Network management

This has been, perhaps, one of the most important weeks in the history of the Internet. On June 11, the repeal of net neutrality consumer protections went into effect, laying the regulatory groundwork for large Internet service providers to (transparently) favor some (their own) content. On June 12, a court approved a huge combination of content with a major internet service provider. We can do the math.

California’s network neutrality bill, SB 822, is often referred to as the “gold standard” of state-based net neutrality laws. The bill tackles the full array of issues the Federal Communications Commission had addressed right up until the end of 2016 before it began repealing net neutrality. One such issue is the discriminatory use of zero rating, where Internet service providers could choose to give users access to certain content for “free”—that is, without digging into their data plans.

Brad Parscale, President Donald Trump's 2020 campaign manager, is calling for a single, privatized 5G mobile network across the country, arguing the current system is outdated. Parscale’s position contrasts with a reported proposal floated by the White House earlier in 2018 that included a plan to nationalize 5G networks in an attempt to guard against China. "It is time for America to have a single 5G network for all carriers. The days of dropped calls, slow speeds, and no service need to end.

Here is a brief explanation of how 5G will be used and what it will mean for your online experience — and  your everyday life:

Existing applications: 5G, which will supplement rather than replace today’s 4G networks, will radically improve the bandwidth, capacity and reliability of mobile broadband, much more than in previous generational shifts.

Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O'Rielly privately slammed the Trump administration’s competence over a proposal to nationalize the country’s 5G wireless network. “That is the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard,” Commissioner O’Rielly wrote to a telecommunication attorney in a Jan 28 e-mail obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Sprint Executive Chairman Marcelo Claure tweeted that Sprint will build "one of the best networks in the world" even if it isn't allowed to merge with rival T-Mobile USA. "Merger or no merger, Sprint presses ahead with KC network buildout. Kansas City will have one of the best networks in the world," Claure tweeted. So why does Sprint need to merge with T-Mobile?

[Speech] What is the Federal Communications Commission doing to help seize the opportunities of next-generation wireless networks? I strongly believe that the market, not government, should drive innovation and investment in the wireless sector. But the FCC has a role to play in promoting competition by maximizing carriers’ willingness and ability to invest in their networks, making it easier to deploy the physical infrastructure necessary for networks to function, and freeing up spectrum for wireless services.

[Commentary] Even as wireless carriers are already rolling out 5G trials across the US, to keep pace with activity happening internationally and bring this transformative network to fruition in a timely fashion, policymakers must make a few more key moves. First, states and municipalities must streamline policies to infrastructure deployment. Next, and equally important, is that the federal government – namely, the Federal Communications Commission – must do its part as well.

A year ago, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order aimed at strengthening the cybersecurity of federal networks and critical infrastructure.  The order mandated that all federal agencies use the Cybersecurity Framework developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. In April, NIST released version 1.1 of the Framework, which shows how this voluntary approach can provide a first line of cyber defense for companies.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said that building a 5G mobile broadband network is a chief concern for the Trump administration. “I think the pitch that Sprint and T-Mobile are making is an interesting one, that their merger would propel Verizon and AT&T into more active pursuit of 5G,” Sec Ross said. “Whoever pursues it, whoever does it, we’re very much in support of 5G. We need it. We need it for defense purposes, we need it for commercial purposes,” he continued.