Category Archives: Federal Communications Commission

Final Thoughts on CES: The Rise of the Network Agnostic Device…

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While attending the Consumer Electronics Show last week, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski observed in his speech to the assembled technology glitterati that “… virtually every new product on the CES floor is fueled by broadband Internet—by connectivity and bandwidth, wired and wireless.  If you shut off the Internet, virtually nothing on the CES floor would work.”  Certainly, the rapid innovation in edge devices is a wonderful thing.  But, such innovation may not be traveling alone.   That is, economic theory suggests this rapid increase in the number and sophistication of edge devices may be accompanied by an increase in the intensity Continue Reading »

More Observations From CES…

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One of the major stories that came out of CES last week was (in the words of the Wall Street Journal) the “flood” of new Internet content and mobile devices reaching consumers’ living rooms.  In fact, this has been the story coming out of CES for the past few years.  Given such developments, it continues to puzzle me not only that the FCC refuses to announce, at least formally, that it intends to drop its ill-conceived AllVid paradigm, but that it also refuses to announce that it intends to seek to sunset Section 629 of the Communications Act altogether. By Continue Reading »

Julius Genachowski’s Speech at CES Part 2…

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Most industry experts and pundits agree that the U.S. needs more spectrum in the hands of commercial mobile broadband providers.  To this end, Congress should be commended for their efforts to pass legislation to give the Federal Communications Commission the authority to hold voluntary incentive auctions to help facilitate the transfer of prime spectrum from broadcasters to mobile broadband providers.  As noted yesterday in Larry’s post, however, last week at CES FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski blasted a bill currently working its way through the House Energy and Commerce Committee because the proposed legislation would eliminate the FCC’s ability to preclude Continue Reading »

Julius Genachowski’s Speech at CES Part 1…

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For those interested in spectrum policy, I would commend folks to read FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s speech at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) last week. The Chairman began his speech by acknowledging once again that because America is facing looming spectrum exhaust, Congress should quickly pass legislation authorizing the FCC to conduct voluntary spectrum auctions for the purpose of transferring television broadcast spectrum to mobile broadband providers.  Indeed, the Chairman noted that absent that ability for wireless carriers to access more spectrum, “American consumers will face slower speeds, more dropped connections, and higher prices.”  (To illustrate this point, see the Continue Reading »