Caron Carlson

Over the next few months, policy-makers will re-examine rules that were put in place to spur competition following the Telecommunications Act of 1996. While the Federal Communications Commission considers whether the rules need to be altered, lawmakers will consider to what degree the ongoing struggles of the telecom industry—awash in bankruptcies, fraud allegations and rapid […]

In the latest in a string of questionable transactions among telecommunications executives, Sprint Corp. chairman and CEO, William Esrey, told company managers yesterday that he is under an audit by the Internal Revenue Service regarding his use of tax shelters and investments. Earlier this week, Sprint began a search to replace Esrey as well as […]

After a lengthy and contentious legal battle, the Federal Communications Commission lost its bid to repossess spectrum licenses assigned to NextWave Telecom Inc. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that bankruptcy law protects the bankrupt carriers licenses, setting the stage for the long-fallow spectrum to be put to use carrying new wireless services. In […]

Web services are gaining momentum in the enterprise, but the leading providers agree that the technology needs several improvements, including better security and greater standardization, to reach its potential. IBM is trying to make inroads in the small and midsized business market for Web services, according to Bob Sutor, director of Web Services Technology at […]

Internet telephony is still nascent, but small businesses across the country are beginning to realize considerable advantages from it, including the option to pick an area code of their choice. At the same time, incumbent telephone service providers are beginning to realize that Internet telephony may have an unwelcome impact on traditional phone business. Last […]

It may be a hard sell in todays economic and political climate, but a plan to tack a recycling tax onto the price of computers and monitors is expected to emerge in Congress early next month. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., has crafted a bill that would assess a fee of no more than $10 on […]

After spending nearly five years and untold funds in a protracted and contentious legal battle, the Federal Communications Commission lost its bid to repossess spectrum licenses assigned to NextWave Telecom Inc. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that bankruptcy law protects the bankrupt carriers licenses, setting the stage for the long-fallow spectrum to be put […]

The upcoming departure of america Online Inc. luminary Steve Case from the chairmanship of AOL Time Warner Inc. is widely seen as a positive symbolic gesture for the telecommunications and media company—one that will likely signal the rise of content provisioning over access provisioning, according to industry insiders. “While they have a lot of great […]

The debate over local competition in Washington is defined by arcane regulatory rules on which parts of the local network incumbent telephone carriers must lease to rivals. But for small businesses, its just about good service. With the Federal Communications Commission deliberating rules on incumbents network leasing responsibilities, lawmakers are trying to duck a fractious […]

It is an old adage that making laws is like making sausages, but when it comes to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, it appears increasingly that the ingredients were particularly rancid. Key lawmakers charged with overseeing telecom policy Tuesday denounced the law as a highly flawed product of powerful special interests. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., […]