The FCC needs to set up an immediate information campaign alerting the public to make sure their antennas can receive digital broadcast signals, said a bipartisan letter House Commerce Committee members sent Thursday to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. The FCC has failed to provide “adequate information” on the potential need for new antennas to receive digital broadcast signals for households receiving only over-the-air signals, the letter said.
The following are the trade-related bills and resolutions that were introduced in the House or Senate during September 22-24, 2008:
On September 23, 2008, the House passed the Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2008, Part II (H.R. 6984), a bill to amend title 49, U.S. Code, to extend authorizations for the airport improvement program and to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the funding and expenditure authority of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. (Congressional Record, dated 09/23/08, available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r110:@FIELD(FLD003d)@FIELD(DDATE20080923).)
In its Wednesday approval of creation of an advisory body on telecommunications, the European Parliament urged governments to maintain net neutrality. In a series of first-reading votes on proposed changes to Europe’s e- communications regulatory framework, lawmakers endorsed putting mobile phone and broadband services under universal service rules, speedy reallocation of digital-dividend spectrum and more privacy and data protections. Network operators and software companies have major concerns about some of the proposals, they said.
In its Wednesday approval of creation of an advisory body on telecommunications, the European Parliament urged governments to maintain net neutrality. In a series of first-reading votes on proposed changes to Europe’s e- communications regulatory framework, lawmakers endorsed putting mobile phone and broadband services under universal service rules, speedy reallocation of digital-dividend spectrum and more privacy and data protections. Network operators and software companies have major concerns about some of the proposals, they said.
APCO said in an FCC filing that it hopes for prompt FCC action approving rules for a second 700 MHz D-block auction. “In response to an inquiry today from Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau Chief Derek Poarch, this is to confirm that APCO believes that the Commission should take steps to issue new rules for the 700 MHz D Block prior to the end of this year,” said Robert Gurss, APCO director of legal and government affairs. Brian Fontes, CEO of the National Emergency Number Association, put a similar statement in the record at the commission.
The FCC Public Safety Bureau on Monday sought comment on E-911 location accuracy. These include separate agreements between Verizon Wireless and ATT and major public safety groups APCO and the National Emergency Number Association. The bureau also asked whether it should set up a broader task force on the E-911 location rules. T-Mobile and the Rural Cellular Association warned late Friday that not all carriers are ready to endorse the Verizon Wireless or AT&T agreement.
Keep interconnected VoIP eligible for Universal Service Fund E-Rate schools and libraries support, a cross section of industry and E-Rate applicants said in Thursday comments on a rulemaking. But commenters differed on funding year 2009 eligibility for filtering software, dark fiber and other new services.
Keep interconnected VoIP eligible for Universal Service Fund E-Rate schools and libraries support, a cross section of industry and E-Rate applicants said in Thursday comments on a rulemaking. But commenters differed on funding year 2009 eligibility for filtering software, dark fiber and other new services.
Telecom networks in Texas and the Midwest were largely recovered Thursday from Hurricane Ike. The storm made landfall Saturday in Texas and affected all or parts of 10 other states all the way to upstate New York. But the hardest-hit communities along the Texas Gulf Coast continued to suffer widespread landline outages.