fcc

Tue
03
Nov
John Lister's picture

Fair or Fraud: Hotels Block WiFi, then Gouge Customers

Contractors at a convention center have been fined $718,000 for blocking visitors from using their own mobile data services. Meanwhile the Hilton chain has been fined $25,000 for obstructing an investigation into similar claims. The Hilton case ... began with allegations that the chain's hotel in Anaheim, California used blocking technology to stop users operating mobile hotspots. Those are portable devices which receive a cellular data signal (similar to that used to get Internet access on a smartphone) and turn it into a WiFi signal, which can then be used on laptops or smartphones. A ... (view more)

Thu
04
Jun
John Lister's picture

AT&T Makes Surprise Offer On Net Neutrality

AT&T says its prepared to drop its opposition to government rules for net neutrality. In return it wants to be allowed to take over DirecTV without regulatory interference. The offer could be a dramatic development in the ongoing dispute over ... net neutrality. That's the principle that Internet carriers should not discriminate between different types of content (other than illegal material). Examples include: blocking, slowing down, or charging special carriage fees for some forms of data, but not others. The US government, in particular the Federal Communications Commission, has ... (view more)

Thu
09
Apr
John Lister's picture

AT&T Fined $25M for Offshore Customer Data Leak

AT&T will pay a $25 million fine after regulators held it responsible for thieves taking personal details of 280,000 customers. The breaches were said to have occurred around November 2013 and April 2014, with the FCC beginning its investigation ... around May of 2014. It's the biggest ever such fine in the communications industry. The stolen information included the customers' names, part or all of their social security numbers, and some details about their account. On its own, the data wouldn't be enough for criminals to immediately steal money from customer's bank accounts, but could ... (view more)

Thu
05
Feb
John Lister's picture

Government To Enforce 'Net Neutrality' Principle

Should websites like Netflix pay extra fees to deliver their Internet-based services to the public? The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says no. Tom Wheeler says that broadband should be treated like a utility, such as phone ... services; in doing so, it will help to protect Internet freedoms. Critics, however, suggest that such a plan would be unworkable. Tom Wheeler's announcement has to do with the principle of net neutrality . That's the idea where Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should treat all Internet traffic (except for illegal content) equally. In other ... (view more)

Tue
17
Dec
Dennis Faas's picture

FCC Votes to Lift Ban On In-Flight Smartphone Use

Tired of being told not to use your smartphone on a commercial flight? There's good news. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to lift the long-running and often criticized ban on in-flight cell / smartphone use. The FCC voted 3-2 ... in favor of ditching the measure late last week. But there's still one major hurdle left: the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which has final say on whether or not you should be allowed to use a handheld electronic device while a plane is in the air. "The FAA is the expert agency on determining which devices can be used on airplanes," noted ... (view more)

Wed
20
Nov
Dennis Faas's picture

'DSpeech 1.58', and 'FCC Speed Test 1.53'

DSpeech 1.58 This is a text-to-speech program that boasts ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) technology. That means it's able to read out written text in a very clear and effective way. Features include unique and customizable voices. ... http://dimio.altervista.org/ FCC Speed Test 1.53 This special application provides an accurate measurement of your mobile broadband performance. It then provides you with relevant data, including download and upload speed, latency, and packet loss information. That means you can easily track your mobile broadband performance over time. https://play.google.com ... (view more)

Mon
31
Dec
Dennis Faas's picture

FCC Approves New In-Flight WiFi Hardware

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a new report allowing the use of improved satellite antennas on commercial aircraft. The new hardware will significantly improve in-flight wireless Internet (WiFi) service on many US airline ... flights. Right now, few US airlines have outfitted their planes with hardware capable of offering their passengers fast and reliable wireless Internet service. For many passengers, the result is significantly reduced productivity during the time they spend in the air. FCC: Americans Want Better In-Flight WiFi Apparently, that's about to change. A ... (view more)

Thu
06
Dec
Dennis Faas's picture

Verizon Must Share Data Networks with Rivals: Court

A federal court has ruled that major cellphone carriers must let their smaller rivals use their data networks. This could mean more competitive deals and better coverage for smartphone and tablet owners, as well as those accessing mobile broadband ... on a laptop. The United States Court of Appeals has rejected a challenge by Verizon, thereby upholding an earlier ruling by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The original ruling primarily covered data roaming, the technique by which customers of one cellphone carrier access the data services of another carrier. The FCC had said that ... (view more)

Fri
10
Aug
Dennis Faas's picture

Congress Challenges Cellphone Radiation Limits

A Congressional agency has told regulators it is time to review the rules governing cellphone radiation. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said existing rules might not be doing an effective job of measuring the risk to users. The GAO acts ... as support staff for Congress and also carries out audits to check that government departments are spending money effectively. Three members of Congress recently asked the GAO to look into the way the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates public safety with respect to cellphones. Cancer, Health Risks Not a GAO Concern The GAO's year- ... (view more)

Mon
30
Jul
Dennis Faas's picture

FCC Rural Broadband Plan Costs US $115 Million

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) now says it will help bring broadband Internet service to 400,000 Americans who currently don't have access to high-speed Internet. The program to subsidize networks in rural areas will cost $115 ... million in public funds. The aim of the Connect America Fund is to subsidize the installation of high-speed Internet cables in remote places where doing so is not profitable for private firms. The money will come from the Universal Service Fund. In the past, this fund was spent on subsidies to make sure every American home had telephone service, but ... (view more)

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