Trump Mobile, led by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., launched a comprehensive wireless service offering a $499 smartphone, $47.45 monthly plan, and bundled services including telehealth and car insurance. The venture operates on Liberty Mobile’s network and targets conservative consumers with …
Eric TrumpDonald Trump Jr.Pat O'BrienDon HendricksonEric Thomaskleptocracytrump-administrationtelecommunicationsbrand-expansionmonetization
The Department of Transportation placed the $24 billion Verizon FAA contract under review, with Elon Musk positioning Starlink as a potential alternative vendor. This review comes amid claims about the existing communication system’s reliability and potential performance issues in air traffic …
AT&T announced a strategic partnership with Carbyne enabling the telecommunications giant to resell Carbyne’s comprehensive 911 surveillance platform to public safety agencies nationwide, dramatically accelerating deployment of Israeli Unit 8200-developed technology across US emergency …
AT&TCarbyneEhud BarakAT&T Venturescarbyneattsurveillance-technologynext-generation-911israeli-intelligence+3 more
The FCC, led by Chairman Ajit Pai, votes 3-2 along party lines to repeal Obama-era net neutrality rules, marking a major victory for telecommunications industry interests over consumer protections. Pai, a former Verizon attorney appointed by Trump, argued the regulations represented government …
Ajit PaiDonald TrumpVerizon CommunicationsMignon ClyburnComcast+2 moreregulatory-capturefccnet-neutralityajit-paitelecommunications+2 more
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched an investigation into the unprecedented manipulation of its public comment system during the net neutrality repeal process. An estimated 18 million out of 22 million comments were found to be fake, generated through coordinated campaigns by …
Ajit PaiFederal Communications Commission (FCC)New York Attorney General's Officedigital-democracyregulatory-capturetelecommunicationscorporate-manipulationtechnology-policy
President Donald Trump designates Ajit Pai as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, elevating the sitting Republican commissioner and former Verizon Communications associate general counsel to lead the agency responsible for regulating his former employer and the broader …
Donald TrumpAjit PaiVerizon CommunicationsFederal Communications Commission (FCC)Tom Wheelerrevolving-doorregulatory-capturefccnet-neutralityverizon+2 more
The Federal Communications Commission approves landmark net neutrality protections by a 3-2 party-line vote, reclassifying broadband internet service as a “telecommunications service” under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934 to establish legally enforceable rules prohibiting …
Tom WheelerFederal Communications Commission (FCC)Ajit PaiMichael O'RiellyMignon Clyburn+2 morenet-neutralityfcctelecommunicationstitle-iitom-wheeler+1 more
The Federal Communications Commission votes 3-2 to advance Chairman Tom Wheeler’s controversial proposal that would permit internet service providers to charge content companies for priority “fast lane” access to consumers, fundamentally threatening net neutrality principles. The …
Tom WheelerFederal Communications Commission (FCC)GoogleMicrosoftFacebook+3 morenet-neutralityfccregulatory-capturetelecommunicationstom-wheeler
The DC Circuit Court of Appeals delivers a landmark ruling in Verizon v. FCC, striking down the Federal Communications Commission’s anti-blocking and anti-discrimination net neutrality rules while paradoxically outlining the path to stronger protections through Title II reclassification. The …
Verizon CommunicationsDC Circuit Court of AppealsFederal Communications Commission (FCC)Julius Genachowskinet-neutralitytelecommunicationsregulatory-captureverizonfcc+1 more
President Barack Obama nominates Tom Wheeler, a former top lobbyist for cable and wireless industries, to lead the Federal Communications Commission. Wheeler’s appointment exemplifies the revolving door between telecommunications regulators and industry, having served as CEO of the Cellular …
Tom WheelerBarack ObamaCellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA)National Cable Television Association (NCTA)Public Interest Groups+1 moreregulatory-capturefccrevolving-doortelecommunicationstom-wheeler+1 more
FCC Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker announces her resignation to join Comcast-NBC Universal as senior vice president of governmental affairs, just four months after voting to approve the company’s merger with NBC Universal. Baker was part of the 4-1 majority that approved the $30 billion …
