News

WASHINGTON — On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission and CTIA, the wireless industry trade group, jointly announced a voluntary agreement to provide wireless customers with overage alerts. The move is an attempt to prevent “bill shock.”The agreement is not an official FCC rulemaking, and the carriers are not subject to FCC enforcement.

WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, the Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing on proposed plans to revamp the Universal Service Fund.

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced his proposal to revamp the Universal Service Fund. The Chairman’s announcement follows the Commission’s requests for comments on the “ABC plan,” a purported compromise put forward by incumbent phone providers.

BOSTON — Free Press filed today in the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston a petition for review of the Federal Communications Commission’s December 2010 Open Internet order. The Federal Register published the new rules last week, opening the window for such lawsuits.

PITTSBURGH — In a townhall-style dialogue sponsored by Free Press at Carnegie Mellon University yesterday, Federal Communications Commissioner Michael Copps responded to a question from a self-described “downsized journalist”.

PITTSBURGH — On Monday, Sept. 26, Free Press is hosting a community dialogue on the state of the media in Pittsburgh, Pa. featuring Rep. Mike Doyle and Federal Communications Commissioner Michael Copps.

WASHINGTON — On Friday, the Federal Communications Commission’s Net Neutrality rules were published in the Federal Register. The rules will take effect Nov. 20.

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, Free Press responded to reports that Sprint, the nation’s third-largest wireless carrier, would begin capping its “tethering” plans which allow subscribers to use their phones as mobile hotspots. The plans come with a 5 gigabyte data limit, and a new $0.05 charge per megabyte over the cap — which adds up to $50 per extra gigabyte.

WASHINGTON — On Tuesday Republican lawmakers sent a letter to President Obama touting the now-disproven claims that the AT&T/T-Mobile merger would create jobs.

WASHINGTON — On Friday seven state attorneys general joined the Department of Justice lawsuit to block the AT&T-Mobile merger.