All 50 States Choose FirstNet Public-Private Partnership for Public Safety Broadband Network
The US Department of Commerce and the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) announced that all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands have accepted FirstNet and AT&T’s proposals to design and build a broadband network for the public safety community. Guam, the Pacific Territories of American Samoa, and the Mariana Islands have until March 12, 2018, to make their decision. “With all 50 states and several territories participating in FirstNet, we have a clear path to delivering a truly nationwide broadband network for first responders,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “We are now one step closer to delivering on a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission, and I commend the governors and leaders of these states and territories for demonstrating their commitment the safety of all Americans.”
Verizon Continues to Pitch Public Safety Net (Broadcasting&Cable)
Supporting America’s Communities Impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria (US Department of Commerce)
Can net neutrality be a potent political issue for Democrats?
Democrats see an opportunity to capitalize on the massive backlash to the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to repeal its network neutrality rules. The question is whether the outrage on Reddit forums can translate into votes for Democratic candidates next fall given the fact that younger people engaged on the issue are often the least reliable voters — particularly in midterm elections. Raffi Krikorian, the Democratic National Committee’s chief technology officer, said that the massive outcry has been a subject of discussion among senior Democratic officials. He said he didn’t need to convince DNC officials of the weight that net neutrality might hold with voters. And Democratic operatives say that while it’s still early in the cycle, they see promise in how younger voters have been moved by the issue. “Net Neutrality has the potential to motivate young and progressive voters to turn out, and we certainly welcome their support, as well as all privacy- and liberty-loving Americans who recognize that the Republican Party has abandoned these fundamental values,” said Tyler Law, a spokesman for the Democrats’ House campaign wing.
Net neutrality complaints rise amid FCC repeal
Internet users are complaining more about net neutrality-related issues since the Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal the existing net neutrality rules in December, according to the FCC's consumer complaint data. As of Dec 23, consumers filed 2,388 in December, a sharp increase over the 157 complaints filed in October. The FCC voted to reverse the net neutrality rules on Dec. 14.
We're Suing the FCC. Here's How It Works.
How soon can you win a legal victory and end this nightmare? The soonest Free Press can file in court is after the order is published, either by the Federal Communications Commission itself or in that Federal Register. (There are some complicated timing rules that can apply differently to different parts of the FCC’s vote, so that’s why there’s some flexibility.) Once that publication happens, we’ll file within 10 days — a timeframe set for making a first appearance and starting the process to determine which federal appeals court will hear the case. Wherever and whenever we go, this first filing will just be an initial declaration of our intent to seek a review of the FCC’s actions in that appeals court. There are likely to be several challenges, or maybe even several dozen, and they could be filed in different courts.
Proposed FCC Rules Could Threaten Local Broadband Competition
Localities could see their internet options limited by proposed Federal Communications Commission rules that would increase priority access license areas and lengths for the 3.5 GHz “innovation” band.
In 2015, the FCC established a new framework for sharing the underutilized wireless spectrum, called the Citizens Broadband Radio Service, which created three tiers: incumbent access, priority access, and general authorized access. Incumbents like naval radar, fixed-satellite service and wireless internet service providers previously operating in the band would be protected from harmful interference by other users. The rest would bid on Priority Access Licenses (PALs) for service areas known as “census tracts,” the size of small cities or towns, or else try their luck in the unlicensed portion of the spectrum.
Charter promises Internet service to family—then says it’ll cost $16,000
When Chad Pierce and his family bought a new house this year, they made sure of one thing: that getting Internet service wouldn't be a problem. But, Internet service wasn't readily available—and Charter wouldn't extend its network to the house unless the Pierce family paid $16,000 to cover most of the company's construction costs. The house is about 550 feet from the road, Pierce said. "Needless to say, we were pretty devastated," Pierce said.
President Trump retweets image depicting ‘CNN’ squashed beneath his shoe
President Donald Trump on Christmas Eve retweeted a doctored image with the CNN logo imposed on a bloodlike splatter under his shoe, prompting an outcry — with critics deeming the picture and its timing offensive. “So many things accomplished by the Trump Administration, perhaps more than any other President in first year,” President Trump had tweeted Dec 24. “Sadly, will never be reported correctly by the Fake News Media!” “Thank you President TRUMP!!" oregon4TRUMP replied, adding an apparently altered image of Trump in the back of a car with the crushed CNN logo on the sole of his left shoe. The image had additional text superimposed on it that read, "WINNING." On Dec 25, in between tweets promoting a conspiracy theory about FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and attacking "Fake News" and "Fake Polls," President Trump retweeted the image to his more than 45 million followers.
