July 9, 2009 (Cellphone Straitjacket)
BENTON'S COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for THURSDAY JULY 9, 2009
Find Headlines online at http://www.benton.org/headlines
CYBERWARFARE
State cyberattack 'ongoing'
Cyber Scare Could Be Warning Shot
WIRELESS
Cellphone Straitjacket
AT&T takes issue with antitrust criticism
Senate Commerce Committee Passes Kerry's Spectrum Inventory Bill; Companion Bill in House
THE STIMULUS
BTOP-BIP Workshop Presentations
BTOP, FCC and Broadband Subscribership Info
Call for Reviewers for Broadband Technology Opportunities Program
The Missouri plan for broadband stimulus
OWNERSHIP
Consumers could pay for Google's power
Google Operating System Raises Apple Antitrust Issues
Verizon Files Program Access Complaint Against Cablevision
Some TV stations refuse to air marijuana-tax advertisement
CYBERWARFARE
STATE CYBERATTACK 'ONGOING'
[SOURCE: The Hill, AUTHOR: Bridget Johnson, Jordy Yager]
A State Department spokesman said Wednesday that a cyberattack launched against its website is "still ongoing" as more fingers pointed toward North Korea in the denial-of-service assault on numerous government sites. Ian Kelly told reporters at the State Department briefing that the attack had started on July 5. "It's still ongoing, but I'm told that it's much reduced right now," Kelly said, noting that the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team was working on the problem. "But I think, as you know, the State Department wasn't the only target of these attacks." Targets included the websites of the White House, Treasury Department, Secret Service, Federal Trade Commission, the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security. Government websites in South Korea -- the office of the president, the National Assembly, Defense and Foreign ministries -- were also affected.
http://benton.org/node/26374
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CYBER SCARE COULD BE WARNING SHOT
[SOURCE: CongressDaily, AUTHOR: John Maggs]
This week's crude and fairly ineffective attacks on U.S. and South Korean Web sites were a minor event, network experts said, but could represent a warning shot portending much more serious threats to worldwide communications and commerce on the Internet. James Lewis, a cybersecurity scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, noted the paradox in the attacks - that they were well-coordinated and broad in scope, but very limited in their aims. If they were the work of the North Korean government or affiliated forces, as South Korean officials suspect, said Lewis, it seems that the real purpose might have been to get the attention of foreign governments.
http://benton.org/node/26362
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WIRELESS
CELLPHONE STRAITJACKET
[SOURCE: USAToday, AUTHOR: Editorial staff]
[Commentanters] When consumers walk into a store to buy a flat-screen television, they aren't locked into a particular cable or satellite provider. So why, when they get an Apple iPhone or a BlackBerry Storm, are they signed up with a particular carrier? That's a question a lot of Americans ask when they travel overseas and find that the hottest devices can be used with any service. Their handsets are not only wireless, they also come without strings attached. Allowing dominant service providers to cut exclusive deals with handset makers forces consumers to make an unnecessary compromise between the device they prefer and the service that is strongest in their area. And smaller competitors are hurt if they can't get access to the devices consumers crave.
http://benton.org/node/26373
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AT&T TAKES ISSUE WITH ANTITRUST CRITICISM
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Diane Bartz]
Telecommunications giant AT&T struck back on Wednesday at Sen Herb Kohl (D-WI), chair of the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee, saying the lawmaker's concerns about a lack of competition in the wireless industry were unfounded. Chairman Kohl wrote to the Justice Department's top antitrust regulator Christine Varney and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski on Monday to reiterate concerns over texting prices, large carriers failing to cooperate with smaller carriers to resolve roaming disputes, disputes over spectrum and deals that give one or another carrier exclusive access to popular phones like the iPhone. AT&T argued that cell service had become progressively cheaper, with revenue per minute falling 89 percent since 1994. The company also argues that 1) texting prices have fallen because of package deals, 2) exclusive handset arrangements allowed a carrier and a manufacturer to split the high cost of marketing "an inventive but unproven new device," and 3) early termination fees are a way for the company to recoup money spent discounting handsets.
