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Telecom/IT Policy Highlights

Volume: 7.07
September 2007

Microsoft Word version / September, 2007 TiPH (186.kB)

Overview

Legislative Activities

Policy / Regulatory Activities

Judicial Activities

Studies / Reports

Other Activities and Items of Interest

Upcoming Events

Newsletter Info

Overview
In this month's edition of the TIPH, of particular note is the House's passage of the "Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity Act," a bill that would provide minority-serving institutions with funds to support their IT programs and wireless technologies. In the Senate, the Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship took up the issue of how best to deploy broadband Internet services to promote small business in the nation. A significant portion of Congress's attention has been occupied with authorization of the 12 annual Appropriations bill, neither of which have been passed to date, and passage of the State Children's Health program (SCHP), which the President has threatened to veto.

The FCC also addressed the telecommunications needs of a number of constituents this past month. The implementation of a Disaster Information Reporting System and a rulemaking clarifying the obligations of wireless carriers for the provision of E-911 services promises to help public safety officials and the public at large in times of crisis. So, too, will a Memorandum Opinion & Order designed to expedite the rebanding of the 800 MHz spectrum for public safety and emergency use. Finally, the FCC issued a Report & Order that guarantees cable customers will continue to be able to receive broadcast television after the completion of the digital television (DTV) transition in 2009.

Other items of interest include a Court of Appeals case that weighed the rights of carriers against those of state public utilities commissions. Additionally, the TIPH continues its coverage, began last month, of some of the complications surrounding municipal wireless programs. At the same time, a plan to develop a WiMAX network in Portland, Oregon, is highlighted.

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Legislative Activities
IT Grant Bill for Minority Institutions Approved in House

09.04.2007 - With a vote of 331-59, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the "Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity Act" [H.R. 694]. Introduced by Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY) in January, the bill has since gained 35 co-sponsors. If passed into law, the Act would amend the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 [15 U.S.C. БШ 3704] to create a Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity Program in the Department of Commerce. The program would provide assistance to eligible institutions in acquiring, and augmenting the use of, digital and wireless technologies used to improve the quality and delivery of educational services at these institutions. According to the proposed legislation, institutions eligible for participation in this program would include, 1) historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs); 2) Hispanic-, Alaska native-, or Native Hawaiian-serving institutions; 3) tribally controlled colleges and universities; and 4) institutions with sufficient enrollment of needy students as defined under the Higher Education Act of 1965. In addition to establishing the grant program, the proposed Act would also direct the Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology to establish an advisory council to advise on the best approaches for maximum participation by eligible institutions and ensure that grant awards are made to all types of eligible institutions.

After passing in the House, the bill was then referred to the Senate on September 5th for a vote. For a copy of the bill, as it passed in the House, please see [http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c110:2:./temp/~c110UXUCyu::]. [Source: Library of Congress]

Senate Committee Hearing on Improving Internet Access for Small Business

09.26.2007 - The Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship held a hearing entitled "Improving Internet Access to Help Small Business Compete in the Global Economy." Citing the importance of broadband Internet to small business' competitive edge, the aim of the hearing was to discuss how to foster universal broadband access by changing the regulatory framework and encouraging competition among broadband Internet service providers. Among the highlights were the opening remarks by committee chairman John Kerry (D-MA), who emphasized the need for a national broadband strategy as a means to bolster the nation's economic success.

In addition, senators heard testimony from two panels. The first panel included FCC commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein. In his remarks before the committee, Commissioner Adelstein stressed the need to promote meaningful competition between service providers, citing such actions as the most effective driver of innovation and lower prices. Meanwhile, Commissioner Copps emphasized the need for the FCC to improve its data collection efforts regarding the availability of broadband services for small business. In response to Sen. Kerry's challenge to the FCC and Small Business Administration to improve its collection of such data, Copps observed, "The FCC's current efforts at data gathering are woefully out-of-date and out-of-whack. The Commission is still calling 200 kilobits per second 'broadband' and assuming that if one person in a ZIP code has broadband access, everyone else does as well." Following the statements of the FCC's two Democratic commissioners, the Senate committee heard testimony from a second panel that included Benjamin Scott, policy director for Free Press; Brian Mefford, president and CEO of Connected Nation; Douglas A. Levin, president and CEO of Black Duck Software, Inc.; and Scott Wallsten, senior fellow and director of communication policy studies for the Progress and Freedom Foundation. [Sources: Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship and FCC]

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Policy / Regulatory Activities
Advanced Wireless Services Band Rules to Change, Comment Sought

09.19.2007 - The FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking [FCC 07-164] regarding new service rules for the 2155-2175 MHz band, allocated for fixed and mobile wireless services, including advanced wireless services (AWS). Currently, this spectrum is occupied by over 1,800 incumbent fixed service and broadband radio service licensees that are subject to relocation by AWS entrants as part of the FCC's attempt to encourage the development of innovative wireless broadband services.

