The ill-considered bill in Georgia that would have prevented local communities from investing in their own broadband networks was defeated last night, and this is great news.

The ill-considered bill in Georgia that would have prevented local communities from investing in their own broadband networks was defeated last night, and this is great news.

The ill-considered bill in Georgia that would have prevented local communities from investing in their own broadband networks was defeated last night, and this is great news.

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The FCC released a fairly thorough report on the widespread 9-1-1 failure that followed the June 2012 “derecho” windstorm. For those who don’t remember, the derecho differs from most weather events by coming up almost without warning. According to the report, carriers had approximately two hours of warning from the time the derecho started in the Ohio Valley to when it hit the D.C. Metro region.

As a consequence of the damage done by the derecho, Northern Virginia experienced a massive failure of its 9-1-1 network, leaving over 1 million people with working phones (at least in some places) but no access to 9-1-1.  West Virginia experienced systemic problems as well, as a did a scattering of locations in other states impacted by the derecho. Verizon maintains the network in Northern Virginia, while West Virginia is managed by Frontier.

The FCC released a fairly thorough report on the widespread 9-1-1 failure that followed the June 2012 “derecho” windstorm. For those who don’t remember, the derecho differs from most weather events by coming up almost without warning. According to the report, carriers had approximately two hours of warning from the time the derecho started in the Ohio Valley to when it hit the D.C. Metro region.

As a consequence of the damage done by the derecho, Northern Virginia experienced a massive failure of its 9-1-1 network, leaving over 1 million people with working phones (at least in some places) but no access to 9-1-1.  West Virginia experienced systemic problems as well, as a did a scattering of locations in other states impacted by the derecho. Verizon maintains the network in Northern Virginia, while West Virginia is managed by Frontier.

The FCC released a fairly thorough report on the widespread 9-1-1 failure that followed the June 2012 “derecho” windstorm. For those who don’t remember, the derecho differs from most weather events by coming up almost without warning. According to the report, carriers had approximately two hours of warning from the time the derecho started in the Ohio Valley to when it hit the D.C. Metro region.

As a consequence of the damage done by the derecho, Northern Virginia experienced a massive failure of its 9-1-1 network, leaving over 1 million people with working phones (at least in some places) but no access to 9-1-1.  West Virginia experienced systemic problems as well, as a did a scattering of locations in other states impacted by the derecho. Verizon maintains the network in Northern Virginia, while West Virginia is managed by Frontier.

