Well, lots going on at the FCC, first of all the AWS-3 auction is finally over with over $44.9 billion raised, an amazing amount for 55 MHz of spectrum some of which is not paired with other spectrum so it is not worth nearly as much. The winners will be announced shortly. FirstNet will get the $7 Billion that Congress said would be allocated to them from spectrum auctions without having to wait for the 600 MHz auction which has already been delayed once and probably will be again as the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) pushes back at the FCC.

The TV spectrum was given to the broadcasters for free and now the FCC and Congress want more of it back to auction off. Needless to say this could easily end up in court. The next auction taken by the FCC is they raised the minimum speed which qualifies for “Broadband”. The FCC had set the low limit at 4 Mbps and has raised that to 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up. That certainly raises a question for me, my Cable provider provides me with 100 Mbps down but only 12 Mbps up so they meet the new definition however, it is still lopsided, and still follows the old Internet model of more data down and less up, I cannot wait to get fiber where uplink and downlink speeds are the same. Next the FCC adopted tighter accuracy for 9-1-1 calls, while the full text has not been published yet it does include better accuracy from call in doors and above the ground (in other words is the caller on the second floor or the fourth floor of a building?)

And of course the FCC is going to rule on Net Neutrality in February, and many cities are calling for the FCC to restrict States from preventing cities to offer broadband services. The FCC really has its hands full and the commissioners are being bombarded from all sides but still have to act in what they believe is the best way possible for the most people possible. Finally, FirstNet is still moving forward and I am told is close to releasing an RFP for partnerships. I am also told that the responses will not be shared as public documents in the hope that FirstNet will get some better responses than the first RFI. From my perspective I will be very surprised if FirstNet receives any really great partnership proposals, except maybe from the Utility companies. Many of the commercial network operators are concerned about several aspects of the potential partnership. First off is the fact that no one really knows how much of the Public Safety Spectrum will be available for commercial use in the major cities, on Friday or Sat nights for example, and some have expressed dismay that FirstNet is still a Federal organization wrapped under the expanding wings of the NITA and that some of the potential bidders are more than willing to enter into an agreement with Public Safety but NOT with the Federal Government. The News is below, Andy

US Wireless Spectrum Auction Raises $44.9 Billion – Slashdot Jan 30 10:15 An anonymous reader writes: The FCC’s recent wireless spectrum auction closed on Thursday, and the agency has raked in far more money than anyone expected. Sales totaled $44.89 billion, demonstrating that demand for wireless spectrum is higher than ever. The winners have not yet been disclosed, but the FCC will soon make all bidding activity public. “The money will be used to fund FirstNet, the government agency tasked with creating the nation’s first interoperable broadband…

FCC unanimously approves rules to locate indoor wireless 911 callers – FedScoop via Google Alerts Jan 30 10:45 “By working together with wireless carriers, the public safety community has succeeded in forging an agreement that will drive faster deployment of …

FCC Redefines Broadband in Net Neutrality Prelude | US News – the Net economy via Google Alerts Jan 30 10:21 The question is, ‘Whose Internet is it?’ How are we going to make sure that in the broadband future there are yardsticks in place to determine what is …

FCC says it will ‘act against’ hotels that block Wi-Fi hotspot access – xmlpush Jan 30 10:15 The Federal Communications Commission issued an enforcement advisory this week informing hotels that blocking personal Wi-Fi hotspots is prohibited. The move comes as major hospitality chains attempted to block guests’ personal Wi-Fi networks, claiming they posed a security threat. Travelers fought back, complaining that hotels simply wanted to charge them outrageous fees to use in-house Wi-Fi networks. “The Enforcement Bureau has seen a disturbing trend in which hotels and other commercial establishments…

FCC redefines advanced broadband as 25Mbps, Republicans blow a gasket – InfoWorld Jan 30 09:01 The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has redefined advanced broadband as having 25Mbps download speeds, up from 4Mbps, giving the agency new authority to pass rules to encourage deployment across the country. The FCC, in a 3-2 party-line vote Thursday, also determined that this newly defined advanced broadband wasn’t being rolled out in a timely manner across the U.S. The agency released a notice of inquiry asking how it can accelerate broadband deployment, but didn’t offer concrete plans on how it will proceed. [ Get your websites up to speed with HTML5 today using the techniques in InfoWorld’s HTML5 Deep Dive PDF…

