The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, gave her assent to the much-discussed Telecommunications Bill, 2023, which aspires to reform the telecommunications sector in India. This approval came in the wake of the bill’s passing by both houses of the Indian parliament – the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. On December 20th, amidst a suspension…
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticized the use of a cybercrime decree in Tunisia, alleging it is being weaponized against political opponents. Among those affected are Chaima Issa of the opposition coalition National Salvation Front, and Sofiane Zneidi from the country’s largest opposition party, Ennahda. Issued by Tunisian President Kais Saied on 13 September under…
Reputable international law firm, Morgan Lewis, has expanded its team with two power additions. Private Equity experts, Hans “Peter” Leube and Marianne Nawroth, have made the move from Bird & Bird to join the Morgan Lewis team in Frankfurt, Germany. Leube and Nawroth will center their expertise on mergers and acquisitions. Specifically, they will primarily…
With experience spanning diverse subfields of the intellectual property legal territory, Jon Gurka has now joined Crowell & Moring as a partner in their intellectual property department, a recent announcement from the firm confirms. Gurka’s extensive expertise ranges from patenting to trademarks, and from trade secret regulation to breach of contract matters. A spotlight on…
Last Friday, INTERPOL released a report detailing its latest findings from “Operation Storm Makers II,” an investigative operation focused on human trafficking-based cyber fraud. Crucially, the report reveals that this type of crime has now expanded to Latin America, significantly extending its geographic reach from its traditional center in Southeast Asia. This expansion was discovered…
Renowned law firms, Butler Snow and Polsinelli, have recently taken legal action, filing a lawsuit against a certain telecommunications executive. It has come to their notice that the executive in question may have misused an overpayment of $3M for personal expenses. This serious allegation has escalated rapidly, prompting immediate legal endeavors. The suit was brought…
In a significant development for the telecommunications sector, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). The notice suggests the reinstatement of the open Internet rules previously adopted under the 2015 Open Internet Order. The measures, if enacted, could have significant implications for companies that offer broadband internet access service…
On November 28, 2023, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted a limited extension of the critical deadline vital to the tech-law sector. The deadline revolves around the prioritization of Common Alerting Protocol (CAP)-formatted emergency alerts. Pertinently, these regulations chiefly impact customers of equipment vendor Sage Alerting Systems (Sage). These clientele, operating as Emergency Alert System…
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released a Notice of Opportunity for Public Input on November 29, 2023. This announcement underlines the forthcoming implementation plan for the agency’s National Spectrum Strategy, an initiative outlining the national objectives for spectrum policy set by the Biden-Harris Administration. The NTIA has expressed interest in entering dialogues to…
The path was cleared for financial penalties to be administered more liberally in cases of ‘gun-jumping’ during mergers and acquisitions, as confirmed by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on November 9, 2023. The ruling came as a result of an appeal brought forward by Altice, a multinational telecommunications corporation found guilty of infringing standstill…
In a recent development concerning corporate accountability, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) heralded a settlement case with Global Tel*Link, a significant telecommunications entity servicing prisons and jails. The company’s unique clientele primarily consists of incarcerated individuals and their close kin, who create accounts with the telecommunications provider, offering sensitive personal information such as usernames, passwords,…
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have recently released a cybersecurity advisory, responding to an upsurge in ransomware attacks by the cyber operational group referred to as Scattered Spider. The advisory comes as an increasing number of businesses, notably those in sectors such as financial services, telecommunications, business…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming industries and sectors, and staying abreast of these changes is increasingly important for legal professionals. AI refers to a machine’s capacity to execute cognitive functions typically associated with human intelligence, such as perception, reasoning, learning, interaction with environment, problem-solving, and even creativity as explained by Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick,…
On November 16, 2023, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) set significant precedents with the release of new initiatives focused on artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and their effects on consumers. In a world that increasingly relies on digital communication, these inquiries demonstrate a critical step in understanding and regulating the…
Over the past several decades, the demand for wireless spectrum has seen a consistent rise. As a result, successive presidential administrations have developed and released various plans to manage spectrum policy. A significant event in this policy evolution occurred on November 13, 2023, when the Biden administration, in collaboration with the National Telecommunications and Information…
In the last month, a previous Cincinnati lawyer, identified as Richard Crosby, has pled not guilty to several charges claiming the use of aliases and fabricated qualifications to secure high-profile positions at law firms in Washington, D.C., and Florida. The charges come following his arrest in late October. The charges were filed in the US…
In an escalating development, Charter Communications, a major player in the telecommunications industry, has recently come under fire by none other than the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This was announced in a settled action by the SEC against the cable company for alleged violations of internal accounting control mandates during its engagement in unauthorized…
The government of Nepal, during a Cabinet meeting on Monday, announced a nationwide ban on the social media platform TikTok. Minister for Communication Rekha Sharma conveyed the decision, emphasizing “negative effects of the app on social harmony and goodwill,” reports local newspaper Kantipur. Sharma affirmed that plans for the ban’s implementation are already in progress….
On November 13, 2023, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) made public its National Spectrum Strategy. This strategy is a “high-level blueprint” that outlines the Biden-Harris Administration’s national objectives for spectrum policy. The National Spectrum Strategy aims to guide policy-making for the use of spectral resources. Recognizing the importance of both the public and…
Telefónica S.A, a prominent telecommunications company based in Spain, has reportedly made a move to acquire complete ownership of its associated German entity. Gleiss Lutz, a leading law firm, has been tasked with advising Telefónica through this multi-billion Euro public takeover bid. Law.com is reporting on the on-going deal; however, the details of the article…
In a recent episode of AD Nauseam, a podcast episode discussed the rise of junk fees and the ripple effects this trend has on both businesses and consumers. The discussion featured hosts Amy, Daniel, and Jack who shared insights on regulatory action toward this malpractice and progressing conversation on lawsuits in the US, according to…
The conversation on diversity and inclusivity among law firms continues to gain momentum. The legal industry is facing increasing pressure from in-house counsel, who expect more diversity from their outside partners but are finding that expectation often unmet. A clear incident was described, of a multinational networking and telecommunications company, Ericsson, which hired a law…
On November 1, 2023, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) initiated the Seventeenth Notice of Inquiry (NOI) as outlined under Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The purpose of this inquiry is to assess the state of broadband availability for all Americans, marking a critical juncture in the evolution of national digital connectivity. Wiley…
In an intriguing move, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has issued a waiver effectively softening its irrevocable standby letter of credit (LOC) requirements for the expansive $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. The information was originally sourced from an article on JDSupra. For those unaware, the BEAD program is a…
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled with a 6-1 majority that the mandatory minimum sentencing for child luring offenses is unconstitutionally violating the right against cruel and unusual punishment as stated under the Section 12 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom. The judgment came out of two separate child luring cases, where the…