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US internet security experts think there is only a slim chance that important cybersecurity legislation will emerge from Congress this year, despite continuing attacks and approval of a controversial bill by the House of Representatives late last week.
The Republican-controlled House approved the Cyber Intelligence and Protection Act (CISPA), but although the bill passed the House with bipartisan support, it is likely to face tougher scrutiny in the Democrat-controlled Senate, where opponents, concerned that it might be used to spy on US citizens, are gearing up for a protracted fight. “The prospects for cybersecurity [legislation] this term are fairly poor because the question of legislation on cyber has become a subset of the political situation on the Hill which exists not just for cyber but for most initiatives,” said Sam Visner, a former chief of intelligence programs at the National Security Agency, who now overseas cyber strategy for CSC, an IT consultancy.
Prospects poor for US cybersecurity bill
Jurors began deliberating in the crucial first phase of a high-stakes trial over Google's Android mobile software, after attorneys traded final arguments over Oracle's claim that Android violates valuable copyrights for the Java programming system.
Google executives "knew they needed a license" to use key elements of the Java system, but they didn't get one, Oracle attorney Michael Jacobs told jurors in U.S. District Court. Instead, he said, Google took shortcuts and piggybacked on Java's popularity. "They put it in Android because it suited them, to get to market faster," he said. But Google attorney Robert Van Nest contended Android is a "transformative product" that Google engineers created "from scratch, using their own ingenuity and open-source products," including parts of the Java platform that were available in the public domain.
Google, Oracle attorneys wrap up first part of trial
Public interest groups were quick to jump on reports that Hulu was going start requiring a cable TV subscription to access its content (the cable industry's "authentication" model for putting its programming online), though they differed over what that move meant.
Free Press said it called into question whether Comcast was living up to its NBCU deal conditions (NBC is a co-owner of Hulu), and asked for an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice, which approved the Comcast/NBCU deal. By contrast, Public Knowledge apparently did not think moving the content behind a pay wall violated any of the deal conditions. In fact, it said the FCC specifically did not adopt such a condition, even though it was recommended by some. Comcast says it has no role in Hulu management decisions, which was a condition in the deal.
Public Interest Groups Hammer Comcast Over Reports of Hulu's Change in Streaming Model
For the first time ever – and as a result of tens of millions in savings from reform of its Lifeline program – the Federal Communications Commission is launching a competition to discover the best ways to increase broadband adoption rates among low-income Americans.
The competition is funded by the newly created “Broadband Adoption Lifeline Pilot Program.” It builds on the Connect to Compete initiative, a public-private partnership aimed at helping to close the broadband adoption gap that was launched by the Commission last year. This competition uses $25 million in savings from major reforms earlier this year of the Lifeline program to launch pilot projects across the country to test best practices around issues of cost, digital literacy and relevancy.
A Public Notice announces criteria for the competition and a deadline of July 2, 2012 for applications. Winners will begin their year-long projects in the fall of this year.
The Pilot will gather high-quality data that will guide long-term efforts to increase broadband adoption among low-income Americans. Applicants must be telecommunications carriers eligible to participate in Lifeline. But they are encouraged to partner with existing broadband adoption programs as well as schools, libraries, state and local governments, non-profits and others. The winners will reflect a diversity of geographic areas (rural, urban), technologies (fixed, mobile), and service plans. At least one project will explore providing support on Tribal lands.
FCC Launches Competition To Identify The Best Ways To Increase Broadband Adoption Among Low-Income Americans Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Application Procedures and Deadline for Applications to Participate in the Broadband Adoption Lifeline Pilot Program (Application Process) Statement (Chairman Genachowski) FCC focuses on low-income broadband; LightSquared (WashPost) FCC Launches Low-Income Broadband Adoption Competition (B&C)
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski named Renee Wentzel Legal Advisor to the Chairman and Charles Mathias Special Counsel to the Chairman.
In her role, Wentzel will have particular responsibility for wireless and engineering and technology issues, including removing barriers to mobile broadband deployment and unlicensed spectrum policy. She will begin May 7.
