Tag: TXT/SMS

ITIF hosts a panel discussion on policy issues affecting mobile broadband networks. ITIF research fellow Richard Bennett will present his most recent report on the topic. PK legal director Harold Feld will respond to the points made during Bennett's presentation.

Panelists:

• Robert Atkinson: President, The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
• Richard Bennett: Research Fellow, The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
• Harold Feld: Legal Director, Public Knowledge
• Morgan Reed: Executive Director, Association for Competitive Technology Invited
• Barbara Esbin: Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Communications and Competition Policy

Location: 1101 K Street Suite 610A Washington, DC 20005

Visit the event website to RSVP and to watch the live stream on the day of the event.

Last week, while we were all busy with Network Neutrality and other things, the Department of Justice quietly told the Wall St. Journal that it was ending its investigation into text message rates that it had begun after a Letter from Senate Antitrust Subcommittee Chair Herb Kohl pointedly asked why text messaging prices did not come down the way we would expect in a competitive market. Folks who wonder how the industry can charge what amounts to $1,300/MB do not see how the DOJ could come to this conclusion. But under the existing law, DOJ came to the right conclusion.

Those who know me know that, despite working for such a technology oriented outfit, I still use a three year old LG clamshell phone that at this point can barely handle text messaging. It’s not that I don’t want a fancier phone, it’s just that I have not quite come to terms with having to buy a fancy new phone plus having to pay extra for data every month. Imagine my excitement when I saw that Walmart is going to start offering unlimited talk, text, and DATA for only $45/mo through a service called Straight Talk.

Gigi is out in San Diego today making a whirlwind appearance on spectrum. In addition to stopping by the FCC’s workshop on mobile broadband and mobile applications (and delivering this amazing testimony here), Gigi is stopping by the International CTIA Wireless Conference to do a panel. As is often the case with these panels, they had some discussion questions to focus the group on the key issues and guide the conversation. While I expect Gigi will blog later about what actually happened, the discussion questions I saw looked pretty good to me. So I thought “hey, why not give my answers and show everyone why CTIA never invites me to speak at their conferences.”

So here goes.

For some years now, the opponents of Network Neutrality have had the same basic fallback strategy: When all else fails, make it about Google. So no surprise that AT&T, in a letter supposedly about the rather technical issue of “traffic pumping” opens with an attack on Google and Net Neutrality. Because if we have learned anything from our national healthcare debate, it is that it is more important to make this about how awful the other side is rather than debate the merits.

To clarify what is actually going on for those just tuning in. First, read this excellent summary of what “traffic pumping” is by Jonathan Lee.

The following statement is attributed to Public Knowledge President and Co-Founder Gigi B. Sohn:

“The Commission took exactly the right path today when it voted to look at all aspects of competition in the wireless industry. For too long, the appearance of competition among a few carriers has masked underlying anti-competitive industry practices ranging from consumer contracts to roaming agreements.

“We also hope that as part of the Commission’s ambitious agenda to examine the wireless market and to encourage innovation that it will act soon on our petition to declare that wireless carriers cannot block text messages or decline to provide short codes based on the content of the message or short code.”

The August 19 Wall St. J. contains an op-ed from former hedge fund manager Andy Kessler that at first blush looks like someone here at PK might have written it. Kessler starts with Apple blocking the Google voice ap, and runs through the way spectrum auctions re-enforce industry structure and lock in a tight oligopoly that damps innovation and allows those companies that actually have a pipe to charge ridiculous prices for services such as text. He notes that because mobile services are critical to our economic growth that this holds back economic development, and observes that it massively overcharges consumers.

Last week, the FCC fired a warning shot across Apple's bow, letting the consumer electronics giant know that its blocking of applications in the iPhone App Store was being closely scrutinized. In so doing, the Commission invoked two ongoing proceedings: handset exclusivity and wireless open access. In her latest appearance on GritTV with Laura Flanders, PK president Gigi Sohn explains the purpose and significance of these two proceedings.

Public Knowledge Legal Director Harold Feld was a guest on CNBC's "The Powergrid" earlier today. Harold debated talk radio host Ben Ferguson on the topic of competition in the wireless telecom marketplace and discussed the Department of Justice's recent announcement that it would review the business practices of major wireless carriers. A video clip of the segment can be found below (Adobe Shockwave required):

Although the public has known for nearly two months that former FCC staffer and Interactive Corp General Counsel Julius Genachowski would be the nominee for FCC Chairman, the President made it official yesterday. If you listen to NPR or read the tech press, you’ll know that I’ve made no secret of our delight with the pick.