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Good news, the FCC has decides to one again reboot its seven year old proceeding on “special access.” Given that I have been flogging the FCC since 2006 to do something about this, with occasional reminders since then, I am obviously pleased. For those new to this, “special access” is the rate businesses and competitors to telcos pay to telcos for wholesale access to their telecommunications capacity. When you place a call over your Sprint or Cricket cell phone, the call goes to the tower. [log] => [revision_timestamp] => 1339100113 [format] => 7 [name] => Harold Feld [picture] => files/pictures/picture-1540.png [data] => a:5:{s:7:"contact";i:0;s:14:"picture_delete";i:0;s:14:"picture_upload";s:0:"";s:15:"googleanalytics";a:1:{s:6:"custom";i:1;}s:14:"wysiwyg_status";a:1:{i:7;i:7;}} [path] => blog/fcc-jump-starts-special-access-again-and-atts [print_display] => 1 [print_display_comment] => 0 [print_display_urllist] => 1 [print_mail_display] => 1 [print_mail_display_comment] => 0 [print_mail_display_urllist] => 1 [print_pdf_display] => 1 [print_pdf_display_comment] => 0 [print_pdf_display_urllist] => 1 [last_comment_timestamp] => 1339087999 [last_comment_name] => [comment_count] => 0 [taxonomy] => Array ( [121] => stdClass Object ( [tid] => 121 [vid] => 5 [name] => AT&T [description] => [weight] => 0 ) [85] => stdClass Object ( [tid] => 85 [vid] => 5 [name] => Broadband [description] => [weight] => 0 ) [185] => stdClass Object ( [tid] => 185 [vid] => 5 [name] => Choke Points [description] => Description for the tag "Choke Points" [weight] => 0 ) [201] => stdClass Object ( [tid] => 201 [vid] => 5 [name] => Deregulation [description] => [weight] => 0 ) [79] => stdClass Object ( [tid] => 79 [vid] => 5 [name] => FCC [description] => [weight] => 0 ) [176] => stdClass Object ( [tid] => 176 [vid] => 5 [name] => Special Access [description] => [weight] => 0 ) [152] => stdClass Object ( [tid] => 152 [vid] => 5 [name] => Wireless [description] => [weight] => 0 ) [208] => stdClass Object ( [tid] => 208 [vid] => 5 [name] => Wireline [description] => Wired telecommunications [weight] => 0 ) ) [files] => Array ( ) [iids] => Array ( ) [page_title] => [nodewords] => Array ( [abstract] => Array ( [value] => ) [canonical] => Array ( [value] => ) [copyright] => Array ( [value] => ) [description] => Array ( [value] => ) [keywords] => Array ( [value] => ) [revisit-after] => Array ( [value] => 1 ) [robots] => Array ( [value] => Array ( [noarchive] => 0 [nofollow] => 0 [noindex] => 0 [noodp] => 0 [nosnippet] => 0 [noydir] => 0 ) [use_default] => 0 ) [dc.contributor] => Array ( [value] => ) [dc.creator] => Array ( [value] => ) [dc.date] => Array ( [value] => Array ( [month] => 6 [day] => 7 [year] => 2012 ) ) [dc.title] => Array ( [value] => ) [location] => Array ( [latitude] => [longitude] => ) [pics-label] => Array ( [value] => ) ) [build_mode] => 0 [readmore] => 1 [content] => Array ( [#content_extra_fields] => Array ( [title] => Array ( [label] => Title [description] => Node module form. [weight] => -5 ) [body_field] => Array ( [label] => Body [description] => Node module form. [weight] => 0 [view] => body ) [revision_information] => Array ( [label] => Revision information [description] => Node module form. [weight] => 20 ) [author] => Array ( [label] => Authoring information [description] => Node module form. [weight] => 20 ) [options] => Array ( [label] => Publishing options [description] => Node module form. [weight] => 25 ) [comment_settings] => Array ( [label] => Comment settings [description] => Comment module form. [weight] => 30 ) [menu] => Array ( [label] => Menu settings [description] => Menu module form. [weight] => -2 ) [taxonomy] => Array ( [label] => Taxonomy [description] => Taxonomy module form. [weight] => -3 ) [path] => Array ( [label] => Path settings [description] => Path module form. [weight] => 30 ) [attachments] => Array ( [label] => File attachments [description] => Upload module form. [weight] => 30 [view] => files ) [image_attach] => Array ( [label] => Attached images [description] => Image Attach module form. [weight] => 0 ) [itunes] => Array ( [label] => iTunes feed information [description] => iTunes specific information. [weight] => 0 ) [page_title] => Array ( [label] => Page Title [description] => Page Title form. [weight] => -4 ) [path_redirect] => Array ( [label] => URL redirects [description] => Path redirect module listing [weight] => 30 ) [print] => Array ( [label] => Printer, e-mail and PDF versions [description] => Print module form. [weight] => 30 ) [xmlsitemap] => Array ( [label] => XML sitemap [description] => XML sitemap module form [weight] => 30 ) [nodewords] => Array ( [label] => Meta tags [description] => Meta tags fieldset. [weight] => 10 ) ) [#pre_render] => Array ( [0] => content_alter_extra_weights ) [body] => Array ( [#weight] => 0 [#value] =>

Good news, the FCC has decides to one again reboot its seven year old proceeding on “special access.” Given that I have been flogging the FCC since 2006 to do something about this, with occasional reminders since then, I am obviously pleased. For those new to this, “special access” is the rate businesses and competitors to telcos pay to telcos for wholesale access to their telecommunications capacity. When you place a call over your Sprint or Cricket cell phone, the call goes to the tower. [#title] => [#description] => [#printed] => 1 ) [#title] => [#description] => [#children] =>