Mayors of Boston, Seattle, KC, others: No more muni broadband restrictions, please – InfoWorld Jan 30 09:01 A group of 38 mayors and other elected officials from cities like Boston, Seattle, and Kansas City Thursday urged the FCC to strike down state laws that restrict the development of public high-speed Internet services and allow municipal networks to flourish. In an open letter to the FCC commissioners, the Next Century Cities group emphasized the importance of universal access to high-speed Internet services. [ Get your websites up to speed with HTML5 today using the techniques in InfoWorld’s HTML5 Deep Dive PDF how-to report. | Get the latest insight on the tech news that matters from InfoWorld’s Tech Watch blog . ] +ALSO…

German govt announces 700 MHz frequency auction – Telecompaper via Google Alerts Jan 30 04:55 Jochen Homann, president of the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA or BNA) said Germany will be the first country in Europe to sell 700 MHz …

Non-US Satellites Prohibited for Emergency 911 Calls – Sputnik International via Google Alerts Jan 29 17:15 … US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) doesn’t allow the use of non-US satellites, Chief of the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security …

The Enterprise Wireless Alliance and Pacific DataVision, Inc. File Joint Reply Comments in 900 … – Business Wire via Google Alerts Jan 29 15:40 … sound spectrum engineering to ensure that broadband and narrowband system technologies may co-exist side-by-side without system degradation.

FCC Commissioner O’Rielly hints at PSAP consolidation as task force begins 911 architecture work – Urgent Communications via Google Alerts Jan 29 12:11 David Simpson, chief of the FCC public-safety and homeland-security bureau, outlined some of the potential functional benefits associated with …

ESChat Supporting FirstNet Colorado and the 2015 World Alpine Ski Championships – Virtual-Strategy Magazine via Google Alerts Jan 29 04:35 The dedicated Band 14 LTE network provides a high speed wireless data pipeline that is not impacted by the general public. The 700 MHz Band 14 …

FirstNet, PSAC, PSCR To Collocate June Meetings – FirstNet via Google Alerts Jan 29 00:15 The Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) has announced plans to hold its annual Public Safety Broadband Stakeholder Meeting June 3 …

FirstNet begins federal consultation – Fierce Mobile Government via Google Alerts Jan 28 21:25 The First Responder Network Authority, the board tasked with overseeing the development of a nationwide, wireless broadband public safety network, …

FirstNet Outreach and Education Ongoing in the North State – WordPress.com via Google Alerts Jan 28 21:20 FirstNet is a wireless network dedicated to public safety that will allow first responders to have access to data on their mobile devices such as …

Colorado to demo LTE safety network – GCN.com via Google Alerts Jan 28 16:55 FirstNet Colorado, along with public safety agencies in Vail and Eagle counties, will demo a dedicated wireless broadband data network for …

FirstNet Initial Consultation Meeting in Colorado – FirstNet via Google Alerts Jan 27 03:20 To learn more about Colorado’s efforts to plan for the public safety broadband network, I would encourage you to visit the FirstNet In Colorado …

CTIA Spins Network Neutrality For Super Bowl Audience – Multichannel News via Google Alerts Jan 26 16:02 The CTIA has been trying to convince the FCC that it can’t reclassify mobile broadband under Title II. “Congress forbid the FCC from imposing …

Lame warning: Public safety demands that alert systems be tested – Pittsburgh Post Gazette via Google Alerts Jan 26 00:20 Now, Wireless Emergency Alert systems operate throughout the nation under the Federal Communications Commission in conjunction with …

FirstNet Holds Federal Consultation Kick Off – First Responder Network Authority via Google Alerts Jan 23 04:40 The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 directs FirstNet to consult with Federal, State, tribal, and local public safety entities on the …

Broadband continues upward spiral as narrowband declines in June-Sept 2014 – DreamDTH via Google Alerts Jan 30 11:05 NEW DELHI: The number of narrowband Internet subscribers declined from 190.31 million at the end of June 2014 to 178.67 million at the end of …

