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  2. January 2016

January 2016

FCC Announces January Task Force on Optimal PSAP Architecture Meeting

By this Public Notice, the Federal Communications Commission announces the meeting of the Task Force on Optimal Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Architecture (TFOPA), to be held on January 29, 2016, from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm. The TFOPA is a federal advisory committee that will provide recommendations to the FCC regarding actions that PSAPs can take to optimize their security, operations, and funding as they migrate to Next Generation 911 (NG911).

At this meeting, the Task Force will hear a presentation and consider a vote on a consolidated report and final set of recommendations, as incorporated from the reports and recommendations of the Task Force's three working groups; specifically, the reports and recommendations of Working Group 1—Cybersecurity: Optimal Approach for PSAPs and Working Group 2—Optimal 911 Service Architecture, which the Task Force approved for consideration at its December 10, 2015 public meeting, and the report and recommendations of Working Group 3—Optimal Resource Allocation, which the Task Force approved for consideration at its September 29, 2015 public meeting.

FTC Chairwoman Ramirez: Safe Harbor Uncertainty Is Untenable

Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Edith Ramirez says that the current climate of uncertainty surrounding cross-border privacy protections is untenable and not good for either businesses or privacy. She was referring to a European Union decision invalidating the "safe harbor" agreement between the US and European Union on the US’s handling of personal information from EU members. Chairwoman Ramirez called the harbor an effective tool — the FTC enforces the harbor and the Commerce Department administers it. She said that negotiators were “well on our way” to reaching a new agreement governing how American companies can store data belonging to Europeans. “In my mind, I’m optimistic that we’re going to be able to find a solution to this, I’m hoping by the end of [Jan],” she said. “But we’re well on our way I think to doing that.”

Chairwoman Ramirez also called for greater transparency on Data collected by the Internet of Things. She said the proliferation of Internet-connected gadgets — from home thermostats to fitness bands to scores of other products on display — raises concerns about the personal information that is being collected, how it’s being used and whether it is adequately secured. She called for greater clarity about these data collection practices and vigilance in protecting this information. “Consumers are going to be slow to take up these products if issues of privacy and security are of a concern,” Chairwoman Ramirez said.

Chairman Wheeler: Dingo Helped Drive Title II Interest

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler gave HBO's John Oliver credit for helping drive consumer interest and comment on new network neutrality rules. Chairman Wheeler said Oliver's impact on him was more than educating him on what a dingo was. Oliver likened putting former cable and telecommunication lobbyist Wheeler in charge of regulating those industries and setting Internet openness policy to hiring a dingo for a babysitter. Chairman Wheeler said Oliver's satirical jab got people interested in an issue with "real, live consumer impact," taking the ultimate in arcane—Title II reclassification of the Internet—and making it into something that millions of people weighed in on, adding that he wished other arcane issues got more attention, including dealing with set-top boxes and broadband subsidy (Lifeline) reform.

On a more serious note, Chairman Wheeler defended the process that produced the new net neutrality rules. He said complaints about that process, which included not providing enough notice of its change to Title II—complaints that appeared to get some purchase in oral arguments on challenges to those rules—were the last refuge of those who don't like a decision. He said he was quite comfortable that the decision was fact-based and would be upheld. Chairman Wheeler did not shy away from the broadband privacy authority that Title II reclassification gave the FCC, though he said that does not extend to edge providers, which remains the province of the Federal Trade Commission. And asked whether asserting new authority over privacy was not in some way a broadband power grab, as it was viewed by some, Chairman Wheeler said no. He pointed out that the FCC did have 80 years experience protecting personal information collected by traditional cable providers from their consumers.

At CES, Hope for Making Cable Cutting Easier

It ain’t easy being a cable cutter. You have to juggle remotes and services, and you still don’t always watch exactly what you want. But in 2016 at CES, the tech industry promised to make life a little easier for people braving television’s online frontier.