Bandwidth can often be assigned using a symmetrical pairing approach, where one block is used for base station transmissions and another equally-sized block is used for mobile handset transmissions. However, technological limitations mean that this 20 MHz of bandwidth cannot be used this way, so the FCC is seeking comment on how best to make efficient use of this spectrum. The Commission is also looking to address interference concerns if both mobile and base transmissions are to be allowed in the band, including the use of power limits and out-of-band emissions requirements, and seeks input on any other technological approaches that could be employed in this band, among other issues.

For a copy of the NPRM, please see [http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-07-164A1.txt] (MS Word and PDF versions also available). Comments are due 30 days after publication of the Notice in the Federal Register, and reply comments are due 60 days after publication. [Source: FCC]

Benchmarks and Procedures Established to Expedite 800 MHz Rebanding

09.11.2007 - The FCC adopted and released a Memorandum Opinion & Order [FCC 07-167], as well as a companion Public Notice [FCC 07-168], to expedite the 800 MHz spectrum rebanding process. This portion of the broadcast spectrum is being redeployed to improve public safety communications throughout the nation. In its MO&O, the FCC determined that Sprint did not meet the interim 18-month rebanding benchmark established by prior orders. In response, the Commission has established additional benchmarks to ensure that the rebanding process proceeds on schedule. The FCC is requiring Sprint to complete clearing of all Channel 1-120 incumbents in non-border areas, other than Sprint and SouthernLINC, by December 26, 2007. In addition, Sprint must clear its own Channel 1-120 facilities, and those of SouthernLINC, within 90 days of a request by a public safety licensee to use those channels. For any public safety request made on or after January 1, 2008, Sprint will be required to clear the necessary spectrum within 60 days of the request. Finally, the R&O granted requests by six National Public Safety Planning Advisory Committee (NPSPAC) licensees in Georgia and Pennsylvania for additional time to complete rebanding because of their close proximity to incumbent analog broadcasters using TV Channel 69. In its Public Notice, the FCC established new procedures and guidelines to expedite the rebanding process for all parties involved, including public safety, Sprint, equipment vendors, and the 800 MHz Transition Administrator. For a copy of the MO&O, please see [http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-07-167A1.txt] (MS Word and PDF versions available). The Public Notice may be found at [http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-07-168A1.txt] (MS Word and PDF versions available). [Source: FCC]

Cable Customers to Receive Local Stations after DTV Transition

09.11.2007 - The FCC adopted, but has not yet released, a Memorandum Opinion & Order [FCC 07-170] designed to ensure that all cable television subscribers, including those with analog sets, will be able to view local broadcast stations after the transition to digital television (DTV) is completed on February 17, 2009. The FCC requires that cable operators make local broadcasters' primary video and program-related material viewable by all of their subscribers. In order to ensure that this situation will remain the same, the Commission's MO&O gives cable companies the opportunity to comply with the viewability requirement, either by 1) carrying the digital signal in analog format, or 2) carrying the signal only in digital format, provided that the cable operator ensures that subscribers have the necessary equipment to view the broadcast content. Approximately 35 percent of all television homes, or 40 million households, remain analog-only cable subscribers. The FCC's ruling on this matter is designed to ensure that these homes will still have access to broadcast stations after the completion of the DTV transition.

The FCC will permit cable subscribers with a channel capacity of 552 MHz or less to request a waiver of these viewability requirements. In addition, the FCC is seeking comment in a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, not yet released, to determine how best to minimize the impact on small cable operators while still complying with statutory requirements for carriage of local television by cable companies. While the Commission's MO&O tries to provide some flexibility for cable operators, it reaffirms the requirement that cable systems must carry high definition broadcast signals in HD format and reaffirmed its current material degradation standard. The MO&O has been adopted by the FCC, but not yet released. [Source: FCC]

