US Bill of Rights, First Amendment

Optical Telegraph demonstrated

Era of Telegraph Invention and Disruption

Morse invents Morse Code

Samuel Morse demonstrates telegraph between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. [Griffiths, Hughes]

Bored Network Operators would play checkers over telegraph lines, establishing the first electronic games over networks. [Standage 132]

Era of Telegraph Competition

Telegraph line laid between England and France across the English Channel [Hughes ]

• Reuters established [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]
• The New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company established [WU]
• New York Times founded [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Era of Telegraph Consolidation

• Western Union completes first transcontinental line [WU] [Sterling p 40]
• Pony Express comes to an end [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]
• Civil War starts. Telegraph will be a vital tool for the Army of the North. One of the first wars where the leadership are in real time communications with the front. Western Union will emerge from the war as the dominant telegraph company, receiving telegraph assets from the Army of the North, and having its Southern competitors' networks destroyed.

Western Union introduces stock ticker [WU] Western Union acquires US Telegraph and American Telegraph.

• First transatlantic submarine cable laid. [Hughes ]
• Western Union and Associated Press form an alliance controlling media and influencing outcome of 1876 election.

Era of Telephone Invention and Disruption

Bell patents telephone

First North American Telephone Exchange in New Haven, CT [AT&T]

SNET established.

First long distance telephone call between NYC and Boston

IEEE Founded [IEEE History Center Voice]

Herman Hollerith develops first punch card machine

AT&T opens first long distance line between NY and Chicago Rate was $9 for 5 minutes [AT&T]

Era of Telephone Competition

• Bell telephone patents expire [AT&T]
• Marconi successfully transmits radio signal 2 miles in Italy [Hughes]
• Dreyfus Affair

• Tabulating Machine Company established by Hollerith
• Marconi gives first public demonstration of wireless telegraph [Alliance]

Marconi successfully transmits radio signal across Atlantic. [Hughes] [FCC]

Congress creates National Bureau of Standards (will become National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)) [ITL]

First short wave radio broadcasts [Alliance]

Legislation

• Copyright Act of 1909

Titanic sinks - its radio calls for help go unheard [Media Timeline ketupa.net] [Faulhaber] [FCC]

Radio Act of 1912 gives Secretary of Commerce and Labor authority to issue radio licenses and control broadcasting [FCC]

• ASCAP founded [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]
• Calculating-Tabulating-Recording company (aka IBM) founded by Herman Hollerith [Griffiths]
• Federal Trade Commission created.
• Clayton Act enacted (Antitrust)

CTR formed out of merger of Computing Scale Company, Tabulating Machine Company, and the Recording Company

AT&T introduces first dial telephone. [AT&T]

KDKA Pittsburgh broadcasts first regular programs [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Hush-a-phone starts being made.

Era of Telephone Consolidation

ASCAP demands royalties from radio stations [Alliance]

First Radio daily news. First Radio commercials. [Alliance]

NIST builds first AC radio. [NIST Centennial]

Disney opens Hollywood film studio [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

FTC initiates anti trust investigation of RCA, GE, Westinghouse, AT&T and United Fruit [Alliance]

NIST radio station WWV goes online [NIST Centennial]

Calculating-Tabulating-Recording company becomes IBM [Griffiths]

Bell labs invents mobile phone. [Alliance]

First presidential speech broadcast [Alliance]

FCC

• Radio Act of 1927 creates the Federal Radio Commission, declares spectrum to be a public good

Industry

• Philo Farnsworth successfully transmits first image [Hughes]
• AT&T begins transatlantic service [AT&T]

CBS created [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Disney releases first Mickey Mouse cartoon [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Olmstead v US (telephone calls not protected by 4th Amendment)

ITT acquires Mackay Companies

Oct 29, Black Friday, the Stock Market crashes

First telephone installed in White House [Alliance]

Cathorade tube invented [Alliance]

GE ordered to divest RCA and NBC [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

ITU established [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Communications Act of 1934 establishes the Federal Communications Commission . Eugene Sykes (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman

At the time, the USG was operating the following communications networks:

"Under the Commerce Department, a radiotelegraph system for the airways division and marine beacons for the Lighthouse Service. Under the Treasury Department, a system of radiotelegraph sta- tions on both coasts of the United States for the Coast Guard for communication with their ships and for purposes of safety of life at sea.

"Under the Department of the Interior, a radiotelegraph service for the Forestry section (one of several small services).

"Under the Navy Department, a radiotelegraph system of comnm- nication between both coasts, between the naval districts. on both coasts to ships at sea (including radio direction-finder stations), and to Hawaii, Alaska, Manila, Panama, Puerto Rico, Guam. and Samoa.

"Under the War Department, a cable and radio service to Alaskf a radio and wire telegraph network within the United States and Alaska, and a radiotelegraph service to its overseas units and trans- ports.

[1934 Com. Study at 3]

Eugene Sykes (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Anning Prall (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Anning Prall (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Frank McNinch (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

First publicly broadcast football game, U Penn [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

War of the Worlds broadcast [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Silicon Valley born in a garage by HP [Nerds]

National Federation of Telephone Workers formed.

AT&T demonstrates Picturephone [TCMHC]

First FM radio station [Alliance]

Frank McNinch (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; James Lawrence Fly (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

CBS demonstrates color TV [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

First remote job entry, George Stibitz demonstrated remote calculation via a teletype demonstrated between Dartmouth and Manhattan during meeting of the American Mathematical Society [Salus p 1]

United States enters World War II

FCC promulgates national TV ownership rules.

Western Union pioneers first intercity microwave system [WU]

First African American woman, Gloria Shepperson, is hired by Bell System

IBM built the Harvard Mark I, first large scale electronic calculator, in order to calculate gun-firing tables [Griffiths]

ENIAC created and used by US Army, at U Penn, to compute World War II ballistic firing tables

Alan Turing leads British effort to build Colossus at Bletchley Park, breaks German code created by ENIGMA [Griffiths]

FCC Mayflower Doctrine

James Lawrence Fly (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Ewell Jett (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Ewell Jett (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Paul Porter (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Supreme Court upholds media ownership rules, finding that mergers that narrow dissemination of information are unconstitutional [Alliance]

Vannevar Bush, As We May Think, Atlantic Monthly (July 1945)

Vannevar Bush, Science - The Endless Frontier Report to the President

"Formal dedication and dinner for ENIAC - The world's first operational electronic digital computer - developed by Army Ordinance to computer WWII ballistic firing tables." [CFP 2002 Calendar ]

NIST establishes an automated electronic computing project. [NIST Centennial]

AT&T introduces mobile telephone service. [AT&T]

Paul Porter (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Charles Denny (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Administrative Procedures Act enacted.

