Monday, February 28, 2005
Why our broadband policy's still a mess | Newsmakers | CNET News.com
Why our broadband policy's still a mess | Newsmakers | CNET News.com: "Broadband is booming, DSL prices are dropping and cable modem speeds are increasing without additional charge."
TheStar.com - Let towns, cities provide cheap, everywhere broadband
Telus blocks residential customers from using home computers as servers
Telus high-speed Internet customers found themselves crimped by new security measures for much of last year when the telecommunications giant began blocking selected Internet connection to home computers. The blocking is invisible to most users, but all it takes is a cruise around message boards frequented by tech-savvy users–or a chat with a local geek–to know that Telus high-speed service isn’t what it used to be.
Skype to offer free texts: ZDNet Australia: News: Software
Skype to offer free texts: ZDNet Australia: News: Software: "Users of the VoIP service can now send and receive SMS messages, for free, using the software."
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Boston.com / News / Local / Advent of Verizon cable signals heightened battle for customers
Boston.com / News / Local / Advent of Verizon cable signals heightened battle for customers: "Verizon Communications Inc. plans to bring cable TV service to Lexington and nearly 20 other Massachusetts towns. Its decision will pit the company against entrenched providers Comcast Corp. and RCN Corp., as well as satellite TV providers, in a fight for customers."
Yahoo! News - Telecom Companies Fighting Competition
Yahoo! News - Telecom Companies Fighting Competition: "KUTZTOWN, Pa. - Two years ago, this small college town thought it was blazing a trail for other Pennsylvania communities when it built a publicly owned fiber-optic network to deliver cut-rate Internet, telephone and cable TV service."
Yahoo! News - WiMax May Pose Fresh Challenge to Broadband
Yahoo! News - WiMax May Pose Fresh Challenge to Broadband: "NEW YORK (Reuters) - Imagine a wireless hotspot the size of Philadelphia or a rural community in the American heartland."
Consumers will test broadband Internet on electric lines
Consumers will test broadband Internet on electric lines: "A select group of Consumers Energy customers will soon be able to pull high-speed Internet service from the same outlet they get the electricity to power up their computers.
In a pilot program slated to begin in the Grand Ledge area late next month, utility customers will be able to access a technology dubbed 'broadband over power lines,' or BPL."
In a pilot program slated to begin in the Grand Ledge area late next month, utility customers will be able to access a technology dubbed 'broadband over power lines,' or BPL."
InternetRetailer.com - Daily News for Friday,�February�25, 2005
InternetRetailer.com - Daily News for Friday,�February�25, 2005: "More than 50% of U.S. households have adopted broadband Internet access and that percentage could grow even more if the futuristic technology of delivering broadband access over power lines develops as quickly as some advocates expect."
USNews.com: Try new age Web dialing (3/7/05)
USNews.com: Try new age Web dialing (3/7/05): "Voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) has been batted about in techie circles for many years. Over the past few years, it has been installed in many large companies to replace traditional telephone systems for internal calls. But within the past year or so, home users have begun to buy VOIP services, using their broadband Internet connections to make phone calls across the same pipes that carry the Web traffic. The start-up Vonage has packaged VOIP for the home user. Vonage's Digital Voice service costs $25 per month for unlimited local and long-distance calls in North America. The company boasts 450,000 customers, with an additional 10,000 coming onboard each week."
Friday, February 25, 2005
BPL Powering Up in 2005 -- Maybe
BPL Powering Up in 2005 -- Maybe: "Broadband over power line (BPL) technology is quickly emerging as a workable alternative, third-pipe competitor to cable and telephone companies, but it still needs a plan, according to a new report released today."
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
WSJ.com - In Tiny Towns, New Call Options Shake Up an Old Phone System
WSJ.com - In Tiny Towns, New Call Options Shake Up an Old Phone System: "Until recently, Westhope, N.D., a windswept town six miles from the Canadian border, had 533 people, one bank, one bar, one gas station -- and one federally subsidized phone service.
