We can't see you
Satellite interests are concerned about independent tests being conducted by Mitre Corp. on Northpoint's proposed competing terrestrial wireless delivery system, they wrote in a letter to the FCC.
DirecTV, EchoStar and the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association say neither the FCC nor Mitre is being open enough about the tests, which were mandated by Congress last December and are meant to determine whether Northpoint's spectrum-sharing system will interfere with incumbent satellite services. "The lack of transparency in the testing process has resulted in DBS operators' having no idea whether field tests are being conducted and, importantly, whether such tests are being conducted properly," they wrote.
Peeping TiVo?
Key Democratic lawmakers have asked the FTC to investigate whether personal video recorder company TiVo is inappropriately collecting information about its customers. "The charges against TiVo are serious and certainly raise questions as to whether they violate the prohibition … against 'unfair or deceptive trade practices,'" wrote Reps. John Dingell (D-Mich.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.).
TiVo argues that it imports customer data, including serial numbers, but severs the two so that demographic information can be collected without linking specific information to the identifying number. The lawmakers are concerned about TiVo's having access to the information in the first place.