ENIAC patent filed

NIST builds computers for government agencies. [NIST Centennial]

ITU becomes part of UN [Media Timeline ketupa.net]

Transistor invented at Bell Labs [Hughes] [AT&T]

McCarthy Red-fear era begins

Communications Workers of America union formed.

FCC

• Charles Denny (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Paul Walker (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]
• Paul Walker (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Wayne Coy (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Cable television service begins [Cable]

BBN Founded [BBN]

NIST's Standards Eastern Automatic Computer (SEAC) goes online. "First operational, internally programmed digital computer in the United States. It served the government for more than 13 years, handling tasks such as Air Force planning, Social Security accounting, and checking of calculations for the design of the hydrogen bomb." [NIST Centennial]

National Science Foundation established.

USGovt sues IBM for antitrust [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Wayne Coy (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Paul Walker (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

IBM ships its first electronic computer, the 700 series [Griffiths] [IBM]

Paul Walker (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Rosel Hyde (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

First color television transmission of a US President, Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower [Hughes]

AT&T begins to develop T1 Digital Lines [Abbate p 16]

Consent Decree between DOJ and AT&T : Prohibits AT&T through its manufacturing subsidiary Western Electric from making non telecommunications related computing equipment (in other words, AT&T could not compete with IBM!) [Lehr]

DC Cir rules that you can attach a Hush-a-phone to an AT&T phone.

FCC rules that cable television is not common carriage and therefore the FCC lacks jurisdiction over Cable. Frontier Broadcasting Company v. Collier, 24 FCC 251 [Cable]

USSR launches Sputnik I (Oct 4) NIST modifies equipment so as to receive transmissions from Sputnik. [NIST Centennial]

Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) formed. [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1] [DARPA]

George McConnaughey (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; John Doerfer (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

NASA formed, transferring missile responsibility from ARPA to NASA (summer). [Griffiths] [Nerds]

UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space established [Hughes]

AT&T introduces first commercial modem. [AT&T]

Publication of Man-Computer Symbiosis by JCR Licklider [PBS Nerds2.0.1]

John Doerfer (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Frederick Ford (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

BBN leased Digital Equipment Corporations first PDP-1 computer with serial number 1 [BBN]

Radical group blew up 4 microwave towers in Utah, cutting off communications to Western USA, and demonstrating the vulnerability of the US communications network. [Shabot] [Salus p 1, 5] See Images of damage, at AT&T Long Lines. These was a driving force in DOD's concern about the survivability of the US Communications network, and hiring Paul Baran.

President Kennedy commits nation to landing a man on the moon. [NIST Centennial]

Industry

• IBM introduces time sharing and remote access computers [Griffiths]
• Commercial production of computer chip initiates [Griffiths]

Internet

• Publication of Leonard Kleinrock, Information Flow in Large Communications Nets, RLE Quarterly Progress Report (July) [PBS Nerds2.0.1] [ACM] [Roberts]

FCC

• FCC Chairman Newton Minow refers to TV as a "vast wasteland" [Alliance]
• Frederick Ford (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Newton Minow (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Legislation

• Wire Act passed.

Internet

• ARPA establishes Information Processing Techniques Office - IPTO; Licklider hired as director [TCMHC] [Roberts]
• Publication of Licklider, JCR, and Clark, W, On-line Man-Computer Communication [PBS Nerds2.0.1] [ACM] [Roberts]
• Publication of John Licklider, "Galactic Networks" [Griffiths] [TCMHC]
• Publication of Paul Baran, Rand, On Distributed Communications Networks [PBS Nerds2.0.1] [Salus p 1]

Industry

• BBN demonstrates computer time-sharing [BBN]
• AT&T Deploys T1 Digital Lines for first time [Abbate p 16]

FCC

• FCC withholds licenses of Pacifica stations KPFA, KPFB, and KPFK pending investigation into communist affiliations. [Pacifica] See First Amendment
• FCC regulates cable television pursuant to ancillary jurisdiction.

Other

• Cuban Missile Crisis (spread spectrum utilized by military)

Rebirth of Telephone Competition

• ARPA contracts with UCLA, MIT and BBN [TCMHC]
• BBN develops first voice modem, DataDail [BBN]
• MCI Founded
• FCC
  • National Communications Systems established in response to telephone network failures during Cuban Missile Crisis
  • Newton Minow (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; E William Henry (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Internet

• Paul Baran, Rand, On Distributed Communications Networks, IEEE Transactions on Systems [Roberts] [IP Baran]
• JCR Licklider and Larry Roberts meet (November) [Roberts]

Industry

• INTELSAT established [Hughes]
• IBM releases System 360 mainframe [TCMHC]
• SABRE air travel computer network goes online for air travel reservations
• Tymshare Founded [CHM]

Internet

• ARPA funds first wide-area network built by Larry Roberts and Thomas Marill [TCMHC]
• ARPA funded JOSS system goes online [TCMHC]

Industry

• Gordon Moore sets forth Moore's law [CW]
• DEC releases PDP-8 minicomputer [TCMHC] [IBM]
• "AT&T installs the world's first electronic telephone switch (special purpose computer) in a local telephone exchange, Succasunna, NJ." [AT&T]

Government

• "The Brooks Act of 1965 gave the National Bureau of Standards (NBS)—now the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)—responsibilities for developing automatic data processing standards and guidelines pertaining to federal computer systems." [2009 Review]

Larry Roberts joins ARPA IPTO, becoming chief scientist [TCMHC]

Merit (Michigan Educational Research Information Triad) established. [Merit History]

FCC

• FCC initiates Computer Inquiry I.
• E William Henry (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Rosel Hyde (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Internet

• ARPA creates ARPANET plans. [TCMHC]
• Larry Roberts, Multiple Computer Networks and Intercomputer Communication, Proceedings of the ACM Gatlinburg Conference (October) [ACM] [Roberts]

Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, establishing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Jef Raskin writes PhD thesis on GUI

Katz v US (4th Amendment applies to people, not places; therefore 4th Amendment applies to private telephone calls)

ARPANET

• ARPA RFP for construction of first four IMPs on ARPANet (August) [PBS Nerds2.0.1][Roberts]
• ARPA awards contract to BBN for development of ARPANET IMPs (December) [TCMHC][Roberts]

FCC releases Carterphone decision (CPE)

NationalBureau of Standards approved and released FIPS 1, Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) [ITL] "All computers procured by the federal government after mid-1969 had to be capable of using ASCII, which was originally developed by an industry standards committee chaired by a NIST staff member." [NIST Centennial]

Industry

• AT&T introduces 911 service [AT&T]
• Steve Jobs meets Steve Wozniak
• MCI established
• Intel established by Moore, Robert Noyce, and Andy Grove [CW] [Intel]
• DOJ Blocks ITT's acquisition of ABC Broadcasting. In 1970, DOJ blocks ITT's acquisition of Hartford Insurance as well. [ITT Corp History]

Era of Internet Invention

Industry

• Compuserv Founded
• Intel releases the 1101, first metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) static RAM chip and the 3101 Schotiky bipolar RAM chip [CW] [Intel]
• FCC approves MCI's 1963 application for operations.

ARPANET

• Steve Croker, RFC 0001: Host Software released (April 7) [TCMHC] [PBS Nerds2.0.1] [ACM]
• First IMP installed at UCLA (Len Kleinrock) (Sept 1) [Roberts] [BBN]
• Second IMP installed at SRI (Doug Engelbart); First communication over ARPANet between computers at UCLA and Stanford. (10:30 p.m.) (Oct 29) [Griffiths] [Living History] [Engelbart]
• Third IMP installed at UCSB (Nov 1)[Roberts]
• Fourth IMP installed at Uni Utah (Dec 1) [Roberts] [Griffiths]
• Network Working Group formed (RFC 10) [TCMHC]

NSF grants $400,000 to MERIT for "Development of a Prototype Network of Computer Services for Self-Instruction and Teaching" [Merit History]

FCC

• Rosel Hyde (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Dean Burch (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]
• FCC Approves MCI's application to offer service

National Bureau of Standards establishes Center for Computer Science and Technology [ITL]

General

• ARPANet adopts NCP [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• Network Working Group completes the Network Control Protocol (NCP), network protocol for ARPANet (implementation of NCP completed 1971-72) (December) [TCMHC] [ACM]
• Alohanet goes online [Nerds]
• Jon Postel, somewhere around this time, volunteers to manage the networks names and numbers, what will become the IANA function, conducted at ISI UCLA with DARPA funding

Industry

• AT&T develops UNIX [TCMHC] [AT&T]
• EEOC charges AT&T with discrimination.
• XEROX PARC opens [Parc]

Internet

• Telnet protocol released by NWG [TCMHC]
• 23 Host Computers on ARPANet [Griffiths] 15 Nodes on ARPANet [Nerds]
• First email sent on ARPANet by Ray Tomlinson "testing 1-2-3" sent to himself [Griffiths Email] [BBN]
• BBN establishes first Network Operations Center (NOC) [BBN]

First Amendment / Media

• June 13 NY Times publishes the Pentagon Papers [USC Annenberg]

Industry

• Intel releases first microprocessor, 4004; Intel issues IPO [CW] [Intel]
• ITT accused of interferring with Chilean elections and of bribing Republican officials so as to locate the Republican convention in San Diego. [ITT Corp History] [ITT Virt. History]

FCC

• FCC Computer I order

ARPANET

• Release of Jon Postel and Abhay Bhushan, RFC 354, FTP Protocol Specification [Roberts] [Nerds]
• Robert Kahn, Communications Principles for Operating Systems, Internal BBN Memo [ACM]
• ARPANet Publicly Demonstrated at International Conference on Computer Communications [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• Ray Tomlinson (BBN) writes email program for ARPANet, adopting use of @ sign [TCMHC] [ACM]
• AT&T declines ARPA's offer to take over the ARPANet.
• Internetworking Working Group organized [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]

Industry

• Steve Jobs gets a job at Atari
• AT&T developers C [TCMHC]
• HBO Starts in New York City . See Cable
• MCI initiates service, publicly traded.

Internet

• BBN Encrypts first message over ARPANet [BBN]
• Bob Kahn joins DARPA [TCMHC]
• Release of RFC 454: FTP [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• DARPA contracts with Stanford, BBN, and University College of London for work on TCP [TCMHC]
• Kahn and Cerf present paper on TCP at International Network Working Group meeting [TCMHC]
• Larry Roberts leaves DARPA, Joins Telenet, first commercial packet switched network; Telenet files application with FCC seeking permission under Title II to operate a communications network
• Licklider returns to ARPA IPTO as director

Xerox Parc invents distributed computing. Alto personal computer becomes operational. Ethernet invented. [Parc]

Bob Metcalfe competes PhD thesis on Ethernet [PBS Nerds2.0.1]

FCC authorizes MCI to offer foreign exchange service.

Internet

• Licklider returns to DARPA [TCMHC]
• Publication of Kahn and Cerf, A Protocol for Packet Network Interconnection, IEEE Transactions on Communications Technology (May) [TCMHC] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• 62 hosts on ARPANet [Nerds p 376]

Industry

• Telenet opened by Larry Roberts [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1] [BBN] FCC approves of Telenet's application to become a common carrier
• Western Union launches Western I, first domestic communications satellite [WU]
• MCI and DOJ bring antitrust suits against AT&T
• Intel releases 8080 microprocessor [Intel]
• MCI launches Execunet. In 1975 FCC will order MCI to cease Execunet operations. FCC's order will be overturned in 1978.

Dean Burch (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Dick Wiley (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Internet

• Administration of ARPANet transferred from DARPA to Defense Communications Agency (aka DISA) [TCMHC] [Nerds p 376]

Industry

• Microsoft founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Gates and Allen develop Altair Basic. [CW]
• HBO begins service [Cable]
• Sprint launches first public data network [Sprint]
• Xerox Parc demonstrates GUI [Parc]

FCC

• George Carlin's Seven Dirty Words routine on Pacifica Radio ("Seven Dirty Words" is currently the name of the Federal Communication Bar Association's ultimate frisbee team) [Pacifica]
• FCC adopts Part 68 rules, permitting CPE attachments to the telephone network.

