Telecom Policy Report articles from December 2005

Telecom Policy Report archives from December 2005

Next VoIP, Broadband Dispute Erupts at FCC: Groups Want CALEA Rules Delayed.
December 5, 2005... As quiet as any covert operation, over the Thanksgiving holiday there was a sneak attack on a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order that Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and broadband access service providers comply with wiretaps...

VoIP 911 Ruling Kicks In, Yet Questions Continue.
December 5, 2005... With the relief of a court stay temporarily eliminated, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers last week faced the Nov. 28 regulatory deadline to provide basic and enhanced 911 emergency call-handling services. And while no new...

IPCC Plays Host To VoIP 911 Ideas.
December 5, 2005... The VoIP-oriented International Packet Communications Consortium (IPCC) certainly welcomes the FCC allowing Internet telephony offerings to continue as providers implement their 911 emergency services as well as "innovative technical...

The FCC And CALEA: What Price Collaboration?
December 5, 2005... The pending stay request at the FCC regarding its Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) rulings appears to reflect a long- standing debate surrounding the merits and dangers of potential government access to private and...

PFF Schedules USF Reform Discussion.
December 5, 2005... On Wednesday (Dec. 7), the Progress & Freedom Foundation think tank will host a public forum and discussion focusing on potential congressional reform of the universal service fund (USF) subsidy program, including the model legislative...

Take a fresh look at TelecomWeb's Managed Services Report.
December 5, 2005... Now with the latest relevant information on global network operations security Presenting a new look with key, updated information on Managed Services, TelecomWeb's Managed Services Report has been revamped and enhanced! Read an...

States Conclave Compares Local Franchise Woes, Cable-TV Dominance.
December 12, 2005... During its annual fall meeting last week in Chicago, members of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) got an earful from analysts and advocacy groups about the problems associated with local franchise authorities (LFAs) and the...

PFF Revises USF Reform Ideas; Coalition Objects.
December 12, 2005... The Progress & Freedom Foundation think tank has offered a second version of its proposal to the U.S. Congress to consider in reforming the universal service fund (USF) subsidy program (TPR, Dec. 5; Oct. 24), but the recently formed...

The DACA's 'Six Fundamental Flaws'.
December 12, 2005... The newly formed consumer advocate Coalition to Keep America Connected conveyed to Congress its dissatisfaction with the Progress & Freedom Foundation's reworked "Digital Age Communications Act (DACA)" initiative, citing the following...

Economist Blasts Munis For 'Blackmail'.
December 12, 2005... Last week, economist Dr. Robert E. Litan was discussing his recent report on broadband benefits for elderly and disabled Americans - sponsored by the New Millennium Research Council (NMRC) - when he broke stride and essentially accused...

Anti-War Group Urges Excise Tax Protests.
December 12, 2005... A Brooklyn, N.Y.-based organization protesting the war in Iraq and promoting peace has embraced, among its tactics, a campaign to persuade anti-war consumers to avoid paying the federal excise tax that appears on U.S. telephone bills because...

Rurals Could Benefit From Reassigned 2 GHz Spectrum.
December 12, 2005... Following its monthly meeting last Friday, which took place on time despite the Capitol being blanketed by an overnight snow storm, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assigned unused spectrum in the 2 GHz Mobile Satellite Services...

Ohio Consumer Group To PUCO: Rate-Hike Danger.
December 12, 2005... The Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC) has filed comments with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) to alter PUCO's staff-proposed rules that would allow local telcos to increase their rates for basic services and Caller...

Senate Telecom Bill Seeks Deep Dereg, Heavy USF Reform.
December 19, 2005... Like a bolt out of the blue as the U.S. Congress readies for its holiday recess, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) late last week introduced a telecom-act rewrite bill that appears to be one of the more sweeping legislative attempts yet this year to...

Federal Excise Tax Under The Legal Gun Yet Again.
December 19, 2005... We've heard how anti-war groups are urging citizens to withhold the embattled federal excise tax (FET) from telephone bills as a means of protest (TPR, Dec. 12), yet it's also well-known that the levy initially conceived to finance the...

National Innovation Act Eyes U.S. Competitiveness.
December 19, 2005... Despite its enormous size and resources, its clear capitalist know-how and substantial economic power, the United States, in fact, is the prime international target of cross-industry manufacturing and knowledge-economy rivals around the...

Feds Say CALEA Dispute Rests With Court, Not FCC.
December 19, 2005... In a dispute over a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order that Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and broadband access service providers must comply with wiretaps, surveillance and other official law-enforcement measures (TPR, Dec....

At Press Time: House Approves DTV Deadline Compromise.
December 19, 2005... TelecomWeb news break has learned that, having apparently reached a compromise over the weekend with key members of the U.S. Senate, the House of Representatives early today narrowly approved legislation, which calls for American broadcasters...