The intersection of telecoms and the federal government is where many earth-shattering developments occur, laying out the path for future advancements. With that in mind, it's always wise to take a deeper look at the moments when the public and private sector crosses paths. Here are the latest noteworthy telecom policy developments including Sprint's appeal to the U.S. government:
Sprint to plead case at U.S. capitol
Sprint's plans to acquire T-Mobile have met their share of criticism, not least of which from antitrust officials. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that several of these individuals have stated they will seek to block any such transaction. Sprint chairman Masayoshi Son intends to make the case that the merger would be good for the U.S. telecom industry, planning to present his argument to the Chamber of Commerce in Washington on March 11.
Son will reportedly touch upon several topics relating to this issue including the potential to use high-speed, wireless networks to support commerce and education as well as the need to match global competitors. According to the source, Son has been critical of the U.S.'s wireless infrastructure in the past – particularly regarding connection speeds and price rates.
Congress members support GAO findings
Son's argument that high-performance networks can boost economic output will likely find a receptive audience among some members of Congress. According to Multichannel News, multiple House Energy & Commerce Committee members lauded the results from a recent Government Accountability Office study, which found that 14 federally funded and municipal networks presented faster speeds and lower prices on average when compared with other networks.
"Service providers have used federal funding for expansions and upgrades, such as building out to previously unserved areas and replacing old copper lines with fiber optic cable, resulting in faster and more reliable broadband connections," the report's researchers stated.
Representatives Henry Waxman, Nancy Pelosi and Anna Eshoo lauded the study, stating that it presented evidence that small businesses can receive better wireless network service when supported by federal funding.
NCTA comments on FCC order
Since news hit that the FCC plans to impose tougher regulations on the way in which local television stations negotiate with cable companies and sell ad space, several telecom organizations, including Charter Communications, have voiced their support for the proposal. The latest to do so is the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, which represents many of the nation's cable operators and recently released a statement approving of the FCC's intentions.
"We are pleased that [FCC] Chairman [Tom] Wheeler intends to circulate an order that would rein in the anticompetitive practice which currently allows separately owned broadcast stations to jointly negotiate for retransmission consent payments," the NCTA announced. "As Chairman Wheeler stated, this type of coordinated behavior has resulted in increased prices which are ultimately borne by consumers."
Mobile emergency alerts come under fire
Federal authorities have attempted to leverage the widespread popularity of smartphones and other mobile devices to send important updates to residents at a moment's notice. This hardware has been used to raise Amber Alerts and notify individuals regarding weather emergencies. In 2006, Congress approved use of the Wireless Emergency Alert System to send these alerts instantaneously to thousands of users. According to The Olympian, however, these efforts have ran into their own set of challenges. Washington State residents have reported cases of receiving messages that did not pertain to their communities. In one instance, the service sent a severe blizzard alert to individuals who were located outside of the storm's path, causing confusion.
These difficulties raised concerns among state and federal authorities that smartphone owners would choose to opt out of the program altogether, leading to changes in the system's functions. Officials noted that within the past 12 months, Amber Alerts sent to Washington residents' mobile phones helped law enforcement agencies find two missing children.
"To some people these things are annoying, but when you look at it as the big picture of saving lives, as a community as a whole, it's the right thing to do," Ted Buehner, warning coordination meteorologist at the Weather Service in Seattle, told the news outlet.