FCC’s New Broadband Definition Draws Cable TV Fire – Investor’s Business Daily Jan 30 07:00 The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday raised the definition of high-speed Internet service to 25 megabits per second (mbps), up from the current of 4 Mbps, in a move that could have implications for Comcast’s (CMCSA) proposed acquisition of Time Warner Cable and may lead to tougher regulation of broadband services, some Wall Street analysts worry. Under the current definition, cable TV firms are the biggest providers of broadband

In Advanced Broadband Era, Rural America Left Behind – Billing World and OSS Today Jan 30 06:30 The data likely would paint a different picture if broadband were defined as 4Mbps (download)/1Mpbs (upload), the standard set by the FCC in 2010. …

verizon fios – Cloud Review HQ via Google Alerts Jan 30 02:35 The FCC has a dream, but it needs to dream bigger. In the February issue of Maximum PC magazine, I wrote about the lack of true broadband speeds …

APCO Applauds FCC Action to Improve 9-1-1 Location Accuracy – Public Safety Communications – APCO International via Google Alerts Jan 29 23:30 Today, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International the world’s largest association of public safety …

Sorry, your broadband Internet technically isn’t broadband anymore – CNET via Google Alerts Jan 29 22:05 The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday rewrote the definition of high-speed Internet, and chances are, your connection isn’t up to …

How to Justify Continued Federal Meddling in Internet Service? Just Keep Changing the Goals! – Reason.com Full Feed Jan 29 17:30 FCC votes to change the definition of ‘broadband,’ increasing the minimum speed required.

LTE Band 17 (700 MHz) signal worse than 1900 MHz HSPA signal? – Howard Forums via Google Alerts Jan 29 12:15 I’m in Winnipeg where Telus has deployed band 17 LTE on all the towers but for some odd reason my phone never holds on to the signal. According …

EWA says PDV proposal offers meaningful option for private enterprise – Urgent Communications via Google Alerts Jan 29 11:50 … make room for broadband while preserving space for narrowband indicate a lingering hope that …

Another Communications Failure Emphasizes the Criticality of FirstNet – EMSWorld.com via Google Alerts Jan 29 09:15 We, especially those in the public safety space, are all aware of the communications challenges experienced during the response to the 9/11 terrorist …

Public Safety Bureau, Weekly Market-Based Actions, 1/28/15 – FCC via Google Alerts Jan 28 20:50 Federal Communications Commission. News Media Information 202 …

Sonim’s rugged LTE phones get public-safety trials at Super Bowl, World Ski Championships – Mobile Sports Report via Google Alerts Jan 28 19:05 With support for both standard wireless-carrier LTE networks as well as the emerging FirstNet public safety LTE frequency, the Sonim XP7 also offers …

Tons of AT&T and Verizon customers may no longer have broadband tomorrow – Ars Technica via Google Alerts Jan 28 14:30 The Federal Communications Commission is scheduled to vote tomorrow on a change to the definition of broadband and in so doing could leave …

Former FCC exec: North Carolina could be ‘ground zero’ in fiber competition – xmlpush Jan 28 14:00 “You could actually argue that North Carolina, six months from now, may be the most competitive wire line market in the country,” says Blair Levin, former executive director of the National Broadband Plan. Levin, who used to practice law in the state before taking the job of chief of staff to FCC Chairman Reed Hundt in 1993, is the executive director of the Gig.U project, a consortium of research university communities looking to accelerate…

Florida Congressman Patrick Murphy: ‘Open access to the internet must not be compromised’ – Daily Kos Jan 28 12:45 As a Republican-controlled Congress has decided it needs to do something to protect big telecom from the pending net neutrality rules from the Federal Communications Commission, it’s critical that Democratic members of Congress coalesce against their sham legislation. It’s just as important that they stand behind the FCC’s probable decision to reclassify broadband under Title II of the Telecommunications Act. That reclassification would give the agency the legal authority it needs to fully protect…

