Cheap smartphones and tablets have put Web-ready technology into more hands than ever. But the price of Internet connectivity hasn't come down nearly as quickly. And in many rural areas, high-speed Internet through traditional phone lines simply isn't available at any price. The result is a divide between families that have broadband constantly available on their home computers and phones, and those that have to plan their days around visits to free sources of Internet access. That divide is becoming a bigger problem now that a fast Internet connection has evolved into an essential tool for completing many assignments at public schools.
How to Give the US Ultrafast Internet
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
Julius Genachowski, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, made an important speech last week calling for at least one “gigabit city” in all 50 states by 2015. For the U.S. to maintain its leadership in innovation, he said, a critical mass of communities must have networks capable of ultrahigh Internet-access speeds. His point is welcome. The question is whether fair rules are in place that will allow the improvements he seeks.
Sec Clinton: Government Has Left Media Message Void That Jihadists Filled
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
At a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that she created a new unit at the State Department to counter jihadist propaganda in social media.
Battle lines drawn in online search war
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
The battle lines in the new search wars have now been drawn.
The Agenda Of The Senate Judiciary Committee For The 113th Congress
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
At the Georgetown Law Center, Sen Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, discussed the panel’s agenda for the 113th Congress.
Online News Viewing Cuts into Cable Viewership
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
Cable news shows may be seeing a dip in viewership among digital-savvy US consumers. According to a January survey by AYTM Market Research, 37% of internet users surveyed said they watched less cable TV news than they did five years earlier.
The End of the Phone System
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
Thank you for giving me an interesting proposition to take issue with: namely, that the phone system – whatever that means – is about to end. I’m going to explore three main points related to this proposition. First, that we should be speaking of a transition, not an endpoint. Second, that as this transition continues to unfold, federal and state governments have key roles to play in protecting consumers and promoting competition. And finally, that you should not worry about running out of interesting papers to write, because we have not yet run out of hard problems to solve, in particular crafting appropriate transitions for universal service and interconnection policies.
Rep Zoe Lofgren talks the 2013 tech agenda
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
A Q&A with Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA).
How John Kerry Could Out-Internet Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State
Filed Under: Benton Headlines
You might call Hillary Clinton the ur-diplomat of the digital age. Under her guidance, the U.S. State Department embraced new technology in a way no secretary of state has done since the fax machine. For better or worse, Sec Clinton added a new dimension to the way Washington engages with the rest of the world. How might Secretary of State nominee John Kerry (D-MA) handle State's technological mandate?