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POLICY

FCC to Release Draft Net Neutrality Rules in May  

April 23, 2014, 10:14 AM PDTFederal regulators are expected to release draft net neutrality rules in mid-May as part of an ongoing effort to craft rules for Internet traffic that might actually hold up in court.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler said Wednesday that the agency would consider draft “Open Internet,” or net neutrality, rules at an agency meeting May 15. As we reported in February, Wheeler will propose basically the same rules that the agency had tried before, but justify them under a different part of the law.

Consumer groups have complained about that plan because they’re worried that Wheeler’s rules may not hold up in court either. A federal appeals court rejected two previous versions of net neutrality rules after finding fault in the FCC’s legal reasoning. During the latest smackdown, however, the court suggested that the FCC had some authority to impose net neutrality rules under a section of the law that gives the agency the ability to regulate the deployment of broadband lines.

http://recode.net/2014/04/23/fcc-to-release-draft-net-neutrality-rules-in-may/

F.C.C. to Free Airwaves for Wi-Fi and Wireless Broadband

By EDWARD WYATTMARCH 31, 2014

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission approved measures on Monday that will free up more airwaves for Wi-Fi and wireless broadband. The agency also moved to help curb increasing cable rates for consumers, but in doing so cracked down hard on the ability of broadcast stations to negotiate jointly in competition with cable systems.

Perhaps the most significant move by the commission was to allow a broad swath of airwaves to be used for outdoor unlicensed broadband, clearing the way for a new generation of Wi-Fi networks and other uses of freely available airwaves.

Unlike the airwaves used for mobile phone traffic, which are licensed to a specific company, unlicensed spectrum can be used by anyone. Previous establishments of unlicensed airwaves led to innovations like garage-door openers, baby monitors, wireless microphones and Wi-Fi networks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/business/fcc-votes-to-clear-more-airwaves-for-wireless-data.html?_r=0

Amid political pressure, FCC to propose Net neutrality fix

The FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler says he has a plan to re-instate the agency's Open Internet rules, which the public will hear about in more detail in the "coming days."

by Marguerite Reardon

 February 11, 2014 3:33 PM PST

As politicians put on the pressure, Federal Communications Commission chairman Tom Wheeler says he's about to reveal his plan for keeping the Internet open for everyone.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57618748-94/amid-political-pressure-fcc-to-propose-net-neutrality-fix/

F.C.C. Says It Will Double Spending on High-Speed Internet in Schools and Libraries

By EDWARD WYATTFEB. 1, 2014

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission will double the amount of money it devotes to adding high-speed Internet connections in schools and libraries over the next two years, in an effort to meet President Obama’s promise to provide broadband service for an estimated 20 million American students in 15,000 schools, officials said Saturday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/02/us/fcc-says-it-will-double-spending-on-high-speed-internet-in-schools-and-libraries.html?_r=0

D.C. Circuit Voids FCC 'Net Neutrality' Order

Jenna Greene, The National Law Journal

January 14, 2014, 03:46 PM   

The Federal Communications Commission once again came up short in its attempt to regulate broadband Internet service providers, with a divided panel of federal appellate judges striking down the agency’s net neutrality rules for the second time.

Read more: http://www.nationallawjournal.com/id=1202638347202/D.C.-Circuit-Voids-FCC-%27Net-Neutrality%27-Order#ixzz2qspKOZob