But seven months ago, Cassidy Sivertson, a 27-year-old who runs a computer business out of his home here, bailed out of the subsidized plan, which was costing him about $165 a month. Instead, he signed up for a new Internet-based service from Vonage Holdings Inc. Now, the subsidy-free Vonage phone service, a high-speed Internet connection and an additional toll-free line cost just $60 a month. 'It surprises me we can have this type of service out here,' says Mr. Sivertson, who says several of his friends have made a similar change thanks to him."
But seven months ago, Cassidy Sivertson, a 27-year-old who runs a computer business out of his home here, bailed out of the subsidized plan, which was costing him about $165 a month. Instead, he signed up for a new Internet-based service from Vonage Holdings Inc. Now, the subsidy-free Vonage phone service, a high-speed Internet connection and an additional toll-free line cost just $60 a month. 'It surprises me we can have this type of service out here,' says Mr. Sivertson, who says several of his friends have made a similar change thanks to him."
Verizon, TVN link for VOD
Verizon, TVN link for VOD: "Verizon has chosen TVN Entertainment as its video-on-demand partner for its fiber-to-the-premises network, the company announced Monday."
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Yankton Press & Dakotan: Story
Yankton Press & Dakotan: Story: "LINCOLN, Neb. -- Consumer groups nationwide are battling an effort by the telecommunications and cable industries to keep local governments from offering cut-rate broadband service.
Bolstered by a decision last year by the U.S. Supreme Court, telephone and cable companies are pushing bills in legislatures across the country aimed at keeping local governments from competing with them to offer broadband, which refers to a wide spectrum of products that includes Internet access, cable television and telephone services."
Bolstered by a decision last year by the U.S. Supreme Court, telephone and cable companies are pushing bills in legislatures across the country aimed at keeping local governments from competing with them to offer broadband, which refers to a wide spectrum of products that includes Internet access, cable television and telephone services."
Tallahassee Democrat | 02/19/2005 | Bill targets public broadband
Tallahassee Democrat | 02/19/2005 | Bill targets public broadband: "A bill limiting Internet offerings by government entities is back for legislative consideration, and city officials said Friday they were working to keep the measure from affecting publicly provided broadband services.
'We are collectively looking at that issue and hoping we can sit down as a group and say ... 'Guys, can we find a place where we can agree?'' said Gary Brinkworth, Tallahassee's utility director and a driving force in the city's wireless Internet canopy."
'We are collectively looking at that issue and hoping we can sit down as a group and say ... 'Guys, can we find a place where we can agree?'' said Gary Brinkworth, Tallahassee's utility director and a driving force in the city's wireless Internet canopy."
AP Wire | 02/19/2005 | States look to protect revenue in regulating Internet telephone calls
AP Wire | 02/19/2005 | States look to protect revenue in regulating Internet telephone calls: "Companies that provide Internet telephone service will be paying close attention when the Federal Communications Commission releases details of its plan to regulate the growing market.
So will state governments - but for a different reason."
So will state governments - but for a different reason."
Buyouts Highlight Long Distance's Demise
Buyouts Highlight Long Distance's Demise: "The acquisitions of AT&T and MCI by larger rivals are the most dramatic evidence of long distance calling's steady decline as a business distinct from 'local' phone service.
But other signs are aplenty."
But other signs are aplenty."
Friday, February 18, 2005
WiMax set to transform global telecoms - vnunet.com
WiMax set to transform global telecoms - vnunet.com: "The ability of WiMax wireless broadband to compete with DSL and cable modem services without the need for heavy regulation will have a significant impact on the telecoms industry, analysts have predicted."
Thursday, February 17, 2005
FCC Probes Blocking of Internet Phone Calls (washingtonpost.com)
FCC Probes Blocking of Internet Phone Calls (washingtonpost.com): "The federal government is looking into allegations that as many as 200 people who switched from traditional telephone service to placing calls via the Internet had their new service disrupted by the local telephone company in their area."
