Parler.com is getting back online after being kicked off Amazon's hosting service, with the controversial social network saying it no longer relies on "Big Tech" for its Web infrastructure. A Parler announcement today said its relaunched website is "built on sustainable, independent technology and not reliant on so-called 'Big Tech' for its operations." Amazon cut off Parler's Web-hosting service on January 10, a few days after a Trump-incited mob stormed the US Capitol, saying that "Parler cannot comply with our terms of service and poses a very real risk to public safety." Parler sued...…Parler.com is getting back online after being kicked off Amazon's hosting service, with the controversial social network saying it no longer relies on "Big Tech" for its Web infrastructure. A Parler announcement today said its relaunched website is "built on sustainable, independent technology and not reliant on so-called 'Big Tech' for its operations." Amazon cut off Parler's Web-hosting service on January 10, a few days after a Trump-incited mob stormed the US Capitol, saying that "Parler cannot comply with our terms of service and poses a very real risk to public safety." Parler sued...WW…

Ohio's Republican-controlled legislature is on the verge of imposing a state law to dramatically restrict the rights of cities and towns to build and operate municipal broadband networks.The Ohio Senate on June 9 approved a that contains an . It's not a done deal yet, and advocates for public networks are urging the legislature to strip the amendment from the final budget. The budget bill is expected to be hammered out within the next two weeks.If passed, the proposed law could kill existing broadband services and prevent new ones from being deployed. There are  30 or more municipal...…Ohio's Republican-controlled legislature is on the verge of imposing a state law to dramatically restrict the rights of cities and towns to build and operate municipal broadband networks.The Ohio Senate on June 9 approved a that contains an . It's not a done deal yet, and advocates for public networks are urging the legislature to strip the amendment from the final budget. The budget bill is expected to be hammered out within the next two weeks.If passed, the proposed law could kill existing broadband services and prevent new ones from being deployed. There are  30 or more municipal...WW…

It's no surprise that cable companies charge lower prices for broadband when they face competition from fiber-to-the-home services. But an provides a good example of how dramatically promotional prices for Charter's Spectrum Internet service can vary from one street to the next.In this example, Charter charges $20 more per month for slower speeds on the street where it faces no serious competition. When customers in two areas purchase the same speeds, the customer on the street without competition could have to pay $40 more per month and would have their promotional rates expire after only...…It's no surprise that cable companies charge lower prices for broadband when they face competition from fiber-to-the-home services. But an provides a good example of how dramatically promotional prices for Charter's Spectrum Internet service can vary from one street to the next.In this example, Charter charges $20 more per month for slower speeds on the street where it faces no serious competition. When customers in two areas purchase the same speeds, the customer on the street without competition could have to pay $40 more per month and would have their promotional rates expire after only...WW…

The US Department of Defense puzzled Internet experts by apparently transferring control of tens of millions of dormant IP addresses to an obscure Florida company just before President Donald Trump left the White House, but the Pentagon has finally offered a partial explanation for why it happened. The Defense Department says it still owns the addresses but that it is using a third-party company in a "pilot" project to conduct security research."Minutes before Trump left office, millions of the Pentagon's dormant IP addresses sprang to life" was the title of a on Saturday. Literally three...…The US Department of Defense puzzled Internet experts by apparently transferring control of tens of millions of dormant IP addresses to an obscure Florida company just before President Donald Trump left the White House, but the Pentagon has finally offered a partial explanation for why it happened. The Defense Department says it still owns the addresses but that it is using a third-party company in a "pilot" project to conduct security research."Minutes before Trump left office, millions of the Pentagon's dormant IP addresses sprang to life" was the title of a on Saturday. Literally three...WW…

The PayPal-owned Venmo service will let users buy, sell, and hold bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies within the Venmo app, the company . "Customers will have the ability to buy and sell cryptocurrency using funds from their balance with Venmo, or a linked bank account or debit card," the announcement said.Users will be able to buy or sell bitcoin, ether, litecoin, and bitcoin cash. The feature is rolling out to some users today and "will be available for all customers directly in the Venmo app within the next few weeks."When it becomes available, users can get started "by clicking on...…The PayPal-owned Venmo service will let users buy, sell, and hold bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies within the Venmo app, the company . "Customers will have the ability to buy and sell cryptocurrency using funds from their balance with Venmo, or a linked bank account or debit card," the announcement said.Users will be able to buy or sell bitcoin, ether, litecoin, and bitcoin cash. The feature is rolling out to some users today and "will be available for all customers directly in the Venmo app within the next few weeks."When it becomes available, users can get started "by clicking on...WW…

