September 2013

For researchers, useful datasets and potential questions

The Federal Communications Commission publishes a large amount of information and data, much of it potentially useful for research projects. However, the FCC’s information is organized in ways that facilitate rulemakings, not research; and for those not directly involved in rulemakings, it can be difficult to find the most useful resources, even though the information is public. To help researchers, the FCC is releasing a list of questions that we hope will pique the interest of researchers in the US and around the world, along with some tips as to where the public data already exist.

The list includes:
1) Public datasets that could be used by researchers, such as

Broadcasting ownership data
International traffic data
Broadband performance data
Consumer complaints

2) Public information that could be used to build a dataset, such as 911 calls
Consumer lookup tools

3) Research questions touching on issues such as

Interpreting broadband service quality and performance
Network configuration options for schools
Price elasticity studies for international calls
IP-to-IP international calling
Cloud computing

FCC Announces Opening Of Filing Window For 2013 Biennial Ownership Reports

The Federal Communications Commission’s Media Bureau reminds all commercial broadcast licensees of their obligation to file a 2013 biennial ownership report. The filing window for the 2013 biennial Ownership Report for Commercial Broadcast Stations opens on October 1, 2013 and closes on December 2, 2013. All commercial AM, FM, TV, LPTV, and Class A stations, as well as all entities with attributable interests in such stations, are required to file a Form 323 on or before December 2, 2013. Filings must include information reflecting ownership interests existing as of October 1, 2013. The form must be filed using the FCC’s CDBS database. Paper submissions will not be accepted.

Improving the Resiliency of Mobile Wireless Communications Networks/Reliability and Continuity of Communications Networks

In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), the Federal Communications Commission considers measures to promote transparency to consumers as to how mobile wireless service providers compare in keeping their networks operational in emergencies, which could in turn encourage competition to improve the resiliency of mobile wireless communications networks during emergencies. Specifically, the FCC seeks comment on a proposal to require facilities-based Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers to submit to the FCC for public disclosure, on a daily basis during and immediately after major disasters, the percentage of cell sites within their networks that are providing CMRS. These disclosures would be made with respect to each county in the designated disaster area.

The FCC seeks comment on whether public disclosure of this information, which can be derived from information many providers already report to the FCC voluntarily, could provide consumers with a reasonable “yardstick” for measuring how well mobile wireless networks maintain service during disasters. The FCC also seeks comment on whether other measures of service outages may be appropriate, and on certain other approaches to resiliency. In particular, the FCC seeks comment on the following issues:

Whether the proposed reporting and disclosures would provide consumers with useful information for making comparisons about mobile wireless products and services;
Whether such disclosures, by holding providers publicly accountable, could incentivize improvements to network resiliency while allowing providers flexibility in implementing such improvements;
Whether such information would be useful to policymakers at state and local levels;
Whether the proposed disclosures comport with “smart disclosure” principles;
Whether the proposed disclosure would lead to adverse unintended consequences for consumers and mobile wireless providers;
Whether the FCC should consider other measures, including alternative informational disclosures, performance standards or voluntary measures, or refer issues of what information would be helpful to consumers to an advisory committee before acting.

Library of Congress and FTC will take their sites offline if government shuts down

With the possibility of an American federal government shutdown looming, at least some government websites are going dark, including the Library of Congress and the National Park Service.

Gayle Osterberg, director of communications for the Library of Congress, explained that “funds to operate websites in general are not available" and later added that "visitors to the site or those who follow a link to an internal page from a search engine result, for example, would see a simple splash page explaining the current status of the federal government." “Many of the services offered through our websites, such as reference services and cataloging queries, require staffing,” Osterberg said. “Those activities and corresponding expenditures are not allowed in the event of a shutdown.”

FCC Details Shut-Down Skeleton Crew

The Federal Communications Commission issued its plan for an orderly shut-down.

“Consumer complaint and inquiry phone lines cannot be answered; consumer protection and local competition enforcement must cease; licensing services, including broadcast, wireless, and wireline, must cease; management of radio spectrum and the creation of new opportunities for competitive technologies and services for the American public must be suspended; and equipment authorizations, including those bringing new electronic devices to American consumers, cannot be provided.”

GAO: Fifty Percent of Feds aren’t Informed on Cyber Risks

Federal agencies for 15 years have been unable to move cybersecurity off a list of the government's most imperiled programs, with a new audit revealing a declining number of agencies -- half -- do not annually train employees on security.