Indiana kills anti-muni broadband bill | CNET News.com
Indiana kills anti-muni broadband bill | CNET News.com: "An Indiana state bill that would have made it hard for cities to build their own broadband networks was killed on Wednesday after the proposal failed to reach a vote in the state's House of Representatives."
The New York Times > Technology > Philadelphia Hopes for a Lead in the Wireless Race
The New York Times : "PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 11 - If Mayor John F. Street has his way, by next year this 135-square-mile metropolis will become one gigantic wireless hot spot, offering every neighborhood high-speed access to the Web at below-market prices in what would be the largest experiment in municipal Internet service in the country."
Internet Telephony Publisher's Outlook: VoIP Predictions Revisited
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Yahoo! News - Vonage Says ISP Blocked Its Calls
Yahoo! News - Vonage Says ISP Blocked Its Calls: "VoIP service provider Vonage Holdings has reported to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites) that a broadband Internet provider deliberately blocked Vonage customers' calls."
Mergers Raise Concerns Over Internet Access (washingtonpost.com)
Mergers Raise Concerns Over Internet Access (washingtonpost.com): "On the surface, the frenzy of telecommunications mergers in the past few weeks raises relatively clear-cut questions for lawmakers and regulators who will be weighing the deals: Will consumers and businesses be harmed if long-distance choices disappear when AT&T and MCI are swallowed by telephone giants SBC and Verizon?"
WSJ.com - To Meet the Threat From Cable, SBC Rushes to Offer TV Service
WSJ.com - To Meet the Threat From Cable, SBC Rushes to Offer TV Service: "SBC Communications Inc., one of the world's largest phone companies, wants to launch a TV service in November. Currently, SBC has zero subscribers, no agreements signed with companies that own TV channels and a host of regulatory hurdles to overcome. SBC plans to use a technology untested on this scale. It opened offices in Hollywood only a week ago and one executive on the project has no TV-industry experience."
Monday, February 14, 2005
Globetechnology: Cable on a roll
Friday, February 11, 2005
Softswitch/Media Gateway Market Anything But Soft: Worldwide Revenues to Reach $9.3 Billion in 2009, According to IDC
Softswitch/Media Gateway Market Anything But Soft: "FRAMINGHAM, Mass. --(Business Wire)-- Feb. 1, 2005 -- Despite a somewhat volatile evolution, worldwide softswitch and media gateway revenues will reach $9.3 billion in 2009, a robust 47% CAGR from 2004 to 2009. According to new research from IDC, softswitch and media gateways will combine to surpass total revenues for legacy switches for the first time in 2009. "
Hands off our Wi-Fi network! | Perspectives | CNET News.com
Hands off our Wi-Fi network! | Perspectives | CNET News.com: "Why are Wireless Philadelphia and other city wireless programs such a big threat? More precisely, why do the big boys keep trying to kill our Wi-Fi networks?
Tell me who among incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs)--have deployed ubiquitous, high-speed wireless networks that support roaming/mobile capabilities. No ILEC. Who provides high-speed, broadband, ubiquitous services at dial-up rates for the underserved populations? No ILEC. Who is working to get equipment and training into the homes of low-income and disadvantaged portions of our community? Again, no ILEC."
Tell me who among incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs)--have deployed ubiquitous, high-speed wireless networks that support roaming/mobile capabilities. No ILEC. Who provides high-speed, broadband, ubiquitous services at dial-up rates for the underserved populations? No ILEC. Who is working to get equipment and training into the homes of low-income and disadvantaged portions of our community? Again, no ILEC."
Thursday, February 10, 2005
US FCC seeks more input on phone access fee regime | Reuters.com
Reuters.com: "U.S. communications regulators on Thursday sought more input on plans for reforming how telephone companies compensate each other for connecting calls on their networks, a process that could take years."
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Tropos on Municipal Networks
BellSouth picks Alcatel and Redback for broadband | CNET News.com
BellSouth picks Alcatel and Redback for broadband | CNET News.com: "BellSouth on Tuesday said it has chosen telecommunications equipment makers Alcatel and Redback to boost broadband Internet speeds over its aging copper wire network."
