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The Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape

Description: This report provides information about The Current Structure and Its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape on the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC is an independent agency with its five members appointed by the president.
Date: June 9, 2005
Creator: Figliola, Patricia Moloney
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Public Safety Communications: Policy, Proposals, Legislation and Progress

Description: Since September 11, 2001, the effectiveness of America’s communications capabilities in support of the information needs of first responders and other public safety workers have been a matter of concern to Congress. The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-458) included sections that responded to recommendations made by the 9/ll Commission, in its report of July 2004, and by others in recent years, regarding public safety communications. Nonetheless, there is much … more
Date: June 8, 2005
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Wireless Technology and Spectrum Demand: Third Generation (3G) and Beyond

Description: Advances in wireless telecommunications technology are converging with Internet technology to foster new generations of applications and services. Presently, the United States and other countries are moving to third-generation (3G) and fourth-generation mobile telephony. The defining feature of these technologies is that transmission speeds are significantly faster than prevailing technologies. A related trend is the growth in use of Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) and WiMAX (an industry designation … more
Date: June 8, 2005
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Amber Alert Program Technology

Description: This report discusses provisions in the National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 to test Amber Alert network technology for use in expanding the Emergency Alert System (EAS). The Amber Alert network utilizes a combination of technologies, such as highway messages boards, the Internet, and text messaging, to ensure the swift recovery of abducted children.
Date: May 18, 2005
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Copyright Protection of Digital Television: The "Broadcast Flag"

Description: This report addresses the adoption of a “broadcast flag” system by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to protect digital television (DTV) broadcasts from unauthorized redistribution. The report also addresses the recent decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reversing and vacating the FCC’s broadcast flag report and order.
Date: May 11, 2005
Creator: Welborn, Angie A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Spectrum Management: Auctions

Description: This report discusses the radio frequency spectrum that is used for all forms of wireless communications, including cellular telephony, paging, personal communications service, radio and television broadcast, telephone radio relay, aeronautical and maritime radio navigation, and satellite command and control.
Date: May 11, 2005
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Computer Attack and Cyberterrorism: Vulnerabilities and Policy Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides background information for three types of attacks against computers (cyber-attack, physical attack, and electromagnetic attack), and discusses related vulnerabilities for each type of attack. The report also describes the possible effects of a coordinated cyberattack, or computer network attack (CNA), against U.S. infrastructure computers, along with possible technical capabilities of international terrorists.
Date: April 1, 2005
Creator: Wilson, Clay
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Regulation of Broadcast Indecency: Background and Legal Analysis

Description: Two prominent television events in the past two years placed increased attention on the FCC and its indecency regulations. The airing of the 2003 Golden Globe Awards and the subsequent ruling by the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, coupled with the controversy surrounding the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show, brought broadcast indecency to the forefront of the congressional agenda during the 108th Congress. Several bills were introduced, but not enacted, in the 108th Congress to increase the penalties im… more
Date: March 30, 2005
Creator: Welborn, Angie A. & Cohen, Henry
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Spectrum Management: Auctions

Description: This report discusses the radio frequency spectrum that is used for all forms of wireless communications, including cellular telephony, paging, personal communications service, radio and television broadcast, telephone radio relay, aeronautical and maritime radio navigation, and satellite command and control.
Date: March 21, 2005
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Creating a National Framework for Cybersecurity: An Analysis of Issues and Options

Description: Cyber- security refers to three things: measures to protect information technology; the information it contains, processes, and transmits, and associated physical and virtual elements (which together comprise cyberspace); the degree of protection resulting from application of those measures; and the associated field of professional endeavor. This report aims to examine what kind of national cyber-security framework may be needed and how it might be implemented, and it addresses three questions:… more
Date: February 22, 2005
Creator: Fischer, Eric A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Wireless Privacy and Spam: Issues for Congress

Description: Wireless communications devices such as cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are ubiquitous. Some consumers, already deluged with unwanted commercial messages, or “spam,” via computers that access the Internet by traditional wireline connections, are concerned that such unsolicited advertising is expanding to wireless communications, further eroding their privacy. Congress continues to debate how to protect wireless subscribers further, and several bills were considered in the 108… more
Date: December 22, 2004
Creator: Smith, Marcia S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Emergency Communications: The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and All-Hazard Warnings

Description: The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is one of several federally managed warning systems. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) jointly administers EAS with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in cooperation with the National Weather Service (NWS), an organization within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The NOAA/NWS weather radio system has been upgraded to an all-hazard warning capability. This report summarizes the technology and administration of EAS … more
Date: November 12, 2004
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The FCC's Political Broadcasting Regulations

Description: This report provides an overview of the Federal Communication Commission's political broadcasting regulations, including general public interest obligations; the equal opportunity (equal time) regulations; and the various interpretations of the Fairness Doctrine, which is no longer enforced by the Commission. A brief section of frequently asked questions regarding political broadcasting is also provided.
Date: October 27, 2004
Creator: Welborn, Angie A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Telemarketing: Dealing with Unwanted Telemarketing Calls

Description: This report provides summaries of the federal laws and regulations particular to telemarketing, the establishment of a national do-not-call registry, and on the options that are available to consumers to attempt to limit the calls that they receive from telemarketers and to report questionable telemarketing practices to local or federal authorities. The report also lists sources of additional information with addresses, phone numbers, and Internet sites (if available) and will be updated as leg… more
Date: October 5, 2004
Creator: Riehl, James R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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"Spam": An Overview of Issues Concerning Commercial Electronic Mail

Description: Spam, also called unsolicited commercial email (UCE) or “junk email,” aggravates many computer users. Not only can spam be a nuisance, but its cost may be passed on to consumers through higher charges from Internet service providers who must upgrade their systems to handle the traffic. Also, some spam involves fraud, or includes adult-oriented material that offends recipients or that parents want to protect their children from seeing. Proponents of UCE insist it is a legitimate marketing techni… more
Date: September 16, 2004
Creator: Smith, Marcia S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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FCC Media Ownership Rules: Current Status and Issues for Congress

Description: The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or “Commission”) adopted an order on June 2, 2003 that modified five of its media ownership rules and retained two others. The new rules have never gone into effect. Congress passed the FY2004 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 108-199), Sec. 629 of which instructs the FCC to modify one of the rules — the National Television Ownership rule. This report examines these rules and relevant policy issues.
Date: August 23, 2004
Creator: Goldfarb, Charles B.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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