December 2010 – TCPA Watch

Broadband in America: The Year in Review; What Lies Ahead

Dec 29 2010

K&L Gates co-hosted a live webcast December 22, carried live on Internet TV channels Broadband US TV and National League of Cities TV.

You can access the free webcast by clicking here (free registration is required).

K&L Gates partner Marty Stern joined co-host Jim Baller, together with guests Cecilia Kang, Communications Industry Journalist, the Washington Post, Gigi Sohn, President, Public Knowledge, Jeffrey Silva, Senior Policy Director, TMT, Medley Global Advisors, and Scott Cleland, President, the Precursor Group, for a lively and provocative review of 2010, particularly of the day-old FCC net neutrality decision, and for some bold predictions for 2011.

New Disability Access Requirements for Advanced Communications and Video

Dec 22 2010

By Marty Stern (Washington, DC), Carol Lumpkin (Miami) and Stephanie N. Moot (Miami).

The President signed the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 on October 8, 2010 (the “ComVid Accessibility Act” or “Act”). The ComVid Accessibility Act expands various disability access requirements to VoIP phones, browser-enabled smart phones, text messaging, Internet-enabled video devices, on-line video of TV programming, TV navigation devices, and programming guides and menus, among other things.

Karen Peltz Strauss, who has the lead at the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or “Commission”) on implementing the ComVid Accessibility Act, appeared on a recent live program on Internet TV channel Broadband US TV and discussed the FCC’s “enormous mandate” to implement the new Act. Click here for a clip of Ms. Peltz Strauss’ comments on the program. (with permission from TV Worldwide).[1] According to Ms. Peltz Strauss, “Every segment of the industry that has anything to do with broadband, television, including cable, satellite or broadcast, Internet-based television, as well as . . . Internet-based providers, traditionally regulated [telephone] companies, wireless companies” needs to be paying attention to the new Act. “Virtually every segment that has anything to do with communications or video programming is covered.”

Law Seminars International presents Cloud Computing: Law, Risks and Opportunities

Dec 14 2010

On December 13-14, 2010, Law Seminars International presented a seminar exploring different cloud computing service models and the challenges they pose. They explored what cloud computing is, how it works and the benefits it offers.

Leading practitioners, including Dan Royalty (K&L Gates Seattle), described the contracting and compliance challenges their clients face on a daily basis and shared their strategies for meeting them. Among other things, the program provided pointers on identifying the legal and compliance issues around cloud computing and addressing them in cloud computing transactions.

Symposium on Broadband Reclassification and Net Neutrality What’s at Stake? What’s the End Game?

Dec 02 2010

On Thursday, December 2nd, K&L Gates hosted a program on net neutrality and the potential regulatory reclassification of broadband Internet access presented by the ABA Antitrust Section’s Communications & Digitial Technology Industries Committee. The program, moderated by Washington, DC partner Marty Stern, included:

Parul Desai, Policy Counsel, Consumers Union
Neil Fried, Minority Chief Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommitee on Communications, Technology and the Internet
Glenn Manishin, Partner, Duane Morris
Lee Selwyn, President, Economics and Technology, Inc.

Audio Archive of event now available (American Bar Association members only)

Several of the speakers were also authors of articles in the Fall 2010 Broadband Reclassification and Net Neutrality Symposium issue of the Committee’s Icarus newsletter.

Archive:December 2010