The Communications Workers of America (CWA) union is lobbying state governments to regulate Internet service providers as utilities.The CWA, which represents workers at AT&T and at Verizon, on Monday a "multi-state effort to pass state legislation that would establish public utility commission oversight of broadband in public safety, network resiliency and consumer protection.""Legislation has already been introduced in California, Colorado and New York, and CWA is in active conversations with policymakers in state houses across the country about its model bill, the Broadband...…The Communications Workers of America (CWA) union is lobbying state governments to regulate Internet service providers as utilities.The CWA, which represents workers at AT&T and at Verizon, on Monday a "multi-state effort to pass state legislation that would establish public utility commission oversight of broadband in public safety, network resiliency and consumer protection.""Legislation has already been introduced in California, Colorado and New York, and CWA is in active conversations with policymakers in state houses across the country about its model bill, the Broadband...WW…

Cable company WideOpenWest (which markets itself as WOW!) yesterday told customers that it is imposing a data cap and explained the change with a pizza analogy that would seem more appropriate for a kindergarten classroom than for an email informing Internet users of new, artificial limits on their data usage.The email said WOW is "introducing a monthly data usage plan for your Internet service on June 1, 2021" and described the system as follows:What's a monthly data usage plan? Let us illustrate …Imagine that the WOW! network is a pizza. Piping hot. Toppings galore. Every WOW! customer...…Cable company WideOpenWest (which markets itself as WOW!) yesterday told customers that it is imposing a data cap and explained the change with a pizza analogy that would seem more appropriate for a kindergarten classroom than for an email informing Internet users of new, artificial limits on their data usage.The email said WOW is "introducing a monthly data usage plan for your Internet service on June 1, 2021" and described the system as follows:What's a monthly data usage plan? Let us illustrate …Imagine that the WOW! network is a pizza. Piping hot. Toppings galore. Every WOW! customer...WW…

A today in favor of Facebook limits the reach of a 1991 US law that bans certain kinds of robocalls and texts. The court found that the anti-robocall law only applies to systems that have the ability to generate random or sequential phone numbers. Systems that lack that capability are thus not considered autodialers under the law, even if they can store numbers and send calls and texts automatically.Advocates say the ruling will make it harder to block automated calls and texts, potentially unleashing a "flood" of new robocalls.The ruling "nullifies one of the most important protections...…A today in favor of Facebook limits the reach of a 1991 US law that bans certain kinds of robocalls and texts. The court found that the anti-robocall law only applies to systems that have the ability to generate random or sequential phone numbers. Systems that lack that capability are thus not considered autodialers under the law, even if they can store numbers and send calls and texts automatically.Advocates say the ruling will make it harder to block automated calls and texts, potentially unleashing a "flood" of new robocalls.The ruling "nullifies one of the most important protections...WW…

Cable company WideOpenWest (which markets itself as WOW!) yesterday told customers that it is imposing a data cap and explained the change with a pizza analogy that would seem more appropriate for a kindergarten classroom than for an email informing Internet users of new, artificial limits on their data usage.The email said WOW is "introducing a monthly data usage plan for your Internet service on June 1, 2021" and described the system as follows:What's a monthly data usage plan? Let us illustrate …Imagine that the WOW! network is a pizza. Piping hot. Toppings galore. Every WOW! customer...…Cable company WideOpenWest (which markets itself as WOW!) yesterday told customers that it is imposing a data cap and explained the change with a pizza analogy that would seem more appropriate for a kindergarten classroom than for an email informing Internet users of new, artificial limits on their data usage.The email said WOW is "introducing a monthly data usage plan for your Internet service on June 1, 2021" and described the system as follows:What's a monthly data usage plan? Let us illustrate …Imagine that the WOW! network is a pizza. Piping hot. Toppings galore. Every WOW! customer...WW…

Lots of people are angry about FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's Internet "fast lane" proposal that would let Internet service providers charge Web services for priority access to consumers. But one Web hosting service called NeoCities isn't just writing letters to the FCC. Instead, the company found the FCC's internal IP address range and throttled all connections to 28.8Kbps speeds. "Since the FCC seems to have no problem with this idea, I've (through correspondence) gotten access to the FCC's internal IP block, and throttled all connections from the FCC to 28.8kbps modem speeds on...…Lots of people are angry about FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's Internet "fast lane" proposal that would let Internet service providers charge Web services for priority access to consumers. But one Web hosting service called NeoCities isn't just writing letters to the FCC. Instead, the company found the FCC's internal IP address range and throttled all connections to 28.8Kbps speeds. "Since the FCC seems to have no problem with this idea, I've (through correspondence) gotten access to the FCC's internal IP block, and throttled all connections from the FCC to 28.8kbps modem speeds on...WW…