ANTITRUST
Microsoft Move May Hasten Settlement of European Case (NYT)
CONTENT
Supreme Court to Consider Internet Censorship Law (EPIC)
SPECTRUM
Justice Department Signs Off On FCC-NextWave Deal (WP)
The Politics of Telecommunications in Times of Crisis (NTIA)
ANTITRUST
MICROSOFT MOVE MAY HASTEN SETTLEMENT OF EUROPEAN CASE
Issue: Antitrust
Offering a strong signal that it wants to settle its antitrust case in
Europe, Microsoft has told the European Commission that it will forgo its
right to a hearing next month. This move by Microsoft helps open the door to
an agreement in Europe, but there is no assurance that a deal will be
reached The European case has a different emphasis from the antitrust suit
brought in the United States, though they overlap. In a "statement of
objections" presented to Microsoft in August, the commission said that the
company had abused its monopoly power by withholding technical information
that rivals needed to allow their software to run smoothly with Microsoft's
industry- standard Windows operating system. Because Microsoft's software
offerings are global products, any concession made to suit European
regulators will be made worldwide.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Steve Lohr With Paul Meller]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/28/technology/28SOFT.html)
(requires registration)
See Also:
SENATE TO QUESTION REGULATORS ON IMPACT OF MICROSOFT SETTLEMENT
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: John R. Wilke and Mark Wigfield]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB1006880839779377680.htm)
(requires subscription)
CONTENT
SUPREME COURT TO CONSIDER INTERNET CENSORSHIP LAW
Issue: Content/Internet
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on November 28 in Ashcroft
v. ACLU, a constitutional challenge to the Child Online Protection Act
(COPA). EPIC joined with the ACLU and other plaintiffs in a lawsuit to
strike down the law, which prohibits online display of material that is
"harmful to minors" to any person who is under 17 years of age. Two lower
federal courts have agreed that the law violates the First Amendment. The
parties' Supreme Court briefs and background information are available at
EPIC's COPA Litigation Page.
[SOURCE: Electronic Privacy Information Center]
(http://www.epic.org/)
SPECTRUM
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SIGNS OFF ON FCC-NEXTWAVE DEAL
Issue: Spectrum
The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday signed off on a deal between the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and bankrupt telecommunications firm
NextWave that would free up a sizable block of disputed wireless-airwave
spectrum. At issue are 90 wireless communications licenses NextWave bought
for $4.7 billion in a 1996 auction. After placing a $500 million down
payment on the licenses, NextWave defaulted and declared bankruptcy. Under
the deal reached by NextWave and the FCC, NextWave will surrender the
disputed licenses, clearing the way for the companies that won those
licenses in the re-auction to use the airwaves. Although NextWave will
receive a cash payment for surrendering the licenses, the U.S. treasury will
net about $10 billion under the deal from the proceeds of the re-auction.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Newsbytes.com]
(http://www.washtech.com/news/regulation/13879-1.html)
THE POLITICS OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN TIMES OF CRISIS
Issue: Spectrum
Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information U.S. Department of
Commerce, Nancy J. Victory, delivered remarks before the Latin American
Wireless Industry Association (ALACEL) summit Meeting of the Presidents of
Latin American Mobile Carriers. Full Text of speech can be found at URL
below.
[SOURCE: Electronic Privacy Information Center]
(http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/speeches/2001/alacel_112601.htm)
--------------------------------------------------------------