September 2011

First-responders lobby supercommittee for wireless network

Public safety advocates are lobbying members of the congressional "supercommittee" on deficit reduction to include a nationwide broadband network for first responders in the plan it will send to Congress.

Members of the Public Safety Alliance met with Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Reps. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jim Clyburn (D-SC) and Dave Camp (R-MI), all members of the supercommittee. They also met with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). The 9/11 Commission Report identified communication breakdowns as a critical problem that hampered first-responders. “Congress should act on one of the final outstanding recommendations of the 9/11 Commission to give every first responder and citizen the comfort of an interoperable nationwide broadband network that is critical to saving lives during emergencies, from every day incidents to disasters and terrorist attack,” said Dick Mirgon, spokesman for the Public Safety Alliance. The proposed network would allow agencies from different jurisdictions to communicate during emergencies and would allow first responders to transmit video and data in real-time.

USDA Announces Funding to Improve 911 and Emergency Communications Services in Rural America

The Department of Agriculture announced changes in federal regulations that will help rural communities obtain advanced emergency communications services, including 911 access to better respond to emergencies and disasters.

These changes will help rural communities obtain next generation 911 services necessary to maintain the security and safety of rural residents and businesses. USDA published in the Federal Register interim telecommunications loan program eligibility requirements on financing the construction of interoperable, integrated public safety communications networks in rural areas. Funding for the program will be provided by USDA Rural Development through the Rural Utilities Service (RUS). The new eligibility criteria would allow USDA to leverage public and private resources to speed the rural deployment of dual-use public safety/commercial wireless networks, address homeland security communications needs along America's rural international borders, and finance enhanced 911 capabilities for carriers and communities. Advantages include the ability to precisely locate rural wireless 911 calls, contact 911 via text message, or send emergency responders photos or videos of crime scenes or accidents. The new regulation would also give RUS ability to finance wireless upgrades for public safety and security.

Gerstell Tapped for National Infrastructure Advisory Commission

President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint Glenn Gerstell to be a member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Commission.

Gerstell is the Managing Partner of the Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP Washington (DC) office. He also heads the firm’s global communications practice and has been active in the firm’s international infrastructure financing for over 30 years. A partner since 1985, he previously served as the Managing Partner in the firm’s Hong Kong office (1989-1996) and Singapore office (1988-1989). He began his career with the firm in the New York office in 1976. Mr. Gerstell served as the Board Chair of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority from 2001 to 2007. He holds a B.A. from New York University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.

The National Infrastructure Advisory Commission provides the President through the Secretary of Homeland Security with advice on the security of the critical infrastructure sectors and their information systems.

On 9/11, the Seeds of the Infinite Grapevine

In the last several years, major events in Mumbai, Iran and across the Middle East have shown that technical tools that allow people to share their experiences in real time play a real role in deepening our understanding of these events, and can change the course of the events themselves.

Common devices and services, like Twitter and smartphones, make it possible to get a true sense of what is happening in chaotic events where dozens of people are giving the world their confused versions of events in real time. “If you see 30 or 40 people describing what was happening it almost becomes a form of situational awareness, like you’re floating above it in a helicopter,” said Andy Carvin, a strategist for social media at National Public Radio who has been active in following the Arab Spring.

The 9/11 attack was one of the last major world events that wouldn't be accompanied by this torrent of online communications. But while the experience of 9/11 would have been very different had it happened after the development of our current create-while-consuming media ethos, the seeds of change were clearly visible 10 years ago.

AT&T Responds to Justice Dept.’s Lawsuit Over T-Mobile Deal

AT&T filed its response to the Department of Justice’s lawsuit seeking to block the telecommunications giant’s $39 billion takeover of T-Mobile USA.

