Starlink and the Return of Satellite Internet Service

In this post, I look at a new satellite system being put into place by Elon Musk and his SpaceX operations and how it can reach remote locations traditionally underserved by Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

US Internet Policy, Part 1: The Rise of ISPs

Much of the early success of the Internet in the USA can be attributed to the emergence of a unique organizational form, the Internet Service Provider or “ISP,” which became the dominant provider of Internet and broadband services in the 1990s. These organizations resulted from a unique set of regulatory directives that pushed the Internet’s […]

Broadband Policy and the Fall of the US Internet Service Providers

Much of the success of the Internet can be attributed to the emergence of a unique organizational form, the Internet Service Provider or “ISP,” which became the dominant provider of the broadband and web services. These organizations resulted from a unique set of regulatory directives that pushed the Internet’s development and created a competitive environment […]

The Telecom Crash of 2002

One of the economic history’s most fascinating questions will deal with the stock market advances during the eight Clinton-Gore years, especially those in the Internet and telecommunications sectors. During their tenure in the 1990s the stock markets boomed, and the investments created the lowest unemployment in years as well as contributed significantly to the budget […]

New Developments in GPS and Geo-Location for Mobile Technology

The ubiquity of mobile devices has focused renewed attention on the Global Positioning Satellite System (GPS), the configuration of space-based vehicles that is used to provide location data to users through their hand-carried mobile phones and tablets. GPS technologies were developed for use in aircraft, land vehicles, and ships. More recently, they have become crucial […]

Two Great Debates on Net Neutrality: Cerf-Farber and Lessig-Gilder

With the FCC releasing its latest rulings on Net Neutrality just before Christmas I thought I would go back to two very good debates about it. The first one at the Center for American Progress on Monday, July 17, 2006 featured Vinton G. Cerf, the creator of TCP and David Farber from the University of […]