FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn again pointed to Telecom Act Section 257 on diversity, this time in a blog post Friday after the Office of Communications Business Opportunities fourth supplier diversity conference held the day before (see 1508200034) and where she appeared. The section tasks the FCC with identifying and removing barriers of entry for small businesses in the provision of parts and services to communications companies. Clyburn said both of the conference's panels "were inspiring and enlightening," and lauded A Unity System CEO Tonee Bell for his presentation to other small-business suppliers. Bell's company manufactures computers and smartwatches and recently landed a contract to supply his devices to Walmart, he said Thursday.
FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn again pointed to Telecom Act Section 257 on diversity, this time in a blog post Friday after the Office of Communications Business Opportunities fourth supplier diversity conference held the day before (see 1508200034) and where she appeared. The section tasks the FCC with identifying and removing barriers of entry for small businesses in the provision of parts and services to communications companies. Clyburn said both of the conference's panels "were inspiring and enlightening," and lauded A Unity System CEO Tonee Bell for his presentation to other small-business suppliers. Bell's company manufactures computers and smartwatches and recently landed a contract to supply his devices to Walmart, he said Thursday.
Diversity in the tech and related industries is improving, and subject of much focus by large companies which still can do more to ease the burdens on minority-owned suppliers, executives said at an FCC workshop Thursday. Other experts have said similar in recent days, as more big tech companies are releasing more data about minority and female hiring (see 1508180055 and 1508120043). And Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said diversity is important and even part of the Telecom Act. Yet sometimes, diverse suppliers unprepared to land big orders can themselves be part of the problem, panelists said at the FCC's fourth annual event on supplier diversity.
Diversity in the tech and related industries is improving, and subject of much focus by large companies which still can do more to ease the burdens on minority-owned suppliers, executives said at an FCC workshop Thursday. Other experts have said similar in recent days, as more big tech companies are releasing more data about minority and female hiring (see 1508180055 and 1508120043). And Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said diversity is important and even part of the Telecom Act. Yet sometimes, diverse suppliers unprepared to land big orders can themselves be part of the problem, panelists said at the FCC's fourth annual event on supplier diversity.
Wiley Rein's McBee Strategic Consulting hires Mark Duffy, ex-Qorvis MSLGroup, as manager, communications practice, expanding international practice ... ABRY Partners hires Fadi Chehadé as senior adviser-digital strategy, starting after he leaves ICANN ... Parkmobile, mobile parking payments firm, names Jon Ziglar, ex-Ceridian HCM, CEO, succeeding Cherie Fuzzell, leaving to pursue other opportunities ... Northrop Grumman promotes Robert Fleming to vice president-cyber, unattended systems and division strategy, land and self-protection systems division ... Time Warner promotes Priya Dogra to senior vice president-mergers and acquisitions, leading M&A group.
ABRY Partners hires Fadi Chehadé as senior adviser-digital strategy, starting after he leaves ICANN ... Coalfire, cybersecurity firm, names Larry Jones, who remains chairman, as CEO after Rick Dakin died ... Support.com, provider of tech support services, hires Michelle Johnson, ex-Oracle, as vice president-general counsel and secretary, succeeding Greg Wrenn, who left for private practice ... Parkmobile, mobile parking payments firm, names Jon Ziglar, ex-Ceridian HCM, CEO, succeeding Cherie Fuzzell, leaving to pursue other opportunities ... Northrop Grumman promotes Robert Fleming to vice president-cyber, unattended systems and division strategy, land and self-protection systems division ... Time Warner promotes Priya Dogra to senior vice president-mergers and acquisitions, leading M&A group ... Newly elected to Digital Entertainment Group board: Matt Strauss, Comcast; Phil Goswitz, DirecTV; Jonathan Zepp, Google; Howie Singer, Warner Music Group. Mike Fasulo, Sony Electronics, elected to fill vacant DEG treasurer position ... On Semiconductor names Gilles Delfassy, ex-Texas Instruments, to board.