In its response, filed in the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, AT&T denied most of the Justice Department’s allegations, chiefly that the proposed merger would severely clamp down on cellphone service competition and harm consumers. As expected, AT&T argued that combining with T-Mobile would give it the spectrum it needs to expand its next-generation wireless network. It also contended that the Justice Department overlooked other sources of competition in the cellphone service industry, including regional companies like US Cellular and smaller national players like MetroPCS. AT&T also said that T-Mobile was a fading competitor that was losing subscribers, and that its corporate parent, Deutsche Telekom, was unwilling to continue investing in the United States.

House members want briefings on AT&T/T-Mobile lawsuit

The leadership of the House Commerce Committee wrote to the Justice Department and Federal Communications Commission requesting a briefing on DOJ's decision to file a lawsuit to block AT&T's proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA.

Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), telecommunication subcommittee chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) point to the nation's unemployment rate and ask Attorney General Eric Holder and FCC chairman Julius Genachowski to what extent job creation and economic growth factor into their reviews of the merger. "We want to know what the DOJ's specific concerns are and how these concerns relate to the impact on jobs and economic growth." The lawmakers also ask whether the agencies are considering imposing conditions on the transaction such as divestitures or commitments to maintain pricing levels. The lawmakers request a bipartisan briefing in the next two weeks.

AT&T Brings Out Its Dead -- T-Mobile

[Commentary] T-Mobile is a good asset. Should it decide to keep T-Mobile, Deutsche Telekom still has a bright future here in a competitive, but large market, where it can carve out a good nice niche for itself and make some money while having an affect on the wireless landscape. Should DT decide to sell, there are other buyers whose purchase would not result in a consolidation of the wireless market into a virtual duopoly of about 80% for AT&T and Verizon. DT might not make as much money off of a sale to a cable company (or combination of cable companies), CenturyLink or other possible suitor, but the price would be higher than zero, which is what it is likely to get from the non-sale to AT&T. On the other hand, it will receive a substantial boost from the break-up fees due if the deal tanks. The $3 billion in cash and $3 billion in spectrum will help the company improve its network. That $3 billion is equal to one year's capital expenditures and the additional spectrum will of course be helpful as well.

AT&T simply wants to eliminate a competitor and consolidate its hold on the wireless market. When that falls apart the company will move on to the next thing.

A Job-and-Pony Sideshow on the ATT/T-Mobile Merger

[Commentary] Just before the Justice Department announced that it was suing to block AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile, AT&T promised regulators that it would bring 5,000 call center jobs back into the country, if only the merger were approved.

Amazon, facing the prospect of paying sales tax in California, promised it would bring 7,000 jobs if only they didn't have to pay those taxes. But the real question for a politician isn't whether or not we want more jobs (hint: we do); it’s whether or not those promises will actually materialize. Once the desired concession is gained, how would the now-distracted child (Candy! Scary dog! Passing firetruck!) or Congressman (Budget vote! Intern scandal! Reelection campaign!) actually enforce the promise? And how realistic is that promise in the first place?

IIA Says AT&T–T-Mobile Serves President's Jobs Plan

The Internet Innovation Alliance said that President Barack Obama's just-announced jobs plan argues for allowing AT&T to merge with T-Mobile as a short-term solution to faster advanced wireless deployment, given the 8-10 years it is estimated for the government to reclaim spectrum from broadcasters. IIA was not suggesting the deal was an alternative to the auctions, but that, at least in the short term, it was a faster way to get wireless broadband to the 55 million more Americans AT&T has said it could reach than it had planned to do without the deal. Broderick Johnson, senior advisor to the IIA, also pointed to AT&T promises to invest $8 billion to enhance its network and create jobs and repatriate overseas jobs as arguments the deal dovetails with the President's goal of spurring job creation and the economy, as well as the specific goal of advanced wireless deployment to the unserved.

Rep Waxman Urges Action on Wireless Proposals in American Jobs Act

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) called on House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI). to act quickly on the communications and energy proposals in President Barack Obama's just-announced American Jobs Act that are within the committee's jurisdiction. Chairman Upton is also a member of the bipartisan deficit reduction committee the President has called on to find the money to pay for that jobs plan. Incentive auction legislation is expected to be part of that legislation.

Benton

Search