Following extensive public outreach, the White House has released a National Spectrum Strategy that includes a study of uses for the lower 3 GHz band and identifies 2,786 MHz of airwaves that will be studied for new uses. Near term, the strategy proposes five spectrum bands for further in-depth study. President Biden has called wireless frequencies one of “our Nation’s most important national resources.” The FCC collaborated on the approach, which was marshalled by the Secretary of Commerce through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Continue reading White House Launches New Spectrum Strategy, 3 GHz Study

The Federal Communications Commission has moved closer to reinstating net neutrality rules. The agency adopted a notice of proposed rulemaking and opened a call for comment on classifying fixed and mobile broadband Internet service as an essential telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act. The Commission will also seek comment on proposals to ensure broadband services have effective oversight. If the proposals are adopted after public comments, the FCC will once again be charged with protecting Internet openness and competition, as well as guarding against broadband national security threats and other public safety issues. Continue reading Regulatory Fight Tees Up Over FCC Return to Net Neutrality

Xumo, a joint venture between Comcast and Charter Communications, has begun rolling out its Xumo Stream Box to Charter’s Spectrum customers, with plans to bring it to Comcast’s Xfinity homes soon. The Xumo Stream Box is powered by Comcast’s Entertainment Operating System (EOS), designed to simplify the process of finding content, regardless of where it resides. “Xumo is streaming simplified, bringing a live TV experience together with all the top apps,” Charter President of Product and Technology Rich DiGeronimo said of the new device. Xumo Stream Box can be used to find, discover and select content on-demand using voice control. Continue reading Comcast-Charter Venture Starts Shipping Xumo Stream Box

Championed by the Democratic members of the Federal Communications Commission, net neutrality rules are making a comeback now that the party again controls the FCC’s majority. Enacted when Barack Obama was president and repealed in 2017 during the Trump administration, the guidelines that once prohibited telecommunications and cable companies from blocking or throttling smaller content platforms, or those in which they had no ownership stake, could get a vote as early as next month. Speaking at the National Press Club, FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said she is “sharing with [her] colleagues a rule making that proposes to restore net neutrality.” Continue reading FCC Preps Draft Proposal That Plans to Restore Net Neutrality

Amazon Prime Video plans to introduce commercial breaks to its popular streaming service early next year, following top platforms such as Disney+, Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max, which already offer ad-supported tiers. The company indicates it will run fewer ads than traditional linear TV broadcasters and broadband rivals but has yet to specify numbers. Subscribers in the U.S. who want to keep the streaming service ad-free have the option of paying an additional $2.99 per month. Amazon explained that its strategy to include ads would help it “continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time.” Continue reading Amazon Prime Video to Run TV Commercials Early Next Year

The Senate confirmed President Biden’s FCC nominee Anna Gomez yesterday in a 55-43 vote, bringing an end to a lengthy partisan split at the regulatory agency. Gomez, a communications policy adviser for the State Department, was nominated to fill the fifth commissioner’s seat in June following a year and half of Republican resistance to candidate Gigi Sohn. Gomez will become the third Democratic commissioner at the FCC, freeing the Biden administration to unlock its agenda regarding broadband and communications regulation. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has recently been pursuing improvement of broadband access and updating rules related to space. Continue reading Senate Confirms Anna Gomez to FCC After Lengthy Deadlock

Charlie Ergen, founder and chairman of the Dish and EchoStar satellite broadband companies is merging the two units in an all-stock deal he says will better position his empire to compete with AT&T and Verizon in the market for next-generation wireless services. Dish, which operates Boost Mobile, currently has a deal with T-Mobile for 5G. FactSet places Dish’s current market value at just above $4 billion and EchoStar at nearly $2 billion. “This is a strategically and financially compelling combination that is all about growth and building a long-term sustainable business,” said Ergen. Continue reading Dish, EchoStar to Merge in Play for Next-Gen Wireless Market

As consumers increasingly cord-cut, severing the once-profitable content subscriptions that offset infrastructure costs for ISPs, governments are now looking to charge Big Tech companies for access to broadband networks, which are expensive to install and maintain. The European Commission is being lobbied by telecom firms to implement such a plan, which the Biden administration is urging EU lawmakers to reject on the basis it would be difficult to enforce and could also potentially undermine net neutrality. Direct payments to telecom operators “could reinforce the dominant market position of the largest operators,” the U.S. said in response. Continue reading White House: Big Tech Shouldn’t Be Forced to Pay ISP Fees

