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Healthcare.gov security breach leaks info for 75,000 people
Today The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that Healthcare.gov, the federally operated health insurance marketplace, has suffered a data breach. Apparently it detected "anomalous system activity" in a tool that's supposed to be used for brokers to help consumers get insurance coverage on October 13th, and declared the breach three days later. The CMS reports that it believes files for as many as 75,000 people were accessed, however it did not say what information specifically may have been revealed. It said in a statement that "CMS followed standard and appropriate security and risk protocols for researching and reporting the incident. Upon verification of the breach, CMS took immediate steps to secure the system and consumer information, further investigate the incident, and subsequently notify Federal law enforcement. We are actively engaged in and committed to helping those potentially impacted as well as ensuring the protection of consumer information." There have been warnings about security for state and federal healthcare websites before, and there was a hack in 2014 that didn't leak any data. The website is still operation, although the Direct Enrollment pathway for brokers has been disabled temporarily. With the Affordable Care Act-created site in turmoil politically, the timing of the breach is especially bad just before open enrollment for 2019 coverage begins. It will run from November 1st until December 15th, giving people who don't have health insurance through some other means a way to get covered. Once that period closes, they can only sign up through a Special Enrollment period if they have a qualifying life event.
US telecoms try to kill net neutrality by blocking key rules
The big US telecoms are trying every trick in the book to kill net neutrality, and that includes some very specific tactics. AT&T, CenturyLink and multiple industry groups have sent filings to the FCC asking it to block specific procedures, not the neutrality rules themselves. They want to stop the Commission from both reclassifying the internet as a utility and implementing a standard that prevents providers from "unreasonably interfering" with your internet access. Purportedly, these moves would require "crushing" costs and might chill investments in network upgrades -- arguments we've definitely heard before.
More telecom groups sue to kill the FCC's net neutrality rules
It's clearer than ever that the US telecom establishment really, really doesn't like the FCC's new net neutrality regulation. AT&T and multiple industry groups (all from cable and phone businesses) have filed lawsuits trying to kill the new utility-like rules, claiming that they violate everything from procedural laws to the Constitution. In some cases, the language is eerily similar to the US Telecom Association suit that kicked things off -- the American Cable Association even rehashes language describing the measures as "arbitrary" and "capricious." However the organizations word things, the FCC is definitely going to find out whether its attempt to protect the open internet is as lawsuit-proof as promised. [Image credit: Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images]
Surprise! The American Cable Association favors tiered broadband pricing
Guess what everybody? Time Warner Cable isn't the only one who thinks tiered broadband is the future -- so does the American Cable Association (ACA). The group claims that a stepped set of packages is the only way in which the high-speed industry can survive the coming hellstorm of your online TV viewing and rampant MP3 downloads. According to ACA president Matt Polka, "the outcome is certain," that metered pricing is on the way -- even if there aren't standardized plans in place yet. The ACA's ex officio chair Patrick Knorr adds that current billing models are "not a sustainable business model," and that "a la carte for the net is consumption-based billing." Though some of the arguments are compelling, the ACA also dramatically suggest that grandmothers shouldn't subsidize those with HD downloading habits, and can't seem to get a fix on just how they want to meter users or what kind of overages should be charged -- both of which seem to be common points of debate. While we're not sold that there's only this single option for pricing broadband (one which heavily favors the provider's bottom lines), the group does bring a tiny bit of thoughtfulness to the discussion, with a member noting that Time Warner Cable's approach hadn't made a very good case for the practice. We suggest a page from Cablevision's playbook, guys.
ACA backs Cable One's request to use one-way HD STBs
You won't find us supporting anything that holds back progress in the high-def realm, but Cable One sure is putting forth a convincing argument with its recent waiver request to use simple, one-way HD set-top-boxes rather than the sophisticated two-way units currently required under FCC regulations. For those unaware, the two-way mandate is meant to free consumers from the tight grasp of the cable operator, enabling them to easily use off-the-shelf two-way STBs should they choose. Cable One asserts that the costs are simply too prohibitive for smaller carriers, and it has pledged to add in 50 HD networks at no additional charge should its request be granted; better still, it has promised to fully support any CableCARD devices purchased by customers. The American Cable Association (ACA) has already pledged its support in the movement, though the CEA isn't going to take this one lying down. This one should be interesting to watch.
ACA Digital's XT1100 rugged tablet PC hits the FCC
You won't hear us grumbling about a new competitor in the rugged tablet PC arena, and while it's probably too early to tell whether ACA Digital's latest device is one to pay attention to, it has managed to slip into the divulging hands of the FCC. The self-proclaimed "rugged" XT1100 sports a fairly uninspiring enclosure, a VIA Eden CPU, VIA CX700M chipset, 256MB of DDR2 RAM, optional 2.5-inch HDD, a 10.4-inch SVGA or VGA TFT touchscreen, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, optional GPS module, and a rechargeable Li-ion battery. Additionally, there looks to be a PC card slot, CF slot, headphone / microphone jacks, "telephone" and Ethernet ports, a pair of serial ports, VGA, a duo of USB connectors, padded bumpers on each corner, joystick, numerical, and directional buttons on the face, and 802.11a/b/g WiFi. As expected, there's no word on pricing nor future availability, but we all know the final frontier isn't too far away after getting green lit by the FCC.