Commerce Department Grants over $22 Million for Public Broadcast Projects

09.19.2007 - The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced an award of $22.45 million in funding from the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP) to assist public radio, public television, and nonbroadcast (distance learning) projects across the country. Just over $15 million of the $22.45 million awarded by PTFP went to 48 grantees to assist in the digital conversion of public television facilities. An additional $4.4 million went to radio stations to fund 57 projects, including the construction of new radio stations or expansion of existing ones, as well as the digital conversion of public radio stations. Other PTFP grants include $2.2 million for eight television equipment replacement grants. Four nonbroadcast (distance learning) grants were made for $274,900, and one grant was awarded to the University of Hawaii for $499,351 for the PEACESAT (Pan-Pacific Educational and Cultural Experiments by Satellite) project. Included in the radio and television awards were twenty-four grants enabling eighteen public radio stations and six public television stations to purchase standby generators allowing the stations to continue public service programming during times of emergency. For more information on the NTIA's grants, please see the PTFP website at [http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/ptfp/Projects/2007/ptfpfactsheet_2007.htm]. [Source: NTIA]

Competition in Video Distribution Market the Aim of FCC Rulemaking>

09.11.2007 - The FCC adopted, but has not yet released, a Report & Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking [FCC 07-169] to promote a competitive marketplace for video services by guaranteeing that multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) will have access to essential programming. Basically, the Commission's action extends the ban on exclusive contracts between vertically integrated programmers and cable operators until October 5, 2012. The previous ban was due to expire on October 5, 2007. In the R&O, the Commission determined that vertically integrated programmers still have the ability and the incentive to favor the operators with whom they are affiliated over other competitive providers. As such, the FCC wanted to ensure that competitive MVPDs have access to cable affiliated programming remains necessary for viable competition in the video distribution market.

In its NPRM, the FCC seeks comment on complaint procedures, notably an effort to smooth the process through the introduction of an arbitration-type step. Also, the Commission is seeking comment on concerns related to programming tying arrangements, which refers to the practice of some programmers to require MVPDs to purchase and carry undesired programming in return for the right to carry desired programming. The R&O and NPRM have been adopted by the FCC but not yet released. [Source: FCC]

Disaster Information Reporting System Launched by FCC's PSHSB

09.11.2007 - The FCC's Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) announced the beginning of its newly designed and automated Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS). The DIRS is a voluntary, web-based system that will allow communications companies, including wireline, wireless, broadcast, and cable providers, to report the status of their networks and infrastructure during an emergency. The system was launched partially in response to natural disasters such as 2005's hurricane season. DIRS fulfills some of the recommendations made by the Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks earlier this year.

In the event of an emergency, participating companies would be able to log onto the DIRS and submit information to the FCC regarding the status of their communications equipment, restoration efforts, power source, and access to fuel. However, the content of these reports are meant for the use of government agencies rather than public consumption. Because the information that communications companies input to DIRS is sensitive, for national security or commercial reasons, DIRS filings shall be treated as presumptively confidential upon filing. DIRS filings voluntarily report weaknesses in and damage to the national communications infrastructure. Government agencies can use this information to make more informed decisions about how best to respond to the needs of communications providers during a crisis. When this disaster data collection system is activated in response to a crisis, all contacts in DIRS will be sent an e-mail letting them know the disaster area and the communications providers that are requested to provide data on the status of their communications equipment [Source: FCC]

E-911 Location Requirements for Wireless Clarified by FCC

09.11.2007 - The FCC has adopted, but not yet released, a Report & Order [FCC 07-166] explaining that wireless service providers must meet the Enhanced 911 (E-911), Phase II location accuracy requirements at the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) service-area level. The main objective of the Commission's R&O is to ensure the wireless customers who place a call to authorities during an emergency by dialing 911 will have their location information automatically relayed to pubic safety authorities. In order to ensure that wireless carriers are able to comply with the FCC's rulemaking on this matter, the R&O will require carriers to meet interim, annual benchmarks over the next five years in order to ensure that they achieve PSAP-level compliance no later than September 11, 2012. [Source: FCC]

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Judicial Activities
Bankruptcy and FCC Spectrum Licenses Addressed in Court of Appeals Ruling

09.17.2007 - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has delivered its ruling in In Re: Magnacom Wireless (No. 05-35-0839), a bankruptcy case involving spectrum licenses. Magnacom Wireless is a company that had obtained spectrum usage licenses in 1996 during an FCC auction for $55 million. As a designated entity, the company only had to make a down payment, and the remainder was to be paid in installments over 10 years. In addition, Magnacom signed an agreement with the FCC stating that if the company was to default on its payments, the licenses would be cancelled and Magnacom would be ineligible for any proceeds from the sale of those licenses following cancellation.

