workshop on Consumers, Transparency and the Open Internet focused on the sixth principle of network neutrality – transparency.

BOSTON, Mass., January 15, 2010 – Academics, economics, technology specialists, application creators, internet service operators and investors descended on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Wednesday to discuss the possible effects of the proposed net neutrality rules on innovation, investment and internet users.

Sharon Gillette, chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission and Paul de Sa, chief of the FCC’s Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis, moderated the late afternoon and evening workshop. This article summarizes the entire comments made at the substantive MIT workshop.

WASHINGTON, December 18, 2009 – The Federal Communications Commission has appointed Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Meredith Attwell Baker to serve on the federal-state boards for universal service and jurisdictional separations. Clyburn will serve as federal chair of both panels. FCC Commissioner Michael Copps will continue to serve on both boards.

The Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service was established by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to implement universal service provisions and to make recommendations on universal service matters. The Federal-State Joint Board on Jurisdictional Separations advises the FCC on the apportionment of regulated costs between interstate and intrastate jurisdictions.

WASHINGTON, December 4, 2009 – The United States must act soon to meet the increasing demand for more spectrum, a key lawmaker said on Friday.

“Our nation is on the verge of a wireless spectrum shortage,” said Sen. John Ensign, R-N.V. “As evidenced by the tremendous success of smart phones, demand for wireless broadband devices and services is exploding. If the United States does not act soon to meet the increasing demand for more spectrum, we risk falling behind other nations in developing new technologies.”

WASHINGTON, December 4, 2009 – A top government official focused on the need to improve the allocation of spectrum for future broadband expansion during a telecommunications conference on Thursday.

“The United States needs a comprehensive approach that expands upon proven flexible, market-oriented policies that facilitate spectrum access, wireless innovation and competition,” said FCC Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker during a
keynote address (PDF) at the Phoenix Center’s Annual Telecom Symposium.

It goes without saying that the FCC has a daunting task of rule making when it comes to filling the needs of Broadband Access for Americans in 2010. Therefore it comes to mind, when the Federal Agency is through taking comments on Net Neutrality, The Universal Service Fund, Broadband Adoption, Broadband Access, and Spectrum Allocation, [...]

As Facebook increases its Washington presence, Andrew Noyes will be putting the pen down to join the company next month as manager of public policy communications. Noyes has been a reporter for National Journal Group since 2006 where he worked first for the now-dead Technology Daily publication, and later for CongressDaily. Also on the Facebook team is Tim Sparapani, director of public policy, and Adam Conner.

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.

WASHINGTON, September 30, 2009 – Federal Communications Commissioner Meredith Atwell Baker said at the agency’s workshop on September 30 that security is the most important challenge facing the communications sector. “I think it’s really important we get this right, because if this is the part we get wrong, all the rest is for naught.”