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News and Publications

September 25, 2012 Press Release

The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Board of Directors held its first meeting today, marking a significant milestone towards deployment of a nationwide wireless broadband network that will enable first responders to better communicate with each other during emergencies, improve response time and save lives.

July 02, 2012 Press Release

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced today that it has awarded the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions contract to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).  The IANA functions are key technical services critical to the continued operations of the Internet's underlying address book, the Domain Name System (DNS).

March 27, 2012 Press Release

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Commerce, through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), today announced its finding that 95 megahertz (MHz) of prime spectrum could be repurposed for wireless broadband use. Reallocation of this spectrum would represent significant progress towards achieving President Obama’s goal to nearly double the amount of commercial spectrum available this decade.

November 09, 2011 Press Release

WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce's Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today released a report, “Exploring the Digital Nation,” that analyzes broadband Internet adoption in the United States.  Overall, approximately seven out of ten households in the United States subscribe to broadband service.

July 25, 2006 Press Release

Washington, DC - The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will host a public meeting on Wednesday July 26 to get input from interested stakeholders on the transition of the technical coordination and management of the Internet Domain Name and Addressing System to the private sector.

August 15, 2006 Press Release

The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration today announced the award of a sole source contract to ICANN to perform technical functions supporting the Internet Domain Name system.

The department on February 21, 2006 issued a Request for Information to conduct market research about whether there were other qualified entities to perform these functions.

October 29, 2007 Press Release

For Immediate Release:  October 29, 2007
Media Contact:  Todd Sedmak, (202) 482-7002 or tsedmak@ntia.doc.gov

Los Angeles-Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced that it will consult with interested stakeholders regarding the mid-term review of the Joint Project Agreement (JPA) between the Department and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).  NTIA will soon release a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) requesting comments to be due February 15, 2008.

April 02, 2008 Press Release

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), on behalf of the Department of Commerce, recently conducted a mid-term review of the Department’s Joint Project Agreement (JPA) with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).  The JPA is a continuation of a series of agreements between the Department and ICANN to facilitate the transition of the technical coordination of the management functions related to the Internet domain name and addressing system (DNS) to the private sector. 

October 20, 1998 Press Release
**** MEDIA ADVISORY ****

For your information, Becky Burr, Associate Administrator of NTIA for International Affairs sent the following letter to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers:

October 20, 1998

Dr. Herb Schorr, Executive Director
USC Information Sciences Institute
4676 Admiralty Way
Suite 1001
Marina del Rey, California 90292-6601

Re: Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)

Dear Dr. Schorr:

November 10, 1998 Press Release

Today, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced that it is reviewing a submission made by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

September 28, 1999 Press Release

Washington - Commerce Secretary William M. Daley today announced that the Department of Commerce, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), and Network Solutions, Inc. (NSI) have reached a series of agreements that will allow transition of the domain name system to the private sector to move forward.

May 18, 2001 Press Release

The Department of Commerce, ICANN, and VeriSign have agreed in principle on the following additional terms to be included in the ICANN and VeriSign Registry Agreements and related agreements, subject to final legal documentation. All other terms of the Agreements remain unchanged.

May 07, 2010 Press Release

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke addressed leading privacy and consumer advocates, privacy scholars and Internet entrepreneurs at the Privacy and Innovation Symposium today at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center. At the public meeting sponsored by the Department of Commerce, Locke discussed the challenge of ensuring that the Internet continues to grow as a platform for innovation and commerce in the United States and around the world while at the same time protecting personal privacy.

October 05, 2010 Press Release

The U.S. Commerce Department’s Internet Policy Task Force today issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) seeking comment from all interested stakeholders - including rights holders, Internet service providers, and consumers - on the protection of copyrighted works online and the relationship between copyright law and innovation in the Internet economy. 

September 23, 2010 Press Release

Remarks

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today announced the official launch of an initiative aimed at preserving the global, free flow of information online to ensure that the Internet remains open for commercial opportunity and innovation. Locke announced the effort during remarks at the 5th annual Online Trust and Cybersecurity Forum hosted by The Online Trust Alliance at Georgetown University.

July 27, 2010 Press Release

The U.S. Department of Commerce today hosted a full-day public symposium devoted to protecting the information of consumers and the commercial sector from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. The meeting is part of a broader effort to use the internet to foster innovation and economic growth. Organized by the Commerce Department’s Internet Policy Task Force, the event featured senior government and private-sector leaders in a wide-ranging discussion of issues, best practices, and strategies for responding to cyber threats. 

December 16, 2010 Press Release

The Department of Commerce today issued a report detailing initial policy recommendations aimed at promoting consumer privacy online while ensuring the Internet remains a platform that spurs innovation, job creation, and economic growth.  The report outlines a dynamic framework to increase protection of consumers’ commercial data and support innovation and evolving technology. The Department is seeking additional public comment on the plan to further the policy discussion and ensure the framework benefits all stakeholders in the Internet economy.

May 13, 2011 Press Release

At a public computing center in Baltimore today, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced a digital literacy initiative that works to expand economic and educational opportunities in America. Locke joined U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) and Benjamin L.

July 08, 2011 Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced today they will host the 12th Annual International Symposium on Advanced Radio Technologies (ISART) on July 27-29, 2011 in Boulder, Colorado.  This year’s conference will focus on developing policies and processes to maximize the efficient use of spectrum resources, with particular attention on radar bands and technologies.