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Matthew Lasar
AT&T: termination fees ultimately a great deal for consumers
Submitted by Benton Foundation on June 16, 2008 - 7:57amThose early termination fees (ETFs) that consumers pay for switching cell phones in mid-contract are a great deal, an attorney for AT&T told the Federal Communications Commission. "ETF-backed term contracts give customers the ability to lower their monthly charges and upfront handset costs in exchange for their promise to pay monthly charges for the life of the contract or alternatively to pay the ETF in lieu of the remaining charges."
FCC sends mixed messages on free broadband wireless service
Submitted by Benton Foundation on June 8, 2008 - 7:59pmSupporters of the great crusade to build a nationwide, smutless, free broadband service may be a bit confused after last weeks's contradictory press statements and actions by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin.
Epic fail: FCC gives Tucson a "failing station" TV duopoly
Submitted by Benton Foundation on June 3, 2008 - 8:03pmCongratulations to the Journal Broadcasting Group, the latest media company to hop across the Federal Communications Commission's not very deep limits on television duopolies. Journal has won the right to own two TV stations in the Tucson, Arizona market, and to allow one to pretty much operate the other.
Report: young adults most clueless about Digital TV switch
Submitted by Benton Foundation on June 2, 2008 - 7:20amAs the Federal Communications Commission revs up efforts to promote the impending digital TV transition, a new report suggests that the overwhelming majority of Americans will sail smoothly through the switch.
Civil rights groups blast à la carte cable
Submitted by Benton Foundation on June 2, 2008 - 7:19amFifteen prominent civil rights groups are taking a conspicuous swing at Federal Communications Commission Chair Kevin Martin's proposals for a wholesale based à la carte cable system. The idea, if implemented, would deliver "a crushing blow to channels targeting minority communities," they charge in a May 29th FCC filing.
FCC cracks down on Universal Service Fund cheats
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 20, 2008 - 8:53pmThey rigged bidding auctions for contracts to sell computers to school libraries. They created bogus companies and billed the government for hundreds of thousands of dollars. They got school administrators to buy equipment on the false premise that funding for the gear had been secured.
Best Buy: FCC has no power to fine us over analog TVs
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 20, 2008 - 8:21amThe nation's biggest electronics retailer has told the Federal Communications Commission that the agency lacks the authority to punish Best Buy for screwing up its digital transition TV selling rules.
Big media slams proposal to roll back cross-ownership rule
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 12, 2008 - 8:10pmRarely has one Federal Communications Commission filing provoked as much ire as this. Thirteen major broadcast and newspaper groups have filed lengthy denunciations of a public interest group's appeal to redo the FCC's recent relaxation of its TV station/newspaper cross-ownership ban.
Verizon: We promise to honor the Block C open access rules
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 8, 2008 - 8:36amGoogle has won another back door victory on the Federal Communications Commission's 700 MHz auction. It has extracted a pledge from Verizon that the wireless giant will adhere to the 700 MHz auction C Block's "open platform" provision.
Fewer phones, more broadband: FCC struggling to fix USF
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 5, 2008 - 7:32amA divided Federal Communications Commission has put a cap on Universal Service Fund (USF) payouts, but even the agency's majority calls it a stop-gap measure for a program in serious trouble.