Monday, February 07, 2005
Merger mania promises fewer, bigger telcos | CNET News.com
Merger mania promises fewer, bigger telcos | CNET News.com: "Something had to give in the telecom industry.
For years, analysts and industry execs have warned it was only a matter of time before the glut of U.S. telephone operators caused a market collapse. There simply weren't enough people, homes and offices to keep every existing phone company in business. Now SBC's proposed $16 billion acquisition of AT&T is forcing its fellow Baby Bells to look harder at merger options."
For years, analysts and industry execs have warned it was only a matter of time before the glut of U.S. telephone operators caused a market collapse. There simply weren't enough people, homes and offices to keep every existing phone company in business. Now SBC's proposed $16 billion acquisition of AT&T is forcing its fellow Baby Bells to look harder at merger options."
MSNBC - VoIP: Next big thing or telecom train wreck?
MSNBC - VoIP: Next big thing or telecom train wreck?: "Voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) has been hailed as the cure for what ails the telecommunications industry -- one that could potentially create new opportunities in a sector that has bled money and jobs since 2000.
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But with thousands of companies competing for VoIP business, falling prices and looming regulatory pressures, VoIP could become a financial train wreck for carriers already saddled with huge quarterly losses and billions of dollars of mounting debt."
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But with thousands of companies competing for VoIP business, falling prices and looming regulatory pressures, VoIP could become a financial train wreck for carriers already saddled with huge quarterly losses and billions of dollars of mounting debt."
Sunday, February 06, 2005
teledotcom, asia
teledotcom, asia
The “Triple-Play” concept has been an eminent discussion topic for a number of years now, while all the action has been around delivering best effort high speed Internet.
Times have changed. Regulatory changes and trends, along with the competitive landscape, have progressed to a point where all service providers are making firm plans to forge ahead with the “triple-play”.
The “Triple-Play” concept has been an eminent discussion topic for a number of years now, while all the action has been around delivering best effort high speed Internet.
Times have changed. Regulatory changes and trends, along with the competitive landscape, have progressed to a point where all service providers are making firm plans to forge ahead with the “triple-play”.
teledotcom, asia
teledotcom, asia
Fibre-fast broadband over an existing copper infrastructure, with data rates exceeding 100Mbps, is now available. Telcos are looking to supplement their legacy voice services, which are seeing little growth, with high-speed IP triple-play applications that will bring in more revenue. One application generating great interest is tiered video services, which include Video on Demand (VoD), Pay Per View (PPV), and the killer application—broadcast TV.
Fibre-fast broadband over an existing copper infrastructure, with data rates exceeding 100Mbps, is now available. Telcos are looking to supplement their legacy voice services, which are seeing little growth, with high-speed IP triple-play applications that will bring in more revenue. One application generating great interest is tiered video services, which include Video on Demand (VoD), Pay Per View (PPV), and the killer application—broadcast TV.
Saturday, February 05, 2005
SBC Blasts Level 3's VoIP Proposal
SBC Blasts Level 3's VoIP Proposal: "SBC says Voice over IP provider Level 3 is attempting to gain an unfair regulatory advantage in its effort to avoid paying access fees for IP traffic that interconnects with the public switched telephone network (PSTN)."
Bill would add fees to VoIP service - 2005-02-04 - Wichita Business Journal
Wichita Business Journal: "Kansas lawmakers have proposed legislation that would require customers of Internet-based phone services to pay monthly fees into two subsidy programs."
Friday, February 04, 2005
VZ Naked DSL
Reuters.com: "Verizon Communications (VZ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the largest U.S. local telephone company, plans to offer high-speed Internet service without also requiring customers to subscribe to its telephone service, company officials said on Friday."
