US-Ignite – What’s the Opportunity for Communities, Network Providers, and Developers?

With the June launch of its US Ignite initiative, the White House has taken a bold step to stimulate creation of a new wave of services and applications that leverage advanced broadband networks running up to 100 times faster than today’s Internet. A new public-private partnership with almost 100 partners to date, US Ignite will build on the National Science Foundation’s GENI network to interconnect communities with advanced fiber networks to facilitate sharing of knowledge, experiences, and applications across multiple disciplines. The program is poised to match developers of advanced medical, public safety, energy, and other bandwidth-rich applications in these communities with experts who can help accelerate the development and commercialization of these applications.

Broadband Communities Summit program on Broadband and Economic Development

Building on last year’s successful program on Broadband, Economic Development, and Job Creation, Broadband Communities is presenting a more extensive multi-disciplinary program this year. BroadbandUS.TV will video webcast the entire day-and-a half event live, including several special interviews and videos of other key events at the Broadband Summit. Jim Baller will participate in most of the program, which he organized, and Marty Stern will emcee the webcast.

Spectrum Reform Under the 2012 Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act

In February, Congress enacted the most significant piece of spectrum legislation in almost 20 years. The new law has sweeping provisions providing billions for public safety broadband and for repurposing and repacking broadcasters through reverse auctions. It frees up spectrum to be auctioned for wireless broadband and encourages expanded use of white spaces and wireless towers. With the ink barely dry, significant disagreements have emerged over the meaning of many of the key provisions of the Act and over the respective roles of the FCC, NTIA, the First Responder Network Authority, and state and local governments. Stakeholders are also struggling to understand the complex multi-dimensional procedural steps through which the Act will be implemented, including the timing of key rulemakings, auctions, and the roll-out of the public safety broadband network.

Retransmission Consent, Round Two

The latest cycle of retransmission consent negotiations is drawing to a close. The negotiations  have been acrimonious, with significant rate hikes on the horizon.  Cable and DBS continue to call for FCC retrans rules with some teeth, while broadcasters question why negotiations over broadcast carriage should be treated differently than other programming.  In the meantime, the FCC has failed to issue its long-awaited new rules but it is now examining joint negotiations by unaffiliated stations.  How will cable operators implement the rate increases, and how will consumers react?   Do blackouts remain a possibility?   Is action by the Commission or Congress necessary or desirable?  What effect will the new carriage rates have on the future of television?  Co-hosts Jim Baller andMarty Stern have reassembled their highly popular panel of experts on retransmission consent for another lively debate on the economics and politics driving these issues.

The Future of TV with Paula Kerger, President, PBS

View the Official Internet TV Webcast of FOSE 2011, live from the Washington Convention Center, July 19-21, 2011 with conference speaker coverage, exhibitor and attendee interviews and news reports from the floor during the event. Live coverage begins 11:00 AM ET on July 19. Don’t miss the 3 Live FOSE TV Pre-event webcasts, the first one on June 3, 2011 at 2:00 PM ET highlighting FOSE 2011 exhibitors, technology and activities in advance of the big event!

Poles and Holes

To spur broadband deployment, adoption, and use, the Federal Communications Commission has recently issued controversial new pole attachment rules, and it is exploring ways to accelerate and lower the cost of access to public rights of way and facilities. Sharon Gillett, Chief of the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau will join co-hosts Jim Baller and Marty Stern to discuss these issues. The program will also include a panel of experts who will face off in lively, spirited debate on the new pole attachment rules and on various right-of-way issues.

The Year in Review, What Lies Ahead

The National Broadband Plan, the Broadband Stimulus, the Comcast decision, the Google gigabit initiative, White Spaces, Comcast-NBCU, the first steps toward Spectrum and Universal Service reform, the changing face of Congress, the FCC’s long-awaited net neutrality decision, and many other significant developments have made 2010 an unforgettable year for broadband in America and have set the stage for another remarkable year in 2011. Join BroadbandUS TV hosts Jim Baller and Marty Stern and their guests for a lively review of 2010, particularly of the FCC’s day-old net neutrality decision, and for some bold predictions for 2011.

Broadband Year in Review – 2011

The AT&T/T-Mobile merger, the FCC’s long-awaited Open Access and Universal Service reform orders, the Google and Gig-U gigabit initiatives, the National Broadband Plan, the Broadband Stimulus program, White Spaces and spectrum reform, SOPA/PIPA, and many other significant developments have made 2011 another extraordinary year for broadband in America and have set the stage for another big year in 2012.

Spurring Adoption and Use of Broadband

Stakeholders in America’s broadband future disagree on most issues, but not on this: with 35% of Americans not using broadband today and many others not using broadband to maximum advantage, spurring increased adoption and use is critically important to America’s success in the emerging knowledge-based global economy and is an appropriate role for all levels of government to play. In this program, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn will join BroadbandUS TV hosts Jim Baller and Marty Stern to discuss the Federal Communications Commission’s goals, activities, and progress in this area.

The Net Neutrality – Open Access Debate

Austin Schlick, General Counsel of the FCC, will join BroadbandUS TV hosts Jim Baller and Marty Stern to discuss the FCC’s case for reclassification of broadband Internet access as a regulated telecommunications service. Julius Knapp, Chief of the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology, who’s heading up the FCC Technical Advisory Panel on the open Internet, will also join Jim and K&L Gates partner Marc Martin to discuss technical issues surrounding the open Internet debate.

Retransmission Consent: Time For a Complete Overhaul?

Every season, viewers and sports fans seem to be held hostage to disputes between broadcasters and cable and DBS providers over the terms of carriage of broadcast stations and affiliated programming. Is the must carry/retransmission consent model that underlies these disputes in need of a complete overhaul? This is an especially important question now, because thousands of carriage agreements will be up for renewal this year. This program will examine the real issues underlying retransmission consent disputes and the economics and politics driving these issues.