Internet

• Vint Cerf joins ARPA (July) [Nerds p 376]
• DARPA supports work at UC Berkeley to incorporate TCP/IP into UNIX [TCMHC]
• Queen Elizabeth sends an email.

FCC

• Computer II Notice of Inquiry

Industry

• HP turns down Wozniak's proposal for the Apple I computer
• Commodore turns down Wozniak's proposal for the Apple II computer
• Wozniak and Jobs begin to produce Apple computers out of a garage. [IBM]
• Tymnet established as a subsidiary of Tymshare. Offers FCC Tarriffed computer network services. [CHM]

Legislation

• Copyright Act of 1976

Internet

• "First TCP Operation over ARPANet" (October) [Roberts]
• 111 Hosts on ARPAnet [Nerds p 377]
• Tymnet launched [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• BBN develops first Internet routers [BBN]
• USENET established [IBM]

Industry

• Apple introduces APPLE II [TCMHC]
• Apple founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak (Jan 3)
• Tandy introduces TRS-80 [TCMHC]
• AT&T installs first fiber optic cable in commercial communications [AT&T]

Dick Wiley (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Charles Ferris (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

National Bureau of Standards approves FIPS 46, Data Encryption Standard (DES) [ITL]

Internet

• Potentially the first SPAM on the Net, a commercial announcement by DEC promoting the DECSYSTEM 2020 (May 1) [Reaction to the DEC Spam of 1978]
• Vint Cerf, Jon Postel, Danny Cohen, TCP split into TCP/IP (March) [Roberts]

Industry

• Last manual, non dial, telephone retired [AT&T]
• Intel releases 8086 microprocessor [CW] [Intel]

Internet

• Compuserv offers email and tech support for PC users
• USENET established [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• USPS attempts to outlaw private email service, retaining message delivery business for itself; this effort is thwarted by the FCC and the US Postal Commission.

FCC

• FCC Grants GTE's application to acquire Telenet
• FCC asserts jurisdiction over USPS E-COM electronic mail service, and concludes that email is common carriage.
• FCC Chair Ferris recruits S. J. Lukasik to be FCC Chief Scientist in the Office of Science & Technology (currently the Office of Engineering and Technology); Lukasik was Chief of ARPA from 1971 to 1973. Lukasik meets Michael Marcus at a meeting in Chicago; they had met previously when Marcus administered ARPA R&D projects in nuclear test detection. Lukasik offers Marcus job at FCC. [M Marcus 2008] [Lukasik 1982]

National Bureau of Standards approves FIPS 60, I/O Channel Interface [ITL]

Internet

• TCP/IP "adopted as a defense standard in 1980, enabling the defense community to begin sharing the DARPA Internet technology base" [ACM]

Industry

• Apple goes public
• IBM chooses DOS for use in its PCs [TCMHC]

FCC

• FCC Computer II Decision

1981

Fowler

Internet

• DARPA Internet Working Group releases RFC 801 setting forth plan to migrate network to TCP/IP [TCMHC]
• 213 nodes on ARPAnet [Nerds p 377]
• NSF grant goes to establish CSNET (Computer Science Network) - uses TCP/IP in CSNET [PBS Nerds2.0.1] CSNet established by City University NSF starts CSNET New York [Griffiths]
• BITNET established [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• David Clark, Jerome Saltzer, and David Reed, End-to-end architecture
• IETF RFC 799, Internet Name Domains

Industry

• IBM selects Intel 8088 microprocessor chip for its PC [CW] [Intel]
• Osborne releases portable computer [TCMHC]

Judiciary

• Federal appeals court rules that it is illegal to sell the betamax VCR. [Home Recording Rights Coalition]

FCC

• Charles Ferris (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Robert E Lee (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]
• Robert E Lee (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Mark Fowler (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

FCC

• Judge Green approves of the Modified Final Judgment providing for divestiture of AT&T
• Stephen Lukasik departs from the position of FCC Chief Scientist (had been Chief of ARPA from 1971 to 1975).

Internet

• TCP/IP adopted as protocol suite for ARPANET [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• Release of RFC 819, defining initial top level domain ARPA [Donelan]

Industry

• USPS Introduces E-COM (messages originate electronically, are printed off at a post office, and delivered in hard copy form; this service would only last 3 years and reportedly lost significant money for USPS)
• IBM introduces IBM PC
• Time names computer as "Man of the Year"
• Intel releases 286 processor [Intel]

Internet

• ARPANet migrates from NCP to TCP/IP (Jan 1) [TCMHC] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• 562 hosts on ARPAnet [Nerds p 378]
• ARPANet split into ARPANet and Milnet [Roberts]

General

• Bill Gates announces windows, which will not be released for another 4 years.

DNS

• DNS "designed by Jon Postel, Paul Mockapetris, and Craig Patridge" November [Roberts] [Nerds p 378]
• DNS name server developed [PBS Nerds2.0.1]

Industry

• LLDS established
• BBN Communications launched [BBN]

FCC

• MTS and WATS Market Structure Order
• FCC authorizes cellular mobile telephone service
  

FCC

• Consent Decree with AT&T goes into effect. AT&T is broken up into AT&T long distance and the Bell Operating Companies. (Jan 1)

Internet

• DNS introduced. [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1] Release of RFC 920,Domain Requirements (adds GOV, EDU, COM, MIL and ORG) (October) [Donelan]
• AS1 assigned to BBN. There are 35 AS Numbers Assigned.[AS1] AS1 will be acquired by Level 3 in 2004.
• NSF Launches its Supercomputing program
• 1000 hosts on Internet 562 hosts on ARPAnet [Nerds p 378]
• William Gibson in his book Neuromancer reportedly coins the term "cyberspace" [TCMHC]

Legislation

• Cable Act of 1984

Industry

• Prodigy Founded
• Richard Stallman founds GNU Project [IBM]
• Apple announces macintosh (Jan 24) [TCMHC]
• IBM develops the 80286-based PC-AT running MS-DOS establishing the IBM PC standard [CW]
• MCI installed Single Mode Fiber Optic Cable between NYC and WDC

