Press

Decision Upholding FCC's Data Roaming Order is a Win for Wireless Users

December 04, 2012

Issues: 
WIPO Broadcasting Treaty

Today, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the Federal Communications Commission's "Data Roaming Order," which requires that wireless carriers offer data (wireless Internet access) roaming services to other carriers on "commercially reasonable terms." This allows wireless users to use all the functions of their phones even in places where their carriers might not have coverage. The court's decision is linked here.

The following statement can be attributed to John Bergmayer, Senior Staff Attorney at Public Knowledge:

Public Knowledge On IRFA: A Good Start To Fair Royalties

November 30, 2012

Background: The Internet Radio Fairness Act is a bill that has been introduced to both the Senate and Congress. It works to achieve parity and sustainability in the online radio marketplace by changing the standard by which online radio royalties are set to the same factors used for cable and satellite radio. The current standard has led to royalty rates that often amount to more than half of the service's revenues, in a field where no major online radio company has ever earned a profit.

The following can be attributed to Staff Attorney Jodie Griffin:

Public Knowledge Weighs The WCIT's Importance To Syria's Blackout Situation

November 30, 2012

Issues: 
ITU

The following statement can be attributed to President Gigi Sohn:

"The events in Syria highlight the importance of the upcoming WCIT and the implications of the WCIT for free expression online. Provisions proposed by some member states would explicitly authorize governments such as Syria to disrupt Internet traffic and control Internet architecture, including traffic routing, on the grounds that such censorship is necessary to protect public order or suppress insurrection.

"Today, nations and organizations that oppose such acts of national censorship are free to help those within Syria circumvent these efforts to suppress speech.

Public Knowledge Argues for a Revised Spectrum Screen

November 29, 2012

In comments authored by Jon Peha, professor at Carnegie Mellon in the Departments of Electrical & Computer Engineering and of Engineering & Public Policy and former Chief Technologist of the FCC, Public Knowledge argues that the FCC should adjust its spectrum screen policies to take account of the fact that not all spectrum is equally suited to the task of providing wireless broadband service.

These comments are linked here. 

The following statement can be attributed to John Bergmayer, Senior Staff Attorney at Public Knowledge:

"It is difficult to conduct spectrum policy at the FCC without first knowing how useful different bands of spectrum actually are.  It is easier to use certain frequencies of spectrum to provide service than others.

FCC Post-Hurricane Field Hearings Good First Step on the Road to Real Reliability Standards

November 21, 2012

The following may be attributed to Harold Feld, Vice President:

"Hurricane Sandy showed the importance of maintaining a federal role in disaster preparedness and response. That remains true for communications networks -- which form a vital part of our national critical infrastructure.

"Until now, we have delegated emergency preparedness and emergency response for cellular networks and newer "IP-based" networks entirely to the private sector. Even now, representatives of the industry insist that the federal government and state governments should impose no standards or duties when it comes to emergency preparedness and emergency response. Hopefully, the experience with Sandy underscores how dependent we as a nation have become on these networks, and that the federal government does indeed have a role in setting minimum standards for preparedness and response.

Republican Study Committee Starts A Dialog on Copyright Hollywood Lobbyists Are Afraid To Have

November 18, 2012

Background: Friday, the Republican Study Committee released a policy brief outlining several problems with current copyright laws and suggesting sensible reforms for copyright law. Just a few hours later, the report was withdrawn and removed from the web, along with a statement from the Committee claiming the brief was "published without adequate review."

The following may be attributed to Gigi Sohn, President and CEO of Public Knowledge:

"It's amazing how quickly good ideas about copyright law can be squashed by incumbent interests in the entertainment industry. While artists and users alike have been talking about necessary reforms for years, these industry lobbyists don't even want this conversation to take place. The ideas put forth in the policy brief are long overdue for serious discussion and debate in Congress, and it's galling to see that powerful members of the content industry want to suppress them.

Public Knoweldge Joins Intervenors to Protect Open Internet Rules in Court

November 16, 2012

Issues: 
Broadband Authority
FCC's Open Internet Rules

Contact: Sherwin Siy 202-861-0020 (o)

For Immediate Release
DATE: November 16, 2012

Public Knowledge Joins Intervenors to Protect Open Internet Rules in Court

Background: Public Knowledge joined with technology companies and state consumer advocates to defend the FCC's open Internet rules against a challenge by Verizon. The brief, on behalf of a coalition of technology companies (including Amazon, eBay, DISH Network, Google, Paypal, Skype, Netflix, and others), Vonage, Public Knowledge, and the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates ("NASUCA"), intervenes in the case, saying that the rules protect them from anticompetitive discrimination and promote broadband usage and deployment.

The following statement may be attributed to Sherwin Siy, Vice President of Legal Affairs:

AT&T Reverses Course on FaceTime Blocking

November 08, 2012

Carrier indicates it will cease practice of allowing only Mobile Share customers access to mobile FaceTime.

Public interest groups prepared to file FCC complaint if AT&T fails to make FaceTime available to all customers. 

On Thursday, AT&T Senior Executive Vice President Jim Cicconi released a statement indicating that AT&T will reverse course and end its current practice of blocking the FaceTime video calling application over its cellular network unless customers first subscribe to an AT&T "Mobile Share" data plan.

District Court Upholds Viewers' Rights in DISH Hopper Case

November 07, 2012

Today, the United States District Court for the Central District of California denied Fox's attempt to take away television viewers' right to control how they watch TV.  Consumers who have purchased the Hopper DVR can continue to use all its features, including its ability to skip commercials on recorded programming.

The following statement can be attributed to John Bergmayer, Senior Staff Attorney at Public Knowledge:

"It's great news that the Court has resisted Fox's attempt to shut down DISH's product, before there has even been a trial on the merits of the case. Consumers have a right to record television programs and watch them later in the manner of their choosing.

Public Knowledge Lauds AT&T's Network Investment and The Importance of Pro-Competitive Policies

November 07, 2012

Issues: 
Broadband
Mobile Innovation
The AT&T/T-Mobile Merger

Today, AT&T detailed a plan to expand its wireless and wireline broadband networks. The plan touts an $8 billion investment in wireless initiatives, while another $6 billion will be put to use for wireline initiatives. In total, AT&T will reinvest $22 billion into their network over a span of three years, which could positively impact rural communities and DSL customers. 

The following can be attributed to Senior Vice President Harold Feld:

"AT&T is to be applauded for investing in its network and breathing new life into DSL and rural wireless. This investment will not only create new jobs and bring broadband to the heartland, it has the potential to revive competition with cable broadband at a time when many had concluded we were doomed to a cable monopoly.