June 2014

Ironically, Chattanooga is both the poster child for the benefits of community broadband networks, and also a prime example of the efforts to restrict them.

Tennessee is one of many states that have placed limits on the deployment of community networks. Tennessee’s law is restricting Chattanooga from expanding its network’s footprint, inhibiting further growth. The mayor told me how adjoining communities have asked to join the network, but cannot also be served by a simple extension of the broadband network because of the state law. In some of these communities, there is no available broadband service whatsoever. Commercial broadband providers can pick and choose who to serve based on whether there is an economic case for it. On the other hand, Mayor Berke told me that Chattanooga believes that it has a duty to ensure that all of its citizens have affordable broadband Internet access.

I understand that, like any venture, community broadband there hasn’t always been a success. But a review of the record shows far more successes than failures. If the people, acting through their elected local governments, want to pursue competitive community broadband, they shouldn’t be stopped by state laws promoted by cable and telephone companies that don’t want that competition. I believe that it is in the best interests of consumers and competition that the FCC exercises its power to preempt state laws that ban or restrict competition from community broadband. Given the opportunity, we will do so. Removing restrictions on community broadband can expand high-speed Internet access in underserved areas, spurring economic growth and improvements in government services, while enhancing competition. Giving the citizens of Chattanooga and leaders like Mayor Berke the power to make these decisions for themselves is not only the right thing to do; it’s the smart thing to do.

Both Twitter and Facebook hope to kick up usage a few notches by appealing to fans of the world’s biggest sporting event, the World Cup.

Twitter launched a #WorldCup and #WorldCup2014 timeline that compiles tweets about the big soccer tournament from people you follow, teams, players, coaches, reporters and fans. There’s also a new match timeline that focuses on specific matches, keeping track on goals, saves and fouls.

Meanwhile, Facebook has also launched its own Trending World Cup page, which includes relevant posts, scores, highlights and links to team pages. There’s also an interactive map showing where the fans of top World Cup players live.

In one of the most stunning primary election upsets in congressional history, the House majority leader, Eric Cantor (R-VA), was soundly defeated by a Tea Party-backed economics professor who had hammered him for being insufficiently conservative.

The result delivered a major jolt to the Republican Party -- Rep Cantor had widely been considered the top candidate to succeed Speaker John Boehner -- and it has the potential to change both the debate in Washington on immigration and, possibly, the midterm elections. With just over $200,000, David Brat, a professor at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland (VA), toppled Rep Cantor, repeatedly criticizing him for being soft on immigration and contending that he supported what critics call amnesty for immigrants in the country illegally.

A European effort to streamline communications between pilots and air-traffic controllers is creating confusion and safety threats, according to the European Aviation Safety Agency, the region's aviation regulator.

Nagging problems with the $1.3-billion initiative -- intended to replace voice communication with text messaging -- have broad international implications. The same type of electronic data-link systems also are essential components of future air-traffic control upgrades planned for the US and other regions.