Net neutrality restored as FCC votes to regulate internet providers
The Federal Trade Commission has voted to restore rules to prevent broadband internet providers such as Comcast and AT&T from favoring some sites and apps over others โ for instance, by slowing or blocking certain content or by offering higher speeds to customers willing to pay extra.
Widespread internet outages hit northeast U.S.
Users across the northeast U.S. reported widespread internet outages Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)Internet users across the northeast U.S. experienced widespread outages for several hours Tuesday, interrupting work and school because of an unspecified Verizon network issue. โAn internet issue impacting the quality of our Fios service throughout the Northeast has been resolved," said spokesman Rich Young in an emailed statement Tuesday afternoon. People posting on Twitter reported having issues connecting with various online services in the region stretching from Washington, D.C., to Boston. Comcast, another major internet service provider, said it had not observed problems with its network Tuesday.
Universal theme park revenue down 80% as pandemic continues
ORLANDO, Fla. โ In a quarterly earnings call, the CEO of Comcast called Universalโs theme parks the โsingle biggest dragโ of the quarter. โWhile it will take some time for the parks to return to historical levels, weโve made substantial progress,โ CEO Brian Roberts said. โUniversal Orlando and Osaka are operating at limited but growing attendance. I am very excited for next yearโs launch of our frankly incredible new theme park in Beijing.โComcast reported that Universalโs theme parks brought in $311 million during the third quarter, which runs from July through September. Dr. Duncan Dickson, a retired professor at UCFโs Rosen College of Hospitality Management, sees the upcoming hurdles for Universal Orlando.
Florida man accused of changing governorโs voter registration address
NAPLES, Fla. โ A Florida man is accused of altering voter registration records for Gov. Ron DeSantis to change his address, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Agents said the governor tried to vote at his assigned polling location Monday afternoon but was told that his registration address had been changed to Pretty Lane in West Palm Beach. Officials said they also believe Guevara accessed voter registration records for Sen. Rick Scott, Michael Jordan and LeBron James but made no changes to those records. Guevara is facing charges of unauthorized access of a computer and altering a voter registration without consent.
Universal theme parks hit limited capacity as two haunted houses open
ORLANDO, Fla. โ According to Universal Orlandoโs social media accounts, all three parks hit limited capacity Saturday, as the theme park giant unveiled its Halloween season experience testing for the weekend. [TRENDING: Universal parks hit capacity Saturday | Letter containing ricin addressed to White House seized by authorities | FSU head coach Mike Norvell tests positive for coronavirus]Heavy traffic at Orlando Universal. This comes just days after Universal Orlando resort revealed its plans to extend furloughs for more than 5,000 workers. โ Universal Orlando Resort (@UniversalORL) September 19, 2020This is not the first time the parks hit limited capacity during the pandemic. News 6 reported that both Disney and Universal hit limited capacity during Labor Day weekend.
NBC's video service Peacock stresses 'free,' looks to 2021
So now Peacock, which launches Wednesday, is hoping that blaring free in an ad campaign for the service will entice viewers wary of adding yet another video subscription to their stack, even in todays stay-at-home world. It has a free tier and a $5-a-month paid tier with more video. Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, HBO Max and short-video service Quibi have all launched over the past year. As a Comcast internet customer, she could get Peacock for free, so she did. HBO Max did not reply to a question about its subscriber count since launch.
Comcast, Byron Allen end racial discrimination dispute
Comcast settled a long-running a long-running racial discrimination dispute with black media mogul Byron Allen, agreeing to add three of Allen's channels to its cable packages. Allen sued Comcast for $20 billion in 2015 for refusing to carry seven of his networks, saying it was because of his race. The case made it to the Supreme Court, which in Marc h reversed a lower court ruling in favor of Allen. The Supreme Court said Allen had to show race was the decisive factor in Comcast's decision not to offer him a contract, not one of several factors. Comcast said it would put the full weight of our companys media resources behind highlighting Black voices and Black stories.
Universal Orlando to check temperatures of all employees to prevent spread of COVID-19
Effective Friday, the resort will take temperatures of all employees, contractors, vendors and other business visitors before they enter the property, according to a letter sent to employees by Bill Davis, president and COO of Universal Orlando Resort. Employees were directed to the companyโs COVID-19 and Resort Closure Team Member information page for further instruction. โRegardless of your temperature, if you are not feeling well or have any symptoms, including mild cold symptoms, you should not come to property! To read the letter issued to team members, click here. To keep up with the latest news on the pandemic, subscribe to News 6โฒs coronavirus newsletter or go to ClickOrlando.com/coronavirus.