INTUG

This week the US Federal Communications Commission and the wireless industry announced a voluntary set of “Wireless Consumer Usage Notification Guidelines” aimed at preventing “bill shock.”

According to the FCC announcement, phone and tablet customers must be given clear notifications that they’re approaching their plan’s SMS, data and voice limits. The notifications must be free, and consumers must have the easy ability to opt out of them. The commission is working with the Consumers Union on a website that will track implementation of the alert system.

Watch FCC Chairman Jules Genachowski’s announcement.

Source: DSLreports.com

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New EU laws on net neutrality may be necessary to stop ISPs infringing individuals’ data protection and privacy rights, according to the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS).

Read more on Out-Law.

Go directly to the EDPS opinion (PDF).

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Yesterday the Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications published its draft guidelines (PDF) on net neutrality and transparency for ISPs. Net neutrality is not possible without ISP transparency, says BEREC.

Out-Law has more.

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The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday sued to block the proposed USD39 billion merger between AT&T and T-Mobile USA, arguing that keeping them separate would preserve competition in the wireless industry.

INTUG welcomes the news of the lawsuit. Back in June, INTUG submitted a response to the FCC (PDF) and it released a statement expressing its concerns about the merger, saying it would threaten competition, the affordability of roaming services and innovation in mobile applications.

Source: NY Times, INTUG.

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The US Federal Communications Commission is pressing AT&T to provide documentation substantiating its claim that the proposed USD39 billion merger with T-Mobile USA is vital to the firm’s plan to deploy next-generation wireless coverage nationwide.

At the heart of the matter is AT&T’s pledge to deploy fourth-generation mobile broadband to 97 percent of the country, should the FCC and Justice Department approve the deal. The firm has relied heavily on the promise to connect rural consumers to help sell the deal.

Read more on thehill.com.

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The first decade of the new Millennium saw extraordinary progress made in ICT development globally. While gaps remain between the developed and developing world – especially concerning Internet use – the developing world is only a few years behind, according to ITU’s latest StatShot.

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This week Yankee Group published a study on the pending merger of AT&T and T-Mobile. From a spectrum perspective, the new combination appears to expand network coverage and improve performance for AT&T customers. From a market perspective, Yankee Group believes the merger will increase market concentration, reduce consumer choice, and open the door for price increases in the most heavily populated U.S. wireless markets.

Read more here (PDF).

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Last week CEOs from a broad range of companies met at a workshop organized by the European Commission to tackle the lack of investment in fiber optic cables.

While the EC asked companies to address a lack of investment in high-speed fiber optic networks, big and small telcos are failing to break a deadlock on how fiber should be financed.

Read more on the EurActiv web site.

See also: NGA funding chasm revealed as Kroes meets industry CEOs (European Broadband Portal)