New Networks Institute Activities, 2013-2015

Net Neutrality and Verizon’s Use of Title II

New Networks Institute’s (NNI) work in highlighted in the FCC’s Internet Order, and influenced some of new added safeguards pertaining to billing and disclosure issues, March 2015.
NNI & Teletruth have filed a Petition for the FCC to investigate whether Verizon has committed perjury as Verizon has failed to disclose to the FCC, courts or public that their entire financial investments are based on Title II; filed January 13^th, 2015.
Ars Technica Featured article: FCC urged to investigate Verizon’s “two-faced” statements on utility rules
Verizon has responded with a letter denying our claims, filed, January 20^th, 2015
New Networks Institute & Teletruth Response to Verizon, Feb 23rd, 2015
Verizon: Show Us the Money PART I: Verizon’s FiOS, Fiber Optic Investments, and Title I. – Part 1 is a supplement to the original Petition for Investigation.
Letter to the FCC, Comments: Open Internet proceeding. RE: Verizon’s Fiber Optic Networks are “Title II” — Here’s What the FCC Should Do. DOCKET: Open Internet Proceeding, (GN No.14-28)
Comments First: FCC Open Internet Proceeding “Title Shopping: Solving Net Neutrality Requires Investigations” , July 14^th, 2014
Comment Second: Verizon’s FiOS Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) Networks are Already Title II in Massachusetts, Maryland, Florida, New Jersey, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, New York…

Time Warner Cable- Comcast Merger; New Findings

Comcast and Time Warner Cable Merger In 2015 we filed a Petition for Investigation and Complaint against Time Warner Cable with the NYPSC and FCC to stop the mergers for multiple reasons, from deceptive billing and made up fees, to overcharging via the “Social Contract”. The “Social Contract”, an actual agreement between the cable companies and the FCC, allowed the companies to charge the cable subscribers for network upgrades and the wiring of the schools. The Contract ended in 2001, however we could find no schools wired under this program, and no removal of the additional charge of $5.00 a month, which started in the 1990’s.
Some of this material was quoted in Mayor DeBlasio’s comments pertaining to the TWC Comcast merger with the NY PSC.

Ars Technica article: Petition: Time Warner Cable mistreats customers, shouldn’t merge with Comcast

Examining the Financial Shell Game

In May 2014, Public Utility Law Project, (PULP) published “It’s all Interconnected”, written by New Networks (with assistance by David Bergmann) and it relied on unexamined data from Verizon New York using different Verizon supplied financials books.
The Verge: Game of Phones: How Verizon is playing the FCC and its customers, May 2014
In 2010, NNI started an investigation of the financial books of five Verizon’s state-based utility phone companies, including Verizon New York and Verizon New Jersey and the ties to Verizon Communications affiliate companies, (subsidiaries) including Verizon Wireless, Verizon Online, Verizon Services, among others.Published in 2012
In 2013, our next report focused on Verizon New York and was the centerpiece of a filing by Common Cause, Consumer Union, CWA, and the Fire Island Association, which called for an investigation of Verizon’s financials and business practices.
The Connect New York Coalition, filed a Petition with the New York State Public Service Commission to do a formal investigation of Verizon New York. July 1, 2014. The Petition is based, in part, on NNI’s continuing research.
Coalition members include AARP, Consumer Union, Common Cause, CWA, and NY state politicians.

Event “Reverse ALEC Legal Hackathon” Thursday, January 31st, 2013, Brooklyn Law Incubator and Policy Clinic (BLIP) and the New Networks Institute hosted a Reverse ALEC Legal Hackathon at Brooklyn Law School. The invitation-only event, something of an emergency meetup, brought together experts, lawyers, advocates, technologists and competitors, who are concerned with the state of telecommunications in the United States. The goal was to create consensus and build a campaign to define principles for model regulation, pursue legal actions, and create a working path to accomplish the following goals.

New Book: The Book of Broken Promises: $400 Billion Broadband Scandal & Free the Net, Published New Networks Institute, February 2015.