Light Reading - Networking the Telecom Industry
Light Reading - Networking the Telecom Industry: "While the overall telecommunications industry is showing some signs of improvement, Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW - News) believes that a sustainable industry recovery will ultimately be led by strong customer demand for new service capabilities that systems such as fiber-to-the-premises enable, Larry Aiello, president and chief executive officer of Corning Cable Systems, will tell investors today. "
TVTechnology - Media Server Technology
TVTechnology - Media Server Technology: "Video compression technologies will change the models we've grown to embrace since the introduction of 500-channel cable and direct-to-home satellite broadcast.
The benefits will include improvements to technologies for ordering movies and live events on-demand, replaying or delaying a program, providing for stunt features (still, rewind, pause) and even recording HD on one channel while viewing another and still retaining many of those stunt features."
The benefits will include improvements to technologies for ordering movies and live events on-demand, replaying or delaying a program, providing for stunt features (still, rewind, pause) and even recording HD on one channel while viewing another and still retaining many of those stunt features."
Thursday, February 03, 2005
TVTechnology - Media Server Technology
TVTechnology - Media Server Technology: "Video compression technologies will change the models we've grown to embrace since the introduction of 500-channel cable and direct-to-home satellite broadcast.
The benefits will include improvements to technologies for ordering movies and live events on-demand, replaying or delaying a program, providing for stunt features (still, rewind, pause) and even recording HD on one channel while viewing another and still retaining many of those stunt features."
The benefits will include improvements to technologies for ordering movies and live events on-demand, replaying or delaying a program, providing for stunt features (still, rewind, pause) and even recording HD on one channel while viewing another and still retaining many of those stunt features."
Networking Pipeline | Consumers Are Cool To VoIP: Survey
Networking Pipeline | Consumers Are Cool To VoIP: Survey: "Despite a significant industry push, consumers are cool to VoIP, with only 13% interested or very interested in using the technology, according to a new survey by Forrester. Only 43% have even heard of the technology, and only three percent of consumers are using it, the survey of 1,132 online households concluded."
Globetechnology: Analysts see VoIP hitting critical mass
Globetechnology: Analysts see VoIP hitting critical mass: "The so-called voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) industry could finally be hitting critical mass, just as the satellite radio industry did early in 2004, according to a report by telecom analyst Michael Rollins and cable analyst Niraj Gupta, both of Smith Barney."
FCC Faces Another VoIP Deadline
FCC Faces Another VoIP Deadline: "The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will face another crucial Voice over IP (define) decision next month when it will decide if IP-based carriers must pay the same access fees as long distance companies to interconnect with the public switched telephone network."
This is THE crucial decision for voip the first half of this year.
This is THE crucial decision for voip the first half of this year.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
DSL and fiber applications - high speed DSL and FTTN
DSL and fiber applications - high speed DSL and FTTN: "The advent of triple-play service offerings from wireline carriers has brought new technical challenges, not the least of which is reaching the subscriber base with the high-bandwidth signals that triple-play services require."
Cable Digital News
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Merger, shmerger, where's my ESPN phone? | CNET News.com
CNET News.com: "Even though U.S. carriers are consolidating forces, tech advances such as broadband telephony should keep the price of a local phone call down, industry veterans said Monday."
Dark fiber: Businesses see the light | CNET News.com
CNET News.com: "When Ford Motor Co. decided to upgrade its corporate network in Dearborn, Mich., it sent in the backhoes.
The automotive giant sells cars, not telecommunications services. But, in a move that experts say increasingly makes sense for bandwidth-intensive business operations, Ford found that it would cost less to lay its own optical fiber lines than to subscribe to a service from the local phone company."
The automotive giant sells cars, not telecommunications services. But, in a move that experts say increasingly makes sense for bandwidth-intensive business operations, Ford found that it would cost less to lay its own optical fiber lines than to subscribe to a service from the local phone company."
Skype creeps under phone giants' radar | CNET News.com
CNET News.com: "At a time when major U.S. telephone operators are spending billions of dollars to expand, telephone software maker Skype on Tuesday says it's building a global phone network virtually for free."