Perennial weaknesses in government network security endanger national security because of the pervasiveness of the Internet and evermore sophisticated cyber threats, according to a Government Accountability Office report. In fiscal 2012, 12 of the 24 major federal agencies provided annual security awareness training to at least 90 percent of their network users, compared with 22 of 24 agencies the prior year.

These and other “weaknesses show that information security continues to be a major challenge for federal agencies," the audit states. "Until steps are taken to address these persistent challenges, overall progress in improving the nation’s cybersecurity posture is likely to remain limited." The report does not break down findings by agency.

Intel’s James Tapped for National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee

President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Renée J. James to be a member of the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee. James is the President of Intel Corporation, a position she has held since May 2013.

Previously, from 2005 to 2013, Ms. James served in various roles at Intel Corporation, including Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President, Vice President, and Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and General Manager of the Software & Services Group. From 1998 to 2000, she was Chief Operating Officer of Intel Online Services, Intel's datacenter services business. Previously, Ms. James served as Assistant General Manager of Intel Online Services and as Technical Assistant to Intel Chairman. She joined Intel in 1987 as a Product Manager. Ms. James has been a Director on the Vodafone Group Plc Board of Directors since 2011. She was an Independent Director on the VMware Inc. Board of Directors from 2007 to 2013 and a Director of Intel Online Solutions Board of Directors from 1998 to 2000. She received a B.A. and a M.B.A. from the University of Oregon.

How a Net Neutrality Video Used John Hodgman and a Goofy Premise to Go Viral

Net neutrality is not exactly laugh riot, but one filmmaker is drawing attention to the issue by aiming for the funny bone. The result of filmmaker Gena Konstantinakos’ humor-based approach is the 30-minute online mockumentary “The Internet Must Go,” which follows a lobbyist for internet service providers as he tries to make the case for allowing companies to buy greater access to the web. His pitch, that tiered service is really all about providing a faster, cleaner internet experience, is sent up in “Daily Show” fashion. The piece of comedic agitprop is helped from appearances by the likes of humorist and “Daily Show” regular John Hodgman, Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) and political activist Larry Lessig. So far the film has attracted over 200,000 views since launching two weeks ago.

Sacramento watchdog groups to challenge KDND broadcast license

Two Sacramento media watchdog groups said they will challenge the broadcast license renewal of a local radio affiliate held financially responsible for the water intoxication death of a young mother trying to win a video game for her family.

Representatives for the Sacramento Media Group and the Media Action Center announced that they intend to file legal challenges with the Federal Communications Commission before the Nov. 1 deadline to contest the station’s pending eight-year broadcast license renewal. Media Action Center founder Sue Wilson, producer of a 2009 documentary, “Broadcast Blues,” that spotlighted the death, said the groups intend to formally serve papers challenging KDND’s license renewal when FCC commissioners meet on Oct. 22. The group’s efforts were also supported by California Common Cause, which advocates on political transparency and media issues.

Crush the Carriers!

[Commentary] Since it doesn’t cost Verizon anything to let me upgrade my phone—it involves literally no action of any kind on their part—both fairness and marginal cost theory agree that I should be able to upgrade for free. But real businesses don’t care about fairness, and relatively few real businesses operate in the kind of highly competitive markets that introductory textbooks deal with.

You can’t just wake up one morning and decide to start a new nationwide mobile phone operator. And if you did, AT&T and Verizon could just take an 18-month break from being jerks, drive you out of business, and then go back to their old ways. So even if you wanted to build a competitor, nobody would give you the money to do it. You’re just screwed. And in fact, you’re more screwed than you realize. Consumers have been trained to think that benevolent mobile phone operators “subsidize” biannual phone purchases. These subsidies are actually loans offered at a crazy-high interest rate. Now that T-Mobile is offering “unsubsidized” iPhones and cheaper data plans, we can calculate the real price of the subsidy fairly precisely. Given the formidable barriers to competition in this industry, carrier malfeasance is a problem that’s genuinely hard to solve. But if the mobile phone industry is to advance, this is where most of today’s big gains are to be had. Faster processors and better cameras will keep coming, to be sure. But whoever takes the next great leap forward in mobile will have to bring the carriers to heel.

Benton

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