Mobile Technology News

By Ed Oswald, Betanews

After almost a week of criticism surrounding its announcement Monday that it had come to an agreement with Verizon over net neutrality, Google on Thursday attempted to defend itself. The Mountain View, Calif. company characterized the deal as progress on the issue, and done in the ‘spirit of compromise.’

By Ed Oswald, Betanews

While much of the speculation surrounding Google and Verizon’s discussions adjoining net neutrality appeared to significantly diminish the idea’s central precepts, it now appears that the concept may not be dead after all.

The two companies announced Monday a framework from which the FCC and legislators can work from. Proponents of net neutrality appear to have scored a victory in that one of the seven key principles of the agreement appears to be that wireline internet traffic can not be prioritized. At the same time, there also appears to be several loopholes which may weaken the agreement overall.

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

Today, the Federal Communications Commission announced that its Spectrum Task Force expects up to 90MHz of spectrum to be freed up for wireless broadband by July in the commission’s strategy to unleash 500MHz by 2020.

“This initiative is an opportunity to make additional spectrum available for mobile broadband by promoting greater spectrum efficiency and flexibility,” said Julie Knapp, Co-Chair of the Task Force. ”The Spectrum Task Force remains firmly committed to maintaining robust mobile satellite capability that serves important needs like disaster recovery and rural access. I am confident that we can achieve all of these goals and create a win-win solution.”

By Scott M. Fulton, III, Betanews

With Congress’ dance card already overflowing with major social and policy reforms, including in the financial sector, the likelihood that it could pass a major reform to the Telecommunications Act for Internet regulation during the Obama Administration (however long it lasts) is quite low. Faced with a pair of no-win scenarios, the FCC last week opted to propose a “Third Way” for broadband regulation that could at least get its foot back in the door — a way that literally asks judges and attorneys-general to substitute “telephone” for “broadband” in various clauses of existing law, except for those sections where doing so wouldn’t make any sense.

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

At the end of January, the Federal Communications Commission’s Consumer Task Force launched an inquiry into the Early Termination Fees (ETFs) of the major wireless providers with a special focus on the Google Nexus One handset.

The Nexus One is unlike other smartphones in that it is sold only by Google and available on multiple carriers. As such, if a customer terminated his contract, he faced early termination fees from both Google and his wireless provider.

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

Literally hundreds of different wireless public address systems that utilize the 700 MHz UHF band for microphones, intercoms, and in-ear monitors must now be replaced or reconfigured, and it’s because of the great DTV shift that took place last year.

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

Mobile telephony used to be about voice communications first and foremost, but not any more.

As we head toward the 4G era, and smartphones take the leading share of mobile phones sold, data plans will ultimately take precedence over voice plans.

Today, Verizon Wireless made this shift a little more evident as it unveiled new pricing for its plans which will launch on January 18. These plans cut the cost of voice by as much as 30%, but tack on an additional data consumption fee for all but the simplest feature phones.

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

In July, I wrote an article called “Hybrid satellite cell phones aren’t far off,” in which I talked about Terrestar Networks and SkyTerra Communications, two companies that have reached the point of satellite launch in their hybrid MSS/cellular networks.

It looks like those launches could be even closer to becoming a reality.

By Patrick Roanhouse, Betanews

US Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski was interviewed by CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro at a Super Session panel January 8 at CES 2010. Topics of discussion included Chairman Genachowski’s efforts to modernize the FCC and his vision for the agency in the coming decade.

Genachowski and Shapiro also discussed developments in crafting new pro-competition policy, and the ability to develop incentives to keep mobile and hardwired broadband cheap.

By Scott M. Fulton, III, Betanews

According to multiple eyewitness reports Friday, including from the Associated Press and from participants in the hearings, a three-judge panel of the US Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington yesterday, hearing oral arguments in the Comcast v. FCC case challenging possible net neutrality regulation, appeared skeptical of the FCC’s authority to enforce such regulation based on a policy statement, rather than law.