This is the final post in our series explaining Public Knowledge’s five fundamental principles for the transition of our phone network to IP-based technology. We’ve already discussed service to all Americans, interconnection and competition, consumer protection, and network reliability. Today we’ll dive into the last (but not least) of the five principles: public safety.

This is the final post in our series explaining Public Knowledge’s five fundamental principles for the transition of our phone network to IP-based technology. We’ve already discussed service to all Americans, interconnection and competition, consumer protection, and network reliability. Today we’ll dive into the last (but not least) of the five principles: public safety.

This is the final post in our series explaining Public Knowledge’s five fundamental principles for the transition of our phone network to IP-based technology. We’ve already discussed service to all Americans, interconnection and competition, consumer protection, and network reliability. Today we’ll dive into the last (but not least) of the five principles: public safety.

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As regular readers know, I regard the upgrade of the phone system (aka the "public switched telephone network" or "PSTN") to an all-IP based network as a majorly huge deal. As I’ve explained at length before, this is a huge deal because of a bunch of decisions the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has made over the years that have fragmented our various policies and regulations about phones into a crazy-quilt of different rules tied sometimes to the technology (IP v. traditional phone (TDM)) and sometimes to the actual medium of transmission (copper v. fiber v. cable v. wireless). [log] => [revision_timestamp] => 1365003035 [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/ip-does-not-mean-fiber-fiber-does-not-mean-ip [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] => 1359981066 [last_comment_name] => [comment_count] => 0 [taxonomy] => Array ( [121] => stdClass Object ( [tid] => 121 [vid] => 5 [name] => AT&T [description] => [weight] => 0 ) [307] => stdClass Object ( [tid] => 307 [vid] => 5 [name] => Broadband Authority [description] => [weight] => 0 ) [79] => stdClass Object ( [tid] => 79 [vid] => 5 [name] => FCC [description] => [weight] => 0 ) [343] => stdClass Object ( [tid] => 343 [vid] => 5 [name] => phone transition [description] => [weight] => 0 ) [194] => stdClass Object ( [tid] => 194 [vid] => 5 [name] => Verizon [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] => 2 [day] => 4 [year] => 2013 ) ) [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] =>

As regular readers know, I regard the upgrade of the phone system (aka the "public switched telephone network" or "PSTN") to an all-IP based network as a majorly huge deal. As I’ve explained at length before, this is a huge deal because of a bunch of decisions the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has made over the years that have fragmented our various policies and regulations about phones into a crazy-quilt of different rules tied sometimes to the technology (IP v. traditional phone (TDM)) and sometimes to the actual medium of transmission (copper v. fiber v. cable v. wireless). [#title] => [#description] => [#printed] => 1 ) [#title] => [#description] => [#children] =>

As regular readers know, I regard the upgrade of the phone system (aka the "public switched telephone network" or "PSTN") to an all-IP based network as a majorly huge deal. As I’ve explained at length before, this is a huge deal because of a bunch of decisions the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has made over the years that have fragmented our various policies and regulations about phones into a crazy-quilt of different rules tied sometimes to the technology (IP v. traditional phone (TDM)) and sometimes to the actual medium of transmission (copper v. fiber v. cable v. wireless). [#printed] => 1 ) [links] => Array ( [node_read_more] => Array ( [title] => Read more [href] => node/7383 [attributes] => Array ( [title] => Read the rest of "IP" Does Not Mean "Fiber," "Fiber" Does Not Mean "IP" -- Clearing Confusion About the Phone Network Transition. ) ) ) )

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I believe AT&T’s announcement last week about its plans to upgrade its network and replace its rural copper lines with wireless is the single most important development in telecom since passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. It impacts just about every aspect of wireline and wireless policy.

I believe AT&T’s announcement last week about its plans to upgrade its network and replace its rural copper lines with wireless is the single most important development in telecom since passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. It impacts just about every aspect of wireline and wireless policy.

I believe AT&T’s announcement last week about its plans to upgrade its network and replace its rural copper lines with wireless is the single most important development in telecom since passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. It impacts just about every aspect of wireline and wireless policy.

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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] => ) [dc.contributor] => Array ( [value] => ) [dc.creator] => Array ( [value] => ) [dc.date] => Array ( [value] => Array ( [month] => 6 [day] => 7 [year] => 2012 ) ) [dc.title] => Array ( [value] => ) [description] => Array ( [value] => ) [keywords] => Array ( [value] => ) [location] => Array ( [latitude] => [longitude] => ) [pics-label] => 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 ) ) [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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Every now and then, somebody responds to something we did or said with such an inappropriate bullet point that we can only laugh. These often read like someone tried to use some application for picking key words and matching to bullet points, but the App is clearly still in Beta.