Government

• "In 1984, Executive Order 12472 re-chartered the National Communication System (NCS) as those telecommunication assets owned or leased by the Federal government that can meet U.S. national security and emergency preparedness needs. The Department of Homeland Security inherited the NCS in 2003." [2009 Review]

Internet

• "Symbolics.com registered" (Mar. 15) [Donelan] BBN.COM is second commercial domain name registered [BBN]
• "Berkeley releases BIND" (Apr 1) [Donelan]
• NSFNET Established, using TCP/IP, AUP prohibited network use for purposes "not in support of research and education." Funded at $200 m 1986-95 [Griffiths] [ACM]
• "DARPA/DCA implements RFC 920, 921 (U.S.C. §-ISI/SR-NIC)" [Donelan]
• The WELL goes online at The Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link [The Well]
• October Richard Stallman establishes the Free Software Foundation [Free Software Foundation] [See Open]

Industry

• Quantum Computer Services (AOL) incorporated, hires Steve Case [Vanity Fair]
• GE reacquires NBC
• MS releases Windows 1.0
• Level3 Founded as Kiewit Diversified Group Inc. (KDG), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Peter Kiewit Sons', Inc. (PKS). [Level3 History]

FCC

• Computer Inquiry III Inquiry Released
• FCC Releases Spread Spectrum Order, approving unlicensed Part 15 usage

Internet

• Cleveland Freenet established (first freenet) (Jul 16) [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• IETF first meeting [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• Network News Transfer Protocol introduced [IBM]
• First 'netiquette' guide created [Griffiths Email]
• NSFNET established [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• 5000 hosts on Internet 562 hosts on ARPAnet [Nerds p 379]
• NSF signs cooperative agreement with Merit.net for operation of NSFNET [TCMHC]
• Al Gore introduces National Science Foundation Authorization Act, supporting computer network research [Wiggins]
• Clifford Stoll of Berkeley, detecting a 75 cent accounting error, uncovers the allegedly Russian sponsored hacker "Hunter" who had been using the Berkeley systems to attack sensitive US information over the network. The investigation of the hacker led to the publication of "The Cuckoo's Egg: Tracking a Spy Through The Maze of Computer Espionage (1989)
• First Interop conference (for vendors implementing TCP/IP) [Roberts]

Industry

• United Telecom becomes Sprint.
• Sprint starts long distance service, with its "pin-drop" commercials [Sprint]

Other

• Brain PC Virus detected (considered the first virus)

Law

• ECPA signed into law (Oct 21)

FCC

• FCC releases Computer III Order

Internet

• NSF enters into a cooperative agreement with Merit Network, Inc for the operation of NSFNET [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• UUNET founded by Rick Adams and Mike O'Dell [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• IBM VM Christmas Card Trojan Worm released [CIAC]

Industry

• DSL introduced
• Sprint completes its 100% digital fiber network [Sprint]
• UUNet Founded
• Microsoft releases Windows 2.0 [IBM]
• Intermedia Communications founded [Intermedia.com Archive.org]

FCC

• Mark Fowler (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Dennis Patrick (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

National Bureau of Standards approves FIPS 127, Database Language SQL [ITL]

Computer Security Act (PL 100-235) formally assigned to National Bureau Standards responsibility for computer security for unclassified federal systems.

Cybersecurity

• Morris Worm released (Nov 2) [PBS Nerds2.0.1] CERT established by DARPA in response to Morris worm [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• 2400 Baud Modem Virus Hoax released

Industry

• First Interop conference (for vendors implementing TCP/IP) (1988)[TCMHC] [ACM]
• Qwest founded as SP Construction. Lays fiber along all of its railroad ownings.
• MFS Communications founded [Funding Universe]

Government

• US Government releases procurement requirement that OSI must be supported in IT [TCMHC]
• National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (PL 100-418) renamed the National Bureau of Standards to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Legislation

• Al Gore introduces National High-Performance Computer Technology Act of 1988 [Wiggins]

Internet

• CSNET and BITNET merged to become Corporation for Research and Educational Networking (CREN) [Living Internet]
• Publication of Kahn, Towards a National Research Network [Wiggins]
• IANA funded by DOD DARPA
• Southern Pacific Telecom established to lay fiber along railroad lines. SP Telecom will become Qwest. Acquired by CenturyLink in 2011. [CenturyTel Timeline]

1989

Sikes

Legislation

• The Berne Convention Implementation Act

Industry

• "AOL Service Launched for Macintosh and Apple II"
• "Steve Case wins contest to rename the Quantum online service & America Online is born. The AOL service is launched including e-mail, games, special interest forums, plus a ground breaking feature allowing AOL members to communicate in one-on-one, real time [AOL]
• PSINet founded

Internet

• NSF, ARPA fund Gigabit Testbed by Kahn and Cerf at CNRI [TCMHC]
• "Internet opened to commercial mail through MCI mail" [Roberts]
• World Wide Web developed by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN [Griffiths] [W3C]
• First commercial dial up ISP: World world.std.com [PBS Nerds2.0.1] [TheWorld]

FCC

• Dennis Patrick (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Alfred Sikes (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Internet

• ARPANet Terminated [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• Archie, first search engine, developed at McGill University [Griffiths]

FCC

• FCC Computer III Order vacated and remanded ; FCC Computer III Remand Order

Industry

• CISCO IPO
• UUNet launches Alternet

Era of Commercial Internet Disruption and Competition

Internet

• Tim Berners-Lee WWW files made available on The Net via FTP (August) [W3C]
• NSF assumes control of civilian Internet
• NSF permits private and commercial access to NSFNET backbone [TCMHC]
• NSF permits private / commercial+E24 access to NSFNET backbone [Griffiths]
• Phil Zimmerman releases PGP [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• Mark McCahill releases Gopher [Wiggins]
• Trojan Room Coffee Pot goes online (first webcam)
• Linus Torvalds posts Linux kernel to the Internet [Wired]

Industry

• AOL releases DOS Version of AOL
• Commercial Internet eXchange founded

FCC

• BOCs permitted to fully enter the enhanced services market.

