The FCC’s effort to improve intercarrier compensation (ICC) among phone companies continued to draw disagreement in the latest round of comments to the Commission. A consultant to rural telephone companies said small carriers would be badly hurt financially if the cross- industry proposal by the Intercarrier Compensation Forum (ICF) was adopted. The ICF said it represented a balance between “extremes” proposed by others. The Wis. PSC said lack of consensus makes NARUC’s efforts to offer an alternative more important than ever. Nearly 100 organizations filed reply comments, which were due late Wed.
Experts on the MGM v. Grokster case differed on whether Congress should try to legislate on the growing copyright infringement problem following the historic Supreme Court decision (WID June 28 p1) during a Capitol Hill lunch Tues. But pundits on both sides of the war between the content and high-tech industries seemed to agree the 108th Congress’s Induce Act fiasco, which imploded during Congressional negotiations, left a bad taste in policymakers’ mouths. The failed measure would have held technology companies liable for creating devices used largely for piracy.
Ire over sex animation hidden in Take-Two Interactive game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (CED July 12 p10, July 11 p6) kept escalating Thurs. as Sen. Clinton (D-N.Y.) urged an immediate FTC inquiry into the issue “to determine the source of [the] graphic pornographic and violent content appearing” in the title. The FTC declined comment, saying it had received the letter and was reviewing it.
The FCC approved a package of orders Thurs. aimed at improving communications tools for hearing- and speech- impaired people. At its agenda meeting, the agency: (1) Set standards to make sure Video Relay Service (VRS) functions fully. (2) Decided Spanish translation VRS can be compensated from the interstate Telecom Relay Service (TRS) fund. (3) Clarified that 2-line captioned telephone service also is eligible for interstate TRS fund compensation.
Boeing and ARINC, as well as the usual Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) suspects, weighed in on the FCC’s proposed Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Services (AMSS) licensing rules, providing fodder on which the Commission will eventually base its AMSS licensing regime. The FCC has made clear it wants broadband to take to the skies -- but also seeks to avoid interference from the thousands of flying earth stations that broad AMSS adoption would spawn.
Boeing and ARINC, as well as the usual Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) suspects, weighed in on the FCC’s proposed Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Services (AMSS) licensing rules, providing fodder on which the Commission will eventually base its AMSS licensing regime. The FCC has made clear it wants broadband to take to the skies -- but also seeks to avoid interference from the thousands of flying earth stations that broad AMSS adoption would spawn.
The U.S. Registrar of Copyrights told lawmakers Tues. it’s too early to declare victory in the war on copyright infringement after the Supreme Court’s Grokster ruling. The music industry simply can’t rely on the high court decision and strong copyright laws in the 21st century marketplace, Marybeth Peters said. Digital music firms need to be able to offer consumers what they want via one- stop shopping, a goal blocked by an outdated music licensing system, she told the Senate subcommittee charged with intellectual property (IP) on Tues. Peters reprised reform suggestions to Chmn. Hatch (R-Utah) and Ranking Member Leahy (D-Vt.) she premiered at last month’s House IP subcommittee hearing. Peters and a growing contingent of allies want to amend Sec. 115 of the Copyright Act to erase compulsory licenses in favor of collective administration techniques (WID June 22 p1).
U.S. policy experts tracking discussion of Internet governance continue to worry that those at the negotiating table will lose focus on pressing issues because of political squabbling over the Web’s future. Those interested await issuance of a UN Internet study next Mon. and back-to-back ITU and ICANN meetings in coming days. Hours after the report is released, a separate workshop on national experiences in Internet governance will be staged in Geneva.
Technology companies and the content industry inevitably will cooperate more following the MGM v. Grokster decision, a wide political spectrum of panelists said Wed. at a D.C. Bar Assn. discussion. Discussion was markedly more civil than at previous panels, such as a Consumer Electronics Assn. event pitting the MPAA and RIAA chiefs against technology lobbyists (WID March 17 p2), but agreement on who really won -- short or long term -- was elusive.
On its second day of hearings, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) heard from online activists, campaign lawyers and a union official on good, bad and “random” provisions in proposed rules for Internet communications. Witnesses mostly supported a light touch for online activity, saying the law hasn’t caught up with technology, while campaign reformers warned that the activists are in a much better position than they think.