Post Tech - A Technology Blog from the Washington Post - March 7, 2010

FCC responds to questions about broadband speed tests

The Federal Communications Commission responded Friday evening to questions about the broadband speed tests it launched Thursday, saying that data collected from the effort will be supplemented by other information in the agency’s analysis of connection speeds. The point...

By Cecilia Kang | March 12, 2010; 10:11 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Broadband , FCC
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Cable companies lose court challenge of FCC on channel access rules

A federal appeals court on Friday upheld the Federal Communications Commission’s proposed extension of a rule that prohibits cable operators from withholding content they own from competing providers of paid-television services, such as satellite or phone companies. The two-to-one decision...

By Cecilia Kang | March 12, 2010; 5:26 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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FCC test for broadband speeds draws skeptics

The reviews so far of the Federal Communication Commission’s tools to test broadband speed and quality have been mixed. Readers have e-mailed and commented on the blog that they’ve used both tests offered by the FCC at its broadband.gov site...

By Cecilia Kang | March 12, 2010; 10:41 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Broadband , FCC
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Report shows history of industry efforts to suppress broadband data collection

Days before the Federal Communications Commission presents proposals to bring broadband Internet connections to all U.S. homes, a report shows that major Internet service providers have worked to keep meaningful data on the subject suppressed. In “Industry Lobby Keeps Public...

By Cecilia Kang | March 12, 2010; 7:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: AT&T , Broadband , Comcast , Consumers , FCC , Verizon
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FCC rolls out iPhone app, Web site to test speeds, quality of broadband

Now you're talking. The Federal Communications Commission released tools Thursday that allow users to test the speeds and quality of service for their wireless and landline broadband connections. With that information, they (and the FCC) can know if broadband providers...

By Cecilia Kang | March 11, 2010; 2:43 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (18)
Categories: Broadband , FCC
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Lawmakers press FCC, DOJ on Comcast-NBC merger

As Senate lawmakers questioned regulators about their review of Comcast and NBC Universal's proposed merger, their views on the role of those watchdogs fell largely along party lines. Senate Republicans urged the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and the...

By Cecilia Kang | March 11, 2010; 11:56 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)

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FCC looking into disputes over TV transmission fees

The Federal Communications Commission has begun a review of rules governing how broadcasters and pay television services negotiate transmission fees. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said during a Senate hearing on Comcast and NBC Universal’s proposed merger that recent spats during...

By Cecilia Kang | March 11, 2010; 11:09 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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U.S. argues its case against Internet censorship; Still unclear if Google will leave China

U.S. officials and lawmakers took more action this week in the nation’s fight against online censorship around the world. U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said the nation is looking into ways to challenge China’s restrictions on Internet use. Two lawmakers,...

By Cecilia Kang | March 11, 2010; 9:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Google , International
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What we're following Thursday

The Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday will take up the proposed merger of Comcast and NBC Universal in a hearing that is expected to focus on how the $30 billion deal could affect consumers, jobs and competition in the...

By Cecilia Kang | March 11, 2010; 8:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Comcast , DOJ , FCC
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ComScore: Smart phone use explodes with more texting, social networking

Smart phone sales have exploded in recent months, with the number of users reaching 43 million in January, up 18 percent from October, according to survey firm comScore. Users of these Internet-enabled devices are texting more than ever (63.5 percent...

By Cecilia Kang | March 10, 2010; 3:33 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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FCC commissioner blasts ISPs for raising broadband prices

A member of the Federal Communications Commission blasted Internet service providers for raising prices for some of its broadband services recently, just as the agency attempts to bring more affordable access to U.S. households. Democratic member Mignon Clyburn said in...

By Cecilia Kang | March 10, 2010; 3:05 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Comcast , FCC
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Pegoraro: editing of Apple's apps confuses developers

Rob Pegoraro, of Faster Forward, takes on the Apple as it prunes down its apps store: It's been a confusing few weeks for developers of software for Apple's iPhone. First Apple purged the iPhone's App Store of "naughty" and "sexy"...

By Cecilia Kang | March 10, 2010; 8:06 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Cable, satellite firms seek FCC rules for broadcast negotiations

In the paper today: By Cecilia Kang Several major cable companies and a public interest group asked the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday to intervene in disputes over transmission fees to prevent broadcasters from withholding signals from subscribers. In a...

By Cecilia Kang | March 10, 2010; 7:36 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: FCC , Media
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FCC takes on broadband cost barriers, but will it go far enough?

One year ago, I wrote “One Step Off the Super Highway,” about Judith Theodore, an unemployed District resident who spent her afternoons and weekends shuttling her three children between public libraries to access the Web. For her and so many...

By Cecilia Kang | March 10, 2010; 7:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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FCC to recommend free wireless network

The Federal Communications Commission said Tuesday it will recommend a free or low-priced wireless network to encourage people to get broadband Internet services who otherwise can't afford it. The recommendation will be part of the agency’s national broadband plan to...

By Cecilia Kang | March 9, 2010; 5:23 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: FCC
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Video: My interview with Facebook's Sparapani on censorship, privacy

Facebook still thinks of itself as a small company, an iconic Silicon Valley start-up more focused on innovation and monetizing those tech ideas than in policy debates in Washington. But with 1,200 employees and 400 million users, the company is...

By Cecilia Kang | March 9, 2010; 2:44 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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FCC chair, DOJ's Varney to testify on Comcast-NBC merger

The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and the nation's top antitrust watchdog at the Justice Department will testify Thursday at a Senate hearing on Comcast and NBC Universal's proposed merger. The Senate Commerce Committee said it will hold a...

By Cecilia Kang | March 9, 2010; 12:18 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Comcast , DOJ , FCC | Tags: Comcast merger, DOJ, FCC, NBC Universal
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New director for Global Network Initiative

Global Network Initiative, a corporate and nonprofit coalition working to protect global Internet freedoms, announced today that an executive of British Telecom will be its executive director. The group, which is supported by Microsoft and Google, said Susan Morgan will...

By Cecilia Kang | March 9, 2010; 9:53 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Reps. Wu and Smith plan to unveil Internet freedom bills on Tuesday

Reps. David Wu (D-Ore.) and Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.) plan to introduce on Tuesday two bills aimed at fighting online censorship by other nations. The measures would create a government entity tasked with advancing goals set by the Obama administration...

By Cecilia Kang | March 9, 2010; 9:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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ABC-Cablevision fight sets stage for more disputes, analysts say

The flap between ABC and Cablevision over retransmission rights may be resolved (or at least near a resolution), but analysts say that last weekend's showdown merely set the stage for similar disputes in coming months. Talks between Time Warner Cable...

By Cecilia Kang | March 9, 2010; 7:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: FCC
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U.S. to allow exports of Facebook, blogs, e-mail to Iran, Cuba and Sudan

The U.S. government on Monday lifted a ban on Web exports to Iran, Sudan and Cuba in an effort to bring freedom to communicate to those nations. In a release, the Treasury Department said it has granted U.S. companies general...

By Cecilia Kang | March 8, 2010; 2:51 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: International
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Crawford takes on reclassification, as FCC unrolls broadband plan

For an administration that has promised transparency, it’s sure hard to read what the White House is thinking about Internet policy these days. It has been particularly quiet about whether the Federal Communications Commission should reclassify broadband services to more...

By Cecilia Kang | March 8, 2010; 9:15 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Broadband , Comcast , FCC
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Post Tech: March 7, 2010 - March 13, 2010