Europe mulls six-month limit for search engine data storage

Search engine companies may be set for a clash with European regulators over how long personal data related to searches should be retained. ...continue reading 'Europe mulls six-month limit for search engine data storage'

Google suggests safe harbor for wireless mics

Google has asked the FCC to carve out a set of off-limits channels for proposed wireless devices that could operate in unused television spectrum bands, in hopes that the proposal will help the FCC approve the use of so-called 'white space devices.' ...continue reading 'Google suggests safe harbor for wireless mics'

FCC closes 700MHz spectrum auction

The controversial 700MHz spectrum auction has closed, raising $19.59 billion, a record for a spectrum auction in the U.S., the U.S. Federal Communications Commission said Tuesday. ...continue reading 'FCC closes 700MHz spectrum auction'

Italy WiMax auction sets European record

The auction of 35 licenses will raise a European WiMax record of &136.3 million (US$205.8 million) for the Italian government, Communications Minister Paolo Gentiloni announced Thursday. The ninth round of bidding concluded Wednesday, with bids showing a 176 percent increase on the starting offers, the minister said. ...continue reading 'Italy WiMax auction sets European record'

Lawmakers debate mobile consumer rights bill

A proposed consumer rights bill for mobile telephone service drew mixed reviews during a hearing in Congress Wednesday, with detractors saying the legislation would place too much regulation on a competitive industry. ...continue reading 'Lawmakers debate mobile consumer rights bill'

YouTube blames Pakistani ISP for global site outage

Many users around the world could not access the YouTube site for about two hours on Sunday. The company blamed the outage on erroneous routing information introduced by a Pakistani Internet service provider. Pakistani authorities ordered ISPs there to block the site on Friday. ...continue reading 'YouTube blames Pakistani ISP for global site outage'

White spaces group: Device testing on track

A wireless broadband device tested by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for interference with television and wireless microphone signals has not failed, as a broadcasting group claimed last week, members of the White Spaces Coalition said Thursday. ...continue reading 'White spaces group: Device testing on track'

EU drafts guidelines for RFID technologies

The European Commission has sketched out guidelines designed to help get RFID (radio frequency identification) technologies up and running in the European Union, but stopped short of proposing formal legislation in the area. ...continue reading 'EU drafts guidelines for RFID technologies'

FCC auction draws repeat entrepreneurs

A handful of people who bid in the disastrous C-Block PCS auction in 1996 plan to participate in the upcoming 700MHz contest, despite warning signs indicating the potential for similar troubles. ...continue reading 'FCC auction draws repeat entrepreneurs'