The response of CTIA-The Wireless Association to our White Paper on Usage Based Pricing, aka bandwidth caps, surpases even these usual whacko responses. It ought to win some kind of prize. Perhaps the "Please Check your Magic Eight Ball Again" Award, given for a response that not only demonstrates that you failed to look at the executive summary and conclusion, but actually confuses people who did.

Every now and then, somebody responds to something we did or said with such an inappropriate bullet point that we can only laugh. These often read like someone tried to use some application for picking key words and matching to bullet points, but the App is clearly still in Beta.

The response of CTIA-The Wireless Association to our White Paper on Usage Based Pricing, aka bandwidth caps, surpases even these usual whacko responses. It ought to win some kind of prize. Perhaps the "Please Check your Magic Eight Ball Again" Award, given for a response that not only demonstrates that you failed to look at the executive summary and conclusion, but actually confuses people who did.

Every now and then, somebody responds to something we did or said with such an inappropriate bullet point that we can only laugh. These often read like someone tried to use some application for picking key words and matching to bullet points, but the App is clearly still in Beta.

The response of CTIA-The Wireless Association to our White Paper on Usage Based Pricing, aka bandwidth caps, surpases even these usual whacko responses. It ought to win some kind of prize. Perhaps the "Please Check your Magic Eight Ball Again" Award, given for a response that not only demonstrates that you failed to look at the executive summary and conclusion, but actually confuses people who did.

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Verizon and the cable companies have always been reluctant to answer the tough questions about their proposed deals to team up rather than compete on voice, video, and data services, but now they're even going so far as to try to stop potential opponents of the deals from participating in the FCC's review at all. The FCC shouldn't indulge this kind of gamesmanship and should give all interested parties a meaningful opportunity to make thoughtful, well-informed arguments about these deals.

Yesterday Verizon and the cable companies filed an objection to try to stop Netflix's outside counsel from reading the companies' license transfer, agency, resale, and Joint Operating Entity agreements.

Verizon and the cable companies have always been reluctant to answer the tough questions about their proposed deals to team up rather than compete on voice, video, and data services, but now they're even going so far as to try to stop potential opponents of the deals from participating in the FCC's review at all. The FCC shouldn't indulge this kind of gamesmanship and should give all interested parties a meaningful opportunity to make thoughtful, well-informed arguments about these deals.

Yesterday Verizon and the cable companies filed an objection to try to stop Netflix's outside counsel from reading the companies' license transfer, agency, resale, and Joint Operating Entity agreements.

Verizon and the cable companies have always been reluctant to answer the tough questions about their proposed deals to team up rather than compete on voice, video, and data services, but now they're even going so far as to try to stop potential opponents of the deals from participating in the FCC's review at all. The FCC shouldn't indulge this kind of gamesmanship and should give all interested parties a meaningful opportunity to make thoughtful, well-informed arguments about these deals.

Yesterday Verizon and the cable companies filed an objection to try to stop Netflix's outside counsel from reading the companies' license transfer, agency, resale, and Joint Operating Entity agreements.

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On today's podcast we discuss crafting a positive post SOPA/PIPA agenda on InterentBlueprint.org, updates for Verizon/SpectrumCo., Universal buying EMI, and the new "disc to digital" program from the movie studios.

On today's podcast we discuss crafting a positive post SOPA/PIPA agenda on InterentBlueprint.org, updates for Verizon/SpectrumCo., Universal buying EMI, and the new "disc to digital" program from the movie studios.

On today's podcast we discuss crafting a positive post SOPA/PIPA agenda on InterentBlueprint.org, updates for Verizon/SpectrumCo., Universal buying EMI, and the new "disc to digital" program from the movie studios.

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The orders the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued last week in its review of the big deal between Verizon, Comcast and assorted other cable players will force the companies to play by the rules, and will provide a good view into how the industry is trying to construct its own little cartel.  The FCC staff asked a number of detailed questions, and the answers could show how Verizon and its four cable partners want to divide the world among themselves.

The orders the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued last week in its review of the big deal between Verizon, Comcast and assorted other cable players will force the companies to play by the rules, and will provide a good view into how the industry is trying to construct its own little cartel.  The FCC staff asked a number of detailed questions, and the answers could show how Verizon and its four cable partners want to divide the world among themselves.

The orders the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued last week in its review of the big deal between Verizon, Comcast and assorted other cable players will force the companies to play by the rules, and will provide a good view into how the industry is trying to construct its own little cartel.  The FCC staff asked a number of detailed questions, and the answers could show how Verizon and its four cable partners want to divide the world among themselves.

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