I attended the the CTIA wireless industry’s global show in New Orleans last week. It was a great opportunity to hear from all the leaders in the industry, and to walk the exhibit floor to see the great innovations in the mobile space. Wireless industry leaders from AT&T,... Read The Story...

Recently, I attended FCC Chairman Genachowski’s announcement regarding plans to address broadband adoption and digital literacy in the U.S. In making this announcement, the Chairman began his remarks by reaffirming his commitment to reform of the Universal Service Fund in order to get broadband to the millions of unserved Americans across the country.

The Chairman stated, “Our plan to reform the Universal Service Fund and intercarrier compensation system would bring broadband to millions of unserved consumers, helping them find jobs, save money, access education opportunity and better health care.” He continued to stress the importance of broadband in improving the economy and opportunity for all in our nation. “It would boost job creation, enabling new construction jobs and empower small-town small business that will finally have a chance to compete.” I couldn’t agree more.

Chairman Genachowski also spoke of the great consumer benefits, including actual financial savings, by reforming the USF; “The reform will keep hundreds of millions more dollars in the pockets of telephone consumers everywhere over the next several years by constraining the growth of the Universal Service Fund, which consumers pay for.”

One proposal currently before the FCC to reform USF accomplishes the objectives the Chairman spoke of during his remarks this week: the Connect America Fund. It’s a plan to extend broadband to unserved areas, particularly millions of rural households, within five years. The goal of this plan is to help close a digital disparity by ensuring consumers throughout rural America who need high-speed broadband have the opportunity to obtain that service. Reaching these unserved consumers will achieve the exact goals of improving economic opportunity that the Chairman mentioned in his remarks this week.

I know how important broadband access — and adoption — is to all consumers and I look forward to a plan that will connect our nation’s unserved communities.

What, no need for more spectrum? According to a recent market analysis by CitiGroup, there is no shortage of spectrum. Control of spectrum, not the availability, is the reason for the constraint on mobile broadband services.

No sooner did CitiGroup offer its analysis, than it was knocked down by many others, who cited problems with faulty analysis on what spectrum is actually available for use. CTIA, on behalf of the wireless industry, points out that bi-partisan group of federal legislators, regulators, and the very industry players that rely on spectrum to offer their wireless services all agree that additional spectrum is needed.

I’ve also heard other experts on this matter present research supporting concern about a spectrum crunch in the not-so-distant future. Engineer Peter Rysavy points to the explosion of mobile data devices used by consumers and the impact it has now, and will have in the next several years, on spectrum capacity. His report clearly indicates how this capacity will be slow down and diminish the customer’s wireless data experience unless there is additional spectrum.

While CitiGroup’s market analysis is of interest, it seems that there are more compelling arguments and information that raise concern about the reality of the spectrum crunch. In order to maintain quality services for consumers, action is still required to resolve the need for more spectrum.

For consumers online today, there is a great deal of concern about what happens to us when we’re surfing the Internet. How is the information about us collected, tracked and used? This was the subject of a program this week sponsored by a number of consumer organizations in Washington, D.C.

FTC Chairman Jonathan Leibowitz kicked-off the program with initial remarks. While he raised concerns about online tracking, he also stressed the most important components of managing the process: consumer choice, control. education and awareness. I agree with the Chairman; consumers need a clear understanding about how to protect their privacy online and it’s important for them to have some choice about how to manage their privacy and personal information.

The Chairman also stated the important role that companies have in developing the right solutions for consumers to manage online privacy protections and controls — and he noted that companies can achieve these solutions much faster than government is able to do. Companies have done a great deal to strengthen consumer privacy. There are great tools that the industry has developed for consumers and their families to use to help with privacy protections.

During the balance of the consumer privacy program, there were some questions raised about online tracking. But interestingly, we also learned that when given the opportunity to “opt-out” of online tracking, most consumers don’t take that choice. Many consumers see some benefit from advertising that is designed to meet their particular needs and interests.

I found the privacy program quite interesting and it raised significant issues related to online tracking, consumer concerns, and privacy protections.

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Consumer Resources

Below are additional resources to more information about online privacy.

Consumer Guide to Online Privacy (PDF)
What is 4G Wireless Service? (PDF)
Consumer Online Privacy Survey
2008 Online Safety Survey
bNetS@vvy
www.onguardonline.gov
www.ikeepsafe.org/
www.getnetwise.org
www.fosi.org
www.enough.org

Other Organizations

National Caucus and Center on Black Aged:
http://www.ncba-aged.org/

National Consumers League:
http://www.nclnet.org/