special access

GAO: FCC Should Do More for Wireless Competition

Stevie Converse — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:28:22 -0400

Full article: Free Press
The Government Accountability Office has released a new report on the wireless industry. The GAO report acknowledges the views of many stakeholders that spectrum policies, special access prices, early termination fees and exclusive handset arrangements have created significant advantages for the largest national wireless companies and have limited consumer choice and competition.

Special Access: Too Special to Be Competitive?

Stevie Converse — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:19:13 -0400

Full article: Public Knowledge
Public Knowledge Legal Director Harold Feld explains what "Special Access" is, why you should think of wholesale Internet access costs like barrel of oil costs, and why the FCC should be assessing whether the market is competitive. (Video: 5:28)

FCC to Examine Network Connection Prices

Lindsy Embree — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:05:42 -0400

Full article: Dow Jones
Fawn Johnson
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has pledged to open an inquiry into the prices telecom firms charge others for the network capacity needed to transfer phone calls and Internet exchanges, signaling that further regulation of that market may be on the horizon.

Google, AT&T Blocked-Call Spat Gets Louder

Lindsy Embree — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:37:21 -0400

Full article: Dow Jones
Fawn Johnson
A spat raised by AT&T about whether Google should be allowed to block expensive calls through its Google Voice service is intensifying on Capitol Hill. A group of lawmakers representing rural areas asked the FCC to investigate whether Google Voice is blocking calls to rural telephone exchanges with high access charges.

Federal Court Won't Overturn FCC Decision Deregulating Special Access Lines

Lindsy Embree — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:26:27 -0400

Full article: Multichannel News
John Eggerton
A federal court has declined to overturn an FCC decision deregulating AT&T's special access lines and those of Embarq and Frontier. The FCC had removed the dominant pricing regulations. The Ad Hoc Telecom Users Committee, representing self-described heavy users of those business broadband services, had asked the court to overturn that decision.

Washington Post Sells Access, $25,000 Plus

Stevie Converse — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:24:23 -0400

Full article: Politico
Mike Allen
For $25,000 to $250,000, the <em>Washington Post</em> is offering lobbyists and association executives off-the-record, nonconfrontational access to "those powerful few" — Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and the paper’s own reporters and editors.