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.
Library
Impact of Broadband Speed and Price on Small Business
by Columbia Telecommunications Corporation
The purpose of this study is to explore the ways in which small businesses access and use high-speed Internet services, and to evaluate the importance of broadband speed and price for small businesses. The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy is required to conduct this study under Public Law 110-385,Sec.105. Advocacy selected a small businesses that specializes in this field — Columbia Telecommunications Corporation — to conduct this research.
Superfast: Is It Really Worth a Subsidy?
By Robert Kenny and Charles Kenny
Governments around the world are investing multiple billions to support the roll-out of fiber to enable high speed broadband. These subsidies are based on the premise that fiber to the home (FTTH) brings substantial externalities. It is argued that FTTH will support economic growth and is key to national competitiveness; that it will benefit education, healthcare, transportation and the electricity industry; and that it will be the TV platform of the future.
Global Forum 2010
The Global Forum 2010 will take place on November Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th in Washington DC, USA at the Marvin Center, The George Washington University. This 19th edition is organized with the support of the French Embassy, the US Department of State and the US General State Administration.
FTTH Generates $40 Billion in New Economic Activity
Michael Render’s latest FTTH survey shows nearly 20 million North American homes passed and more than 6.4 million customers – a thousandfold increase in a decade and a nice jump in the past six months. Perhaps more amazing is hard evidence that FTTH stimulates economic activity.
Social Networks – International Municipal Lawyers Association, New Orleans, LA, October 12, 2010
Social Media: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly for Municipalities
This paper provides an update on a variety of topics regarding the increasingly extensive development and use of online social media by individuals, businesses and governments. This presentation builds on prior publications by our firm in related areas, including, “Legal and Policy Issues Relating to Social Networking Applications.”
American Public Power Association Legal Conference – San Francisco, CA, October 10, 2010
Pre-Conference Communications Seminar, American Public Power Association Legal Conference, San Francisco, CA, October 10, 2010
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.
Broadband Among Keys For Economic Expansion
by CHRISTOPHER J. McGOWAN, Executive Vice President, The Siouxland Initiative
In this November’s mid-term elections, the single most important issue, by leaps and bounds, will be the economy, and more specifically job creation. National polls consistently reveal that no other issue is even close. One tool that has proved critical to job creation initiatives in all parts of this country is access to broadband.
A ‘Public Option’ for Broadband?
By Mark Sullivan, PCWorld
When it comes to broadband, I’m a socialist. Why? Because broadband service in the United States is currently provided by a cableco/telco duopoly, and, as such, is slower and more expensive than in most of the developed world, studies show. Because I don’t believe the FCC can fix that lack of competition within the current regulatory framework, despite the ambitious goals set forth in its National Broadband Plan. Because a reasonably-priced alternative to cable or telco broadband might be just the thing to bring competition to the industry and spur U.S. broadband cost and quality to world-class levels. Because our connectedness increasingly dictates our our economic standing in the world: Broadband is as important to us as the interstate highway system–a public works project–was to Eisenhower-era America.
Chattanooga’s excellent response to Tennessee cable lobbyists
YouTube Video on Chattanooga Fiber Project
The money behind opposition in Congress to reclassification of Internet access as Title II service
Letters from House Democrats and Senate Repbublicans Against the FCC — Sponsored by AT&T, Verizon, Comcast and Astroturfers?
It’s open season on the FCC’s Broadband plans, from a new proposed bill by Rep. Stearns (FL), or former politicians tied to astroturf groups — Are the phone and cable companies pulling the strings?
To protect the Public Interest, shouldn’t these Senators and Congressmen recuse themselves from voting on issues that directly help their contributors — AT&T, Verizon and Comcast?
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.