Consumer Perspectives for the New Year: The Need for Full Disclosure of Relevant Information about Products Discussion of stimulus packages, bailouts and related macroeconomic policy options to create jobs and to get the economy going again has pushed into the background equally important debates over the role of government in individual market segments ranging through [...]

We recently conducted an online survey of consumers asking the following question: “What communications device is most important in meeting your communications needs?”  The general direction of consumer preferences was not surprising, but the spread of their preferences for different devices tends to corroborate and magnify our impressions of the directions being taken under the influence of [...]

A recent story in the telecom trade press quoted spokesmen for consumer organizations in opposition to including tax credits for broadband network infrastructure providers as part of the President-elect’s economic stimulus package now being shaped in Congress. One stated: “Telecom companies should not get tax breaks to build out broadband networks…Money should go to state [...]

Details of President-elect Obama’s stimulus package are not known, but its general focus on creating jobs is coming increasingly clear. He recently characterized the package in part as: “…a two-year, nationwide effort to jump-start job creation in America.” It has been reported that the president-elect has directed his economic team “to come up with an [...]

In this season of political fervor and contention, consensus on anything of substance is rare.  Standing out is the virtually unanimous view that we as a nation should be taking all reasonable measures to spur development of broadband telecommunications networks.  The consensus is partially grounded in concerns about US broadband development vis-à-vis other countries, but [...]