Magnacom was eventually unable to make payments on its licenses, and it filed a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition. In bankruptcy court, the FCC won relief from the stay, and the Commission then cancelled the licenses, as it was still owed about $48 million from Magnacom. In 2001, the FCC then put the licenses up for auction, selling the rights to the same spectrum for $287 million. Following the auction, the bankruptcy trustee representing Magnacom filed a complaint against the FCC in the Bankruptcy Court seeking the return of any proceeds from the auction of the new licenses that exceeded the amount the company owed to the FCC. The court dismissed the complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. As a result, the trustee then appealed the case to U.S. District court and, later, the Court of Appeals.

In delivering its opinion, the Court of Appeals determined that once Magnacom's licenses were cancelled by the FCC, the licenses lost their value and the company lost its interest in the underlying spectrum. For a copy of the Court of Appeals' ruling, please see [http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/E705C26307B3D8028825735900564C7F/$file/0535839.pdf] (PDF only). [Source: 9th Circuit Court of Appeals]

Verizon Prevails over State PUCs in Two Pricing Cases

09.06.2007 - The Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has issued its opinion in Verizon v. Maine PUC<. (No. 06-2151) and Verizon v. New Hampshire PUC (No. 06-2429), two cases involving the regulation of Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) by the states. In its ruling, which consolidated both appeals into a single case, the Court of Appeals found in favor of Verizon. At issue was an attempt by Verizon New England to enter the long distance service markets of Maine and New Hampshire after the company had obtained approval from the FCC in accordance with 47 U.S.C. БШ 271. Section 271 governs the conditions under which companies may enter a given market as a long distance provider.

In response to Verizon's bid to become a long distance provider, the Maine Public Utilities Commission and New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission insisted that the company continue to provide specific network elements and do so at the total element long-run incremental cost (TELERIC) price. Under current FCC rulemaking, a provider such as Verizon would not have to provide these services. The company disputed the claims of the two PUCs and filed two lawsuits in U.S. District Court. The Maine court ruled in favor of the Maine PUC, while the New Hampshire court ruled in favor of Verizon. Both losing parties appealed the decisions, and the Court of Appeals consolidated them into a single case.

In making its decision, the Court of Appeals sided with Verizon, noting that "neither state agency may require elements that the FCC has delisted and are not enumerated in section 271 nor require that section 271 elements be offered under TELRIC pricing that the FCC has explicitly rejected." Suggesting federal preemption of state authority in this matter, the Court of Appeals also noted, "As to line sharing and dark fiber, the matter should be resolved after the FCC's views have been solicited." For a copy of the ruling, please see [http://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/getopn.pl?OPINION=06-2151.01A]. [Source: 1st Circuit Court of Appeals]

Wireless Billing and Class Action Suits Addressed in Court of Appeals Ruling

09.20.2007 - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has handed down its ruling in Lozano v. AT&T Wireless [No. 05-56466 and 05-56511], a lawsuit involving the billing practices of wireless service providers. The plaintiff, David Lozano, alleged that AT&T Wireless Services in California billed its customers for wireless calls during a billing period other than the period in which the calls were actually made, a practice known as out of cycle billing. Moreover, he charged that AT&T did not fully and adequately disclose this practice to customers who entered into service contracts with the carrier. AT&T responded that its roaming cellular telephone calls are billed to its customers based on the date that the company receives the information regarding the call, not on the date the call was actually made, and that it fully disclosed this practice.

Lozano filed suit in the U.S. District Court, claiming that AT&T had violated the Communications Act, Declaratory Judgment Act, and a number of state laws, including the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, the California Unfair Competition Law, and California contract law. In addition, Lozano sought to have his case considered as a class action lawsuit. In response, AT&T Wireless attempted to compel the case into arbitration, based upon the wireless contract Lozano had agreed to. U.S. District Court found that under California law, mandatory arbitration was unenforceable (see TIPH 7.06 for two similar cases on this matter decided last month). When the case went to District Court, the court found against Lozano in his bid to bring a class action lawsuit for the Communications Act and Declaratory Judgment Act charges. However, the Court certified a class action lawsuit based on his claims related to the California Legal Remedies Act and Unfair Competition Law. Both sides appealed the ruling.

