August 2015

[Commentary] In 2013, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation estimated that if concerns about US surveillance caused even a modest drop in the expected foreign market share for cloud computing services, it could cost the United States between $21.5 billion and $35 billion by 2016. But it has since become clear that the US tech industry as a whole, not just the cloud computing sector, has underperformed as a result of the US government’s surveillance activities. Therefore, the economic impact will likely far exceed the ITIF’s initial estimate. To turn back the tide of protectionism and boost US competitiveness in the tech sector, it is incumbent on Congress and the Obama Administration to establish new standards for transparency, cooperation, and accountability.

First, the US government should be forthcoming and transparent about its surveillance practices and clearly inform the public about the data it collects domestically and abroad. Second, the US government should work with its trading partners to establish international legal standards for government access to data. This should include international rules for transparency, settle questions of jurisdiction, and limit unnecessary access by governments to citizens of other countries. Only by being forthcoming and honest with the world can the United States hope to repair the trust it has lost and regain its competitiveness.

[Alan McQuinn is a research assistant with the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation]

The first state map visually demonstrating the connection between broadband access, technology and health is up on the Federal Communication Commission’s website. The Connect2HealthFCC map of Virginia is a result of an FCC task force formed March 2015 to consider ways to accelerate the adoption of health care technologies by leveraging broadband and other next-generation communications services.

The FCC envisions that future healthcare systems will use broadband-based tools that will allow clinicians, social services providers and pharmacies to collaboratively help reduce disease and optimize health outcomes – all in an interconnected health care ecosystem. For this first map, the FCC task force collected broadband-based health and technology metrics in Virginia to identify current trends, issues and potential gaps. Besides population and download speeds, those metrics include the number of primary care providers per county, online access to health information, obesity prevalence and broadband provider distribution.

[Commentary] On Aug 20, I had the opportunity to attend the morning sessions of the Federal Communications Commission’s Fourth Supplier Diversity Conference, which highlighted the importance of these efforts in the communications industry. The FCC’s Office of Communications Business Opportunities (OCBO) organized the event and during my welcoming remarks, I gave a special “shout out” to Director Thomas Reed because, prior to his tenure, the agency had never held supplier diversity workshops.

It is not often mentioned, but diversity is woven into the very fabric of our national communications policy. Section 257 of the Communications Act directs the FCC to lower barriers to entry for entrepreneurs and small businesses, in the provision of parts and services, to communications companies. Even if this directive were not in our federal statute, supplier diversity is important because it yields tremendous benefits to all stakeholders, not just the companies awarded the bid. Supplier diversity adds great economic value to our nation because it enables these diverse businesses to grow, which in turn, produces incredible multiplier effects.

On June 26, 2015, M2M Spectrum Networks, LLC (M2M) filed a Petition for Rulemaking requesting that the Federal Communications Commission open a rulemaking proceeding to allow use of 896-901/935-940 MHz (900 MHz) Business/Industrial/Land Transportation (B/ILT) channels to provide for-profit service to B/ILT eligibles. By this Public Notice, the FCC seeks comment on the Petition for Rulemaking. M2M proposes that Section 90.617(c) be amended to permit SMR systems of 900 MHz B/ILT channels provided that the end-users are B/ILT-eligible.

Commenters that support permitting for-profit service to third-party B/ILT eligibles on 900 MHz B/ILT channels should discuss whether the proposed rule amendment is the best approach, or whether other or additional rules changes should be made, such as redesignating the 900 MHz B/ILT channels as General Category channels. More generally, commenters should address whether use of 900 MHz channels to provide for-profit service to B/ILT elgibles is desirable, the effect that such a rule change would have on the availability of 900 MHz B/ILT spectrum for traditional B//ILT users, and the extent to which such for-profit operations already may exist despite the prohibition in Section 90.617(c). Finally, commenters are asked to address whether the M2M proposal is compatible with the petition for rulemaking filed November 14, 2014 by the Enterpirse Wireless Alliance and Pacific DataVision, Inc., proposing that the 900 MHz band be divided into a 3/3 MHz broadband segment (898-901/937-40 MHz) and a 2/2 MHz narrowband segment (896-98/935-37 MHz).