The National Association of Broadcasters will lead a new public-private transition to ATSC 3.0 from ATSC 1.0, an initiative known as “the Future of Television.” Also known as NextGen TV, ATSC 3.0 will bring 4K Ultra High Definition images, two-way interactivity, greater accessibility options, and multi-screen applications to televisions via over-the-air broadcast signals working in tandem with broadband. FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the Future of TV onstage in Las Vegas Monday at the 100th NAB Show. The FCC will work with NAB to bring together industry, government and public interest stakeholders to establish a roadmap for NextGen TV. Continue reading NAB to Lead ATSC 3.0 Transition Working with FCC, Industry

Weeks after CNET drew media attention for quietly publishing stories generated by artificial intelligence, the outlet announced layoffs of several longtime employees yesterday, representing about 10 percent of the public masthead. The move was reportedly made by Red Ventures, the private equity-backed media firm that acquired the tech news outlet three years ago. CNET editor-in-chief Connie Guglielmo will step down and transition to SVP of AI content strategy. The new editor-in-chief will be Adam Auriemma, who previously held the same position at NextAdvisor, also owned by Red Ventures. Continue reading Layoffs Are Under Way at CNET, Editor-in-Chief Steps Down

Government and industry executives discussed their roles in ensuring Internet connectivity to all Americans via 5G. Moderated by CTA vice president of regulatory affairs J. David Grossman, panelists touched on the major obstacles to ubiquitous connectivity. Qualcomm senior director of government affairs Leslie Barnes noted that, “it’s important we consider all the technologies for last mile connectivity.” “Where fiber is impractical or cost prohibitive, fixed wireless access is a possibility, and it’s cost effective,” she said. “It’s a fast-growing solution that now covers over 35 million households and 2 million businesses.” Continue reading CES: Tech Industry Aims for Connectivity to Everyone via 5G

Consumer Technology Association (CTA) vice president of regulatory affairs J. David Grossman introduced U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Alan Davidson, NTIA administrator, who addressed the CES audience on federal plans to expand broadband access in 2023. “As you all know, the Internet today is the essential tool in our modern world,” he said. “Yet, in 2023, millions of people in this country don’t have the access or skills they need to take advantage of the Internet.” After 20 years of talk, he added, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will now provide over $65 billion to invest in that mission. Continue reading CES: Government Plans to Address the Digital Divide in 2023

According to a group of game experts, 5G will likely skyrocket the reach and power of mobile games. IQ Labs founder Julian Mitchell moderated a conversation with Activision Blizzard vice president Jonathan Stringfield, Niantic director of product management Tom Emrich and THNDR Games chief executive Desiree Dickerson on the current and future prospects of mobile gaming. Emrich pointed to Niantic’s Campfire that gives players a place to connect. “The industry outside gaming has embraced it as the new social network,” he said. “Games are more than games — they’re synonymous with the metaverse.” Continue reading CES: Mobile Game Execs Talk About Impact of Emerging 5G

Amazon Prime Video has overtaken Netflix as the most popular OTT video service in the U.S., according to a new study by Parks Associates, marking the first time Netflix fell from No. 1 in the history of the company’s annual report. Peacock entered the top 10 list for the first time in 2022, debuting at No. 9, while Showtime dropped off. The research firm reports that 83 percent of U.S. broadband households have at least one OTT service, while 23 percent subscribe to nine or more OTT subscriptions. While Netflix, Prime Video and Hulu have traditionally held the top three spots, the list has recently become more varied due to an influx of new players. Continue reading Amazon Prime Video Knocks Netflix from Top Streamer Spot

The Federal Communications Commission has unveiled a draft of its long-awaited broadband maps, which detail broadband availability across the country. “The maps will only get better from here,” FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said, emphasizing that even in this early form they are a lot better than what had been available. The new maps integrate information from broadband providers with hundreds of location-specific data sources, providing an accurate-to-the-home picture of fixed and mobile broadband availability. Users now have “a one-stop-shop” to search their address and find the Internet service providers available to that location. Continue reading FCC’s Latest Broadband Maps Aim to Turn Up Heat on ISPs