http://benton.org/node/26363
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SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE PASSES KERRY'S SPECTRUM INVENTORY BILL; COMPANION BILL IN HOUSE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The Senate Commerce Committee Wednesday passed Senator John Kerry's spectrum inventory bill, which now goes on to the full Senate. The Radio Spectrum Inventory Act (S.649), introduced in March, would require the Federal Communications Commission and National Telecommunications & Information Administration to report back to Congress with an inventory of the spectrum they manage and how it is being used. In the House, Commerce Committee Chairmen Waxman and Communications Subcommittee Chairman Boucher, and Ranking Members Barton and Stearns introduced H.R. 3125, the Radio Spectrum Inventory Act. This House bill requires the NTIA and the FCC to create a detailed inventory of radio spectrum bands, as well as a centralized portal or website to make the inventory available to the public. The NTIA and the FCC are also required to 1) submit an annual report to Congress updating the status of the inventory; 2) identify the least utilized blocks of spectrum inventoried; and 3) recommend whether any such spectrum should be reallocated. The bill was introduced with 14 original cosponsors, including Representatives Dingell, Markey, Doyle, Gordon, Space, McNerney, Inslee, Eshoo, Matsui, Stupak, Castor, Buyer, Welch and Upton.
http://benton.org/node/26368
Track the Senate bill
http://www.benton.org/node/26369
THE STIMULUS
BTOP-BIP WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS
[SOURCE: BroadbandUSA.gov, AUTHOR: ]
The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) are holding a series of presentations around the country about the application process for $4 billion in broadband grants and loans under the Recovery Act. can't make it there in person? Read the presentations online.
http://benton.org/node/26367
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BTOP, FCC AND BROADBAND SUBSCRIBERSHIP INFO
[SOURCE: Free Press, AUTHOR: Ben Scott, Derek Turner]
Free Press filed an ex parte offering recommendations on the FCC's consultative role with the NTIA in creating rules for the issuance of broadband grants. Free Press had telephone conversations with Scott Deutchman, Legal Advisor to Commissioner Michael Copps, and Colin Crowell, Legal Advisor to Chairman Julius Genachowski. Free Press believes the FCC has a valuable role to play in assisting both grantees and the NTIA in evaluating whether the unserved and underserved thresholds have been met, especially in providing an index of data at the Census Tract level. Free Press suggests that the FCC immediately explore the feasibility of quickly publishing the raw subscriber counts for all Census Tracts. This information should at a minimum include for each Tract the total number of residential lines, excluding mobile wireless lines, which are classified by the Commission as "Broadband Tier 1 lines."
http://benton.org/node/26366
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CALL FOR REVIEWERS FOR BROADBAND TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM
[SOURCE: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, AUTHOR: ]
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is soliciting volunteers to serve as panelists to evaluate grant proposals for the $4.7 billion Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), an important part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. NTIA is accepting applications for its first round of BTOP grants from July 14, 2009 until August 14, 2009, and will conduct panel reviews through at least the end of September, 2009. As a reviewer, your evaluations will be an important factor considered by NTIA in determining whether to award grant funding. To be considered as a reviewer you must have significant expertise and experience in at least one of the following areas: 1) the design, funding, construction, and operation of broadband networks or public computer centers; 2) broadband-related outreach, training, or education; and 3) innovative programs to increase the demand for broadband services. In addition you must agree to comply with Department of Commerce policies on conflict of interest and confidentiality.
