Tag Archive: telecommunications
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Calling for Excessive Cell Phone Taxes? Please Press One
ALEC Blog Team | February 20, 2013 | Add a commentBy Michael Lambert If you’re subscribing to a cell phone in Washington State, you might want to consider becoming an Oregonian, where lower cell phone taxes are markedly cheaper. According to a recently released study by the Tax Foundation, American consumers pay on average 17 percent in cell phone taxes … »
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Don’t Let Government Break the Internet
Alex Rued | January 28, 2013 | Add a commentIt’s great to hear just about anybody speak on Internet freedom, but U.S. Representative Steve Scalise did the topic justice at this year’s State of the Net Conference in Washington, DC. Discussions at the highly-anticipated conference ranged from Big Data and the Cloud—perhaps the most used and least understood terms of … »
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Tech Sector and Organizations Tackle the Nation’s Skills and Talent Deficit
John Stephenson | October 8, 2012 | Add a commentThe United States faces yet another deficit, but this one is not a simple matter of red ink in a government budget. U.S. companies urgently need thousands of skilled professionals trained in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, but there are not enough workers with the necessary skills. … »
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Cloud Computing Taking High-Tech Economy by Storm
Alex Rued | September 19, 2012 | Add a commentWhat do Netflix, NASA and the Senegal Ministry of Finance have in common? They all operate in the cloud. Cloud computing is increasingly relevant to businesses, consumers, and even government, yet ‘the cloud’ remains a cloudy concept for Americans, including policymakers. According to a recent survey conducted by Wakefield Research, … »
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Taxed Three Times: How the Digital Goods and Services Fairness Act Protects Consumers from Multiple Taxes
Alex Rued | July 16, 2012 | Add a commentIt is no surprise that a majority of Americans purchase tangible items like clothing, books, and even groceries online. However, a recent finding from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project reveals that Americans are increasingly willing to purchase “intangible” goods and services as well. In fact, over … »
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Searching for a Fairer, Simpler, Clearer Mobile Tax Policy
Andrew Butler | July 6, 2012 | Add a commentA recent Pew Research Center’s report has found that mobile internet usage is increasing across all demographics, most notably among young adult and non-white members of society. Of the overwhelming majority of American adults who own mobile phones, 55% use their phones to access online content. While young adults and … »
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Market Holds Great Promise for Closing Digital Divide
John Stephenson | June 4, 2012 | Add a commentFor the latest issue of Heartland’s InfoTech and Telecom News, I have an op-ed that looks at the “new digital divide” or the gap between those that have broadband internet access and those who do not. While some argue that deregulation has caused the digital divide, the reality is the opposite; … »
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Technology in the Classroom Paying Off
John Stephenson | March 8, 2012 | 2 CommentsPreviously, people used to think of technology in the classroom as a nice benefit. Computers and technological resources could be useful for some special projects, but they could not help improve student achievement and were ultimately costly. But with state and local education budgets under pressure and questions about student … »
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Free Markets Hold Great Promise for Communications Issues
John Stephenson | March 5, 2012 | Add a commentOne of the most pressing issues confronting policymakers today is ensuring there is enough wireless spectrum available to meet our communications needs for the future. Wireless spectrum is the backbone of the U.S. communications industry, the invisible medium that carries through the air the digital signals that enable the sending … »
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Doesn’t the Government Know There Is Competition and Innovation in Wireless?
John Stephenson | September 16, 2011 | Add a commentStrange as it may sound, the Pentagon City Mall in Arlington, Virginia is a perfect microcosm of the U.S. wireless industry. On the Mall’s four floors, amid department stores such as Macy’s and restaurants like Johnny Rockets, you can find seven wireless retailers. There are storefronts for the four national … »