FCC says it will ‘act against’ hotels that block Wi-Fi hotspot access – xmlpush Jan 28 11:45 The Federal Communications Commission issued an enforcement advisory on Tuesday informing hotels that blocking personal Wi-Fi hotspots is prohibited. The move comes as major hospitality chains attempted to block guests’ personal Wi-Fi networks, claiming they posed a security threat. Travelers fought back, complaining that hotels simply wanted to charge them outrageous fees to use in-house Wi-Fi networks. “The Enforcement Bureau has seen a disturbing trend in which hotels and other commercial establishments…

Techdirt Podcast Episode 9: Is Muni Broadband A Monopoly Killer Or A Killer Monopoly? – Techdirt Corporate Intelligence Jan 28 08:16 Just this morning we wrote about a newly proposed bill that would stop states from blocking municipal broadband. This comes just a few weeks after President Obama similarly proposed having the FCC pre-empt state efforts to block cities from offering up their own broadband service. Muni broadband is often seen as a way to fight oligopolistic control of the broadband market by letting local communities offer another competitor (and often better, cheaper service). Critics,…

The death of radio frequency scanning and monitoring? Federal FirstNet project gets underway in … – The Grey Enigma – WordPress.com via Google Alerts Jan 28 05:20 The FirstNet Board is composed of representatives from public safety; local, state …

T-Mobile Expands Its LTE Network – How to remove simlock for free? via Google Alerts Jan 27 18:55 T-Mobile US has announced more LTE network expansion. The carrier will provide a signal for the 700 MHz band, which is currently not supported by.

HUFFPOST HILL – GOP Proudly Driving Department It Created Into The Ground – Huffington Post via Google Alerts Jan 27 18:55 For months, the battle over net neutrality has centered on whether the FCC will reclassify consumer broadband Internet as a utility under Title II of the …

Communications Network Transitions and Next Generation 911: What You Need to Know About … – The National Law Review via Google Alerts Jan 27 18:01 Nevertheless, the Notice states that Congress directed the FCC to advance public safety through the deployment of IP-enabled 911 and suggests that …

Honolulu using broadband network to consolidate information systems – xmlpush Jan 27 17:30 Honolulu is implementing an integrated system utilizing a broadband network to provide a single point of access to data on public safety, transportation, infrastructure, security, weather and emergent events, the city’s chief information officer told PBN. “While the city collects vast amounts of information, there has not been a single system to bring everything together in one place for monitoring, analysis and planning,” said Mark Wong CIO for the City and County of Honolulu. “Cities…

Not So Fast, Net Neutrality… – Huffington Post Jan 27 08:31 Over the last few months, things have been looking good for keeping the Internet open to everyone. A little too good, as far as Congress is concerned, which is why members and the corporate lobbyists who write them hefty checks have launched a last-ditch legislative effort to scuttle Net neutrality. Both President Obama and Federal Communications Commission Chair Tom Wheeler have stopped tiptoeing around Net neutrality and seem to finally embrace the idea of using Title II of the Telecommunications Act to reclassify Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and regulate them as common carriers, like the phone companies and other public…

APCO Announces Approval of Standard for Public Safety Telecommunicators When Responding to … – Public Safety Communications – APCO via Google Alerts Jan 26 23:45 Alexandria, Va. The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International received final approval from ANSI on January 8, …

Cable Fights FCC’s New 25 Mbps Broadband Definition – Dslreports via Google Alerts Jan 26 19:35 We’ve noted how the FCC has been working hard to increase the minimum definition of broadband from 4 Mbps down, 1 Mbps up to 25 Mbps down to …

FCC Urged To Impose Privacy Rules On Broadband Providers – MediaPost Communications via Google Alerts Jan 26 19:35 The FCC is expected to vote next month on whether to declare broadband a utility service. Many net neutrality supporters — including President …

CalOES Finishing FirstNet Public Outreach Meetings on Jan. 28 – Techwire.net via Google Alerts Jan 26 16:45 The California Office of Emergency Services is scheduled to host its fifth and final town hall meeting on the FirstNet U.S. public safety network on Jan.

FCC Comments Urge Allocation of Spectrum Above 24 GHz for 5G And More – TV Technology via Google Alerts Jan 26 15:15 … this spectrum from just about every segment of the communications industryexcept from broadcast and public safety/land mobile representatives.