Mathias, currently Acting Legal Advisor, will have responsibility for public safety and homeland security issues, as well as for certain spectrum policy issues. He will also lead a team on government reform to develop and implement procedural and regulatory reforms to further innovation in government, extending the work previously led by Ruth Milkman, who will continue to serve as Special Counsel to the Chairman and Co-Lead of the Incentive Auction Task Force.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski Names Renee Wentzel Legal Advisor And Charles Mathias Special Counsel
Six new regions are getting the Verizon-Comcast treatment.
The wireless operator and the cable provider revealed today they’re selling their cross-network bundle of mobile and broadband services in and around Atlanta; Chicago; Kansas City, Mo.; Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.; Salt Lake City and throughout Colorado. The U.S. Department of Justice may well find that cross-selling pact anticompetitive, but Verizon and its cable partners aren’t stopping until they’re told they have to. As in the case with other such launches, Verizon and its cable partner are offering a Visa prepaid card valued between $50 and $300 for customers that couple Verizon Wireless mobile service with a Comcast residential broadband or TV plan. They’re even adding a little extra incentive in this new round of launches with a “double your data package” promotion, which will combine a 12-month upgrade to Comcast’s 30 Mbps Blast cable modem service with Verizon’s PowerBoost offer, which doubles a smartphone user’s monthly data cap.
Ignoring critics, Verizon, Comcast dive deeper into cross-selling pact
The iPhones, the Androids, the iPads and hot-spots — whatever the device might be, one thing is for sure: the demand for mobile broadband is continuing to grow unabated. Two different reports, one from Akamai and another from Chetan Sharma show that we are using more mobile data in more places, and this is going to keep changing how we live, work, create and consume.
Mobile data is growing, but voice & sms slowing
The conventional wisdom holds that the 2012 campaign will set records for TV spending. But that’s not how things have gone so far, says Wells Fargo Securities analyst Marci Rivicker — who follows political ads closer than just about anybody on Wall Street.
Campaigns have spent $275.5M on TV ads through April 15; nearly 66% went directly to broadcast stations while the rest went to national TV and cable. But spending and fundraising through February was 20% below the average in presidential year campaigns from 2000 through 2008. The large number of GOP presidential debates “dampened the need for advertising,” Ryvicker says, adding that there wasn’t “a clear path to the Republican nomination.” But spending in March was 12% over the average for the month in the previous cycles. That leaves Ryvicker unsure of whether 2012 political TV spending will come in ahead or behind her forecast of $2.7 billion.
Political TV Ad Spending Picking Up After A Slow Start: Analyst
Mobile technology is opening new channels for remotely monitoring family members and others who need to be tracked.
Several companies, including medical device manufacturer Boston Scientific, have struck deals with major wireless carriers to support a new generation of products that incorporate sensors, accelerometers, GPS and technologies that use cell towers to help triangulate positions and locate people. ABI Research, a research firm, estimates the market for GPS personal tracking devices will grow 40% or more annually and exceed $1 billion by 2017. Family members use them to track toddlers or parents with Alzheimer's. And doctors and military medics have adopted the technology to remotely track the health conditions — EKG readings, body temperature, heart rate, and stress or dehydration levels — of recently released patients or soldiers on dangerous assignments.
Wearable devices track people via wireless network
While the U.S. mobile industry is thriving, its annual trade show has struggled to stand out.
Coming on the heels of both January’s Consumer Electronics Show and February’s Mobile World Congress, the CTIA event in March had become something of a rehash of products announced at those earlier events. In response, the show’s producers have pushed this year’s event back to May, a move aimed at creating some separation from the other conferences. This year’s event takes place next week in New Orleans, at the end of that city’s popular jazz festival. By changing the timing, CTIA is also hoping that some companies may be ready to announce products due to ship by the back-to-school shopping season.
CTIA Boss Steve Largent Aims To Keep Conference From Being Lost in the Shuffle