Wi-Fi
London Mayor Seeks to Blanket City in Wi-Fi
WASHINGTON, June 4, 2010 – With the London Olympics a mere two years away, Mayor Borris Johnson has announced that the city soon will be fully covered in Wi-Fi.
Wireless
Wireless technologies transmit data through radio waves or other electromagnetic signals rather than physical cables. Wireless systems are critical for mobile communications and for reaching remote locations where laying physical infrastructure is difficult.
FCC
Verizon to Seek Rural Partners as It Rolls Out More Robust Network
WASHINGTON, June 4, 2010 – Verizon plans to blanket the nation with a faster communications network and is looking for help in rural areas. In addition to seeking partners, the firm has reportedly been in talks to share its spectrum.
Mobile
Skype to Charge for Mobile VoIP
WASHINGTON June 2, 2010 – Starting in 2011, Skype will begin charging users to make mobile Skype-to-Skype calls.
Mobile
AT&T to Tier Mobile Broadband Offerings
WASHINGTON, June 2, 2010 – AT&T today announced a major change to its mobile broadband plans. It has shifted from its current unlimited plan to a two-tiered meter based plan. The new tiers will be 200 megabits and 2 gigabytes.
Larry Strickling
NTIA to Host Advanced Radio Technologies Symposium
WASHINGTON, June 1, 2010 – The National Telecommunications and Information Administration will host the 11th annual International Symposium on Advanced Radio Technologies next month in Colorado.
FCC
Wireless Industry Group Asks FCC to Dismiss County Executives’ Proposal
WASHINGTON, May 31, 2010 – Wireless industry lobbying group CTIA is asking for the Federal Communication Commission’s dismissal of a free broadband proposal by the County Executives of America.
Wi-Fi
Court Orders Google to Turn Over Wireless Data in Portland Case
WASHINGTON, May 31, 2010 – A U.S. District Court in Portland, Ore., has ordered Google to turn over wireless data from its Street View cars which was taken while photographing neighborhoods.
EU
Emergency First Responders Suffer from Lack of Interoperable Communications Equipment
WASHINGTON, May 28, 2010 – Emergency first responders should be able to use similar technological standards on their equipment so that they can effectively communicate during times of crisis, but rapidly evolving technology makes it difficult to stay in sync, said experts at a Thursday House hearing
Mobile
Mobile VoIP users to exceed 100 million by 2012
WASHINGTON, May 27, 2010 – Juniper Research released a study today that predicts the rapid development of mobile Voice Over IP (VoIP) services such as Skype, and finding that there is a direct correlation between the availability of third-generation (3G) and increased use of mobile VoIP.
Infrastructure
Broadband Escapes Europe’s Spending Ax
LONDON, May 27, 2010 – A new era of austerity may be dawning in Europe in the wake of the Greek debt crisis and its cascading effect on other countries in the region, but broadband is set to escape the swinging spending cuts afflicting other sectors. The European Union recently announced
Consumer and Governmental Affairs
Study: Consumers Experience ‘Bill Shock,’ Unaware of High Cell Phone Fees
WASHINGTON, May 26, 2010 – A survey released today by the Federal Communications Commission found that one in six mobile users has been surprised by their unexpectedly high cell phone bill, an experience referred to as “bill shock.”
FCC
FCC Looks To Temper Consumer ‘Bill Shock’
WASHINGTON, May 25, 2010 – The Federal Communications Commission’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau launched an initiative this month aiming to prevent the unpleasant experience of getting an unexpectedly high wireless phone bill.
FCC
NTIA Offers Funds to State and Local Governments for Public Safety Projects
WASHINGTON, May 21, 2010 – The National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced that it would allow some state and local governments to apply for broadband stimulus funding to support public safety projects.
FCC
FCC Chairman Unveils New Strategy to Cope with ‘Network Neutrality’
WASHINGTON, May 6, 2010 – FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski this morning announced his agency’s plan to take steps to deal with the issue of broadband regulation.
Steve Largent
Experts Express Concerns Over Broadband Plan to Small Business Committee
WASHINGTON, May 4, 2010 – Small businesses must have better access to broadband technology to flourish, propel the nation’s economic growth and to better be able to compete on a global level, said experts at a Senate hearing last week. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., who chairs the Senate Small Business
FCC
National Broadband Plan: A Look at Chapter 8 and Availability
WASHINGTON, May 3, 2010 – Chapter 8 of the National Broadband Plan deals with the fundamental issue of availability. The chapter sets out a very systematic and long-term set of policies intended to expand availability.
