On February 21, 2012, a Swineline blog post proposed that cloud computing is a viable option for law enforcement.
Time to Reduce Wasteful Government IT Spending
On January 22, 2013, the House Committee on Government Oversight held a hearing on reducing wasteful information technology (IT) spending by the federal government. According to a video released prior to the hearing by the Committee, the federal government wastes nearly $20 billion in IT spending each year, the equivalent of the amount of taxes paid by the state of Kansas annually.
An Increasingly Connected Society Needs Spectrum
According to a January 7, 2013 article in Wireless Week, on December 25, 2012, nearly 17.4 million mobile devices, including tablets, Smartphones, and cell phones were activated.
CAGW’s Top Technology and Telecommunications Issues for 2013
The technology and telecommunications industries are vital and innovative sectors of the U.S. economy. Advances in these fields have a positive impact on other industries such as health care, education, transportation, and services.
GSA bats .333 on cloud security authorizations
In June 2012, Government Computer News reported that GSA hoped to have three cloud service providers approved for provisional authorizations to operate by the end of 2012. Batting .333 towards achievement of this goal, the General Services Administration announced on December 27, 2012 the first Joint Authorization Board (JAB) approval of a provisional cloud security authorization under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP).
Wireless Taxes Continue Upward Trend
Wireless communications adoption has grown from 48.7 million subscribers in 1997 to 321.7 million subscribers in 2012. While the number of wireless consumers is on the rises, and a greater number are choosing to “cut the cord” on their landline connections, the state and local tax burden has also skyrocketed. Frequently seen as a quick way to increase revenues into state coffers, an October 29, 2012 report by Scott Mackey of KSE Partners shows that taxes on wireless consumers continue to rise at a steady pace.
Abolishing a Free and Open Internet: The fight is just beginning
From December 3 through December 14, the U.N. International Telecommunications Union will be convening the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) to review proposals to the International Telecommunications Regulations (ITR). The last update to this treaty occurred in 1988; meanwhile the Internet has continued to grow and thrive under the current multi-stakeholder regime, with nearly 2.3 billion users worldwide at the end of 2011. Yet, even with the growth in use and access, some countries would like the U.N. to “take over” the Internet, rather than allowing the continued multi-stakeholder approach.
Special Access is all About the Data
The special access marketplace provides dedicated high-capacity connections that serve voice and data needs for smaller carriers, large businesses and government through lease agreements with larger telecommunications providers. In 1999, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to deregulate the special access marketplace, which has helped to spur growth and innovation in all areas of telecommunications. […]
Recovery Act Broadband Funds: Boon or Bust
When he signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) or stimulus, President Obama promised that the $862 billion expenditure of taxpayer dollars would provide jobs and improve the economy. Everyone has heard about the “shovel-ready jobs,” and seen signs along the highway touting the use of ARRA funds for improvements, but beyond roadwork loans to failing solar companies like Solyndra, there were many other outlets for stimulus funds.
Spectrum Auction Options Abound
An op-ed by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski was published on September 16, 2012 in TechCrunch.com, explaining why additional spectrum is so critical to the economy. Highlighting the job creation impact of improved mobile broadband capabilities in the U.S., and citing the growing “apps economy,” which alone has created nearly 500,000 jobs, Chairman Genachowski estimated that nearly 1.6 million U.S. jobs have been created over the past five years due to innovations in mobile technology.