Ensuring Digital Access for All in 2017

Chairman Ajit Pai and the Federal Communications Commission recently made a big decision: to put an end to investigations into what is known as “free data” or “zero-rating” programs. Though the announcement was met with scorn from some online activists, the announcement was a historic milestone for those of us who have been committed to ensuring all Americans-especially, those in low-income and minority communities-have the critical internet-based tools and resources they need to compete in today’s world.

WhiteSpace Alliance Predicts United States will Rapidly Move Forward with TV White Space Deployments

The WhiteSpace Alliance , a global industry organization enabling sharing of underutilized spectrum, says that completion of the recent FCC spectrum incentive auction will make the United States a prime market for TV white space deployments. “The completion of the incentive auction will remove regulatory uncertainty and free up more than 80 MHz of spectrum for license-exempt wireless Internet access,” said Dr. Apurva N. Mody, Chairman of WhiteSpace Alliance.

US Senate resolution aims to roll back privacy rules for ISPs

A resolution introduced in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday aims to roll back privacy rules for broadband service providers that were approved by the Federal Communications Commission in October. The rules include the requirement that internet service providers like Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon should obtain “opt-in” consent from consumers to use and share sensitive personal information such as geolocation and web browsing history, and also give customers the option to opt out from the sharing of non-sensitive information such as email addresses or service tier information.

Congress Takes Sledgehammer to Broadband Privacy Rules Through Congressional Review Act

Today Senator Jeff Flake introduced a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to repeal the broadband privacy rules enacted by the Federal Communications Commission last October. The rules protect consumer privacy by requiring ISPs to seek affirmative consent before using or disclosing their customers’ sensitive information, including web browsing and app usage history, for marketing purposes.

CTA Applauds President Trumpa s Decision to Renominate Ajit Pai as FCC Chairman

As the administration implements its executive order to identify unnecessarily burdensome rules and eliminate them, Chairman Pai’s firm adherence to and application of regulatory forbearance will ensure the commission focuses on rules that promote competition, innovation and flexibility. “We look forward to working with Chairman Pai for many years to come to better deliver the anytime/anywhere access that consumers now demand and expand broadband access and digital opportunity to all Americans.

ALA and 170 public interest organizations call on FCC and Congress to …

On the eve of the Senate Commerce Committee’s first Federal Communications Commission Oversight Hearing of 2017, the American Library Association and more than 170 public interest organizations sent a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune and Ranking Member Bill Nelson calling for the protection of the free and open internet. The letter urges these leaders to support and continue to enforce the 2015 Open Internet Order and to oppose legislative and regulatory actions that would threaten the strong net neutrality rules already in place.

Trump Renominates FCC’s Ajit Pai To 5-Year Term

Looks like Ajit Pai passed his audition: President Trump today renominated the FCC chairman for another term that would expire in mid 2021. His previous five-year term expired last year, but commissioners get to stay for up to a year afterward if they haven’t been replaced.

Industry groups push Congress to roll back internet privacy rules

Conservative and telecom industry groups are pushing lawmakers to undo privacy regulations passed by the Federal Communications Commission last year under the Obama administration. In a letter sent Tuesday to the top members of the Senate Commerce Committee, the groups called for lawmakers to use the Congressional Review Act to eliminate the privacy rules.

How to Keep Your Phone Number While Switching Carriers

If you are a small business owner, your telephone number may well be part of your community identity, especially if you have already invested in advertising and business cards. As long as your business remains in the same geographic area, the Federal Communications Commission guarantees your right to keep your telephone number even if you switch carriers.

Public interest groups urge officials to protect net neutrality

A coalition of 171 public interest groups sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission and Senate leaders on Tuesday urging them not to dismantle the net neutrality rules from 2015. The ACLU, Greenpeace, MoveOn.org and Public Knowledge were among the groups signing on to the letter favoring the regulations, which prohibit internet service providers from discriminating against traffic to certain sites.

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FCC Halts New Data Security Rules; Broader Repeal of Protections on Tap

WASHINGTON Reporters and analysts say the move by the Federal Communications Commission last week to halt new government rules related to data security from taking effect could mean a broader repeal of privacy protections for high-speed internet users. After a 2-to-1 party-line vote by the Republican-led commission, Ajit Pai, the chairman, announced last week that part of the privacy rules passed in October would be temporarily stayed.

Sprint is Trying to Sell Trump on a Comcast or T-Mobile Merger –

Sprint and Softbank boss Masayoshi Son met with the Trump administration last month to sell the administration on a megamerger between Sprint and either T-Mobile or Comcast, notes the New York Times . In presentations to the Trump camp, Softbank executives made the case that “because of a lack of advanced digital investments,” the competitiveness of the United States economy was at risk.

Two Killed in Tecumseh Disturbance

As per Federal Communications Commission Regulations following is certified: Platte River Radio Inc. does not discriminate in the sale of commercial time, and will not accept advertising which, in its sole opinion, is purchased with intent to discriminate unlawfully on the basis of race, gender, or ethnicity. The advertiser hereby certifies that its purchase of commercial time is not made for an unlawful discriminatory purpose, including specifically that it is not based upon a decision to place advertising on a station on the basis of race, gender, or ethnicity.

Two Killed in Tecumseh Disturbance

As per Federal Communications Commission Regulations following is certified: Platte River Radio Inc. does not discriminate in the sale of commercial time, and will not accept advertising which, in its sole opinion, is purchased with intent to discriminate unlawfully on the basis of race, gender, or ethnicity. The advertiser hereby certifies that its purchase of commercial time is not made for an unlawful discriminatory purpose, including specifically that it is not based upon a decision to place advertising on a station on the basis of race, gender, or ethnicity.

