Verizon and AT&T Against Signal Boosters: [18th Nov 2010]

CTIA - The Wireless Association has filed a complaint with the FCC over the use of signal boosters which improve network signals for people in areas with poor reception. The CTIA works on behalf of cellular service providers has asked for tighter regulation of the devices. Boosters have been commonly used in commercial setting for some time, but are becoming more popular for use in homes due to the use of smartphones and the need for fasterr speeds. Verizon and AT&T have joined together with the CTIA and claim that the boosters interfere with their networks and can disrupt service to their customers. They want the production, sale and use of boosters to be limited to authorized parties. Manufacturers of boosters are not happy about this. They say that homes these days can make getting a good signal difficult due to insulation types and that homeowners need to be able to use them. They say that tighter controls on the manufacture of these devices can prevent problems with networks.


Ivan Seidenberg, the chief executive of Verizon has suggested that the company is looking for ways to charge their subscribers for the speed of the mobile data connection and the amount of data they consume. With the launch of the company's first LTE phone expected in February, the tiered pricing scheme will allow customers to only pay for what they need. An LTE phone can deliver speeds anywhere between 1 and 12 Mbps allow Verizon to offer a number of packages.


33% of iPad users have said that they will be canceling their Pay TV service within the next 6 months. The news comes from research conducted by TDG which also found that 13% were highly likely to cancel subscriptions. iPad users can access online video content with new content available all the time. It seems that iPad users like to streamline their lives and tend not to duplicate services.


The CEO of RIM, the makers of the Blackberry, has suggested that mobile apps will be a phase which will pass quickly. Jim Balsville has said that smartphones do not need apps and that the Internet can be used via a smartphone without having to go through a control point. He believes that the Web needs a platform to allow users to use content on their mobile, not individual apps for each site. He uses the example of the fact that Flash software cannot be used by Apple owners. He also pointed out that RIM's Playbook; a rival to the iPad will allow Adobe Flash video software to be used.


Julius Genochowski, the FCC chairman has hinted that net neutrality rules will happen, but that the FCC wants to ensure that they get the rules right and maximize innovation and investment at the same time. He made the comment at a summit in San Francisco where he spoke to Silicon Valley executives. The telcoms industry want to keep the Internet as free and open as possible to encourage them to build their businesses. Genochowski also hit out at Google and Verizon who joined together to set their own net neutrality rules this year. He said he would have preferred it if they hadn't done so as it slowed things down. He also pointed out that the new congress should not have an impact on their plans.


Google has released a policy paper which suggests that those countries which limit Internet use are violating their World Trade Organization commitments. While China was not singled out by the paper it does appear that it may have been one of the countries under the spotlight. Google has had many run-ins with the Chinese government over censorship. Bob Borstin from Google commented that these policies infringe human rights and block trade and economic growth. He urged policy makers in the US and elsewhere to take steps to break down these barriers to free trade. Google pointed out that there are currently 40 countries around the world which restrict Internet use in some way.