FreedomPop is letting customers use their old Sprint phones to add a line with FreedomPop, said the mobile provider in a news release Tuesday (http://yhoo.it/1h0rPlW). Customers can also buy the HTC Evo 4G with no contract or upfront free from FreedomPop, said the provider. FreedomPop’s basic plan includes 200 voice minutes, 500 texts and 500 MB of 4G data with 3G roaming every month for free for life, said the company. FreedomPop already provides a free 1 GB of wireless Internet service each month with options to pay for more data or a virtual private network in an effort to close the so-called digital divide (CD July 9 p2).
Intelsat General received a sub-contract from TeleCommunication Systems (TCS) to provide managed Ku-band bandwidth on Intelsat satellites for the U.S. Marine Corps. It stemmed from a contract to TCS issued under a satellite communications acquisition program by the Defense Information Systems Agency and the General Services Administration, Intelsat said in a press release. Intelsat General also will provide TCS with its “customized, encrypted, bandwidth management reporting tool that enhances the ability to monitor and manage satellite circuits on the network,” it said.
The FCC is seeking general advice on how to improve FCC processes. Diane Cornell, special counsel to new FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, asked people to send in their comments to innovation@fcc.gov no later than Dec. 2, in a blog post Monday (http://fcc.us/1aC8r9z). “As Chairman Wheeler announced in his initial blog post upon joining the FCC, improving agency processes and procedures to more efficiently and effectively serve the public interest is one of his top priorities,” Cornell said. “In connection with that effort, we are soliciting public input on improving the efficiency of how we conduct business here at the FCC. We know that stakeholders who interact with the FCC will have many thoughts on substantive reforms that the agency should undertake, but for this effort, we are particularly interested in your ideas and insights to improve the efficiency of the process at the FCC.”
The FCC Wireless and Media bureaus are seeking comment on the competitive bidding procedures for Auction 84 of AM broadcast construction permits. The auction is scheduled to start May 6, the bureaus said in a public notice (http://bit.ly/1gZ0eBm). The bureaus seek comment on proposals, including an option to retain the discretion “to change the bidding schedule in order to foster an auction pace that reasonably balances speed with the bidders’ need to study round results and adjust their bidding strategies,” it said. They also invite input on activity rule waivers and whether to establish stopping rules, it said. Comments are due Dec. 6, replies Dec. 20.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, bowed their long-anticipated Patent Transparency and Improvements Act (PTIA) Monday. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., is an original co-sponsor of the bill. As anticipated (CD Oct 28 p9), the bill mirrors many provisions in the Innovation Act (HR-3309), including provisions requiring plaintiffs to disclose more complete ownership information to the court and defendants, and to disclose additional information to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Like HR-3309, the Senate’s PTIA also allows courts to stay an infringement lawsuit against a product’s end-users when the manufacturer is also included in the lawsuit and provided the stay meets certain court guidelines. The PTIA also makes changes to some PTO review programs and directs PTO to increase its outreach and education resources for small businesses. The bill also requires PTO, the GAO and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to prepare reports on the secondary patent market, the sale of U.S. government-owned patents, patent quality during PTO examinations and the creation of a pilot program for patent small claims courts. Unlike HR-3309, the Senate version includes a provision that codifies the FTC’s power to target abusive demand letters as an unfair and deceptive practice under Section 5 of the FTC Act (http://1.usa.gov/1ip7TIz). NCTA praised the introduction of the Senate bill Monday, arguing that “responsible legislative reforms to discourage unnecessary patent litigation are sorely needed so that American companies can focus on innovation, job creation and economic growth instead of frivolous litigation.”
