FCC Releases Fifth "Measuing Broadband America" Report

"The Federal Communications Commission today released the results of its ongoing nationwide performance study of consumers’ fixed broadband Internet access service in its fifth “Measuring Broadband America” report. The report furthers the Commission’s efforts to provide greater transparency about network performance to help consumers make more informed choices about broadband services. This year’s report shows that broadband speed offerings to the average consumer continue to increase at a rapid pace, and broadband service providers generally are delivering actual speeds that meet or exceed advertised speeds. However, results are not uniform across technologies. The report finds a growing disparity in advertised download speeds between many DSL-based broadband services and most cable- and fiber-based broadband services.."
Broadband

Tips for Using Public Wi-Fi Networks

"Wi-Fi hotspots in coffee shops, libraries, airports, hotels, universities, and other public places are convenient, but often they're not secure. If you connect to a Wi-Fi network, and send information through websites or mobile apps, it might be accessed  by someone else.

To protect your information when using wireless hotspots, send information only to sites     that are fully encrypted, and avoid using mobile apps that require personal or financial information..."
Public wi-fi networks

New Evidence Proves Wireless Carriers Are Not Protecting Consumers From Bogus Charges on Their Phone Bills

"Today’s hearing is about a practice known as “cramming,” where consumers get charged on their phone bills for goods and services they never agreed to purchase.
The companies that put these bogus charges on phone bills know that consumers don’t always notice small charges when we pay our monthly bills. Some consumers have continued paying these charges for months – or even years – before noticing they were being ripped off..."
Wireless charges

Measuring Broadband in America

"MEASURING BROADBAND AMERICA presents the results of the first nationwide performance study of residential wireline broadband service in the United States. The study examined service offerings from 13 of the largest wireline broadband providers using automated, direct measurements of broadband performance delivered to the homes of thousands of volunteers during March 2011..."

Measuring Broadband America:A Report on Consumer Wireline Broadband Performance in the U.S.
"To make informed choices about purchasing and using broadband, consumers need to have access to basic information about broadband performance. Will a particular offering allow me to browse the web quickly and easily? Will it enable me to use new applications that help me maintain my health, search for a job, or take courses online? What should I look for in a provider if I want to watch high definition online video or play online video games? Does a given speed tier have sufficient upload capacity to enable video conferencing? Will a higher speed, higher priced service improve my Internet experience? Can I get by with a lower priced service? And does the speed a provider advertises match the actual speed I will receive at my home? To help answer these questions, this Report presents the results of the first rigorous,
nationwide study of actual home broadband performance in the United State..."

FTC Offers Tips on Wise Use of Wi-Fi Networks
"The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, today released tips to help people protect their personal information while they use public wireless networks – Wi-Fi hotspots in coffee shops, libraries, airports, hotels, universities, and other public places. While convenient, public Wi-Fi networks often are not secure.

When using wireless networks, it’s best to send only personal information that is encrypted – either by an encrypted website or a secure network. Encryption scrambles information sent over the internet into a code so that it’s not accessed by others. An encrypted website protects only the information sent to and from that site. A secure wireless network encrypts all the information sent over it..."

FCC FREES UP VACANT TV AIRWAVES FOR “SUPER WI-FI” TECHNOLOGIES
"The Federal Communications Commission today took steps to free up vacant airwaves between TV channels -- called “white spaces” -- to unleash a host of new technologies, such as “super Wi-Fi,” and myriad other diverse applications. This is the first significant block of spectrum made
available for unlicensed use in more than 20 years.

TV white space spectrum is considered prime real estate because its signals travel well, making
it ideally suited for mobile wireless devices. Unlocking this valuable spectrum will open the doors for new industries to arise, create American jobs, and fuel new investment and innovation. The National Broadband Plan noted the importance of unlicensed spectrum in creating opportunities for new technologies to blossom and recommended that the Commission complete the TV white spaces
proceeding as expeditiously as possible.

The Second Memorandum Opinion and Order (Second MO&O) adopted today resolves numerous legal
and technical issues. Notably, the Order eliminates the requirement that TV bands devices that
incorporate geo-location and database access must also include sensing technology to detect the signals of TV stations and low-power auxiliary service stations (wireless microphones). It also requires wireless microphone users who seek to register in the TV bands databases to certify that they will use all available channels from 7 through 51 prior to requesting registration. Requests to register in the database will be public, thus allowing interested parties to weigh in on any given request..."

COMMENT SOUGHT ON THE CONTRIBUTION OF FEDERAL, STATE, TRIBAL, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO BROADBAND
"Comment Date: November 6, 2009
Government – at all levels – affects broadband deployment and adoption, and itself uses broadband to interact with its citizens. As the Commission develops a National Broadband Plan,1 the Commission staff have heard about the many benefits of broadband deployment and effective use of digital technology.2 For instance, Fort Wayne, Indiana has used wireless monitoring to improve the efficiency of its street sweepers,3 and, like many states and cities,4 has also used broadband solutions for better health resources, greater community connectedness, better educational opportunities, more efficient public safety measures, and greater energy efficiency. We have also heard, however, of difficulties in obtaining required government licenses or permits or access to government assets, as well as restrictions in the use of government funding that hinder the pursuit of broader broadband goals...

We seek tailored comment about how governments at all levels promote broadband deployment and adoption, and how digital technologies and broadband deployment can improve civic engagement, government at all levels, and the lives and welfare of residents and businesses..."

The Siting of Wireless Communications Facilities: An Overview of Federal, State, and Local Law
"The siting of wireless communications facilities has been a topic of controversy in
communities all over the United States. Telecommunications carriers need to place
towers in areas where coverage is insufficient or lacking to provide better service to consumers, while local governing boards and community groups often oppose the siting of towers in residential neighborhoods and scenic areas. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 governs federal, state, and local regulation of the siting of communications towers by placing certain limitations on local zoning authority without totally preempting state and local law. This report provides an overview of the federal, state, and local laws governing the siting of wireless communications facilities."

FCC ADOPTS RULES FOR DELIVERY OF COMMERCIAL MOBILE ALERTS TO THE PUBLIC DURING EMERGENCIES
"The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today adopted a First
Report and Order (Order) that will support the ability of the nation’s wireless carriers to transmit timely and accurate alerts, warnings and critical information to the cell phones and other mobile devices of consumers during disasters or other emergencies...

Wireless carriers that choose to participate in the CMAS will transmit text-based alerts to their subscribers. As technology evolves, the CMAS may eventually include audio and video services to transmit emergency alerts to the public. To ensure that people with disabilities who subscribe to wireless services receive these emergency alerts, the FCC adopted rules that will require wireless carriers who participate in the CMAS to transmit messages with both vibration cadence and audio attention signals."