A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit threw out an antitrust verdict against Qualcomm, overturning a ruling that had threatened the chip maker’s business model. The panel reversed a 2019 ruling by District Court Judge Lucy Koh, who found that Qualcomm had abused its monopoly position in wireless chips and overcharged mobile phone makers for its patents.
House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chair Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) voiced concern that Facebook’s new Oversight Board does not have the power it needs to change Facebook’s harmful policies. In letters to the 20 Board Members, the three Committee leaders encouraged the newly appointed members to exert pressure on Facebook to listen to and act upon their policy recommendations, something that is not currently included in the Board Members’ overall responsibilities.
Associate Professor Colin Rhinesmith’s research on broadband access, wireless hotspot lending, and digital equity has new relevance and importance in light of the pandemic. “The most relevant work I’ve done is around the cost of broadband internet access,” says Rhinesmith.
The Consumer Advisory Committee will receive briefings from FCC staff on recent Commission activities and will discuss upcoming developments of interest to consumers. The Committee will hold this upcoming meeting remotely via live Internet link.
In 2016, the Federal Communications Commission issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NAL) to BellSouth Telecommunications (d/b/a AT&T Southeast) for apparently failing to charge two Florida school districts the lowest corresponding price for telecommunications services it provided under the E-Rate program.
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