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The bait and switch of Government Owned Networks
We are all familiar with bait and switch, the deceptive practice where a customer is enticed by one offer and then forced into a higher…
Blog
Crickets: Congressional silence on a new communications act
In what seems to be news to legislators and regulators, the communications marketplace is innovative and dynamic. The platforms used to consume increasingly varied types…
Blog
The FCC snares broadband in web of regulation
In the children’s book Walter’s Wonderful Web, a determined spider builds webs that are too “wibbly-wobbly” to withstand the wind but perseveres until he constructs…
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News Release
CEI Scholars Respond to Bush Budget
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> OVERVIEW Analysis from CEI Vice President for Policy Clyde…
News Release
The Problem with Municipal Wireless Networks
Contact: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273 <?xml:namespace prefix = st1…
News Release
Free Market Reaction to the State of the Union
Contact: Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273 Washington, D.C., February 2, 2005—President Bush’s State of the Union address tonight will expound his vision of an “Ownership Society,” in…
Study
The Viability of Municipal Wi-Fi Networks
Full Document Available in PDF Ownership of broadband networks by municipalities,…
Op-Eds
Different Technology, Similar Service
In the absence of competition, regulations serve to protect consumers against monopoly market power. This is, in theory, the reason why the telecommunications…
News Release
SBC Buyout of AT&T Helps Consumers
Contact for Interviews: Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273 <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Washington,…
Products
Cybersecurity: Markets or Mandates?
Full Document Available in PDF Private cybersecurity initiatives will gradually move us…
News Release
EU Rules Against Innovation in Microsoft Case
Contacts: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273 Clyde <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =…
Op-Eds
FCC Is Ignoring Impact of Wireless, Other Rivals for Telephone Service
In the absence of competition, regulations serve to protect consumers against monopoly market power. This is, in theory, the reason why the telecommunications local exchange…
News Release
FCC Drops the Ball on Phone Competition – Again
Contact for Interviews: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273 …
News Release
FCC to Reconsider Telephone Competition
Contact for Interviews: Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273 <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> <?xml:namespace prefix…
Op-Eds
Square Off: Is Cyberterrorism Being Thwarted?
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> YES: Businesses have re-examined continuity plans, and governments have addressed physical and Web…
Op-Eds
The Fight For Telecom Reform
Full document available in pdf format<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> There’s good news and bad news in the wonky…
Op-Eds
Telecom Reform, Consensus Needed
In the Washington, D.C. policy world, regulatory change requires consensus building. With rapid market changes since the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress and the Federal Communications Commission are…
Op-Eds
Too Smart For Our Own Good
Op-Eds
A Green Light for More Broadband
The Federal Communications Commission—the traffic cop of the communications industry—just raised the speed limits on broadband. Its ruling on Thursday protects many of…
CEI Planet
CEI Planet: September 2004
Full Document Available in PDF Tech Regulation Done Right, by Braden Cox…
Products
Tech Regulation Done Right
Full Document Available in PDF As soon as new technologies are introduced, the call…
News Release
Threat to Tech Innovation in Senate
Contact for Interviews: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273 <?xml:namespace prefix…
Op-Eds
INDUCING Bad Law
Computer users know some downloads are more trouble than they are worth. The proposed INDUCE Act (S. 2560), currently in the Senate Judiciary…
Products
CEI Planet: July 2004
Full Document Available in PDF “Who’s Afraid of RFID?” by Jim Harper…
Products
Who’s Afraid of RFID?
Full Document Available in PDF Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are small radio communicators…
Study
Send Me No Files: Senate INDUCEs a Threat to the Future of Information Technology
Please copy and share this article, download some music files, and photocopy your favorite chapters from Bill Clinton’s new book. It’s fun: Just do it!…
Op-Eds
Can You Overhear Me Now?