The deregulation of the Florida PSC is working to keep prices low and close the digital divide, said Florida state Rep. Alan Williams on a NARUC panel Monday. “We are trying to make sure that our citizens get the best service,” said Williams, who is on the Florida House Energy & Utilities Subcommittee. Florida residents are increasingly using a mobile platform, said Matthew Carter, Ramos & Sparks Group partner and former Florida Public Service Commission chairman. “Ninety-five percent of Floridians now have cellphones, and the Internet ecosystem is moving from the old system to a lean, mean fast fighting machine.” Joe York, AT&T Florida vice president-legislative and external affairs, said he agrees with Carter that Florida is moving toward a wireless and VoIP state. “Only 15 percent of homes in Florida are using a [plain old telephone system] network, and they are transitioning away from the legacy service,” said York. The Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services now manages consumer services, and it’s still a work in progress, said Williams. “This is a laboratory of democracy to see if this is going to work,” he said. Florida PSC Chairman Ronald Brise said states have different needs when it comes to deregulating. “Each state is different and it needs to be evaluated on the ground to find the appropriate regulatory model,” said Brise.
The FTC’s Dec. 4 native advertising workshop will feature representatives from the media and advertising industries, consumer privacy advocates and attorneys from the FTC’s Advertising Practices Division, said a Monday news release (http://1.usa.gov/1ioyTI7). It said the FTC organized the workshop to examine how digital media is increasingly blending sponsored content in with editorial content, a practice known as native advertising. Nick Lemann, journalism professor and former dean of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, will give the first keynote speech on the origins of the division between editorial and advertising in journalism. Bob Garfield, co-host of NPR’s On the Media and MediaPost columnist, will give a midday keynote address. FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez will kick off the event with remarks and Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Jessica Rich will wrap up the day. Three panels will cover: Sponsored content in digital publications; consumer understanding of native advertisements; and possible industry best practices.
The House Judiciary Committee will mark up the Innovation Act (HR-3309) Wednesday, continuing committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte’s “ambitious” timeline for bringing the bill to the House floor. The markup is occurring despite a request from committee ranking member John Conyers, D-Mich., and seven other members of the committee asking for an additional hearing on the bill before a markup (CD Nov 12 p9). The markup is set to begin at 11:15 a.m. in 2141 Rayburn. An amended version of HR-3309 posted Monday effectively removed a controversial provision that would have expanded and made permanent a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office covered business method (CBM) patent review program (http://1.usa.gov/19AsEZM). Multiple software industry stakeholders had declared opposition to an expansion of the amendment, with Christopher Padilla, IBM vice president-governmental programs, saying in a letter to Goodlatte R-Va., Friday that IBM would oppose HR-3309 if it included the CBM provision. Reps. Doug Collins, R-Ga., and Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., spearheaded an amendment, originally set for consideration at Wednesday’s markup, which would have removed the CBM provision from HR-3309. Collins said in a statement that the new version of HR-3309 leaves the program “intact,” which is “great news for patent reform.” Collins said he appreciates Goodlatte’s “leadership in facilitating an open dialogue with the committee and allowing this change, which reflects the position of a growing, bipartisan group.” In the run-up to HR-3309’s markup, Goodlatte’s staff met Monday with industry stakeholders to discuss the bill. CEA President Gary Shapiro confirmed at a news conference Monday that the meeting’s participants included Michael Petricone, CEA senior vice president-government and regulatory affairs.
The NFL lobbied the FCC to keep the sports blackout rule, subject of a draft rulemaking notice proposing to end it (CD Nov 4 p3). The rule plus network nonduplication and syndicated exclusivity rules is “a necessary counterbalance to the compulsory copyright rule,” and it “would be unfair and unwise to get rid of these safeguards while maintaining the compulsory copyright.” That’s according to the league’s ex parte filings posted in docket 12-3 Monday and Friday on meetings with aides to commissioners Ajit Pai (http://bit.ly/I1BDO2) and Jessica Rosenworcel (http://bit.ly/1dPcWyr). “The League’s policy cannot be effectuated through private negotiations because the League lacks privity with local broadcasters and cable systems with respect to its over-the-air games,” said the filings.
Cisco officials urged the FCC to move forward quickly to open part of the 5 GHz band for unlicensed use, in a meeting with Renee Gregory, aide to Chairman Tom Wheeler, said an ex parte filing. Cisco officials also discussed “the rapid adoption of the IEEE 802.11ac standard by equipment manufacturers around the world and the increasing penetration of IEEE 802.11ac devices into the marketplace,” the filing said (http://bit.ly/17Gyrme).