The Federal Communications Commission approves the Open Internet Order by a 3-2 party-line vote, establishing the first formal net neutrality regulations but with significant weaknesses that would prove legally vulnerable. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s order established three core rules: …
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)Julius GenachowskiComcast CorporationVerizon CommunicationsAT&Tnet-neutralityfcctelecommunicationsregulatory-capturederegulation
The Federal Communications Commission votes 3-2 to punish Comcast for its “surreptitious interference” with BitTorrent uploads, marking the first time any U.S. broadband provider has been found to violate net neutrality principles. The Commission formally adopted an order finding that …
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)Comcast CorporationElectronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)Kevin Martinnet-neutralityregulatory-capturetelecommunicationsfcccomcast
The Associated Press publishes a comprehensive investigation revealing that Comcast, the nation’s largest cable company and internet service provider, is secretly interfering with peer-to-peer file sharing applications including BitTorrent by forging network packets to block uploads. The AP …
Comcast CorporationAssociated PressElectronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)TorrentFreaknet-neutralityregulatory-capturetelecommunicationscomcastcorporate-deception
AT&T Inc. (formerly SBC Communications) completed its $85.8 billion acquisition of BellSouth Corporation with FCC approval, reassembling much of the former Bell System that was broken up in 1984 as an antitrust remedy. The merger consolidated control over telecommunications infrastructure across …
AT&T Inc.BellSouth CorporationFederal Communications Commission (FCC)SBC Communicationsantitrustconsolidationmergertelecommunicationsregulatory-capture+2 more
In September 2001, AT&T established a secret partnership with the NSA to provide direct access to its internet backbone infrastructure, creating unprecedented mass surveillance capabilities that bypass traditional legal protections. This infrastructure enabled the systematic collection and …
Bush AdministrationAT&TNSAsurveillancetelecommunicationsnsacorporate-cooperationinternet-backbone+3 more
The Federal Communications Commission approves Viacom’s $35.6 billion acquisition of CBS Corporation despite the merger violating FCC regulations prohibiting one company from owning television stations reaching more than 35% of the U.S. audience and prohibiting ownership of two networks if one …
ViacomCBS CorporationSumner RedstoneMel KarmazinFCC Federal Communications Commissionmedia-consolidationtelecommunicationsmergerfccderegulation+2 more
America Online (AOL), the nation’s dominant Internet service provider, announces its intention to purchase Time Warner for $164 billion in the largest media merger in history. The combined entity would control magazines, video and high-speed Internet cable, cable TV channels (including CNN, …
America OnlineTime WarnerSteve CaseGerald LevinFTC Federal Trade Commission+1 moremedia-consolidationtelecommunicationsmergerderegulationinternet+2 more
The Telecommunications Act of 1996’s media consolidation provisions trigger massive job losses across American journalism, gutting local news coverage and professional media employment. In radio alone, cities that once had 100 jobs for radio professionals now have perhaps 20, an 80% reduction …
Media ConglomeratesLocal news stationsRadio JournalistsNewspaper ReportersFCC Federal Communications Commissiontelecommunicationsmedia-consolidationjournalism-declinelayoffslocal-news+2 more
Clear Channel Communications begins an unprecedented consolidation spree following the February 1996 Telecommunications Act, acquiring $581 million worth of radio and television stations within just four months of the act’s passage. Before the Telecommunications Act eliminated ownership caps, …
Clear Channel CommunicationsLowry MaysFCC Federal Communications CommissionLocal Radio Stationstelecommunicationsmedia-consolidationradioclear-channelderegulation+2 more
President William Howard Taft signed the Mann-Elkins Act, also called the Railway Rate Act of 1910, strengthening the Interstate Commerce Commission’s (ICC) authority over railroad rates and expanding federal regulation to telephone, telegraph, and wireless companies for the first time. The …
President William Howard TaftStephen Benton ElkinsJames Robert MannInterstate Commerce Commissionprogressive-eraregulatory-enforcementcorporate-powertelecommunicationsrailroad-regulation