San Diego State University’s John Eger examines President Obama’s broadband legacy. “It is in the city and region,” Eger writes, “that Obama sees hope for the nation’s future, and it’s broadband that he sees as a vital first step.” Telecommunications groups are still trying to halt the FCC’s reclassification of Internet as a common carrier service, explains Jon Brodkin for Ars Technica.
This week Facebook hired former FCC chairman Kevin Martin to manage its policy for mobile and global access efforts, report Brian Womack and Todd Shields for Bloomberg. The company has been facing a lot of backlash for these efforts, though. Free Press’ Timothy Karr discusses the issues Internet.org, or “Internet.Not” as he terms it, has been facing.
AT&T and the Kramden Institute have partnered to provide Chapel Hill, NC public housing residents with free Internet, computers, and digital literacy classes.
EveryoneOn Internet Service Provider partner FreedomPop announced that it will be expanding its mobile service to the United Kingdom.
Writing for Business Insider, Antonio Villas-Boas reports on Google’s Android One program, which will be soon be entering the European market through Turkey. The program aims to provide affordable Internet-connected smartphones to unconnected people around the world.
Verizon announced its plans this week to acquire AOL at a total estimated value of $4.4 billion. Slate’s Alison Griswold reports on the 2.16 million customers Verizon will be acquiring that still pay for AOL’s dial-up Internet service.
And finally, Engine’s Evan Engstrom explains what he terms “the next battle for an accessible Internet,” the FCC’s upcoming spectrum incentive auction.