In the current case, the Court of Appeals reversed the decision of the District Court to permit a class action lawsuit based on the California Legal Remedies Act, as well as one part of the Unfair Competition Law. However, the Court of Appeals let stand the District Court's decision to certify a class action suit based on another aspect of the Unfair Competition Law. While the decision does not completely eradicate Lozano's basis for a class action lawsuit against AT&T, it erodes it further. Hence, the Court of Appeals' decision is largely a victory for AT&T Wireless. For a copy of the Court's opinion, please see [http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/2A87CA8016415A468825735C005BDFE1/$file/0556466.pdf] (PDF only). [Source: 9th Circuit Court of Appeals]

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Studies / Reports
Reasons for Municipal Wi-Fi Failures Explored in Wired Article

09.04.2007 - A recent article in Wired has examined the recent failure of several municipal Wi-Fi ventures, including programs in the cities of Chicago, St. Louis, and San Francisco (see TIPH 7.06 for more information). One of the main reasons cited for the collapse of these programs has been cost. Companies such as AT&T and EarthLink, which have been the leaders in the provision of municipal Wi-Fi services, have found it increasingly difficult to pay for the build-outs costs, handled in most agreements by the providers rather than the municipalities. For example, Chicago was asked by AT&T and EarthLink to become an "anchor tenant," paying a guaranteed minimum fee to use the Wi-Fi network in support of city services. Like many other cities that have been asked to do the same, Chicago declined both companies' offers.

Another issue cited by experts has been that of technology. Wi-Fi radios used to broadcast the Internet signal only have a range of 100-200 feet at most. Wi-Fi broadband often fails to provide adequate access, especially for people in buildings or other enclosed areas, and as a result, most networks deployed in the past several years have required between 20 and 100 percent more access points than originally planned. Finally analysts have pointed to the issue of a lack of demand for municipal Wi-Fi services as a reason for their decline. Although cities and telecoms expected 10-25 percent of an area's population to sign up for municipal wireless, Glenn Fleishman of Wi-Fi Net News noted that, in many cases, subscription rates were closer to 1 or 2 percent.

One of the recent stories tied to the fall of municipal Wi-Fi projects has been the recent difficulties of EarthLink and its decision to abandon the consumer wireless market. Some experts have noted that a consumer focus is problematic for such companies because these subscribers are expensive to obtain and even more expensive to keep. One solution proposed by experts interviewed in the Wired article involves having companies repackage their municipal wireless offerings for governments in a way that shows them the return on investment potential of anchor tenancy. Furthermore, telecommunications companies are advised to develop business-oriented strategies that target interest among small- and medium-size businesses for mobile workforce applications. For a copy of the article, please see [http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/news/2007/09/muni_wifi?currentPage=1]. [Source: Wired]

World Has 4 Billion Phone Lines, 1 Billion Internet Users, According to U.N.

09.04.2007 - The United Nations' telecommunications agency, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), has released a report finding that worldwide telephone service has quadrupled in the last decade to encompass almost 4 billion lines. Much of that increase, the report found, was due to the mobile phone boom in developing nations. The ITU counts 1.27 billion fixed lines and 2.68 billion mobile accounts. The total number of people represented by those figures is unclear because many people, particularly in industrial countries, have both kinds of service. But there is little question about the rapidity of growth: In 1996, there were fewer than 1 billion wireline and wireless subscribers combined.

The report did note that much of the increase may be attributed to the growth of mobile phone service in developing countries. Tens of millions of people have benefited from a cellular phone infrastructure that is easier and cheaper to install than wiring homes and offices for fixed line telephone service. In fact, the ITU report observed that 61 percent of the world's mobile subscribers are in developing countries. China and India, for example, together added almost 200 million mobile subscribers to the global total in the first three months of this year.

The report also found that there are 1 billion Internet users worldwide. While the growth of Internet users in developing nations has been slower, wireless broadband technologies have helped improve the lag in African nations, among other places. Yet the report concludes that countries may need to change their regulatory requirements if the benefits of newer networks are to be realized. [Sources: Associated Press and USA Today]

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Other Activities and Items of Interest
High Frequencies May Facilitate Faster Data Transfers 09.17.2007 - Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta are examining new technologies for allowing faster data transfers. While Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies are useful for transmitting small amounts of data between devices, they are not ideally suited for larger files. Scientists at the Georgia Electronic Design Center have been researching the possibility of using extremely high radio frequencies, in the unlicensed 60 GHz band, to transfer much larger data files over short distances. Because the range probably will be less than 33 feet, interference is less likely, and transmissions could be more secure.

