July 2014

It’s Not Just About Privacy

[Commentary] It’s easy to get caught up in the simplistic debate that often dominates the surveillance conversation: that this is about balancing national security and individual privacy. But the binary argument over security vs. privacy ignores the other negative impacts of National Security Agency surveillance on our national interests.

The US cloud computing industry -- a fast-growing and American-dominated market -- could lose anywhere from $22 billion to $180 billion in the next few years as companies lose customers abroad and here at home. US tech companies are facing declines in overseas sales due to the backlash, while foreign governments are blaming the NSA for decisions to drop American companies from huge contracts.

Plus, there’s growing evidence that certain NSA surveillance techniques are actually bad for cybersecurity.

Smartphones Become Next Frontier in Cybersecurity

There is a new frontier in cybersecurity: The computers masquerading as phones in consumers' pockets. Smartphones are constantly connected to the Internet, infrequently updated and are challenging to secure. They're rich targets, recording pictures, names of associates and conversations.

T-Mobile's Legere: We don't need to make a deal to be successful

T-Mobile US said it added 1.47 million total net new subscribers in the second quarter, including 908,000 branded postpaid net adds.

While T-Mobile didn't report quite as many postpaid net adds in the period as Verizon Wireless, it did have more total new subscriber additions and it showed strong growth in phone subscriber additions.

T-Mobile also said it now expects to add between 3 million and 3.5 million branded postpaid net subscribers in 2014, up from its previous estimate between 2.8 million and 3.3 million. T-Mobile has added 2.23 million branded postpaid customers so far.

T-Mobile CEO John Legere concluded: "The company is not in need of doing something [in terms of a deal] to be successful in the short to medium term."

Frontier CEO says she'll beat Google Fiber 'hype' with better prices

You don't need a gig. That's the case Frontier Communications chief executive Maggie Wilderotter is making as Google Fiber readies a charge into the Portland (OR) area, perhaps as soon as 2015.

Frontier, which has had a monopoly on residential fiber in Portland's suburbs since acquiring Verizon's FiOS service in 2010, says Google is pitching something consumers don't understand, and don't need.

Comcast's silly propaganda helped kill municipal broadband projects

A little more than 10 years ago, Comcast stuffed mailboxes in Batavia, Illinois, in the weeks leading up to a vote on a referendum measure attempting to establish a municipal broadband network, warning of failed projects and other horror stories that would come to life if they voted in favor of it.

All of this was done while keeping the source of these fliers -- Comcast and SBC Communications, which later merged with AT&T -- in the finest of fine print.

The tactic worked, leading residents of Batavia and nearby Geneva and St. Charles to vote the measure down twice even though more than 72% of area residents who responded to a 2001 survey were in favor of a broadband and cable overhaul.

5G in London by 2020, pledges Johnson

Unveiling London’s first long term infrastructure investment plan, Mayor Boris Johnson said the world’s first major ‘5G’ mobile network will be deployed in the city by 2020, working in collaboration with the University of Surrey.

Watchdogs Call On FCC to Extend Online Political File Requirements to Cable and Satellite Systems

The Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause and the Sunlight Foundation called on the Federal Communications Commission to extend to cable and satellite systems the requirement that their political files be posted on the FCC’s online database.

In a petition for rulemaking, the watchdog groups noted political spending on cable has increased by one-third in each election cycle since 2008 and is expected to comprise roughly one-fourth of all political television spending in 2014.

The petition asks the FCC to bring cable and satellite providers under the same online public disclosure requirements now applicable to broadcast television stations. This is particularly important because political campaigns, large political action committees, or Super PACs, and other outside groups are increasingly advertising on cable and satellite.

CIA improperly accessed Senate computers, agency finds

Central Intelligence Agency employees improperly accessed computers used by the Senate Intelligence Committee to compile a report on the agency’s now defunct detention and interrogation program, an internal CIA investigation has determined.

Sen Wyden calls for short-term ban on Internet tax

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) called on the Senate to pass a short-term extension of a ban on Internet access taxes.

“Don’t hit the Internet with discriminatory taxation,” Sen Wyden said on the Senate floor. “I hope that the Senate will join me in supporting the temporary extension ... as a bridge to permanent legislation.”

The Internet Tax Freedom Act expires on Nov 1, and Democratic leaders are pushing to extend the moratorium through 2014.

Comcast Speed Upgrades Hit Houston, California

Comcast has begun to roll out speed upgrades in Houston and parts of California, according to customers. Comcast is jacking up speeds without a price increase.

However, some customers might need a new DOCSIS 3.0 modem to get the new speeds, which Comcast will swap for no additional cost.

Benton

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