Consumer Watchdog asked NASA Inspector General Paul Martin to end a special deal with Google to test unmanned drones over private land. That agency's decision to grant the company a waiver to test drones gives Google an unfair advantage over competitors, and the benefits to taxpayers are unclear, said a CW letter Tuesday to Martin. “NASA should suspend this special arrangement with Google immediately ... pending an explanation about how this technology benefits taxpayers and the federal government itself,” Consumer Advocate Liza Tucker wrote. This isn't the first time Google has abused taxpayer dollars to advance commercial technology, Tucker said. In its letter to Martin, Consumer Watchdog asked the NASA official to also investigate whether a special relationship between Google and NASA officials led to the “unusual arrangement,” which was kept secret until Google recently filed for a Federal Aviation Administration waiver to operate unmanned aircraft. Google and NASA have tested drones over private land in the U.S. throughout the past year, said a CW news release. Its letter said other U.S. companies like Amazon have been testing drones at sites outside the U.S., including Canada, due to “frustration with gaining U.S. permission to test its technology.” In the next six months, Google and NASA want to test in Merced, California, to see if cellphone signals can be used to control and land drones, it said. NASA and Google didn’t comment.
Consumer Watchdog asked NASA Inspector General Paul Martin to end a special deal with Google to test unmanned drones over private land. That agency's decision to grant the company a waiver to test drones gives Google an unfair advantage over competitors, and the benefits to taxpayers are unclear, said a CW letter Tuesday to Martin. “NASA should suspend this special arrangement with Google immediately ... pending an explanation about how this technology benefits taxpayers and the federal government itself,” Consumer Advocate Liza Tucker wrote. This isn't the first time Google has abused taxpayer dollars to advance commercial technology, Tucker said. In its letter to Martin, Consumer Watchdog asked the NASA official to also investigate whether a special relationship between Google and NASA officials led to the “unusual arrangement,” which was kept secret until Google recently filed for a Federal Aviation Administration waiver to operate unmanned aircraft. Google and NASA have tested drones over private land in the U.S. throughout the past year, said a CW news release. Its letter said other U.S. companies like Amazon have been testing drones at sites outside the U.S., including Canada, due to “frustration with gaining U.S. permission to test its technology.” In the next six months, Google and NASA want to test in Merced, California, to see if cellphone signals can be used to control and land drones, it said. NASA and Google didn’t comment.
Consumer Watchdog asked NASA Inspector General Paul Martin to end a special deal with Google to test unmanned drones over private land. That agency's decision to grant the company a waiver to test drones gives Google an unfair advantage over competitors, and the benefits to taxpayers are unclear, said a CW letter Tuesday to Martin. “NASA should suspend this special arrangement with Google immediately ... pending an explanation about how this technology benefits taxpayers and the federal government itself,” Consumer Advocate Liza Tucker wrote. This isn't the first time Google has abused taxpayer dollars to advance commercial technology, Tucker said. In its letter to Martin, Consumer Watchdog asked the NASA official to also investigate whether a special relationship between Google and NASA officials led to the “unusual arrangement,” which was kept secret until Google recently filed for a Federal Aviation Administration waiver to operate unmanned aircraft. Google and NASA have tested drones over private land in the U.S. throughout the past year, said a CW news release. Its letter said other U.S. companies like Amazon have been testing drones at sites outside the U.S., including Canada, due to “frustration with gaining U.S. permission to test its technology.” In the next six months, Google and NASA want to test in Merced, California, to see if cellphone signals can be used to control and land drones, it said. NASA and Google didn’t comment.
The FCC’s push to extend Lifeline USF support to broadband is receiving support in early comments, but some state and local officials are concerned it could come at the expense of traditional phone services. Some Native American groups also have urged the commission to reach out more directly to tribal authorities to address their needs. Responding to several requests for more time, the FCC extended its Aug. 17 deadline to Aug. 31 for commenting on its NPRM to revamp its Lifeline USF support for low-income consumers (see 1508050032), but some parties filed comments in docket 11-42 by the original deadline.