A similar technology to that being researched at Georgia Tech is called ultra-wideband (UWB). After several years of disputes between companies and engineering standards bodies, UWB is finally making its appearance on the market. In August, Toshiba Corporation introduced laptops with built-in UWB chips that can communicate wirelessly with a docking station. Other possible uses include transmission of high-definition video. But the maximum current speed of UWB is about 480 megabits per second, equivalent to a high-speed computer cable, but still not fast enough for many other applications. Use of the 60 GHz band has the potential for much higher speeds. Researchers at Georgia Tech have already achieved wireless data-transfer rates of 15 gigabits per second from a span of 1 meter. Professor Joy Laskar of the Georgia Electronic Design Center has noted that the challenges for this emerging technology may hopefully be overcome soon, and if so, the hardware for transferring files could be available by 2009, and new TV sets could be built with the chips the following year. The technology could facilitate wireless transfer of high definition movies or entire music libraries, among other things. [Source: Associated Press]

Portland, Oregon, to get WiMAX Network in 2008 09.20.2007 - Clearwire, a wireless company based near Seattle, has announced plans to deploy a WiMAX network next year in the city of Portland, Oregon. As one of the first such networks of its kind in the nation, Portland's WiMax network is expected to cover 700 square miles and provide wireless service comparable to DSL and cable Internet. Clearwire already serves other parts of Oregon, including Bend and Eugene, using a preliminary variation of WiMAX, and the company is beginning broader WiMAX trials in the towns of Beaverton and Hillsboro. These trials cover 145 square miles west of Portland, and service is available only to selected customers. Clearwire executives claimed that WiMAX will be available next year in the area that spans Portland and most of the rest of the metro area.

Prices for the service have not yet been released, but Clearwire's chief technology officer John Saw has stated that rates are likely to be comparable to what Clearwire charges elsewhere: about $35 a month for Web access of 1.5 megabits per second. Such a rate would be comparable to DSL access, but more expensive were customers who want speeds equivalent to cable broadband. [Source: The Oregonian]

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Upcoming Events
CTIA Wireless I.T. and Entertainment 2007 Conference 10.23.2007-10.25.2007 - CTIA: The Wireless Association will be hosting its annual Wireless I.T. and Entertainment Conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California, from October 23-25, 2007. CTIA's fall trade show is billed this year as "One Show, Two Personalities," as it focuses on the emerging role wireless is playing in the enterprise and entertainment worlds. The show plans to highlight the integration of wireless data technologies into the enterprise through vertical business markets such as healthcare, government, automotive, and retail. At the same time, the show will spotlight the growth that has taken place in wireless entertainment, from music downloads to digital cameras to interactive games. CTIA's Wireless I.T. and Entertainment Conference is generally a well-attended trade event, attracting more than 15,000 attendees, 300 exhibitors, and more than 600 members of the media and analyst communities.

For more information on the conference, please visit the CTIA Wireless I.T. and Entertainment 2007 website at [http://www.wirelessit.com/].

IEEE Global Communications Conference 2007 11.26.2007-11.30.2007 - The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) will be holding its 50th annual Global Communications Conference (IEEE GLOBECOM 2007) in Washington, D.C., on November 26-30, 2007. With the theme of "Innovate, Educate, Accelerate," this 5-day conference will incorporate an Expo and Communications Industry Forum featuring an Access Business Forum, Design and Developers Forum, Tutorials and Workshops, along with a technical program consisting of a General Symposium, 9 Technical Symposia, and other programs. IEEE GLOBECOM 2007 will cover a broad range of topics, including presentations on communication theory, Internet protocol, multimedia communications, software and services optical networks and systems, wireless communications, and wireless networking.

For more details, including registration and hotel information, please visit the conference website at [http://www.ieee-globecom.org/2007/].

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Newsletter Info

Center for Advanced Communications Policy

Telecom/IT Policy Highlights Volume 7.07
September 2007
Nathan W Moon, Editor

Telecom/IT Policy Highlights presents legislative, regulatory, legal, and other items of interest pertinent to information, telecommunications, and related technology policy and research. For additional information regarding the information provided in this report, or if there are newsworthy items that should be included in future editions, please contact , Research Specialist , or , Director of Research and Editor in Chief.
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Volume: 7.07 September 2007 Microsoft Word version / September, 2007 TiPH (186.kB)

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Volume: 7.07
September 2007

Microsoft Word version / September, 2007 TiPH (186.kB)