Good news, the FCC has decides to one again reboot its seven year old proceeding on “special access.” Given that I have been flogging the FCC since 2006 to do something about this, with occasional reminders since then, I am obviously pleased. For those new to this, “special access” is the rate businesses and competitors to telcos pay to telcos for wholesale access to their telecommunications capacity. When you place a call over your Sprint or Cricket cell phone, the call goes to the tower. [#printed] => 1 ) [links] => Array ( [node_read_more] => Array ( [title] => Read more [href] => node/6898 [attributes] => Array ( [title] => Read the rest of The FCC Jump Starts Special Access (Again) and AT&T's Disingenuous Response.. ) ) ) )

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A few weeks ago I went to a fascinating gathering of a few dozen academics, policy wonks, and others from the U.S.  and elsewhere to talk about the end of the phone system. While by no means a unanimous consensus, a very solid majority considered the phone system obsolete and ready for the scrap heap. This will come as a surprise to those of you who called home on Mother’s Day or who thanked God for a call center number when your broadband connection went down. But in fact, most of you are probably not using a phone service but a “phone service,” so we are half-way to shutting down the actual phone system anyway.

What is the PSTN and Why Should Anyone Care if We End It?

A few weeks ago I went to a fascinating gathering of a few dozen academics, policy wonks, and others from the U.S.  and elsewhere to talk about the end of the phone system. While by no means a unanimous consensus, a very solid majority considered the phone system obsolete and ready for the scrap heap. This will come as a surprise to those of you who called home on Mother’s Day or who thanked God for a call center number when your broadband connection went down. But in fact, most of you are probably not using a phone service but a “phone service,” so we are half-way to shutting down the actual phone system anyway.

What is the PSTN and Why Should Anyone Care if We End It?

A few weeks ago I went to a fascinating gathering of a few dozen academics, policy wonks, and others from the U.S.  and elsewhere to talk about the end of the phone system. While by no means a unanimous consensus, a very solid majority considered the phone system obsolete and ready for the scrap heap. This will come as a surprise to those of you who called home on Mother’s Day or who thanked God for a call center number when your broadband connection went down. But in fact, most of you are probably not using a phone service but a “phone service,” so we are half-way to shutting down the actual phone system anyway.

What is the PSTN and Why Should Anyone Care if We End It?

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The Verizon/cable deals are a bad deal for consumers and a sad sign of the state of the communications market. But at least they finally expose the state of broadband competition for what it is. In particular the deals illustrate, through the actions of the companies themselves, that mobile wireless is not a "competitor" to wired. They're different products with different uses. This is an obvious point to most but the hope that the broadband market was going to get competitive "real soon now" due to the pending arrival of some kind of wireless competitor or another has driven many of the FCC's policies in the last decade. Unfortunately these policies have had the effect of undermining actually existing competition in the broadband market to pave the way for this prophesied competitor. As it stands the FCC's record in predicting the future is on a par with Harold Camping's.

The Verizon/cable deals are a bad deal for consumers and a sad sign of the state of the communications market. But at least they finally expose the state of broadband competition for what it is. In particular the deals illustrate, through the actions of the companies themselves, that mobile wireless is not a "competitor" to wired. They're different products with different uses. This is an obvious point to most but the hope that the broadband market was going to get competitive "real soon now" due to the pending arrival of some kind of wireless competitor or another has driven many of the FCC's policies in the last decade. Unfortunately these policies have had the effect of undermining actually existing competition in the broadband market to pave the way for this prophesied competitor. As it stands the FCC's record in predicting the future is on a par with Harold Camping's.

The Verizon/cable deals are a bad deal for consumers and a sad sign of the state of the communications market. But at least they finally expose the state of broadband competition for what it is. In particular the deals illustrate, through the actions of the companies themselves, that mobile wireless is not a "competitor" to wired. They're different products with different uses. This is an obvious point to most but the hope that the broadband market was going to get competitive "real soon now" due to the pending arrival of some kind of wireless competitor or another has driven many of the FCC's policies in the last decade. Unfortunately these policies have had the effect of undermining actually existing competition in the broadband market to pave the way for this prophesied competitor. As it stands the FCC's record in predicting the future is on a par with Harold Camping's.

