1. Monthly archive
  2. June 2018

June 2018

How The FCC Will Make It Harder For Domestic Violence Survivors To Get Help

When the National Network to End Domestic Violence polled nearly 300 domestic violence prevention programs, it found that 77 percent of domestic violence prevention programs distributed phones. These phones included devices from a program run by the Federal Communications Commission: Lifeline. But the FCC has proposed dramatically cutting the Lifeline program. It has announced plans to gut the service for 70 percent of current users. To justify these cuts, the agency says that because some phone companies abused the program by enrolling ineligible consumers, the program doesn’t work.

The Case Against the Net Neutrality CRA

Network neutrality skeptics sought to sound the alarm during a TechFreedom Hill briefing on the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to undo the Federal Communications Commission’s repeal of Obama-era open internet rules. The measure passed the Senate on a 52-47 vote, but still needs 218 backers to force a vote in the House.

Starks, Carr Set for Senate Pairing

The Senate Commerce Committee is looking to schedule a nomination hearing for Federal Communications Commission nominee Geoffrey Starks “as soon as we can,” pending paperwork, said Chairman John Thune (R-SD). The White House sent the nomination to the Senate on June 4, and Chairman Thune said he wants to pair Starks’ nomination with that of FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr to a second term. Packaging Republican and Democratic nominees together typically smooths their path through the Senate. “Hopefully we’ll be able to pair them and get a vote,” Chairman Thune said.

FCC's Former-CIO Responds to DDoS Attack Claims

A response to FCC Emails Show Agency Spread Lies to Bolster Dubious DDoS Attack Claims.

Crown Castle Suggests FCC Use Preemption Authority to Remove Barriers to Broadband Deployment

Crown Castle filed a letter on June 1, 2018, attaching a railroad crossing memorandum in support of its request for the Federal Communications Commission to exercise its section 253 authority and preempt state and local laws that allow railroads to act as gatekeepers to the rights-of-way (ROW).

Can Facebook Be Cut Down to Size?

When the government broke up the telephone system in 1984, the fact that AT&T could count most citizens as customers and that it was arguably the best-run telephone company in the world was not deemed compelling enough to preserve its monopoly power. The breakup would unleash a wave of competition and innovation that ultimately benefited consumers and the economy. Facebook seems to be in a similar position today — only with far greater global reach than Ma Bell could have imagined. It is the most powerful communications and media company in the world. And that power is being abused.

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