Eyes on the Prize: Why TVWS is a Win for Low Power TV
In the debate over television white spaces (TVWS), the coveted unused spectrum between television channels, most media outlets have characterized the debate as a head-to-head battle between tech and big broadcasters. However, once you parse through the static, the low power television (LPTV) broadcasters catering to local communities have much to gain from utilizing TVWS for increased broadband access. Recently, 175 broadcasters sold their licenses back to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in a reverse auction to allow the spectrum [...]
Finding the Path to Success on ICPA: For American Tech Companies, it’s a Long and Winding Road
Tech companies and app developers have traveled a long and winding road awaiting legislation that would clarify when and how U.S. law enforcement agencies can access data stored abroad. We find ourselves in the middle of the journey to achieve these desperately needed reforms, caught between competing policy interests. In the absence of clear guidance defining lawful access to data, our members have encountered snags and obstacles around every bend. Fortunately, efforts to update the law benefit from strong leadership [...]
Mind the Gaps: Bridging the Digital Divide in Education and Patching Holes in Universal Service
Alongside a skills gap that plagues large swaths of the American workforce, our country faces a serious homework gap. Even though 70 percent of American teachers assign homework that requires an internet connection, the United States is currently home to more than five million households with school-age children who do not have access to broadband. Lack of broadband connectivity prevents students from accessing the many resources an internet-enabled home may provide as well as the educational programs and learning platforms [...]
Opting in: App-Enabled Public Safety Network Depends on a Unified and Interoperable Platform
The first half of this year has seen several key developments in the U.S. government’s efforts to establish a nationwide, broadband-enabled public safety network, and we look forward to working with our members to help first responders protect America’s health and safety. In March, the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) awarded a 25-year contract to AT&T to build the broadband infrastructure for the project, and seven states have already opted in to the national network. Yet, without critical steps to [...]
ACT in Financial Times – Upstream Players in the Internet of Things Seek to Double Dip
On Friday, the Financial Times published a letter from ACT president Morgan Reed on the escalating debate over standards essential patents and the internet of things (IoT) in Europe. The letter is behind the paywall here, but you can read the full text below. Upstream Players in the Internet of Things Seek to Double Dip Sir, Ed Crooks’ article “Industrial futures” (June 28) touched on an issue vital to companies and regulators in Europe: who are the Internet of Things [...]
Myth Busters: What Critics Don’t Want You to Know About TV White Spaces
We recently wrote about the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and other critics’ opposition to using television white spaces (TVWS) as one of the ways to close the digital divide in rural America. Since Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai has deemed August “Rural Broadband Month,” citing the impact on 23.4 million rural Americans without access to broadband, we are growing increasingly incredulous with the opposition from NAB and others. If NAB and their surrogates are to be believed, [...]