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It says something about the messed up world of telecom today that the “Connect America Fund” the FCC will vote on tomorrow has become the “what the heck are we going to do about IP-based interconnection” proceeding. In particular, the rather high-profile spat between AT&T and Comcast (and other cable companies) over access charges illustrates exactly the kind of cosmic cluster#@$! we predicted would happen if the FCC failed to classify broadband as a Title II telecom service. 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It says something about the messed up world of telecom today that the “Connect America Fund” the FCC will vote on tomorrow has become the “what the heck are we going to do about IP-based interconnection” proceeding. In particular, the rather high-profile spat between AT&T and Comcast (and other cable companies) over access charges illustrates exactly the kind of cosmic cluster#@$! we predicted would happen if the FCC failed to classify broadband as a Title II telecom service. [#title] => [#description] => [#printed] => 1 ) [#title] => [#description] => [#children] =>

It says something about the messed up world of telecom today that the “Connect America Fund” the FCC will vote on tomorrow has become the “what the heck are we going to do about IP-based interconnection” proceeding. In particular, the rather high-profile spat between AT&T and Comcast (and other cable companies) over access charges illustrates exactly the kind of cosmic cluster#@$! we predicted would happen if the FCC failed to classify broadband as a Title II telecom service. [#printed] => 1 ) [links] => Array ( [node_read_more] => Array ( [title] => Read more [href] => node/6329 [attributes] => Array ( [title] => Read the rest of AT&T Is Right: Comcast Does Not Deserve An "Access Charge Bail Out" As Part of USF Reform. ) ) ) )

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There are two ways to look at the Communications Workers of America (CWA) strike against Verizon, mirror images of each other.  (The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers also is striking, but CWA is the main labor voice.)

First:  Why should the striking workers have it better than everyone else?  Why should they get away with having paid-for health care and time off and all the other things that the company now wants to take away?

Second:  Why don't other workers have it as good as the striking workers?  Why don't other people have paid-for health care and time off and all the other things that Verizon now wants to take away?

There are two ways to look at the Communications Workers of America (CWA) strike against Verizon, mirror images of each other.  (The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers also is striking, but CWA is the main labor voice.)

First:  Why should the striking workers have it better than everyone else?  Why should they get away with having paid-for health care and time off and all the other things that the company now wants to take away?

Second:  Why don't other workers have it as good as the striking workers?  Why don't other people have paid-for health care and time off and all the other things that Verizon now wants to take away?

There are two ways to look at the Communications Workers of America (CWA) strike against Verizon, mirror images of each other.  (The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers also is striking, but CWA is the main labor voice.)

First:  Why should the striking workers have it better than everyone else?  Why should they get away with having paid-for health care and time off and all the other things that the company now wants to take away?

Second:  Why don't other workers have it as good as the striking workers?  Why don't other people have paid-for health care and time off and all the other things that Verizon now wants to take away?

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To call the discussion draft on spectrum reform circulated by House Commerce Commitee Republicans "flawed" understates the matter almost to the point of absurdity.

To call the discussion draft on spectrum reform circulated by House Commerce Commitee Republicans "flawed" understates the matter almost to the point of absurdity.

To call the discussion draft on spectrum reform circulated by House Commerce Commitee Republicans "flawed" understates the matter almost to the point of absurdity.

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As we speak, one giant telecommunications company, the cable/programming megalith Comcast, is poised to take over another, the NBC network of local stations, cable channels and even a movie studio.  At the same time, two other giants, NewsCorp., owner of the Fox network, is in a cage death match with Cablevision, another distributor/programmer as three million customers fume at the loss of the World Series and other programming.

As we speak, one giant telecommunications company, the cable/programming megalith Comcast, is poised to take over another, the NBC network of local stations, cable channels and even a movie studio.  At the same time, two other giants, NewsCorp., owner of the Fox network, is in a cage death match with Cablevision, another distributor/programmer as three million customers fume at the loss of the World Series and other programming.

As we speak, one giant telecommunications company, the cable/programming megalith Comcast, is poised to take over another, the NBC network of local stations, cable channels and even a movie studio.  At the same time, two other giants, NewsCorp., owner of the Fox network, is in a cage death match with Cablevision, another distributor/programmer as three million customers fume at the loss of the World Series and other programming.

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