http://benton.org/node/26365
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THE MISSOURI PLAN FOR BROADBAND STIMULUS
[SOURCE: TelephonyOnline, AUTHOR: Ed Gubbins]
The Missouri plan to achieve statewide broadband access by 2014, funded with federal stimulus money, may well represent the best model for stimulus applicants to follow to improve their odds of winning. The fact that at least one award must be given to each state puts state governments in a unique position — plus, federal administrators will be working with states on broadband mapping efforts. Each state would do well to start with a focus on universal (or near-universal) coverage in some form and then build a public/private coalition that can collectively achieve that goal. One of the benefits of the approach is critical mass. If a state government is building a coalition for a broadband stimulus bid, why would a city in that state — or a small independent operator — submit its own application and risk losing to the state? Seems like a safer bet to just join the state coalition and have everyone throw their weight behind that. The problem with this approach, of course, has been obvious since the NTIA first encouraged applicants to partner up for a better chance at winning: Too many chefs in the kitchen can spoil a pot, and chefs are a lot more competent than politicians. Multi-city broadband initiatives have been hard to pull off, in large part because it's so hard to reach consensus.
http://benton.org/node/26364
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OWNERSHIP
CONSUMERS COULD PAY FOR GOOGLE'S POWER
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: David Lazarus]
[Commentary] At first glance, Google's latest plan for global domination sounds very cool. Everyone's favorite pedal-to-the-metal, innovate-or-die tech company is throwing its Mensa-level brainpower behind the development of a computer operating system to rival Microsoft's Windows. But that's why you want to be worried. "They have so much market power, you've got to be concerned that they'll use that power in a way others can't compete with," said Gary Reback, a Silicon Valley antitrust lawyer best known for spearheading opposition to Microsoft Corp.'s once-market-dominating practices. Lazarus gets nervous whenever a big company controls hefty portions of any particular market, even when its success rests largely on building better mousetraps. And he gets extra nervous whenever a company controls huge volumes of customer data, which it can leverage for commercial gain without a second thought about people's privacy. And I get extra, extra nervous when I think about how competition can be stifled because a company is so dominant, it enjoys market power that not only makes it hard for rivals to put up a fight but also prevents fresh-faced upstarts from gaining a toehold.
http://benton.org/node/26372
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GOOGLE OPERATING SYSTEM RAISES APPLE ANTITRUST ISSUES
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Brad Stone]
As Google prepares to unveil its own operating system, based on its Chrome browser, all eyes are on its intensifying competition with the software giant Microsoft. But Google's announcement on Tuesday also complicates its relationship with Apple, a longtime ally. Regulators at the Federal Trade Commission have been investigating whether Google and Apple are violating antitrust laws by sharing two board members: Eric E. Schmidt, chief executive of Google, and Arthur D. Levinson, chief executive of Genentech. Under Section 8 of the Clayton Antitrust Act, companies with "interlocking directorates" face limits on sharing information through common board members. Google's new operating system, which the Internet search giant said could ship in the low-cost computers called netbooks by next year, is likely to create more questions for regulators looking into Google's relationship with Apple. "The circle of sensitive competitive information between Apple and Google seems to be widening," said Andrew I. Gavil, an antitrust specialist and a professor at Howard University School of Law. "The more you have potential overlap in products and marketing strategy, the more the FTC might get concerned about a violation of Section 8."
http://benton.org/node/26371
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VERIZON FILES PROGRAM ACCESS COMPLAINT AGAINST CABLEVISION
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Verizon has filed a program access complaint with the Federal Communications Commission against Cablevision, saying that the cable operator should be compelled to sell high-definition, digital programming from its Madison Square Garden Network to the telco and its FiOS multichannel video service. Verizon says the company has "intentionally and unlawfully" refused to make that unique programming available. The unique programming it is focused on includes the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabers. Verizon says that Cablevision has told analysts that its own carriage of the programming in HD is a competitive advantage.
http://benton.org/node/26361
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SOME TV STATIONS REFUSE TO AIR MARIJUANA-TAX ADVERTISEMENT
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Eric Bailey, Catherine Saillant]
Advocates for legalizing marijuana have released a new television advertisement calling for the drug to be decriminalized and taxed to help solve California's budget crunch. But the controversial topic of pot and taxes has proven too hot for several broadcast affiliates to handle, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, the national pro-pot group that is sponsoring the ad campaign.
http://benton.org/node/26370
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