Pai to Lay Out Plans for FCC on Wednesday

Ajit Pai, the new chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, promised to return the U.S. to ‘the light-touch approach’ of regulating broadband. New Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai will get a chance to clue in lawmakers about his plans for net neutrality, wrapping up the broadcast spectrum auction and rewriting media ownership rules when he and fellow FCC members appear before panels on both sides of Capitol Hill Wednesday, March 8. Both the Senate Commerce Committee as well as the communications subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold oversight hearings examining the FCC’s operations Wednesday.

Kearney Boasts Lowest Property Tax Levy in Nebraska

As per Federal Communications Commission Regulations following is certified: Platte River Radio Inc. does not discriminate in the sale of commercial time, and will not accept advertising which, in its sole opinion, is purchased with intent to discriminate unlawfully on the basis of race, gender, or ethnicity. The advertiser hereby certifies that its purchase of commercial time is not made for an unlawful discriminatory purpose, including specifically that it is not based upon a decision to place advertising on a station on the basis of race, gender, or ethnicity.

FCC grants waiver allowing JCCs to receive caller information

The Federal Communications Commission has granted Jewish Community Centers throughout the country a temporary waiver allowing them to receive caller information, in response to the recent series of bomb threats on the Jewish institutions. The waiver, approved on Friday, comes days after 29 JCCs and Jewish schools across the country received called-in bomb threats, the fifth such incident in less than two months.

JCCs Win Special Permission To Identify Callers Amid Wave Of Threats

The Federal Communications Commission has granted Jewish Community Centers throughout the country a temporary waiver allowing them to receive caller information, in response to the recent series of bomb threats on the Jewish institutions. The waiver, approved on Friday, comes days after 29 JCCs and Jewish schools across the country received called-in bomb threats, the fifth such incident in less than two months.

Under threat, JCCs given special okay to track caller information

US Jewish leaders meet with the FBI director James Comey to discuss the ongoing investigation of bomb threats to JCC on March 3, 2017. The Federal Communications Commission has granted Jewish Community Centers throughout the country a temporary waiver allowing them to receive caller information, in response to the recent series of bomb threats on the Jewish institutions.

JCC waiver will help track bomb threats

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer announced Friday that the Federal Communications Commission will grant a temporary emergency waiver to all Jewish Community Centers that have been targeted during the recent wave of bomb threats. Schumer said the emergency waiver will help authorities track down and identify the people making those threatening calls that frighten communities and waste resources of local law enforcement.

FCC Approves Waivers to Track Threats Against Jewish Centers

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has reportedly granted emergency temporary waivers to Jewish community centers and the telecommunications carriers that serve them, with hope of locating those who have threatened them over the phone, the agency said on Friday. Jewish community centers and schools in 13 U.S. states have reported to receiving bomb threats this year, a cause for fear of a resurgence of anti-Semitism.

FCC waiver helps Jewish community centers ID bomb threats

Following a string of more nearly 70 anonymous bomb threats made to Jewish community centers in 27 states since the start of the year, the Federal Communications Commission issued an emergency order on Friday. The order , which takes effect immediately, waives the telecommunications restriction that prevents phone carriers from sharing the calling party number with the call’s recipient.

FCC: Schumer Requested Jewish Center Waivers

The Federal Communications Commission says Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer requested an emergency waiver to Jewish community centers and their phone carriers in the wake of threats nationwide. The FCC said Friday that it will grant the waiver to allow the centers and carriers to track the numbers of callers who make threats, even if the caller tries to block the number.

The Latest: Reporter says bomb threat suspect harassed him

The Latest on an arrest in connection with threats made to Jewish institutions nationwide and the Anti-Defamation League’s headquarters in New York : A former journalist from St. Louis accused of making threats to at least eight Jewish community centers had been accused of bizarre behavior before. Juan Thompson is facing a federal charge of cyberstalking an ex-girlfriend.

Jewish Centers get FCC help in tracking bomba

Jewish Centers get FCC help in tracking bomb threats Jewish Community Centers are getting a federal waiver to help them identify perpetrators behind a wave of bomb threats. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: http://usat.ly/2lnCTD4 People evacuated because of a bomb threat return to the David Posnack Jewish Community Center and David Posnack Jewish Day School, Monday, Feb. 27, 2017, in Davie, Fla.

The Latest: FCC says Schumer requested Jewish center waivers

The Latest on the arrest in connection with threats made to at least eight Jewish institutions nationwide and the Anti-Defamation League’s headquarters in New York City : The Federal Communications Commission says Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer requested an emergency waiver to Jewish community centers and their phone carriers in the wake of threats nationwide. The FCC said Friday that it will grant the waiver to allow the centers and carriers to track the numbers of callers who make threats, even if the caller tries to block the number.

Feds will let JCCs obtain blocked numbers after bomb threats 0:0

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department K-9 officers search the Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada after an employee received a suspicious phone call on Feb. 27. The Federal Communications Commission will offer temporary emergency waivers to Jewish Community Centers so they can obtain numbers for blocked callers in the wake of numerous bombs threats against the institutions nationwide, The Post has learned. “It’s a nationwide preemptive waiver for all JCCs and their carriers which lets them and law enforcement agencies get numbers even when the caller tries to block his or her number – no application necessary,” a US official said.