What's on the agenda for policymakers.
Agenda
Urban Rate Survey Timeline for 2020
The Federal Communications Commission's Office of Economics and Analytics, in consultation with the Wireline Competition Bureau, launched the urban rate survey for 2020. The information collected in this survey will be used to develop voice and broadband reasonable comparability benchmarks that will be in place in 2020. The FCC will be collecting the rates offered by a random sample of providers of fixed services identified using December 2018 FCC Form 477 data. The FCC will collect separate samples for fixed voice and fixed broadband services with up to 500 urban Census tracts in each.
Doubts over Dish's strength as a fourth wireless player
Dish has been a potential wireless entrant for some time, having scooped up a significant amount of spectrum in recent years — spectrum it is under pressure to use soon or risk losing. And, back in 2013, Dish lost out in a bidding war with SoftBank for control of Sprint.
Facebook Latest FTC Headache: Probe of Social Media Competition
Apparently, the Federal Trade Commission opened an investigation into Facebook for possible antitrust violations, an early-stage probe that is examining competition in its oldest business -- social media. The agency has already contacted third parties that could aid in the investigation as it tries to understand competitive dynamics. Though the company has made many acquisitions and expanded into new businesses, including messaging, virtual reality and e-commerce, the FTC’s probe is focused on its most long-standing offering -- social networking.
The digital economy has a profound influence on the world’s trajectory and the societal well-being of ordinary citizens. It affects everything from resource allocation to income distribution and growth. The information and communications technology (ICT) industry stands at the center of the digital economy, serving as a reliable yardstick of its performance. The ICT industry unites labor policy, economic growth, and the current heated immigration policy discourse and poses both profound challenges and exciting opportunities for a broad cross-section of policymakers.
Witness
Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier
Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
FCC Announces CSRIC VII Working Groups and Seeks Participants
By this Public Notice, the Federal Communications Commission announces the topics and chairs of the six working groups that will assist the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) VII.
Remarks by FCC Chief of Staff Matthew Berry at CANTO 2019
I look at the agenda for this conference [Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organizations (CANTO) 2019], and there are sessions on promoting 5G, artificial intelligence, and machine learning across the region. There are discussions on creating safer communities where our citizens are protected from risks ranging from natural disasters to cyberattacks.
Scholars, practitioners, and citizens working to improve the quality of life in communities may share a common goal but often diverge in their strategies. In part, this is due to different sets of expertise, perspective and experience. These differences can create counterproductive silos of effort. Transcending the boundaries of our own communities will be required if we are to create solutions to our most pressing problems. A conversation about improving lives, strengthening communities, and fostering civic engagement through national service and volunteering.
We've all heard this popular refrain by now: the FCC's broadband mapping data is horribly inaccurate. How can we end the digital divide without knowing where it actually exists? The FCC promises to address its mapping issues with an Order in August, and Congress is considering various proposals on its own. Yet many experts aren't waiting for the perfect legislation, and are tackling the discrepancies head-on with their own mapping projects. These efforts are the focus of SHLB's next webinar, which will explore the latest and greatest developments in broadband mapping.
Chairman Pai Submits Answers to Senate Commerce Committee
On June 12, 2019, all five commissioners from the Federal Communications Commission testified at an oversight hearing held by the Senate Commerce Committee. Recently, FCC Chairman Pai followed up on some questions raised during the hearing. His responses to written questions touch on the following topics: