On January 6, the 2016 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) kicks off in Las Vegas, Nevada. This annual event showcases a multitude of devices and inventions, demonstrating the ingenuity and entrepreneurship of inventors across a wide range of fields.
When the Federal Government Goes Too Far
On February 2, 2015, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler released a statement supporting federal preemption of state laws that restrict municipal broadband networks. On February 26, 2015, two other FCC commissioners agreed with the Chairman, and voted to overturn laws in North Carolina and Tennessee that restricted local municipalities’ ability to build government owned networks. Both states filed suit in March 2015 in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to have the FCC’s decision overturned.
Running Down the Clock on Internet Taxes
Nothing like waiting until the last minute to do something important. That is exactly what is happening on the Hill this week. The Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA) is set once again to expire at midnight on December 11, 2015. Since 1992, when the general public was given access to the Internet, the use of […]
IAB Report Finds IP Infringement Costs Economy Billions
There are some individuals who view intellectual property (IP), particularly movies, videos, and music as free for the taking; illegally posting and distributing content online without any regard to the impact such actions have on the creators and owners of the IP. This sad state of affairs was detailed last year in Citizens Against Government […]
The Spectrum Dilemma
An April 1, 2015 Pew Research Center study found that 64 percent of Americans own a Smartphone, and 19 percent “rely to some degree” on their Smartphones to access online services and information. The study also found that 7 percent of Americans owning a Smartphone do not have either traditional broadband access at home or other “easily available alternatives” for going online. On October 29, 2015, Pew released its report, “Technology Device Ownership: 2015,” which found that 68 percent of U.S. adults now own a Smartphone.
Cyber-Security Should Not Take A Back Seat
The federal government spends approximately $80 billion annually on information technology (IT) systems. An April 2, 2014 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that the number of data breaches increased by 143 percent from 10,481 reported incidents in 2009 to 25,566 incidents in 2013. The federal government must take immediate action to protect vulnerable systems and remediate risk.
Keeping Rates Technology Neutral
Americans across the nation are increasingly accessing broadband services using a variety of tools and connecting not only through wireline services, but also with their wireless devices. As demand grows for increased connectivity, so does the need to expand the infrastructure these devices rely upon. To meet this demand, wireless carriers often find it necessary […]
Time Wasting Away With Internet Tax Ban Set to Expire
On December 16, 2014, the Internet Tax Freedom Act was temporarily extended in the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (H.R. 83), keeping the ban on Internet access taxes in place until September 30, 2015. Unfortunately, time is once again running out and only the House of Representatives has taken any action on the ban, this time making it permanent.
Clarity Needed in Taxation of Digital Goods
With technology changing the way consumers listen and view music and videos, state and local governments are now looking toward taxation of digital goods and services to increase their tax revenues. Currently, 17 states require by statute that taxes be paid on digital goods and services, and another eight states plus the District of Columbia […]
The Rural Broadband Boondoggle
In the 2009 stimulus bill, Congress allocated $2.5 billion to the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to fund its Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP), all of which was supposed to be spent by the end of June 2015. This was a massive influx of money for a small agency whose previous annual average budget for broadband programs was approximately $290 million in direct loans and grants.