The Arctic Economic Council pressed for more broadband deployment in the Arctic parts of the U.S., Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden. AEC's Tuesday report highlighted issues posed by reaching some of the most difficult areas to serve. “There is currently no comprehensive strategy for connecting all Arctic communities to one another and the rest of the world,” the report said: Arctic nations “tend to work in isolation from one another when attempting to address their internal user needs.” The study urges mainly private sector solutions. AEC released the report during a conference in Tromsø, Norway, above the Arctic Circle.
The Senate Commerce Committee cleared a wide range of telecom bills Tuesday by voice vote, plus two of President Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees: Wilbur Ross for commerce secretary and Elaine Chao for transportation secretary. Commerce Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters he hopes floor votes for the two nominees is imminent, and that several other big-ticket items are on Commerce’s agenda going forward.
The Senate Commerce Committee cleared a wide range of telecom bills Tuesday by voice vote, plus two of President Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees: Wilbur Ross for commerce secretary and Elaine Chao for transportation secretary. Commerce Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters he hopes floor votes for the two nominees is imminent, and that several other big-ticket items are on Commerce’s agenda going forward.
The FCC "definitely didn't have the authority" to regulate Internet edge privacy, said Gigi Sohn, a former counselor to previous Chairman Tom Wheeler and now a government fellow at Open Society Foundations. She called it "ironic" that Republican commissioners -- in opposing broadband privacy rules that targeted ISPs -- warned that the FCC might eventually regulate edge privacy practices. She also disputed the views of others who said the FCC could use its Telecom Act Section 706 authority to regulate the edge. "We'd get thrown out on our behinds if we did that," she said at the State of the Net conference Monday, the same day Ajit Pai said he was designated chairman (see 1701230058). "We regulate networks, not edge," she added. "Networks are our jurisdictional sweet spot."
The FCC "definitely didn't have the authority" to regulate Internet edge privacy, said Gigi Sohn, a former counselor to previous Chairman Tom Wheeler and now a government fellow at Open Society Foundations. She called it "ironic" that Republican commissioners -- in opposing broadband privacy rules that targeted ISPs -- warned that the FCC might eventually regulate edge privacy practices. She also disputed the views of others who said the FCC could use its Telecom Act Section 706 authority to regulate the edge. "We'd get thrown out on our behinds if we did that," she said at the State of the Net conference Monday, the same day Ajit Pai said he was designated chairman (see 1701230058). "We regulate networks, not edge," she added. "Networks are our jurisdictional sweet spot."
Laptops under $250, a $150 gift card for buying a Samsung smartphone and 4K TV price cuts are part of a two-day sale at Best Buy that ended Saturday, the retailer said in an email blast to customers Friday. Customers buying and activating a Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge or Galaxy S7 active with a monthly installment plan on the AT&T or Verizon Wireless networks could land a $150 Best Buy gift card and a Gear Fit2 fitness tracker, said Best Buy, describing the sale as “first come, first saved.” Sprint customers who opted for one of the new Samsung smartphones qualified for the Gear Fit2 but not the gift card, it said. Best Buy was offering gift cards ranging from $50 to $200 on iPhone 7 and 7 Plus phones with monthly installment plans or lease agreements. The long list of laptops under $250 included a $169 Lenovo Ideapad 110s with an 11.6-inch screen, Intel Celeron processor, 2 GB memory and 32 GB eMMC flash memory. A 32 GB iPad mini 2 was sale-priced at $239, a $30 discount. Vizio's M55-D0 4K TV, with high dynamic range and Chromecast built-in, was priced at $699, down from $899.
With the final stage rule satisfied and the incentive auction's end in sight, broadcasters need to start getting ready for the repacking, and a relaxation of anti-collusion rules and accompanying quiet period would be a big help, said broadcasters and their lawyers in interviews Thursday. Though the FCC already may be calculating optimized new channel assignments and letters announcing them are expected to go out in weeks, the assignment amounts to “an empty suggestion if you can't talk to anyone,” said broadcast attorney Jack Goodman. Broadcasters also are waiting on the FCC to issue its transition plan, which went through the notice and comment process in the fall (see 1610170063).
It’s the last thing that beleaguered brick-and-mortar retailers want to hear after a significant falloff in holiday foot traffic, but Black Friday online sales in 2017 could eclipse those of Cyber Monday, predicted Adobe Digital Insights in a post-2016 holiday season retail wrap.
It’s the last thing that beleaguered brick-and-mortar retailers want to hear after a significant falloff in holiday foot traffic, but Black Friday online sales in 2017 could eclipse those of Cyber Monday, predicted Adobe Digital Insights in a post-2016 holiday season retail wrap.
The transition team for President-elect Donald Trump named five more individuals to the FTC landing team, most of whom have expertise in antitrust, competition and other financial issues. Several observers told us Tuesday they think the commission under the incoming administration will take a more harms-based approach. Meanwhile, former FTC Commissioner Joshua Wright met with Trump over the weekend in New York, spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters on a conference call Tuesday. Spicer didn't specify the substance of the discussion and Wright declined to comment.