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By Mercy Gakii, Reporter-Researcher, BroadbandCensus.com; and Rahul Gaitonde, Reporter, BroadbandCensus.com

WASHINGTON, October 15, 2009 - Six public interest organizations, including Consumers Union, on Wednesday filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission urging the agency to protect consumers from misleading and confusing advertising and billing practices by phone, cable and wireless providers. The consumer groups argue that current protections are insufficient and urge the FCC to require meaningful, not misleading, disclosure. These groups would like to force billing and advertising practices which are more transparent and easier to understand. These companies often offer introductory rates and special offers to some customers which then change without consumers knowing in advance when their rates will be affected. The other organizations were Consumer Federation of America, Free Press, Media Access Project, the New America Foundation and Public Knowledge. "When consumers have the facts, they can make informed choices," said Chris Riley, policy counsel of Free Press. "Consumers are being bombarded with inconsistent and incomplete information when shopping for service providers or plans, and then they are baffled by misleading and confusing bills once they sign up. Customers invest a lot of money in these services and spend a great deal of time using them. That’s why the FCC must...

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By the Staff of BroadbandCensus.com

The non-profit advocacy group Consumers Union on Wednesday issued a letter to members of Congress commending the Federal Communications Commission for its efforts to enact stricter Net Neutrality rules. The letter said that the Internet has been governed by principles of openness and consumer choice from its inception. “Consumers have had unfettered access to newly developed content and ideas, and their preferences and choices have determined whether a website, application, or service succeeded or failed,” wrote Joel Kelsey, policy analyst, and Alex Chasick, senior fellow The letter said that such freedom is being threatened, as internet service providers impose restrictions blunting competition and stifle innovation online. “ISPs are implementing traffic throttling schemes that allow them to determine when, how quickly, or even if a consumer may access certain lawful content,” the letter read. “Under these schemes, ISPs have blocked consumers from using their computers to make phone calls, from sharing legally acquired and distributable media content, and even from accessing certain political content.” “We were glad to see FCC Chairman [Julius] Genachowski announce plans for the FCC to codify the agency’s four Internet principles through an official rule-making process to establish clear rules of the road on what transparent network...

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By Drew Clark, Editor, Broadband Census.com

WASHINGTON, September 9, 2009 – The Internet can serve as a means for enhancing consumer protections, provided that government agencies play their appropriate role in regulating and disclosing the practices of broadband providers, according to a several consumer advocates. Speaking at the September 9 workshop of the Federal Communications Commission, the advocates observed that the FCC and the Federal Trade Commission could each play a significant role in enhancing consumer knowledge about broadband. Mike Nelson, a visiting professor of communications, culture and technology at Georgetown University, and a former Clinton administration internet official, said that the flowering of the e-commerce in the 1990s owed was “due in large part to the decision [by the government] NOT to regulate.” “I was involved in the [Ira] Magaziner e-commerce report,” said Nelson. “Almost every page had a promise about what the administration will not do.” The certainty provided by that report was helpful” because in enabled internet application companies to be free from “having to hire as many lawyers” as they otherwise would have to, he said. Sascha Meinrath, director of the Open Technology Initiative at the New America Foundation, a “tech tank inside a think that that provide support for open architecture,”...

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News

By Andrew Feinberg, Reporter, BroadbandCensus.com

WASHINGTON, February 5, 2009 - The three members of the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday expressed relief over Congress' Wednesday passage of legislation delaying the date of the digital television transition from February 17 to June 12. Acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps did not present any "grand plan" of action for the next four months, but said at a monthly meeting that it was still important to "take stock of where we are" and assess what kind of efforts will be necessary to create a "new and effective game plan." The DTV Delay Act was pushed by advisors to President Obama, and the president is expected to shortly sign the legislation. Former FCC Chairman Kevin Martin had opposed – as had the consumer electronic industry – although his predecessors Michael Powell and Bill Kennard joined Obama in seeking a short extension. Copps, a Democrat, said it had "long been clear...that we were not ready for a nationwide transition on February 17." Copps welcomed the commitments of broadcasters to "step up to the plate" and keep their analog signals on the air until the new transition date. By keeping their analog signals up until June, Copps praised broadcasters as "truly serving the...

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