Media Matters: The Trump administration’s 2017 war on the press, by the numbers (Media Matters for America)
Rupert Murdoch and President Trump: A Friendship of Convenience
For decades, Rupert Murdoch has used his media properties to establish a direct line to Australian and British leaders. But in the 44 years since he bought his first newspaper in the United States, he has largely failed to cultivate close ties to an American president. Until now. Murdoch and President Donald Trump — both forged in New York’s tabloid culture, one as the owner of The New York Post, the other as its perfect subject — have traveled in the same circles since the 1970s, but they did not become close until recently, when their interests began to align more than ever before.
AT&T-Time Warner Extend Breakup Date
AT&T and Time Warner have agreed to move the breakup date for their proposed merger until Jun. 21, 2018. Each would have been able to terminate the deal if it had not closed by Apr. 22, 2018, but the Justice Department suit to block the deal does not begin until March 15, which would have been cutting it too close. AT&T and Time Warner informed the Securities and Exchange Commission of the change Dec. 21.
Holiday Handouts: How the FCC Gave Gifts to Sinclair and Lumps of Coal for Consumers
At the end of the day, each action the Federal Communications Commission took described below has furthered Sinclair’s efforts to merge with Tribune at the expense of consumers.
Gift 1: Creating the Landscape for Sinclair to Merge by Reinstating the UHF Discount
Gift 2: Feeding Into Sinclair’s Business Model by Eliminating the Main Studio Rule
Gift 3: Sweeping Away Legal Problems With the Merger by Relaxing Media Ownership Rules
Gift 4: Giving Sinclair Benefits in the ATSC 3.0 Transition
Gift 5: Proposing to Eliminate the National Ownership Cap
Stocking Stuffer: A Slap-on-the-Wrist Fine for Failing to Disclose Sponsored Programming
Five regulatory fights facing tech in 2018
Here are five fights the tech world will be watching closely in 2018:
- Net neutrality
- Election transparency
- AT&T-Time Warner merger
- Cryptocurrency
- Sex-trafficking
FCC Settles Five Lifeline Improper Payment Investigations
The Federal Communications Commission announced it has settled its investigations of five providers that received improper payments from the Lifeline program. Noting that the companies have already repaid the program for improper payments, the FCC found that the public interest would be served by adopting the Consent Decrees, which resolve the Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeitures issued to the companies. As part of each settlement, the companies have agreed to make additional payments to the U.S. Treasury, and to implement compliance plans to ensure future adherence to program rules. FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said, "I am forced to also register a dissent in these cases, because while I believe the Commission should have taken strong and decisive action, the Enforcement Bureau under this Chairman continues to show bias. It essentially gives hall passes to large, well-known corporations when wrongdoing is found, while it fines little-known small businesses and individuals substantial sums of money for harms which are often substantially narrower."
Kremlin trolls burned across the Internet as Washington debated options
US intelligence and law enforcement agencies saw some warning signs of Russian meddling in Europe and later in the United States but never fully grasped the breadth of the Kremlin’s ambitions. Top US policymakers didn’t appreciate the dangers, then scrambled to draw up options to fight back. In the end, big plans died of internal disagreement, a fear of making matters worse or a misguided belief in the resilience of American society and its democratic institutions. One previously unreported order — a sweeping presidential finding to combat global cyberthreats — prompted US spy agencies to plan a half-dozen specific operations to counter the Russian threat. But one year after those instructions were given, the Trump White House remains divided over whether to act, intelligence officials said. The miscalculations and bureaucratic inertia that left the United States vulnerable to Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election trace back to decisions made at the end of the Cold War, when senior policymakers assumed Moscow would be a partner and largely pulled the United States out of information warfare.
Duped by Russian disinformation campaign? Facebook says this tool will tell you (USAToday)
Congress passes bill to make government websites mobile-phone friendly
Both chambers of Congress have passed a bill, the Connected Government Act, that will mandate federal websites to be mobile friendly, an effort to ensure people will be able to access the websites and the services made available through them on mobile phones. “As mobile devices continue to surpass desktop use for accessing the internet, it is important that the federal government is up to speed with the latest technology that allows our people and economy to thrive,” said Sen Maggie Hassan (D-NH).
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Benton (www.benton.org) provides the only free, reliable, and non-partisan daily digest that curates and distributes news related to universal broadband, while connecting communications, democracy, and public interest issues. Posted Monday through Friday, this service provides updates on important industry developments, policy issues, and other related news events. While the summaries are factually accurate, their sometimes informal tone may not always represent the tone of the original articles. Headlines are compiled by Kevin Taglang (headlines AT benton DOT org) and Robbie McBeath (rmcbeath AT benton DOT org) -- we welcome your comments.
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