Policy

Capital Currents - Cell phone standards and antitrust behavior

September 29, 2012 4:59 pm | by Jeffrey Krauss, president of Telecommunications and Technology Policy | Articles | Comments

As those of us who participate in industry standards development are continually reminded, since standards have strategic and competitive importance, they must be developed using fair methods by committees that allow wide participation and consider all proposals.

CPE: Digital transport adapters expand their horizons

September 28, 2012 2:39 pm | by Mike Robuck | Articles | Comments

In the family of customer premises equipment (CPE), digital transport adapters (DTAs) may lack cachet when compared with the latest set-top boxes, digital video recorders (DVRs) and gateways, but DTAs are playing an increasingly important role in cable operator deployments.

Hacking on the rise

September 28, 2012 2:07 pm | by Brian Santo | Articles | Comments

There have always been hackers, but as computer and telecom networks merge and become more extensive and interconnected, it seems that the incidence of hacking is increasing. But the point is that no organization should feel cocky about its security.

Dish satellite broadband set for Oct. 1 launch

September 27, 2012 3:34 pm | by Maisie Ramsay, Wireless Week | News | Comments

Dish Network said it will launch a satellite broadband service targeted at rural consumers with slow Internet connections. The service is based on a satellite launched by Dish’s sister company EchoStar earlier this year. The dishNet service will be available in both rural and suburban areas.

AT&T's WCS plans to get FCC green light

September 27, 2012 3:32 pm | by Maisie Ramsay, Wireless Week | News | Comments

The FCC is poised to allow LTE service in the long-unused 2.3 GHz Wireless Communications Services (WCS) band, clearing the way for AT&T's plan to use the spectrum for its LTE network. Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski's office said the agency would vote on revisions to its WCS rules at its next open meeting.

Cisco CEO's pay package dipped 9% in past year

September 27, 2012 3:20 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Cisco Systems trimmed CEO John Chambers' pay package by 9 percent as concerns about growth at the maker of computer networking equipment weighed on the company's stock. The value of Chambers' compensation totaled $11.7 million, down from nearly $12.9 million.

Cox seeks caps on programming discounts for Big Four

September 26, 2012 3:26 pm | by Brian Santo | News | Comments

Larger MVPDs have always had the leverage to negotiate programming fees lower than those charged to smaller companies – sometimes far lower. This has been an ongoing source of disgruntlement for many smaller companies, that chafe at being charged far more for programming.

Comcast forges 2 partnerships to broaden Internet Essentials’ reach

September 26, 2012 3:23 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | Comments

Comcast has struck partnerships with the U.S. Department of Labor and Connect2Compete to further stretch the reach of its low-cost Internet Essentials broadband tier. Comcast said the new partnerships would help close the gap on the digital divide.

Dish lashes out at Sprint AWS proposal

September 26, 2012 3:19 pm | by Maisie Ramsay, Wireless Week | News | Comments

Dish Network has stepped up its offense against a Sprint proposal that it says could "severely jeopardize" its wireless plans. The two companies are fighting over the FCC's proposed rule changes to Dish Network's AWS-4 spectrum, 40 MHz of satellite spectrum it wants to use for a land-based LTE network.

Chicago works to expand broadband access

September 24, 2012 2:20 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

The city says Millennium Park has already begun offering free wireless Internet to the public, and all parks in Chicago will eventually offer free Internet. The city also wants to expand high-speed access for residents in underserved areas.

TiVo settles lawsuit against Verizon for $250M

September 24, 2012 2:12 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Verizon will pay TiVo at least $250.4 million to settle a patent lawsuit related to its digital video recording technology, and the two have a licensing deal. The two companies agreed to dismiss all pending litigation. They had been scheduled to go to trial in October.

Verizon, ActiveVideo make nice

September 24, 2012 2:04 pm | by Brian Santo | News | Comments

After an appeals court affirmed that Verizon violated ActiveVideo Networks’ patents, the two companies have negotiated a cross-licensing agreement to seal the result of the lawsuit. ActiveVideo charged that Verizon’s FiOS VOD service infringed on four of its patents.

FCC deflects criticism over LightSquared

September 24, 2012 1:56 pm | by Maisie Ramsay, Wireless Week | News | Comments

Federal Communications Commission officials told Congress that the GPS industry should have raised concerns about interference long before it gave LightSquared the go-ahead for a wholesale wireless service in an adjacent band. The Commission is in hot water.

SCTE forms working group on recycling

September 21, 2012 1:32 pm | by Mike Robuck | News | Comments

In its ongoing efforts to be a more eco-friendly industry, the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers has formed a recycling working group. The Recycling Working Group is part of the SCTE Standards Program’s Sustainability Management Subcommittee (SMS).

Apple loses German patent case vs. Samsung, Motorola

September 21, 2012 1:25 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

A German court has dismissed Apple's claim that Samsung Electronics and Google's Motorola Mobility infringed patents used in touchscreen devices. The Mannheim state court's ruling Friday follows similar decisions in Britain and the Netherlands.