The Justice Department has asked the Senate for help in extending hidebound, phone-company style wiretap capability into new Internet-based phone calls (called “VoIP” for…
Citation
In A Tangle
News Release
Bush Administration Makes Right Decision on Phone Competition
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Washington, DC, June 9, 2004 – Today the U.S. Solicitor General's office announced it will not…
Op-Eds
Why the Telecommunications Industry Is Not Like OPEC
A recent cover story in the April 1 issue of America’s Network magazine claims that the four2 Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) are “increasingly coordinating…
Op-Eds
Google Gmail Jousting
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> The Google Internet search engine embodies the classic tale of the garage-based…
News Release
Crews Rejoins CEI as Vice President for Policy
Contact for Interviews: Richard Morrison, 202-331-2273 Washington, D.C., May 11, 2004—The Competitive Enterprise Institute is pleased to announce the return of Clyde Wayne Crews Jr.
Op-Eds
The Broadcast Indecency Playground
Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me—we’ve all heard that phrase before. It’s often said by children who are…
Op-Eds
Time to Get Tough on Telecom Regulatory Reform
The FCC is not subject to any sort of mandatory “three strikes” law as are some criminals. But maybe there is justification for an equivalent…
Letters
Stop FCC Unbundling Laws
Full Letter Available in PDF Mr. President, in your recent speech in Albuquerque, you championed “the…
News Release
Economists Urge President to Support Investment in Telecommunications
Contact for Interviews: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273 …
Op-Eds
An Open Letter to Randy A. Daniels, Secretary of State
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />March 22, 2004<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> …
CEI Planet
January-February Edition of CEI Monthly Planet
Full Document Available in PDF “The European Constitution Falls Apart,”…
Op-Eds
UN-Dermining the Net
There's mounting evidence that the Internet's good old days as a globalcyberzone of freedom—where governments generally take a “hands off” approach—may be numbered. [Last year] delegates from 192 countries met in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Geneva to discuss how the Internet should be governed and what steps should be taken to solve the global “digital divide” and “harness the potential of information” onbehalf of the world's poor. Also on the table at the session—the UnitedNations World Summit on the Information Society—was the question of domainname management and how much protection free speech and expression shouldreceive on the Net. The real issue, however, is whether a “United Nations forthe Internet” is on the way. The great advantage of the Net is precisely the ability to reach as many peopleas possible and overcome artificial restrictions on trade or communications attraditional geographic boundaries. The Web, whatever problems it has raised,has provided far more opportunity and freedom to mankind. The United Nationsappears eager to assume greater control over the Net, not because of itsfailures, but because it undermines members' authority. That sounds like thebest reason ever to make sure a United Nations for the Internet never becomes areality. …
Op-Eds
Everybody Wants to Rule the Web
There’s mounting evidence that the Internet’s good old days as a global cyberzone of freedom—where governments generally take a “hands off” approach—may be numbered.
Products
December Edition of the Monthly Planet
Full Document Available in PDF Articles in this edition:…
Op-Eds
Resentment, fear drive U.N. quest for control
There’s mounting evidence that the Internet’s good old days as a global cyberzone of freedom—where governments generally take a "hands off" approach—may be numbered.
Op-Eds
Wishful Anti-spam Thinking
Tomorrow, the House is expected to pass new anti-spam legislation. The effort is understandable: The increasingly apparent downside of an Internet on which you…
News Release
Court Verdict Threatens Future of Internet
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” /> Washington, D.C., October 8, 2003—A federal court decision this week has thrown the commercial future…
Products
September Edition of Monthly Planet
Full Document Available in PDF Articles in this edition: “The…
News Release
Media Deregulation Takes a Troubling Hit
Contact for Interviews: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273…
News Release
New Chance for Local Telephone Competition
Contact for Interviews: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273…
Products
August Edition of CEI’s Monthly Planet
Full Document Available in PDF Articles in this edition: …
Op-Eds
‘Spammers’ Ignoring Anti-Spam Legislation
Dear Editor: If you look closely at the spam filling your inbox, you might notice one or two…
News Release
New Telecom Study First to Find Artificial Price Controls Cost Americans More, Provide Few Benefits
<?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml” /><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> <?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word” />…
Op-Eds
Stop This Today! Unsolicited E-mail vs. Unsolicited Legislation
<?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml” /><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /><?xml:namespace prefix = w ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word” />In a…
News Release
CEI Files Comments on Proposed Travel Regulations
Full comments available in pdf format.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Contact for Interviews: …
Op-Eds
Letters to the Editor: We Must Address the Root Problem of Spam
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Much of the Internet industry's newfound support of e-mail spam legislation seems…