Telecom Policy Report articles from March 2008

Telecom Policy Report archives from March 2008

Cramming Mastermind Slammed By The FTC.
March 10, 2008... Willoughby Farr, the owner of three companies that billed more than $30 million in bogus collect-call charges to millions of U.S. phone subscribers, has been banned for life from all billing activity. Farr agreed to the ban as part of a...

Wyoming Court System Taps Meru Networks For WLAN Buildout.
March 10, 2008... The Wyoming Supreme Court and three other district courts have deployed wireless LAN (WLAN) systems from Meru Networks as the first steps in a plan to blanket Wyoming's judicial branch with wireless coverage for judges, staff, attorneys and...

Around The States 03/08/08.
March 10, 2008... North Carolina Nighthawk Systems Inc. won a contract to install 485 of its CEO-700 wireless disconnect units for the Public Works Commission of Fayetteville, N.C. The value of the contract was not disclosed. The CEO-700 gives electric...

Telstra Ponders Multiple Court Actions, Gears Up For Cyber Trials.
March 10, 2008... To Telstra's dismay, late last week, the justices of the High Court of Australia confirmed the constitutional validity of Part XIC of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and specifically its application to the Unconditioned Local Loop Service...

Survey Sez: Telco-Backed State Franchising Hasn't Lowered Prices.
March 10, 2008... The National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) released results of a preliminary survey it conducted among its members to obtain a snapshot of the impact state video-services legislation (TelecomWeb news break,...

VoIP Public Safety Act On Its Way To The House.
March 10, 2008... The U.S. Senate gave the nod to the "IP-Enabled Voice Communications and Public Safety Act (S.428)," with two key provisions authored by Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), vice chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee....

GAO Roasts FCC's Enforcement Record, Suggests Remedies.
March 25, 2008... Last month, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, held a legislative hearing to discuss his draft legislation addressing wireless consumer issues and community broadband...

Commentary: Steve Effros Talks FCC Reform.
March 25, 2008... It has been no secret that lots of folks question how Kevin Martin's FCC is being run and how decisions are made. Indeed, other commissioners have raised the issue in public meetings, articles have been written in most major newspapers, and...

EC Adopts DVB-H For Mobile TV; What Happens Next?
March 25, 2008... The European Commission (EC) has made good on its plan to add Nokia's Digital Video Broadcasting Handheld standard (DVB-H) to the European Union (EU) List of Standards, thus clearing the way for new growth when it comes mobile TV. The EU...

Despite Public-Safety Pleas, NZ Carriers Won't Archive Text Messages.
March 25, 2008... Kiwis send on average 23,000 text messages a day, and police down under say those messages also help to send criminals to jail. However, even though texting has become an important part of the investigative procedure, helping to solve...

TracFone Wins Another 'Unlocking' Court Case.
March 25, 2008... A federal district court issued a $1 million judgment in favor of TracFone Wireless Inc. against a defendant who participated in an unlawful wireless phone hacking scheme by purchasing bulk quantities of phones to be resold and unlocked. And...

Around The States.
March 25, 2008... Maryland The state legislature continues to debate a ban on texting while driving this year. Opponents to a texting ban say reckless driving laws can already cover people who cause wrecks because of distractions. The state Senate is...

700 MHz Auction Wrap: All Over But The Hearings.
March 25, 2008... While the long-anticipated sale of broadcasters' 700 MHz spectrum now has concluded, it really ain't over. It will take years to build the promised next- gen networks, and public safety still has no nationwide broadband presence. Verizon...