Legislation

• "Gore Act" passed US High Performance Computing Act creating National Research and Education Network [TCMHC]

Internet

• 50 websites world wide [Griffiths]
• ISOC Formed
• Mark Andreesen develops MOSAIC at University of Illinois

Industry

• Microsoft releases Windows 3.1 [IBM]
• ITT sells off telecom assets, departs telecom market. [ITT Corp History] [ITT Virt. History]

Legislation

• Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act
• The Audio Home Recording Act

1993

Legislation

• US National Information Infrastructure Act [PBS Nerds2.0.1]

Industry

• SouthWestern Bell becomes SBC.
• FleetNet becomes Nextel.
• Intel introduces the Pentium processor [CW] [Intel]
• MFS builds first nationwide ATM network. [Funding Universe]

Internet

• CERN declares that WWW technology will be freely available [W3C] 150 websites world wide [Griffiths]
• Marc Andreesen's Mosaic Browser released, alpha version while at at National Center for SuperComputing Applications, Illinois [W3C]
• White House and UN go online [Nerds p 380]
• NSF creates InterNIC. AT&T awarded contract for directory and database services, Network Solutions Inc awarded contract for DNS registration, General Atomics/CERFNet awarded contract for information services [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• IETF sets to work on IPv6

FCC

• Alfred Sikes (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; James Quello (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]
• James Quello (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Reed Hundt (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Internet

• W3C Founded [W3C]
• "Sprint employee registers the domain name MCI.NET (first namejacking?)" [Donelan]
• 3000 websites world wide [Griffiths]
• "Good Times Virus" Hoax released [CIAC]
• Paul Vixie founds ISC
• Pizza Hut begins to accept pizza orders online. [Business Wire June 5, 2007]
• Compuserv advertises its service as "the one computer information service you wont outgrow" which includes "our electronic mail service of up to 60 messages a month." Compuserv in 1994: You'll Never Outgrow 60 Emails Per Month, Consumerist Sept 5, 2014

FCC

• FCC Computer III Vacated

Legislation

• CALEA signed into law
• "In 1994, through the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, the Department of State was delegated authority over foreign policy related to international communication and information policy." [2009 Review]

Industry

• Mosaic founded by Marc Andreesen and Jim Clarke (becomes Netscape) [W3C] Netscape 1.0 released
  • Netscape Browser incorporates cookies.
• "AOL links to Internet for first time" [AOL]
• Yahoo! (known as Jerry and David's Guide to the WWW) is created [Yahoo!]
• BBN Planet (ISP) formed [BBN]
• Amazon incorporated (opens doors for business next year) [Amazon 2009]

Legislation

• Senator Exon introduces the Communications Decency Act (Feb 1)
• The Digital Performance Right in Sound Record Act of 1995
• Copyright Act of 1995

Internet

• NSF contract with NSI amended, permits NSI to charge for DNS registration [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• 25,000 websites world wide [Griffiths]
• April: NSF establishes very high speed Backbone Network Service vBNS [PBS Nerds2.0.1] "NSFNET Reverts back to a research network" [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• Listserv funded [Griffiths Email]
• MS releases Windows 95 with Internet Explorer
• Internet Gambling starts.

Industry

• Prodigy Founded [Griffiths Email]
• Netscape IPO released [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• UUNet IPO [Funding Universe UUNet]
• VocalTec introduces Internet telephony software
• LLDS becomes WCOM.
• Yahoo! incorporated [Yahoo!]
• Bill Gates gives speech to Microsoft on Dec. 7, detailing Microsoft's new aggressive Internet strategy, including an attack on Netscape with the development of Internet Explorer
• Craigslist launches [Craigslist]
• Amazon opens doors for business [Amazon 2009]
• Southern Pacific Telecom renamed as Qwest. [CenturyTel Timeline]
• Time Warner launches Road Runner High Speed Online
• @Home founded

Govt

• NIST removes GOSIP procurement requirement.
• June: FCC Launches its website. 1997 Archive version.

Internet

• Internet2 formed
• Xanga, the first blog service, launched

Legislation

• Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Feb. 8) (includes Communications Decency Act)
• Child Pornography Prevention Act
• E-FOIA Act

DNS

• IAHC formed, releases proposed plan to establish 7 new top level domain names [PBS Nerds2.0.1]

Industry

• "AOL publicly traded on NYSE for first time" [AOL]
• Time Warner initiates Road Runner service. (a)Home initiated in San Francisco [Cable]
• AT&T divests Lucent.
• SBC acquires PacTel.
• MFS acquires UUNet for $2B in stock. [Funding Universe UUNet]
• WCOM acquires MFS for $12B in stock [Funding Universe UUNet]
• Yahoo! IPO [Yahoo!]
• Palm Pilot goes on the market [Pew]
• Larry Page and Sergey Brin launch BackRun, precursor to Google [Google Milestones]
• @Home offers service
• XO Established

FCC

• ACTA files petition at FCC requesting that Internet telephony be regulated under title II (the FCC never closed this proceeding). Voice on the Network Coalition formed in response.

1997

Judicial

• US Supreme Court unanimously strikes down Communications Decency Act as unconstitutional abridgement of free speech (Jun. 26)

DNS

• "Kashpureff corrupts DNS caches redirecting www.internic.net traffic." [Donelan]
• ARIN established [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• NTIA Releases DNS RFC
• IAHC gTLD-MOU released and signed

Intellectual Property

• WIPO Copyright Treaty

Industry

• WCOM acquires MFS.
• WCOM / MCI Merger
• UUNET Depeers Smaller Networks
• Yahoo! Mail launches [Yahoo!]
• GTE Acquires BBN [BBN]
• Larry Page and Sergey Brin develop new search engine and call it Google [Google]
• Qwest goes public. [CenturyTel Timeline]

FCC

• Reed Hundt (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; William Kennard (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]
• FCC UNII Order (designating spectrum in 5 GHz range which will be used by WiFi)
• OSP Working Paper 30: Digital Tornado: The Internet and Telecommunications Policy

DNS

• Jon Postel redirects Root away from NetSol and to IANA. White House calls and tells him to stop. [Donelan] [Wikipedia]
• NTIA Releases Green Paper proposal on DNS
• NTIA releases White Paper.
• ICANN Formed, MOU signed with DOC.
• Jon Postel passes away.
• Intellectual Infrastructure Fund, collected by NSI, declared to be an unconstitutional tax.

