News

WASHINGTON — Today, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and Google responded to an inquiry from the Federal Communications Commission about high early termination fees.

WASHINGTON — Free Press has asked the Federal Communications Commission to grant interested parties the opportunity to review recent data collected on broadband subscribership.

WASHINGTON — Today consumer and industry groups concerned with the proposed Comcast-NBC Universal merger called on Comcast Corp. to back up its new promises of good behavior before Congress by withdrawing from its court attack against the Federal Communications Commission on critical pro-competition rules for the pay-TV distribution market.

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission will consider an Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to enable schools that receive funding from the E- Rate program to allow members of the general public to use the schools’ Internet access during non-operating hours at no additional cost to the Universal Service Fund.

WASHINGTON — New Commerce Department figures released today highlight the challenges in bringing affordable broadband connections to all Americans. The National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) reports that 40 percent of Americans still don’t have high-speed Internet at home.

WASHINGTON — FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski spoke today about some of the likely recommendations in the National Broadband Plan. Among them is a goal of 100 million households at speeds of 100 Megabits per second.

WASHINGTON — Responding to Google’s announcement today of a plan to build new, ultra high-speed broadband networks, Ben Scott, policy director for Free Press, said:

WASHINGTON — Today, AT&T announced the approval of Sling Media’s mobile video application for the iPhone, after nearly a year of blocking the video application that allows users to access programming from their home televisions.

WASHINGTON — In testimony prepared for the House and Senate hearings Thursday on Comcast’s proposed takeover of NBC Universal, public interest groups Consumer Federation of America, Free Press and Consumers Union argue that Comcast has both the incentive and the ability to engage in anticompetitive practices if the government allows the takeover.

WASHINGTON — As Congress gears up for a double-header hearing on Comcast’s proposed takeover of NBC, representatives of groups opposed to the takeover are holding a telebriefing for reporters on its harmful impact.