The European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association published a study late Wednesday offering policy recommendations to grow the European telecommunications sector titled “A Future Policy Framework for Growth.” The Computer & Communications Industry Association, which represents telecommunications companies as well as Internet services, whose customers depend on telecommunications connections for access to the Internet, has spent…
The Senate voted to pass S. 743, the Marketplace Fairness Act yesterday. CCIA has long opposed this bill, which would impose burdensome tax collecting requirements on online retailers regardless of physical presence. Especially disappointing about the vote was the fact that the Senate decided to eschew substantive discussion about the consequences of this action on the economy…
The Computer & Communications Industry Association has added to its strong intellectual property team by hiring Matthew Levy as Patent Counsel. Levy’s legal background includes working for Hogan & Hartson; Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett, & Dunner LLP and most recently for Cloudigy Law, PLLC. He will handle legal, policy advocacy, and regulatory matters related to patents and be…
Competition is a critical ingredient for functioning markets. Without it, we have market power, higher prices and market failure. With it, we have new offers for smartphones without contracts or penalties for consumers, WiFi calling for businesses and more. When asked recently in a public forum, why mobile phone coverage and services are so poor in…
The National Academy of Sciences has released advanced copies of its long awaited study, “Copyright in the Digital Era: Building Evidence for Policy.” The study provides a roadmap of how copyright laws have changed as distribution of content moves online. The multi-year study began well before policy missteps like SOPA that would have given the entertainment…
Lawmakers have been speaking out about the patent troll epidemic in recent weeks and now it looks like they’re ready to do something about it. Yesterday Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced that he is introducing a bill to expand the covered business methods program established by the 2011 America Invents Act, so that broad, abstract patents can…
The Computer & Communications Industry Association praised President Obama’s decision to nominate Tom Wheeler as FCC Chairman. The following can be attributed to CCIA President & CEO Ed Black: “President Obama has nominated the right leader for the right job at the right time. “I have known and respected Tom Wheeler for many years, and…
A task force is reportedly working on legislation to require tech companies to allow law enforcement to intercept online communications with their customers, according to news reports. The proposal would expand existing law by fining companies for the first time when they don’t comply. The task force was responding to complaints from the FBI and…
For those who don’t keep as close an eye on privacy, the past week has seen a flurry of activity on a number of privacy related fronts from the US Congress. Topics have included cybersecurity, government surveillance, and the Do Not Track process. Most of these conversation are obviously still ongoing, but a summary after…