The FCC won a big legal victory today, when the DC Circuit denied a challenge by Verizon to its data roaming order. The data roaming order itself is important, since it updates the Commission's long-standing voice roaming rules to include wireless Internet access services. It allows smaller carriers to offer nationwide service, and it makes it so that all users can travel around the country without losing service or incurring high bills.
On today's podcast we discuss patent lawsuits between 3D printer manufacturers and a bill in Congress that could open the door to more online music services.
Listen to PodcastLocation: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Hosted by: The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Two of Public Knowledge's own, Rashmi Rangnath and Harold Feld, will be joining the US delegation in Dubai this December as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) rewrites the International Telecommunications Regulations for the first time since 1988. This will be an important conference for the future of internet governance, and we will report on the outcomes as they are decided.
Location: Capitol Hill, House of Representatives, Rayburn 2322
Hosted by: Public Knowledge in partnership with Participant Media
Special Guests: Representative Henry Waxman (invited), Representative Bobby Rush (invited)
Join Public Knowledge for a screening of the Sundance Award-winning film, Middle of Nowhere, directed by Ana Duvernay, and a conversation about the detrimental effects of prison phone rates.
Screening will be accompanied with opening remarks by Representatives Henry Waxman and Bobby Rush, followed by a short question and answer session with Public Knowledge and Participant Media.
Today, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the Federal Communications Commission's "Data Roaming Order," which requires that wireless carriers offer data (wireless Internet access) roaming services to other carriers on "commercially reasonable terms." This allows wireless users to use all the functions of their phones even in places where their carriers might not have coverage. The court's decision is linked here.
The following statement can be attributed to John Bergmayer, Senior Staff Attorney at Public Knowledge:
Background: The Internet Radio Fairness Act is a bill that has been introduced to both the Senate and Congress. It works to achieve parity and sustainability in the online radio marketplace by changing the standard by which online radio royalties are set to the same factors used for cable and satellite radio. The current standard has led to royalty rates that often amount to more than half of the service's revenues, in a field where no major online radio company has ever earned a profit.
The following can be attributed to Staff Attorney Jodie Griffin:
The DC Circuit's opinion in Cellco Partnership v. FCC. This document is available as a pdf.
Public Knowledge's amicus brief supporting the FCC's data roaming rules. This document is available as a pdf.
Testimony
of Jodie Griffin
Staff
Attorney
Public
Knowledge
Before
the
U.S.
House of Representative
Committee
on the Judiciary
Subcommittee
on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet
Hearing
On:
Music
Licensing Part One: Legislation in the 112th Congress
Washington,
DC
November
29, 2012
The Internet Radio Fairness Act (IRFA) sets out to create fairness in the radio marketplace. To actually achieve that goal, IRFA must follow three key principles:
(1) Encourage Markets. IRFA must use a royalty standard that encourages innovation in a robust and sustainable online radio marketplace.
(2) Treat Like Services Alike. IRFA must apply the same royalty standard to all types of radio services, including online, cable, satellite, and AM/FM radio.
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