Legislation

• Children's Online Protection Act passed as part of omnibus budget bill
• Children Online Privacy Protection Act passed
• DMCA signed into law

FCC

• FCC Steven's Report to Congress on VoIP.
• FCC creates ERate program.
• Initial Sec. 706 Petitions
• OSP Working Paper 30: Internet Over Cable: Defining the Future In Terms of the Past

Internet

• "The Internet2 Abilene Network is announced at the White House with Vice President Al Gore, Vint Cerf, and others. The network is made possible through a partnership with Qwest Communications, Cisco Systems, and Nortel Networks." [Internet2 Timeline]
• IPv6 Standard completed.

Industry

• SBC acquires SNET.
• Bell Atlantic acquires NYNEX.
• MCI acquires WCOM for $40B. [Funding Universe UUNet]
• WCOM acquires Compuserv
• Blogger.com launched
• Google opens its (garage) doors [Google]
• Kiewit Diversified Group Inc. changed name to Level3 Communications, Inc. [Level3 History]
• WebMD launches [Holson]
• Akamai founded, establishing CDN service

Judicial

• COPA declared unconstitutional by district court

History

• CNN interview between Wolf Blitzer and Al Gore in which Gore stated "I took the initiative in creating the Internet." Gore was referring to his support of legislation to fund national information infrastructures such as NSFNET. This quote quickly became [Wiggins]
• Larry Lessig's, CODE

Legislation

• Anti Cybersquatter Protection Act passed.

DNS

• ISI UCLA transfers IANA to ICANN
• IANA officially announced IPv6 allocations July 14

Cybercrime

• David Smith enters guilty plea for disseminating the Melissa virus.

Intellectual Property

• DeCSSS program created.
• Netscape releases source code and declares it open
• Napster Created [Pew]

Industry

• AOL acquired Netscape [AOL]
• AT&T / TCI Merger (FCC rejects Open Access Arguments)
• DOCSIS 1.0 Issued by Cablelabs
• Google removes "Beta" from its website [Google]
• Cogent starts operations [Cogent]
• PSINet buys naming rights to the Baltimore Ravens football stadium
• Qwest acquires US West
• Victoria Secrets webcast causes internet to crash. See CDN.
• Excite@Home Merger

VoIP

• Packetcable VoIP service initiated in Union, NJ. Charter initiates VoIP service in Fitchburg, WI [Cable]

FCC

• First Sec. 706 Report
• FCC concludes that ISP-bound telephone traffic does not fit under Reciprocal Compensation regime
• OSP Working Paper 31: The FCC and the Unregulation of the Internet

Literature

• Lawrence Lessig, CODE and Other Laws of Cyberspace (Basic Books 1999). Code is Law.

Judicial

• Universal City Studios, Inc. V. Reimerdes, 11 FSupp2d 294 (2000)

Internet

• First Internet election, Arizona democratic primary (Mar 1)
• COPA Commission released its final report (Oct 20)
• ITU adopted Recommendation D.50 (ICAIS); USG took a reservation

DNS

• "Internet2 backbone network deploys IPv6" (May 16)

Industry

• Verizon acquires GTE (and BBN) and spins off Genuity. [BBN]
• Qwest acquires USWest and becomes a BOC.
• WCOM/ Sprint merger rejected by DOJ and EU
• Data traffic exceeds voice traffic on AT&T network for first time [AT&T]
• USG Descrambles GPS; Geocaching.com established [Groundspeak]
• Sprint MCI merger blocked
• Salon Magazine launches online [Markoff]

FCC

• FCC concludes that "broadband" is 200 kbps.
• FCC Initiates Cable Open Access proceeding
• FCC Releases Second Sec. 706 Report.
• FCC Rejects Internet Ventures Petition
• OSP Working Paper 32: The Digital Handshake: Connecting Internet Backbones
• OSP Working Paper 33: Bill and Keep at the Central Office As the Efficient Interconnection Regime
• OSP Working Paper 34: A Competitively Neutral Approach to Network Interconnection

2001

Dot-Com Bubble bursts

9/11 creates a flash demand event on the Internet. The Internet suffers major damage in the New York region.

Industry

• AOLTW Merger Completed [AOL]
• Apple Introduces iPod and iTunes
• AT&T divests AT&T Wireless
• AT&T / MediaOne Merger
• DOCSIS 2.0 Released by Cablelabs
• Google acquires Deja.com (USENET archive) [Google]
• PSINet declares bankruptcy
• Wikipedia Goes Online
• Cogent acquires Netrail. [Funding Universe]
• Sprint/MCI merger falls through.
• WCOM acquires Intermedia Communications / Digex on condition that it sells off Intermedia Backbone
• Limelight initiates CDN service
• Excite@Home Bankruptcy. Network sold to AT&T.

Cybersecurity

• Sept 11 Attack on WTC
• Patriot Act passed

Legislation

• Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act passed.

USG

• Bush Administration takes digitaldivide.gov offline

FCC

• NPRM Intercarrier Compensation
• NPRM Triennial Review
• William Kennard (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Michael Powell (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Era of Commercial Internet Consolidation

Judicial

• Supreme Court strikes down the Child Pornography Prevention Act, making illegal virtual kiddie porn, as unconstitutional
• US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled that the Children's Internet Protection Act, as it applies to libraries, is facially unconstitutional as a violation of the First Amendment.
• GulfPower v FCC, (S.Ct.) (ruling FCC can set pole attachment rates for Internet over Cable)

Industry

• SBC Acquires Ameritech.
• Level3 Acquires Genuity.
• Vonage initiates service
• Google News launches [Google]
• PSINet acquired by Cogent
• BBN builds first network protected by quantum cryptography [BBN]
• WCOM divests of Intermedia Backbone, selling it to Allegiance Telecom.

FCC

• Third Sec. 706 Report
• FCC concludes that Internet over Cable is an information service.
• Internet over DSL proceeding released
• OSP Working Paper 35: Horizontal Concentration in the Cable Television Industry: An Experimental Analysis
• OSP Working Paper 36: The Potential Relevance to the United States of the European Union's Newly Adopted Regulatory Framework for Telecommunications
• OSP Working Paper 37: Broadcast Television: Survivor in a Sea of Competition
• OSP Working Paper 38: A Proposal for a Rapid Transition to Market Allocation of Spectrum

Judicial

• FCC Internet over Cable Order Reversed in 9th Cir.

