FCC

FCC bans select Chinese cameras and telecom equipment in the United States

November 25th, 2022

Joe Wituschek

The Federal Communications Commission in the United States has just banned a number of cameras and telecom technology from Chinese manufacturers. The ban specifically affects hardware from Huawei, ZTE, Hikvision, Hytera, and Dahua. While previous moves by the government prevented companies in the United States from exporting technology to those companies, much of the products …

Business

‘The tide is moving out on TikTok’: A conversation with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr

August 20th, 2022

Andy Meek

If TikTok could be said to have a chief antagonist inside the bureaucracy of the federal government, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr would be as good a candidate as anyone for that designation. The commission’s senior Republican, nominated to the body by President Trump, has repeatedly denounced TikTok in interviews and public statements for presenting a …

Business

Kaspersky antivirus software used by millions dubbed a national security threat by FCC

March 30th, 2022

Andy Meek

A US crackdown on all things Russia continues. The FCC has declared that Russia’s Kaspersky Lab cybersecurity firm poses a potential national security threat. So much so, that the commission felt it needed to place Kaspersky on a key list of banned entities. And as a result, US companies can’t use federal subsidies to buy …

Politics

FCC commissioner calls for government ban on DJI drones

October 19th, 2021

Andy Meek

Comparing DJI drone technology to “Huawei on wings,” the senior Republican member on the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday called for the government to cease purchases of DJI products. Specifically, the FCC’s Brendan Carr is recommending that products from DJI — the largest maker of drones in the world — be put on a blacklist, …

Tech

Here’s when you can sign up to get $50 a month from the FCC to help pay for your internet

April 29th, 2021

Jacob Siegal

Back in December 2020, Congress approved the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program as part of the final stimulus package under President Donald Trump. This program would give Americans with low incomes or those who lost income during the pandemic the ability to sign up for $50-per-month internet subsidies that would be administered by the Federal …

Lifestyle

People keep complaining to the FCC that TV commercials are too loud

April 25th, 2021

Andy Meek

Did you know that loud TV commercials are actually against the law? The CALM Act passed by Congress back in 2011 directed the FCC to set rules around the volume of TV commercials, which the FCC proceeded to do — partly by adopting a rule that said TV commercials need to have the same average …

Tech

Use the FCC’s Speed Test app to stick it to crappy internet providers

April 13th, 2021

Jacob Siegal

When you sign up for an internet plan, you’re promised certain upload and download speeds by the provider. Those promises can’t always be kept, which is why many of us turn to online speed tests when we want to know what we’re actually getting for our money. The two services that most people use to …

Tech

What could this mysterious streaming device from Google be?

March 29th, 2021

Chris Smith

Google manufactures various smart home devices under the Nest brand that plenty of users are already familiar with. There’s the Nest smart speaker series, including the models that feature displays; the Nest WiFi routers; the Nest indoor and outdoor cameras; the Nest smart thermostats; the Nest alarm; and the various Nest sensors. But Google might …

Science

CERN wants to build a massive super-collider, but there’s a problem

June 22nd, 2020

Mike Wehner

CERN wants to build a new particle accelerator that is four times larger than the already massive Large Hadron Collider. The project, called the Future Circular Collider, will cost in the neighborhood of $23 billion. The collider will be built in two phases, with the second not being completed until nearly 2100. When CERN, the …

Tech

Everyone’s Wi-Fi is about to dramatically improve

April 23rd, 2020

Andy Meek

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, as millions of people around the country are now staying home and doing their jobs remotely in addition to consuming more news and entertainment from home, a solid, reliable internet connection has been regarded as more paramount than ever. The FCC has voted on new rules that will support faster, more …