Roaming rate regulations target Bell Canada, Telus and Rogers
Citing a lack of competition, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission said it plans to take steps in regulating roaming rates across the country. The move is part of an ongoing process by CRTC and government...
FCC solicits public comments on unlicensed frequency use, standardization
Federal regulators on May 5 released a public notice soliciting information from stakeholders involved in the research and development as well as standards-setting associated with LTE-Unlicensed and Licensed Assisted Access.
Carriers and other telecom players are developing LTE-U as...
Push for transparency or punishment for net neutrality?
WASHINGTON – Congressional Democrats and Republicans rolled out separate bills pushing reform of the Federal Communications Commission as part of the ongoing political fight over net neutrality.
Republican Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Rep. Greg...
WASHINGTON – Numerous U.S. public safety organizations, including the Association of Public Safety Communication Officials-International, the International Association of Police Chiefs and the National Sheriffs Association, recently sent an open letter to the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of State asking that both...
Chalks up possible delay to ‘demand for infrastructure’ and ‘workforce shortage’
HOLLYWOOD, Fla., – Michael O’Rielly, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission warned of possible delays to the 600 MHz spectrum auction that’s planned for 2016.
O’Rielly made the comments during the annual Personal Communications Industry Association...
The Wall Street Journal reports FCC looking at DE abuse
The Federal Communications Commission is reportedly looking into revoking the $3 billion bidding discount Dish Network pocketed during the recent AWS-3 spectrum auction.
The Wall Street Journal reported that FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler had instructed his...
Regulators frowned on Comcast/TWC deal; will Charter/TWC be different?
Comcast is dropping its bid for Time Warner Cable after the Federal Communications Commission signaled that it would not approve the deal. Charter Communications may be set to back out of its bid for Bright House...
CCA wants to ensure smaller carriers have access to spectrum resources
WASHINGTON – The Competitive Carriers Association this week called on the Federal Communications Commission to go ahead with a planned 2016 incentive auction and allow smaller carriers to participate.
The auction is set to include...
Google starts favoring mobile optimized websites in search algorithms
Today Google made a major change in how its proprietary search algorithms rank Web search results; now websites that have been optimized for mobile viewing will be ranked higher than sites that aren’t designed to be...
The recent move by the European Commissioner for Competition against Google was, quite frankly, stunning from my viewpoint.
The objections the EU centered around the Google shopping system seemed rather trumped-up and struck me as an attempt by Europe to punish success. Google is not...
FM chip on smartphone is usually not active but could be valuable in an emergency
Remember FM radio? The National Association of Broadcasters certainly does and, because many mobile manufacturers disable FM on smartphones, there’s tension brewing.
Samsung, Apple and LG phones, for example, could function...
In a first-of-its-kind move, FDIC will back Google Wallet
WASHINGTON – In a landmark announcement, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. will now insure money held in Google Wallet accounts.
The federally run program insures all deposits in U.S. banks up to $250,000. The move will be...
Mobile operators are set to gain access to spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band.
The Federal Communications Commission is making 150 megahertz of contiguous spectrum available for mobile broadband and other uses through a spectrum sharing policy. The agency says it is creating a three-tiered...
Fines against Google could hit $6B; EU also probes Android OS
WASHINGTON – The European Union Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, officially filed a "statement of objection" against the Internet search giant Google.
She told the press in Brussels, Belgium, "I'm concerned that Google has artificially...
Wheeler speech at NAB show touts 600 MHz auction benefits for broadcasters
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler took to the stage at this week’s National Association of Broadcasters event in an attempt to drum up support from television broadcasters to participate in the FCC’s...
OSHA seeks public comment on how to reduce accidents at tower sites
Federal safety regulators are seeking public input on how to best protect the men and women who work on telecommunications towers from injury or incident.
Published on April 15, the Occupational Safety and Health...
Republicans blast FCC net neutrality decision; Pelosi calls rules 'foundation of freedom'
WASHINGTON – Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) introduced an eight-line resolution Monday that, if passed, will block the Federal Communications Commission from implementing its Open Internet Order.
The resolution states, “Congress disapproves of the rules”...
$6B fine is apparently possible in EU probe of Google
WASHINGTON – American technology powerhouse Google will face charges of violating antitrust regulations from the European Union’s Competition Commissioner, according to reports.
Margrethe Vestager, former prime minister of Denmark, is expected to make an announcement Wednesday,...
Canada’s 2.5 GHz spectrum auction latest attempt to increase competition
Canada’s quest for deeper mobile competition continues today as the country’s telecom regulator begins what is expected to be a short auction of spectrum licenses in the 2.5 GHz band.
The auction is set to include...
US Telecom Association challenging FCC’s net neutrality rules
WASHINGTON – In a move that surprised nobody, trade group US Telecom Association, which represents carriers Verizon and AT&T among others, filed suit against the Federal Communications Commission’s Open Internet order less than 12 hours after the...
As I think back over the recent Competitive Carriers Association 2015 Global Expo in Atlanta for this Generation Wireless column, I begin to see three major trends: leveraging big data to make smarter networks; capitalizing on existing spectrum assets; and preparing for changes in...
U.S. Department of Energy selects Intel, Cray to deliver Aurora
WASHINGTON – Intel announced that the U.S. Department of Energy selected the California-based chipmaker to build a supercomputer for the Argonne National Laboratory.
Dubbed Aurora, the computer is set for delivery in 2018 and is “the largest...
Verizon supercookies under review for violating consumer privacy and data laws
WASHINGTON – The Federal Communications Commission is reviewing whether Verizon Communication’s use of "supercookie" tracking software on its devices and website violated consumer privacy and data laws.
Supercookies are an identification number used to track...
25,000 users join Europe v. Facebook suit
An Austrian law graduate and 25,000 other Facebook users in Europe are taking on the social media giant claiming the company invaded their privacy by participating in the NSA’s PRISM dragnet surveillance program, among other invasions.
The case is being...