Cable giants don’t like the FCC’s push to redefine ‘broadband’ – Engadget RSS Feed Jan 26 12:45 You may like the FCC’s proposal to upgrade the legal definition of broadband, but your internet provider probably doesn’t. The industry’s National Cable & Telecommunications Association has sent a letter to the FCC claiming that there’s no real justi…

Task Force on Optimal Public Safety Answering Point Architecture – FCC via Google Alerts Jan 26 12:02 The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Task Force on Optimal Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Architecture (TFOPA) will hold its first …

Forget 1Gbps ” the cable industry says you don’t even need 25Mbps – Boy Genius Report Jan 26 08:45 There are times when it’s easy to picture cable companies as Mr. Bumble, the orphanage headmaster in Oliver Twist (i.e., “Please, sir, I want some more bandwidth!” “MORE BANDWIDTH?!!!??!”). We bring this up because Ars Technica has spotted a new FCC filing made by the National Cable and Telecommunications Association in which the cable lobbying group argues that the average consumer doesn’t even need a connection speed of 25Mbps, let alone faster ones like the 1Gbps connections offered by Google Fiber. MORE NCTA GOODNESS: Top cable lobbyist urges more ISPs to slap users with data caps The NCTA made this…

Why You Should Care That The FCC Is Trying To Redefine Broadband – National Gazette via Google Alerts Jan 25 19:35 In the wake of the ongoing net neutrality argument, another equally vital squabble among regulators and telecoms firms has been overlooked.

How to Avoid Spectrum Crunch – Wall Street Journal Jan 23 08:03 The FCC’s $44 billion auction is just one step in a program to facilitate mobile broadband use.

How has Time Warner failed users? Let us count the ways – InfoWorld Jan 23 06:45 Tired of skyrocketing cable bills, bait-and-switch billing tactics, terrible customer service, and not receiving the Internet speeds promised? Well, this could be the year that telecoms get their comeuppance, as the backlash against the industry continues to grow. A new complaint filed against Time Warner calls on the FCC to halt the company’s proposed $45 billion merger with Comcast and launch an investigation into its business practices. Coming on the heels of recent calls by the agency in support of increased broadband competition and strong Net neutrality regulation , the FCC may yet surprise when it comes to a decision on…

MissionCritical Communications, Radio Resource International, and Public Safety Report – 74.63.161 via Google Alerts Jan 23 05:15 LMCC Asks FCC to Clarify Frequency Coordinator Criteria in EFAC Comments (1/22/15) The Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC) asked …

Mutualink Tactical Collaboration Nodes to Power First-Ever Public Safety Grade Mobile 4G LTE … – Public Safety Communications – APCO International via Google Alerts Jan 23 05:15 The JerseyNet project is a first in the nation public safety-grade 4G LTE broadband network utilizing deployable network nodes. …

Intrado Commends FCC For Dispatchable Location Action – MarketWatch via Google Alerts Jan 30 09:15 … Communications Commission (FCC) to improve location information provided to public safety when a 9-1-1 call is made from a wireless phone.

The Switchboard: The FCC’s new definition of broadband – Washington Post via Google Alerts Jan 30 09:11 The FCC has set a new, faster definition for broadband “Federal regulators have …

Comcast-TWC face new hurdle on $45bn deal – Financial Times Jan 29 14:00 FCC redefinition of broadband paints largest US cable company as a more dominant force

FCC commissioner makes the most boneheaded argument against raising broadband standards – Boy Genius Report Jan 29 13:50 The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday voted to raise the standards of what constitutes broadband from any service that offers download speeds of 4Mbps or higher to any service that offers download speeds of 25Mbps or higher. ISPs were obviously not happy with this vote since it means that a lot of their service offerings – particularly AT&T and Verizon’s DSL networks – no longer count as broadband services. RELATED: Forget 1Gbps ” the cable industry says you don’t even need 25Mbps Before the vote, however, FCC commissioner Michael O’Rielly railed against the FCC’s proposed definition change and he made what might be…

Netflix Deals With Broadband Providers Said to Get FCC Oversight – Bloomberg via Google Alerts Jan 28 18:21 Adding the complaint process would give independent video providers — a group that includes Netflix, Amazon.com Inc. and Google Inc.’s YouTube …