FCC

• FCC releases its Triennial Review Order.
• OSP Working Paper 39: Unlicensed and Unshackled: A Joint OSP-OET White Paper On Unlicensed Devices and Their Regulatory Issues
• OSP Working Paper 40: Dynamic Pricing and Investment from Static Proxy Models

Legislation

• CAN SPAM Act signed into law

DNS

• World Summit on the Information Society

Industry

• Blogger.com acquired by Google; Google introduces AdSense [Google]
• Intel releases Centrino processor with wireless capability built in [Intel]
• February Level3 acquired Genuity [Level3 History]

Cybersecurity

• DOD acknowledges its Total Information Awareness spying plan.

Industry

• SBC acquires AT&T Wireless
• WCOM renames itself MCI
• Google launches GMail [Google]
• Verizon divests BBN, which becomes an independent company again. [BBN]
• Allegiance Telecom, in bankruptcy, is sold to XO

Judicial

• United States Telecom Ass’n v. FCC (USTA II) Triennial Review

FCC

• Chairman Powell announces Four Freedoms (Network Neutrality).
• IP Enabled Services NPRM.
• Pulver Free World Dialup ruled not a telecom service
• FCC preempts MN Decision that Vonage is a Telecom Service
• FCC concludes that Internet over Powerlines is an information service.
• Fourth Sec. 706 Report.
• Fiber to the Home Order
• Sec. 251 Interim Order and NPRM and Order on Remand

2005

DNS

• WGIG releases its report on Internet governance.

FCC

• Internet over DSL order, declaring it an information service.
• Broadband Principals (network neutrality).
• Madison River enters into a consent decree to stop blocking Vonage service.
• Michael Powell Resigns as FCC Chairman; Kevin Martin is named as FCC Chairman
• FNPRM Unified Intercarrier Compensation Regime
• FCC Releases SBC / AT&T Merger Order Nov. 17.

Industry

• Nextel / Sprint Merger.
• Verizon / MCI Merger.
• SBC acquires AT&T; renames itself AT&T
• MCI drops the brand name UUNet
• Yahoo and MS announce interoperable IM [Yahoo!]
• YouTube founded by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen , and Jawed Karim, former employees of Paypal. Youtube is launched in December.
• Level3 acquired WilTel [Level3 History]
• BT acquires Infonet. [The Register]

Judicial

• In FCC v. Brandx, the Supreme Court affirms that the FCC can categorize Internet over cable as an information service.
• Texas Attorney General files suit against Vonage re 911 service

General

• Hurricane Katrina knocks huge portions of the communications networks offline.

FCC

• FCC imposes CALEA, Universal Service and 911 obligations on VoIP.

Industry

• Western Union sends its last telegram
• Broadwing acquired by Level3
• AT&T / Bell South Merger
• Google launches free WiFi net in Mountain View, CA [Google]
• Google acquires YouTube in a stock-for-stock transaction valued at $1.65 billion [Google]
• Twitter is born. First Tweet: "Inviting Coworkers" [Guardian]

Cybercrime

• US Sen ate ratifies International Cybercrime Treaty.

Legislation

• Patriot Act renewed

Industry

FCC

• CPNI Order imposes privacy obligations on VoIP.
• Broadband Practices (Network Neutrality) Inquiry.
• Fifth Sec. 706 Inquiry.
• Internet over Wireless is an Information Service.
• Rural Telemedicine Universal Service Pilot initiated

Industry

• Level3 acquired Broadwing, the Content Delivery Network (CDN) services business of SAVVIS, Inc. and Servecast. [Level3 History]
• Netflix launches streaming video service
• Apple introduces the iPhone. [YouTube video of introduction]
  • "It’s OK—we’ll be fine," Mr. Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of RIm on the release of the iPhone, Forbes
  • "There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share" Jim Ballmer, USA Today April 2007

FCC

• FCC Initiates Investigation of Comcast Blocking BitTorrent
• 700 MHz Auction

Industry

• Amazon CDN service launched

2009

FCC

• Kevin Martin Resigns as FCC Chairman; Michael Copps is named as Acting FCC Chairman (in the first all hands meeting, as he walked to the podium but before he had said a word, Acting Chairman Copps received a standing ovation from the FCC staff)
• Julius Genachowski is named as FCC Chairman

USG

• GSA releases FAR requiring IPv6 compliant products be included in all new IT acquisitions using Internet Protocol

Industry

• CenturyLink acquires Embarq, changes its name from CenturyTel to CenturyLink [CenturyTel Timeline]
• Time Warner spins off AOL, undoing the 2001 merger. [TW]
  

FCC

• March 16: FCC Issues Broadband Plan
• December 23: FCC Votes on Network Neutrality Proceeding

• More People get their news online than from traditional print newspapers

FCC

• Jan 18 FCC Approves NBC/Comcast Merger
• DOJ and FCC block AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile
• Releases Intercarrier Compensation / Universal Service Reform order
• FCC Network Neutrality rules go into effect

Internet

• Feb. 3: IANA/ICANN hands out last IPv4 block
• Sept: Internet Governance Forum Nairobi
• Steve Jobs, co founder of Apple Computer, dies.
• Stuxnet Worm attacks Iranian nuclear site

Industry

• Level3 acquired Global Crossing [Level3 History]
• Centurylink acquired Qwest.
• Comcast / NBCUniversal Merger

• June 30: France terminates Minitel

2013

FCC

• Ch. Genachowski resigns
• Mignon Clyburn named acting Chair
• Thomas Wheeler named FCC Chair

FCC

• Jan 14. DC. Cir. Court overturns Ch. Genachowski's Open Internet rules.
• FCC Releases PSTN Transition item.

FCC

• Feb. 26: Open Internet Rules released

Industry

• Verizon acquires AOL Fortune June 24, 2015
• Comcast attempt to acquire TWC is blocked
• AT&T acquires DirecTV
• Charter announces intent to acquire TWC
• Netflix agrees to pay paid peering to Comcast and other large BIAS providers

FCC

• FCC issues Set Top Box rules

Election of 2017 and Social Media

Industry

• Verizon announces intent to acquire XO
• Altice / Cablevision merger
• Charter / TWC merger

2017

2018

FCC

• Restoring Internet Freedom