OIC asks Congress for ubiquitous Internet access
By Traci Patterson, CED

The Open Internet Coalition (OIC) is urging members of Congress to implement a national broadband policy that will lead to universal, affordable high-speed Internet access for all Americans.

In a letter signed by 54 Internet companies, and grassroots and advocacy organizations, the group said the U.S. is falling behind other world leaders in the performance and adoption of broadband Internet networks.

“America has seen nearly a decade of decline in its world standing in broadband services largely because of an uncompetitive marketplace – with monopolies and barriers to entry written into the law,” the letter reads. “In part, this is because we lack a comprehensive policy to address the digital divide, ensure the free flow of content, and promote the development of ubiquitous, high-speed Internet access at affordable prices… We are reaching a tipping point where legislation is no longer simply welcome – it is imperative.”

The OIC is proposing three key elements: 1) universal, affordable Internet access; 2) an open Internet, or “network neutrality”; and 3) quality through competition.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), America ranks fifteenth worldwide for broadband penetration. And only 40 percent of U.S. households currently subscribe to broadband service, according to a Free Press study.

Amazon.com, Earthlink Inc. and Google Inc. are just a few of the companies that signed the letter.

Rigas appeal rejected
By Brian Santo, CED

An appeals court has let stand the convictions of Adelphia’s John and Timothy J. Rigas, on charges of securities fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan reversed its conviction on a single lesser count. The elder Rigas was sentenced to 15 years in prison, his son to 20 years.

The legal team for the two argued that the Rigases had properly followed accounting rules, and that those rules were not explained to the jury.

“Defendants are wrong,” the Manhattan appeals court wrote. “In our view, most – if not all – of the evidence at issue was properly admitted, and any error was harmless.”

Nokia countersues Qualcomm
By Brian Santo, CED

Nokia is countersuing Qualcomm, lobbing patent infringement charges right back.

Qualcomm claimed Nokia is violating two of its patents in a suit it filed in the Western District of Wisconsin on April 2, 2007. Nokia said Qualcomm has filed 11 patent cases in all against it.

In the same court, Nokia just filed charges that Qualcomm is infringing six Nokia implementation patents used in Qualcomm GSM/WCDMA and CDMA2000 chipsets. Nokia said that since Qualcomm is seeking injunctions against it, it is requesting the same in its suit.

Qualcomm is also embroiled in a bitter patents fight with Broadcom.

No industry news on Monday

While someone, somewhere in the industry might make some news on Monday, CED magazine will not be open to report it, and since Monday is Memorial Day, you ideally wouldn’t be at the office to read it if we were. We’ll be back on Tuesday.

Broadband Briefs for 5/25/07

* Hitachi FTTP solution receives USDA approval
Hitachi Telecom (USA) Inc.’s AMN1220 GPON product has been accepted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) for deployment under the Rural Development Broadband Loan and Loan Guarantee Program.

Communities of up to 20,000 residents can now install the fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) solution using funding obtained through a USDA rural development program.