The FCC will start a rulemaking adding two net neutrality principles to the original four, Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a speech Monday to the Brookings Institution. The announcement sent ripples through Washington, attracting skepticism from broadband providers and Republicans and enthusiasm from longtime advocates of neutrality rules. The FCC’s two Republican members raised strong concerns about the proposal, in their biggest break yet with the chairman.
Apple rejected the Google Voice application for the iPhone, Google said in the unredacted version of an August letter to the FCC released Friday. That statement is at odds with Apple claims that no decision had been made. The FCC, at Google’s request, made public Friday the full text of a letter from the company in response to questions from the Wireless Bureau about the blocking of Google Voice on the device. Meanwhile, in a brewing controversy, Google officials acknowledge the company is blocking calls to adult chat lines and free conference-call centers, which charge high access charges. The FCC has forbidden traditional phone companies from blocking the same calls.
Apple rejected the Google Voice application for the iPhone, Google said in the unredacted version of an August letter to the FCC released Friday. That statement is at odds with Apple claims that no decision had been made. The FCC, at Google’s request, made public Friday the full text of a letter from the company in response to questions from the Wireless Bureau about the blocking of Google Voice on the device. Meanwhile, in a brewing controversy, Google officials acknowledge the company is blocking calls to adult chat lines and free conference-call centers, which charge high access charges. The FCC has forbidden traditional phone companies from blocking the same calls.
Apple rejected the Google Voice application for the iPhone, Google said in the unredacted version of an August letter to the FCC released Friday. That statement is at odds with Apple claims that no decision had been made. The FCC, at Google’s request, made public Friday the full text of a letter from the company in response to questions from the Wireless Bureau about the blocking of Google Voice on the device. Meanwhile, in a brewing controversy, Google officials acknowledge the company is blocking calls to adult chat lines and free conference-call centers, which charge high access charges. The FCC has forbidden traditional phone companies from blocking the same calls.
Net neutrality and wireless competition regulation emerged during a cordial House FCC oversight hearing Thursday as two potentially divisive issues facing policymakers. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski responded cautiously to questions on a range of telecom policy matters at the Communications Subcommittee hearing. He told members he’s committed to upgrading the FCC regulatory processes, modernizing operations and delivering the broadband plan on time. Genachowski expressed his longstanding commitment to preserving an open Internet, and also said he has no plans to reinstate the fairness doctrine, a concern raised by several members.
Net neutrality emerged during a cordial House FCC oversight hearing Thursday as a potentially divisive issue facing policymakers. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski responded cautiously to questions on a range of telecom policy matters at the Communications Subcommittee hearing. He told members he’s committed to upgrading the FCC regulatory processes, modernizing operations and delivering the broadband plan on time. Genachowski expressed his longstanding commitment to preserving an open Internet, and also said he has no plans to reinstate the fairness doctrine, a concern raised by several members.
The FCC sometimes doesn’t make letters between it and Congress public because the agency has no automatic way to do so, Communications Daily has learned. Most of the letters we reviewed under a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request didn’t appear in docket files where they would be accessible to the public. Sometimes letters aren’t there because they don’t address specific rulemakings, but we couldn’t find in dockets some letters between the agency and Congress that are germane to particular rulemakings.
During a recent speech on financial rescue and reform, the President expressed his administration's commitment to pursuing expanded trade and new trade agreements. The President also noted that every time the G20 and the G8 have met, the U.S. has reaffirmed the need to fight against protectionism. According to the President, his recent action against tires from China was not meant to be protectionist, but is part of maintaining an open and free trading system. (Remarks, dated 09/14/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-on-Financial-Rescue-and-Reform-at-Federal-Hall/)
The Labor Department's Bureau of International Labor Affairs has issued a report and initial list of 122 goods in 58 countries it has reason to believe are produced with forced labor, child labor, or both, in violation of international standards.