A federal court ruled the government’s phone surveillance is likely unconstitutional, spurring members of Congress to call for action limiting surveillance. The ruling came as the White House received a set of recommendations from its appointed surveillance review group, with potential action to follow in January. Larry Klayman, the founder of Freedom Watch, initiated the case.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler made the broadcast incentive auction more feasible by delaying it Friday (CED Dec 9 p4), but the first-of-its-kind auction won’t be easy, according to interviews Monday with former FCC chiefs from both parties, as well as with broadcast and wireless lawyers and public-interest officials. Not holding the auction until mid-2015, rather than the 2014 timetable that then-Chairman Julius Genachowski planned, gives Wheeler more time to resolve issues like limits on bidding for the top-two U.S. carriers and holding two other wireless spectrum auctions this year, they said.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler made the broadcast incentive auction more feasible by delaying it Friday (CD Dec 9 p1), but the first-of-its-kind auction won’t be easy, according to interviews Monday with former chairmen of both parties, broadcast and wireless lawyers and public-interest officials. They said not holding the auction until mid-2015, later than the 2014 then-Chairman Julius Genachowski planned, gives Wheeler more time to resolve issues like limits on bidding for the top-two U.S. carriers and holding two other wireless spectrum auctions this year.
All spectrum is important, said panelists at a Practising Law Institute session on wireless developments, but there was some disagreement over how valuable low-band spectrum is on its own. Panelists also agreed that a 180-day shot clock on merger review, proposed by FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai, is a good idea, if the agency gets some flexibility to pause the clock.
The World Wide Web Consortium-backed Do Not Track talks moved toward the first deadline for closing out definitions -- “tracking” and “party” -- since creating a new timeline last week, according to interviews with participants and a public email forum. The new tracking preference expression-focused path forward has caused in-group tension, prompting the chairs to clarify their new strategy. But in the group’s weekly Wednesday call, dissention remained over the group’s new direction -- even over the decision to first close out a definition for “tracking,” which is supposed to be wrapped up by Nov. 20, said co-chairman Justin Brookman, director of Center for Democracy and Technology’s Project on Consumer Privacy.
The World Wide Web Consortium-backed Do Not Track talks moved toward the first deadline for closing out definitions -- “tracking” and “party” -- since creating a new timeline last week, according to interviews with participants and a public email forum. The new tracking preference expression-focused path forward has caused in-group tension, prompting the chairs to clarify their new strategy. But in the group’s weekly Wednesday call, dissention remained over the group’s new direction -- even over the decision to first close out a definition for “tracking,” which is supposed to be wrapped up by Nov. 20, said co-chairman Justin Brookman, director of Center for Democracy and Technology’s Project on Consumer Privacy.
Bang & Olufsen on Tuesday officially launched the BeoLab 17 compact speakers ($3,990 a pair) with Wireless Speaker and Audio (WiSA) capability it previewed at CEDIA Expo last month, along with the BeoLab 19 geometric subwoofer ($3,395) and flagship BeoLab 18 speakers ($6,590). BeoLab 18, designed after the company’s iconic BeoLab 8000 speaker that debuted in 1992, adds a slatted wood grill option ($1,390) that brings a mixed-material strategy to the line combining aluminum and wood, said CEO Tue Mantoni. The speakers, sub-branded Immaculate Wireless Sound, will ship at the end of November, Mantoni said.
The federal government shutdown slowed the regulatory review of two major wireless transactions -- Verizon’s bid to buy Vodafone’s 45 percent of Verizon Wireless for $130 billion and AT&T’s $1.2 billion bid for Leap Wireless -- but in the end likely won’t prove a major hurdle, industry officials said this week. Verizon/Vodafone is the biggest telecom deal in U.S. history.
The Senate advanced FCC Republican nominee Michael O'Rielly out of the Commerce Committee Wednesday evening. But a block prevented the Senate from approving O'Rielly and FCC chairman nominee Tom Wheeler by unanimous consent, as some observers predicted possible. After 16 days of a government shutdown, the Senate has now taken a recess for the next week. Congress has begun rescheduling postponed events, and surveillance review remains a key priority in coming weeks, privacy advocates told us.
The Senate advanced FCC Republican nominee Michael O'Rielly out of the Commerce Committee Wednesday evening. But a block prevented the Senate from approving O'Rielly and FCC chairman nominee Tom Wheeler by unanimous consent, as some observers predicted possible. After 16 days of a government shutdown, the Senate has now taken a recess for the next week. Congress has begun rescheduling postponed events, and surveillance review remains a key priority in coming weeks, privacy advocates told us.