The Internet allows "microbusinesses" to thrive in sales abroad, and the U.S. government should develop policies to encourage that growth, said e-commerce and trade experts at a panel discussion hosted by eBay and the National Foreign Trade Council Oct. 24. The event coincided with eBay's release of a report focused on how 97 percent of its commercial users, including small sellers, use the website to sell to customers abroad. The U.S. government can take steps, both within its own policies and when negotiating trade agreements with other nations, to help Internet-enabled small businesses grow, panelists said, echoing the findings and suggestions in the report. The eBay report is available (here).
Although there’s no need for Internet gambling regulation just yet, public discussion has highlighted an “almost unanimous call for policy action at EU level,” the European Commission said Tuesday in a statement (http://xrl.us/bnvn2g) to the European Parliament and EU Council of Ministers on a comprehensive European framework for online gambling. It proposed an action plan to deal with five key challenges to the current system: compliance of national rules with EU law; enhancing administrative cooperation and enforcement; protecting consumers, citizens, minors and vulnerable groups; preventing fraud and money-laundering; and safeguarding the integrity of sports. If the plan isn’t working after two years, the EC will come up with more “ambitious efforts,” including legislation, Internal Market and Services Commissioner Michel Barnier said at a press briefing. Gambling associations cheered the EC’s promise to go after national administrations that flout EU law.
Lawmakers from the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees lauded the Oct. 22 announcement of the U.S.-Panama Free Trade Agreement entering into force at the end of the month.
"Rachel from card member services” keeps calling, and industry officials are trying to figure out how to silence her nefarious rings. Officials gathered Thursday at the FTC’s “Robocall Summit” to deal with the issue, as “Rachel” became a kind of shorthand for the transnational networks of robocallers intent on manipulating the VoIP system. Until the industry implements new solutions as it transitions to an all-Internet Protocol network, filing a complaint with donotcall.gov is the “only viable option” for consumers who get unwanted robocalls, said FCC Chief Technology Officer Henning Schulzrinne. The FTC also announced a $50,000 prize for anyone who can provide a technical solution to block robocalls.
Public safety answering points (PSAPs) are getting their own Do Not Call list, as the FCC voted unanimously Wednesday to prohibit autodialing to 911 call centers. The move was directed by Congress in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. The new rules will impose penalties of up to $100,000 per unwanted call, and up to $1 million for disclosing the numbers contained in the registry. Chairman Julius Genachowski said he expects the order will save lives. “Getting a busy signal when calling 911 is simply unacceptable, and some telemarketers make that happen,” he said. “In emergency situations, minutes -- even seconds -- matter."
The FCC approved on a 5-0 vote a settlement between AT&T and Sirius XM that opens the door for the carrier to deploy LTE in 30 megahertz of spectrum in the 2.3 GHz wireless communications service band. Wednesday’s order ratifies an agreement worked out by the two companies and unveiled in June (CD June 19 p1), on the sharing of the band between WCS and the satellite digital audio radio service.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said he will vote against the Cybersecurity Act (S-3414) if Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., doesn’t allow senators to amend the bill when it comes to the floor. The bill failed in August “because it had major flaws,” Johnson said by email. “Senator Reid was playing election-year politics and refused to allow amendments or changes to the bill,” he said. “If Senator Reid puts the same bill on the floor and refuses to allow amendments again, my vote will be the same.” Specifically, Johnson said there are concerns that the bill is both costly and fails to create an environment that “adds flexibility to address future cybersecurity threats.” He said he will again offer an amendment that requires the Congressional Budget Office to score the bill before it’s implemented. “We still don’t know how much this bill would cost if it became law,” he said in an email. “I would offer that amendment again -- it’s time for Harry Reid to be accountable for the burden he’s placing on job creators.” Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., doesn’t support S-3414 in its current form, though he’s pleased Reid offered this weekend to resurrect the debate on cybersecurity legislation in the lame-duck Congress (CD Oct 16 p5), his spokesman said. “I hope this action reflects a recognition that an Executive Order simply cannot provide the statutory authorities and protections needed to address the serious danger posed by cyber attacks,” Coats said in a written statement. “When bringing cyber security legislation to the Senate floor in November, the Senate Majority Leader should allow an open and thorough debate with the opportunity for both sides to offer amendments.” The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said it still prefers the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (HR-3523) to S-3414 which it said could impede the ability for companies to share cyberthreats with the government, said Ann Beauchesne, vice president of national security and emergency preparedness, in a blog Tuesday (http://xrl.us/bnuiwh). “It’s a hub-and-spoke model, and its strict definition of cyber threat information could erect -- not bring down -- barriers to productive information sharing,” she wrote of S-3414. Its liability protections related to voluntary information sharing are “vague, if not purposefully qualified, and would invite -— rather than deter —- lawsuits,” she said. Beauchesne argued against the bill’s baseline security standards, saying they're costly to businesses and would hinder the private sector’s ability to respond to attacks. “We need to make sure that the private sector is spending scarce resources managing risk and implementing robust and effective security measures instead of hiring more compliance officers to deal with red tape,” she said.