Amid this annual confab’s product launches and new TVs, two ideas stand out: Finding what you want to watch faster in a sea of channels and apps—and getting more content without a cable subscription. Sling TV, the $20-a-month live streaming service that made its debut at 2015’s CES, unveiled plans to completely overhaul its app. It’s more than cosmetic—Sling 2.0 uses our individual and collective viewing habits to highlight shows we’d be most likely to watch at any moment. (These companies are tracking that data anyway, so we might as well benefit from it.) The new Sling app, due in the next three months, lets you identify your must-see TV. TV makers are also helping people find more to watch. Most of the biggest brands unveiled new smart TV software that doesn’t just put streaming apps front and center, but also the shows they contain. You don’t have to sit there, trying to remember, say, which service streams “Jessica Jones.” (It’s Netflix.) For its 2016 TVs, LG worked with a company called Xumo on a feature that combines video from a range of different sources—like BuzzFeed, Popsugar and yes, The Wall Street Journal—into a single searchable guide. And for cable cutters who get their content from multiple devices like Xboxes, Samsung is adding tech to its 2016 TVs that’s smart enough to recognize many add-on boxes. Once identified, the TV’s main clicker can control them as well, so instead of dealing with a sea of remotes, you only have to keep track of one.

Spotlight on NTIA: Jennifer Duane, Senior Advisor for Broadband and Public Safety, Office of the Assistant Secretary

Jennifer Duane, Senior Advisor for Broadband and Public Safety, Office of the Assistant Secretary.

Duane came to National Telecommunications and Information Administration in 2009 to help implement the Broadband Technologies Opportunities Program (BTOP), which funded grants to expand broadband access and adoption. She moved to the Office of the Chief Counsel after a year and a half, continuing her work on BTOP legal issues. In 2012, she was named a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Assistant Secretary, where she added duties related to NTIA’s oversight of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and other public safety efforts.

Following the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Duane responded to the demand for telecommunications lawyers and joined Sprint Corporation, representing the company before the Federal Communications Commission as well as other federal agencies and state public utility commissions. Duane remained at Sprint until another important piece of legislation was passed – the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and its $4.7 billion broadband grant program. At NTIA, Duane is able to combine her telecommunications expertise and her prior work advocating for consumer protection and access to communications services.

FCC's Wheeler Sees “Spectrum Extravaganza” As TV Auction Deadline Approaches: CES

Every city will soon see a transfer of airwave spectrum from broadcast TV to wireless Internet providers, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler said at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show consumer electronics confab — 84 days before a long-awaited auction takes place. Broadcasters have until Jan 12 to say whether they’ll offer some of their local air rights for the auction. As an incentive, the FCC has offered to share some of the proceeds from the sale.

“You’ll see a spectrum extravaganza,” Chairman Wheeler said of the plan. “That is going to be transformational.” He calls the broadcast airwaves “beachfront spectrum” due to its ability to reach big audiences, and penetrate walls. “This is opportunity, opportunity, opportunity.” He added that “this is not bureaucrats sitting around divvying things up. This is the marketplace.”

FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez chats about privacy, security and why she’s at CES

A Q&A with Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Edith Ramirez.

The FTC is the nation's most prominent consumer protection and privacy watchdog. As technology has become more integrated into our lives, the agency has taken a bigger role in policing tech. It increasingly cracks down on companies that have deceptive or unfair online security and privacy practices.We caught up with FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez ahead of the annual tech show's official launch to talk about her priorities headed into CES and her advice on how companies and consumers should think about privacy and security issues when it comes to tech.

When asked, "What are the FTC's top reasons for coming to CES?", Chairwoman Ramirez said, "I think it's really two-fold. The first is that we're really interested in seeing how technology impacts consumers. Part of our mission is to protect consumers both in the digital world as well as in the brick-and-mortar world, and by coming to CES we ensure that we can see what the next generation of products will be. It's important for us to stay on top of what companies are doing when it comes to technology and also to evaluate what the implications are for consumers...Another reason is that it gives us an opportunity to engage with companies directly, and talk about the issues that we see as being important -- to highlight the importance of protecting consumer privacy, protecting information, data security. So it allows us both to stay on top of emerging trends and also to convey our important messages to companies themselves."

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