@jbtaylor on tech

I'm a spokesman for Sprint. This personal site is where I share news stories and my views about our company, our phones and other devices. I also write a bit about tech policy, the wireless industry and life in Washington, D.C.

To ensure that Sprint's lawyers continue to support employees' use of social media, please read the disclaimers on my "About this Posterous" page.

Sprint Calls for Passage of Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011

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Congressional negotiators announced this morning that a compromise had been reached regarding an extension of a payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits. The Members of Congress who brokered the compromise indicated the legislative compromise includes provisions regarding future wireless spectrum auctions to be conducted by the FCC, as well as provisions to help fund an interoperable public safety broadband network.

The following statement can be attributed to Vonya B. McCann, senior vice president for Government Affairs, Sprint:

“Sprint supports the bipartisan compromise announced this morning by the House and Senate leadership and we hope that Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate will support it with a vote for final passage.

Sprint agrees with the Federal Communications Commission that all wireless carriers – small, regional and large – should have a meaningful chance to participate in wireless spectrum auctions. While we didn’t see the need to amend the statute, the compromise language approved by the conferees preserves the FCC’s ability to promote competition as it conducts future wireless spectrum auctions.

“In addition, the legislation includes language which provides funding for construction of an interoperable public safety broadband network which will give our country’s first responders much needed financial resources to protect the communities they serve.

"Supporting the final passage of this compromise legislation will help drive the expansion of high speed mobile broadband across the country thereby encouraging innovation, stimulating our economy and better meeting the needs of wireless consumers."

Sprint's Reaction to President Obama's State of the Union Address

This evening, as part of his State of the Union address, President Obama voiced his support for making wireless broadband services available to all Americans, including our nation’s first responders.  In response, Vonya B. McCann, senior vice president of Government Affairs for Sprint (NYSE:S), issued the following statement:

“Sprint commends President Obama for his leadership in promoting nationwide access to advanced wireless services and working to ensure that our nation’s first responders get what they have long needed and deserved, wireless interoperable public safety broadband services.  We look forward to working with President Obama, Congress, public safety, and the Federal Communications Commission to bring our nation’s first responders the competitive wireless broadband services that consumers are enjoying today.”

The Best App to Track Your Member of Congress

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"I'm just a bill on Capitol Hill" via flickr.com

Today is "Swearing In Day" on Capitol Hill and every member of the House and Senate elected this past November will swear an oath of office today. (It's my favorite day in politics because all the members are there with their families and close friends and it's the one day on the Hill where even the most partisan set that aside for the day.)

When I worked on Capitol Hill a million years ago, this was the day that you really needed an updated guide to Congress. (There always were a ton of new members elected.) Typically some trade association would print up a paper guide and distribute them to staff for free. (The best ones had a spiral binder.)

Thankfully, those days are gone thanks to the Sunlight Foundation, a Congressional watchdog group. They've created a smartphone app which does more than those paper guides ever did.

The app features:

  • Phones numbers of members -- plus a button to press to call your member; 
  • A link to the member's website; 
  • A map of their district; 
  • Their voting record on key bills; 
  • A list of bills they've sponsored; 
  • Their committee assignments; 
  • News stories where the Member is quoted; plus, 
  • Their latest tweets.

Best of all, it's free in the Android Market and in the Apple App Store. When you load the app, all you have to do is enter your zip code to find out the latest on your Senators and House member.

Check it out. It's a great way to celebrate "Swearing In Day" if you're a political/techno geek like me.

Rep. Walden uses Morse Code to announce Chairmanship

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via flickr.com (Engraving of Samuel Morse)

Earlier today, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) was named chairman of the House Subcommittee on Communications and the Internet. He tweeted the news using Morse code:

Saying this:

.-- .. .-.. .-.. / -.-. .... .- .. .-. / -.-. --- -- -- / .- -. -.. / - . -.-. .... / ... ..- -... / --... ...-- ... / .-- --... . --.- ..

The translation, according to http://morsecode.scphillips.com/jtranslator.html is:

"WILL CHAIR COMM AND TECH SUB 73S W7EQI"

What's the 73S W7EQI, you ask? That's Rep. Walden's ham radio operator signal. He's an enthusiast.

So in that spirit, here's my personal message to Chairman Walden and his team:

-.-. --- -. --. .-. .- - ..- .-.. .- - .. --- -. ... .-.-.- / ... --- -- . .... --- .-- --..-- / .. / - .... .. -. -.- / -.-- --- ..- .-. / .... . .- .-. .. -. --. ... / .-- .. .-.. .-.. / -... . / ..-. ..- -. .-.-.- / - .... .- -. -.- ... / ..-. --- .-. / - .... .- - 

Newsweek ranks the Greenest Companies in the US; Sprint is No. 6

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Big news from Newsweek this morning. Their annual ranking of the country's greenest companies is out. Last year Sprint was ranked 15th. This we're 6th and we're thrilled.

It's the recognition of what Sprint has long been committed to, running our business in a greener more sustainable way.

And for those keeping score -- don't national rankings make us all do that? -- Verizon is ranked number 99. AT&T is ranked number 122.

To learn more about our efforts, visit Sprint.com/green.