Are there any current issues in the news involving telecommunication law - Article Example

There is presently much in the news involving telecommunications and national security, specifically as it relates to China. “Investigations into potential security risks posed by foreign takeovers of U.S. companies, including many information technology firms, have increased 23 percentage points in recent years, according to a new federal assessment” (Sternstein 2011). Many developing economies like India, Russia, and, above all else, China have benefitted from the recent growth and advancements in the technology sector.

Unfortunately, sometimes these technologies do not have only a civilian use but also a military or espionage one. Whenever a firm from a ‘sensitive’ country attempts to buy an American technology company (say a telecommunications company) which could in some way implicate national security matters, the American government almost always immediately opens an investigation. “The committee assesses the possible national security implications of planned transactions that would result in foreign powers gaining significant influence over U.S. companies” (Sternstein 2011).

One problem with this process, according to critics, is that presently the US government only finds out about a potential purchase if the company volunteers the information, so it is possible that foreign powers have bought more than is publicly known. The difficulty, it seems, is balancing the need for national security with the obvious reality that the technology sector is a rapidly changing one and governments should not get in the way of organic and important growth in it. Concerning access to information at the local, state, and federal levels, there was a recent story about a lawsuit opened by a Pennsylvania utility company against the Federal Communications Commission.

The FCC recently created a fund with federal monies to “support telecommunications service in high-cost areas” (Long 2011). This likely includes economically depressed urban areas and rural ones as well where high speed internet connections are not readily available. The utility company, fearing competition with a taxpayer-subsidized entity, is suing the FCC and claims that the new rules it recently created which started the fund are “arbitrary and capricious” (Long 2011). They change many of the laws governing access to information and thus have caused some controversy.

Works CitedLong, Josh. “FCC Faces Suits over Broadband Fund.” 8 December 2011. Billing and OSS World website. Accessed 9 December 2011 http://www.billingworld.com/news/2011/12/fcc-faces-suits-over-broadband-fund.aspx Sternstein, Aliya. “National security probes into foreign acquisitions of U.S. firms climb.” 8 December 2011. Nextgov website. Accessed: 9 December 2011 http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20111208_3927.php?oref=topnews