Innovative technology has become the foundation for performing mundane tasks, such as vacationing, buying groceries, and even catching a ride, in new inventive ways. The sharing economy is on the cusp of such a revolution, using mobile apps to offer consumers new ways to connect with the services they want to use. However, as noted […]
The FCC’s Lifeline Breakdown
Citizens Against Government Waste highlighting the programmatic issues of the Universal Service Fund (USF) and its Lifeline program for low-income individuals in its 2014 report Telecom Unplugged: Ushering in a New Digital Era. The USF was created by Congress to expand communications technology in unserved regions of the country. The original mission of the Lifeline support program was to provide basic telephone service to low-income individuals. This program was expanded in 2008 to include wireless phone service, and on March 31, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to further expand the program to include broadband internet subsidies.
Give the FCC an Inch, and It Will Take a Mile
On June 14, 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (DC Circuit Court) rejected by a 2-1 decision the petition of US Telecom in its case against the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Open Internet Order (OIO). The net neutrality debate has been through legal gyrations at the FCC and the courts for seven years, and this case is still not the end of the long and winding road.
Veterans Affairs IT System Needs Major Repairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a systemic problem with information technology (IT) management, according to a June 22, 2016 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. The report follows up on recommendations made by GAO following the agency’s February, 2015 designation of the IT system as a high-risk area. It highlights the ongoing need for VA to overhaul its IT to better ensure the quality and safety of veterans’ healthcare. Despite billions of dollars being spent over the past several years on managing and modernizing IT systems, including $3.9 billion in fiscal year 2015, major problems remain unresolved.
Hailing for Change: Medallions vs. the Marketplace
In the digital age, the monetization of personal assets has become a new phenomenon. Whether it is renting out the spare bedroom in your house through Airbnb, using your personal vehicle to earn money by transporting people via Uber or Lyft, or even booking a luxury private jet at a fraction of the cost through JetSmarter.
Yes, the Government Still Uses Floppy Disks
As technology marches forward, the federal government not only cannot keep up, it also remains mired in the past, despite spending more than $80 billion annually on information technology (IT). A May 25, 2016, Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on legacy systems in the federal government found that agencies are using decades-old technology that includes floppy disks and nearly obsolete computer languages.
OMB Tackles Some Low-Hanging Fruit
On January 20, 2016, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) weighed in on a request for comments from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on the requirements that should be included in its guidance to federal departments and agencies for improving the management and purchasing of software assets. CAGW recommended that agencies should be required […]
Spectrum Auction Moves Forward
A November 10, 2015 report from Gartner noted that the Internet of Things (IoT) will reach 6.4 billion devices in 2016. By 2020, that number will potentially reach 20.8 billion devices, all of which will need access to spectrum in order to function. However, spectrum is already limited in availability due to the use of mobile technology, digital goods, and mobile Internet.
Digital Creativity on World IP Day
As the theme for World IP Day 2016 is “Digital Creativity: Culture Reimagined,” it is a good time to remind everyone who loves music, particularly those who access songs online, that the royalty structure in the United States is out of balance with today’s distribution methods.
Don Quixote Alive and Well at the FCC
Rather than tilting at windmills trying to solve problems that don’t exist, government agencies should proceed with great care before imposing technical mandates on an industry. Unfortunately, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) appears to be taking a “shoot from the hip” approach to regulating, and currently has its sights set on abrogating intellectual property (IP) rights.