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said he will vote against the Cybersecurity Act (S-3414) if Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., doesn’t allow senators to amend the bill when it comes to the floor. The bill failed in August “because it had major flaws,” Johnson said by email. “Senator Reid was playing election-year politics and refused to allow amendments or changes to the bill,” he said. “If Senator Reid puts the same bill on the floor and refuses to allow amendments again, my vote will be the same.” Specifically, Johnson said there are concerns that the bill is both costly and fails to create an environment that “adds flexibility to address future cybersecurity threats.” He said he will again offer an amendment that requires the Congressional Budget Office to score the bill before it’s implemented. “We still don’t know how much this bill would cost if it became law,” he said in an email. “I would offer that amendment again -- it’s time for Harry Reid to be accountable for the burden he’s placing on job creators.” Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., doesn’t support S-3414 in its current form, though he’s pleased Reid offered this weekend to resurrect the debate on cybersecurity legislation in the lame-duck Congress (WID Oct 16 p1), his spokesman said. “I hope this action reflects a recognition that an Executive Order simply cannot provide the statutory authorities and protections needed to address the serious danger posed by cyber attacks,” Coats said in a written statement. “When bringing cyber security legislation to the Senate floor in November, the Senate Majority Leader should allow an open and thorough debate with the opportunity for both sides to offer amendments.” The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said it still prefers the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (HR-3523) to S-3414 which it said could impede the ability for companies to share cyberthreats with the government, said Ann Beauchesne, vice president of national security and emergency preparedness, in a blog Tuesday (http://xrl.us/bnuiwh). “It’s a hub-and-spoke model, and its strict definition of cyber threat information could erect -- not bring down -- barriers to productive information sharing,” she wrote of S-3414. Its liability protections related to voluntary information sharing are “vague, if not purposefully qualified, and would invite -— rather than deter —- lawsuits,” she said. Beauchesne argued against the bill’s baseline security standards, saying they're costly to businesses and would hinder the private sector’s ability to respond to attacks. “We need to make sure that the private sector is spending scarce resources managing risk and implementing robust and effective security measures instead of hiring more compliance officers to deal with red tape,” she said.
The European Commission wants input on whether to update the list of wholesale and retail telecom markets now subject to regulation by national authorities, it said in a consultation (http://xrl.us/bnuh3) launched Tuesday. Those markets include retail access to the public telephone network and wholesale broadband access, it said. The review will consider major market and technological developments such as Internet-based applications and service, convergence between different types of networks and services, and the development of very fast Internet networks and services, it said. The results could lead to revisions in the current list, which was last updated in 2007, it said. Comments are due Jan. 8 to cnect-relevant-markets@ec.europa.eu. The European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association said the consultation could result in less regulation and a better investment environment for high-speed broadband. Since 2007, strong competitors on different levels of the Internet value chain have emerged, and competitive platforms such as cable and mobile networks are increasingly providing broadband services, said ETNO Director Daniel Pataki. That offers the chance to “take a bold step towards the deregulation of the sector,” he said. ETNO urged the EC to lift rules on the remaining retail market for access to public phone networks at fixed locations and on wholesale broadband markets. Meanwhile, Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes warned participants at the Broadband World Forum in Amsterdam that Europe is “at a crossroads for broadband” and that where it ends up depends on tough political and investment decisions. New services such as cloud computing and e-government need better broadband, she said. She backed finding more spectrum for wireless broadband and more funding for fixed broadband, and urged governments to support the proposed Connecting Europe Facility, which aims to spur spending on fast broadband.
The European Commission wants input on whether to update the list of wholesale and retail telecom markets now subject to regulation by national authorities, it said in a consultation (http://xrl.us/bnuh3) launched Tuesday. Those markets include retail access to the public telephone network and wholesale broadband access, it said. The review will consider major market and technological developments such as Internet-based applications and service, convergence between different types of networks and services, and the development of very fast Internet networks and services, it said. The results could lead to revisions in the current list, which was last updated in 2007, it said. Comments are due Jan. 8 to cnect-relevant-markets@ec.europa.eu. The European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association said the consultation could result in less regulation and a better investment environment for high-speed broadband. Since 2007, strong competitors on different levels of the Internet value chain have emerged, and competitive platforms such as cable and mobile networks are increasingly providing broadband services, said ETNO Director Daniel Pataki. That offers the chance to “take a bold step towards the deregulation of the sector,” he said. ETNO urged the EC to lift rules on the remaining retail market for access to public phone networks at fixed locations and on wholesale broadband markets. Meanwhile, Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes warned participants at the Broadband World Forum in Amsterdam that Europe is “at a crossroads for broadband” and that where it ends up depends on tough political and investment decisions. New services such as cloud computing and e-government need better broadband, she said. She backed finding more spectrum for wireless broadband and more funding for fixed broadband, and urged governments to support the proposed Connecting Europe Facility, which aims to spur spending on fast broadband.