AT&T blows a gasket, calls FCC report 'an advocacy piece, not analysis'

You know who's madder than hot fury right now? That guy you picked last on your recreational kickball squad. Also, Jim Cicconi, AT&T Senior Executive Vice President of External & Legislative Affairs. He's credited with penning a scathing response to the recent FCC Staff Report surrounding the proposedAT&T / T-Mobile transaction, which obviously didn't go at all in the way that the former had intended. In fact, he goes so far as to call the document "so obviously one-sided that any fair-minded person reading it is left with the clear impression that it is an advocacy piece, and not a considered analysis." And in turn, effectively teaches us that his rebuttal is equally so.
As you'd expect in any legal / political throw down with billions at stake, AT&T feels that the report "cherry-picked facts to support its views, and ignored facts that don't." Hardly shocking, mind you, but it's the clearest evidence yet that the company isn't backing down from its stance. Of course, with a $4 billion break-up fee looming if this all falls apart, it's probably worth a few Hail Marys along the way. As you'd expect, Sprint also took the time to respond to AT&T's response of an FCC report, which responded to both Sprint and AT&T's initial responses. You'll find that, and perhaps other tales of intrigue, after the break.
Source:http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/01/atandt-blows-a-gasket-calls-fcc-report-an-advocacy-piece-not-an/

Brazil wants to build South American broadband network, says it will bring down costs

A pan-South American broadband network: It sounds rather ambitious, but that's exactly what Brazil proposed yesterday, during a meeting of the continent's communications ministers. In an address to his colleagues, Brazil's Paulo Bernardo called for the creation of "a ring of South American fiber optic networks" encompassing the entire continent. This "South American solution," he added, would lower the costs of internet and mobile access across the region, benefiting consumers and ISPs alike. "Connection costs for South American users represent on average between 35 and 40 percent of the total price of the service," the minister explained. "An Internet provider in South America pays, in the best of cases, three times more for the connection than in the United States. This situation must change urgently." Bernardo estimates that the initiative would cost about $60 million and could be completed within two years, though it'll likely have to jump through a few more hoops before nearing reality.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/30/brazil-wants-to-build-south-american-broadband-network-says-it/