House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., began an inquiry Friday into DOD’s recent request for information on dynamic spectrum sharing of the 3.45-3.55 GHz band (see 2009210056). "We have heard reports that the suddenness of this request and the short turnaround timeframe have been prompted directly by senior White House Officials," the lawmakers said in a letter to acting NTIA Administrator Adam Candeub. "We have also heard reports that the White House has instructed" DOD "to proceed immediately to a Request for Proposal" in a bid to "move forward toward a national 5G network." News reports indicate "several political operatives or lobbyists with close ties to President [Donald] Trump or his staff," including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., Rivada adviser and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale and Trump tech sector ally Peter Thiel, "are pushing for the seismic shift in spectrum policy contemplated by the RFI," the lawmakers said. "These reports also suggest these Republican operatives are working for the benefit of" Rivada, "which has long championed a national network that Rivada would construct and operate using its sharing technology.” Pallone and Doyle also asked GAO to "evaluate whether" DOD "has the legal authority to construct, operate, or maintain a commercial communications network or lease" its spectrum "to private entities to provide commercial communications" service: They believe DOD "has limited or no legal authority to do so." The lawmakers earlier raised concerns about the RFI, as did Republican senators and multiple conservative groups (see 2010070045). NTIA confirmed it received the letter. Rivada emphasized it "does not believe in vampires, and it does not support nationalizing" 5G. "We keep hearing that someone, somewhere, wants to nationalize" 5G, and "often, that goal is attributed to Rivada, but we know that isn't true," the company said in a statement. Rivada launched Americans Against Nationalization Thursday to "direct attention to, and expose, any attempts by government to nationalize anything. It will also expose any fraud trying to fake claims of 'nationalization' as these are an insult to the very real victims of nationalization throughout the world." Private-sector "solutions and free-market principles are critical to ensuring America leads in 5G, and it’s important to take a hard look at the dangers of nationalizing our wireless networks," said CTIA Senior Vice President-Government Affairs Kelly Cole. GAO didn't comment.
Expect antitrust legislation to be introduced in the “late days of this Congress” to curb Big Tech’s dominance, House Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline, D-R.I., said Friday, discussing his panel’s recent report (see 2010070067). Regulation is on the agenda for this and next Congress, said during a Public Knowledge event, calling the report “just the beginning.”
Expect antitrust legislation to be introduced in the “late days of this Congress” to curb Big Tech’s dominance, House Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline, D-R.I., said Friday, discussing his panel’s recent report (see 2010070067). Regulation is on the agenda for this and next Congress, said during a Public Knowledge event, calling the report “just the beginning.”
Expect antitrust legislation to be introduced in the “late days of this Congress” to curb Big Tech’s dominance, House Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline, D-R.I., said Friday, discussing his panel’s recent report (see 2010070067). Regulation is on the agenda for this and next Congress, said during a Public Knowledge event, calling the report “just the beginning.”
The Supreme Court met arguments from Google and Oracle with skepticism Wednesday in a case that could decide whether programming code is copyrightable (see 2008070054). Oracle sued Google for its use of Java programming code. Google has a right to provide a “certain functionality to make a computer do something” under Section 102(b) of the Copyright Act, argued Google attorney Thomas Goldstein. If there were alternatives, that would be “another matter,” he said, but because there’s only one way, there’s no copyright protection.
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and House Commerce Committee ranking member Greg Walden, R-Ore., filed the Beat China by Harnessing Important, National Airwaves for 5G Act Wednesday in a bid to codify the DOD’s deal with the FCC to sell commercial use of the 3.45-3.55 GHz band (see 2008100038). Americans for Tax Reform, Heritage Action, TechFreedom and 40 other right-leaning groups, meanwhile, raised concerns with Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., that DOD’s recent request for information on dynamic spectrum sharing of the frequency slice (see 2009210056) could be an avenue to 5G nationalization.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals should grant the FTC’s request for en banc review in its antitrust case against Qualcomm (see 2009250068), tech groups, auto manufacturers, consumers and scholars told the court in briefs filed through Tuesday (in Pacer). The agency is appealing a three-judge panel’s decision in favor of Qualcomm.
The Supreme Court met arguments from Google and Oracle with skepticism Wednesday in a case that could decide whether programming code is copyrightable (see 2008070054). Oracle sued Google for its use of Java programming code. Google has a right to provide a “certain functionality to make a computer do something” under Section 102(b) of the Copyright Act, argued Google attorney Thomas Goldstein. If there were alternatives, that would be “another matter,” he said, but because there’s only one way, there’s no copyright protection.
The Supreme Court met arguments from Google and Oracle with skepticism Wednesday in a case that could decide whether programming code is copyrightable (see 2008070054). Oracle sued Google for its use of Java programming code. Google has a right to provide a “certain functionality to make a computer do something” under Section 102(b) of the Copyright Act, argued Google attorney Thomas Goldstein. If there were alternatives, that would be “another matter,” he said, but because there’s only one way, there’s no copyright protection.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals should grant the FTC’s request for en banc review in its antitrust case against Qualcomm (see 2009250068), tech groups, auto manufacturers, consumers and scholars told the court in briefs filed through Tuesday (in Pacer). The agency is appealing a three-judge panel’s decision in favor of Qualcomm (see 2008190043).