The New York Times is urging the Federal Communications Commission to "move as quickly as possible" to pass Chairman Tom Wheeler's "excellent proposal" to let consumers purchase cable boxes instead of renting them. The Times dismisses the cable industry's "self-serving" opposition, noting that the industry stands to lose billions in rental fees. "If the industry had its way, we would still be renting phones from the old Ma Bell," the Times writes in a new editorial

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has ruled that zero-rating services ike Facebook's Free Basics violate net neutrality principles. The decision effectively bans Free Basics in India. Free Basics allowed people to access the Web, but only gave users free access to selected apps and Web sites, including Facebook.

Former FCC Commissioner Michael Copps says Charter's merger with Time Warner and Bright House Networks presents harms that are "just as serious" as those presented by Comcast's unsuccessful attempt to acquire Time Warner. "The three merging companies would create a new Mega Cable company, controlling about one-third of the nation’s cable and cable broadband markets," Copps writes in a post on Medium. "When you add it up, the new company would look a lot like, well, Comcast. Yes, this merger would create a new Comcast—a national cable giant with the ability and the incentive to thwart competition, diversity, and consumer choice."

Advocates for rural broadband in Tennessee pressed state lawmakers to allow Chattanooga's EPB to expand its ultra-fast network to other parts of the state. AT&T, Comcast and other incumbent providers oppose a bill that would enable the expansion. Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, a proponent of muni-broadband, blamed AT&T for the bill's failure to move forward. "Don't fall for the argument that this is a free market versus government battle," Gardenhire reportedly said at a rally this week. "It is not. AT&T is the villain here, and so are the other people and cable."

Wireless carrier T-Mobile has cut the price of its unlimited data family plan to $150 a month. Previously the carrier charged $220 a month for the plan, which allows four people in a household to stream unlimited data to their phones.

Google plans to offer free GB broadband service to some low-income households in neighborhoods where the company has rolled out Google Fiber. The company has already rolled out service to 100 homes in the Kansas City area, and plans to provide free GB service to more than 1,300 families in that market. Google also plans to roll out free GB connections in Austin and other cities.

Privacy regulators of EU's 28 member countries are asking for more information about the new Privacy Shield agreement, which would enable companies to transfer information about Europeans to the U.S. The main concern centers on American intelligence agencies' ability to access data about EU citizens, according to The New York Times.  

A California appellate court has upheld celebrity Courtney Love's 'Twibel' victory. The appeals court on Monday refused to revive a lawsuit against Love by her formery attorney, Rhonda Holmes, who said she was libeled by the actress and singer on Twitter. A jury previously ruled in favor of Love after finding that even though her tweet about Holmes was false, it wasn't made with "malice."

A former Yahoo employee alleges in a new lawsuit that the company conducted mass layoffs without first giving people 60 days' notice, as required by California law. Gregory Anderson alleges in a complaint filed in federal court in California that management manipulated a performance-review rating system in order to fire people without good reason, according to The New York Times. Yahoo cut 1,100 employees in late 2014 and early 2015.

Oral Roberts University in Tennessee now requires its 900 freshman to wear Fitbits, which report students' steps and heart rate information to a school computer. The school will eventually require all of its students to wear the devices. Students must average 10,000 steps each day and 150 minutes of intense activity per week, according to The Washington Post. Provost Kathaleen Reid-Martinez told the Post that the school -- which has a "whole person education" mission -- hasn't yet faced complaints about the mandate.