Saturday, November 26, 2005
Calling Out the Cable Guy - New York Times
TERRY DENSON and Dan York are not exactly boldface names in entertainment industry circles, but perhaps they should be. After all, nearly $30 billion and the future of two Baby Bells hang in part on whether these two refugees from the television programming world find success in their new jobs.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Unused Digital TV Channels Could Increase U.S. Wireless Access - Yahoo! News
Unused Digital TV Channels Could Increase U.S. Wireless Access - Yahoo! News: "One luxury of living or working in a big city is access to high-speed wireless Internet connections that may not be available in rural areas of the United States. But increased access to wireless networks may be just around the corner."
New taxes could run rural broadband
New taxes could run rural broadband | CNET News.com: "New legislation proposed by two U.S. congressmen on Thursday could use taxes on Internet telephony and broadband services to fund subsidies for rural broadband deployments."
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
WSJ.com - Getting an Oil Change Off eBay
WSJ.com - Getting an Oil Change Off eBay: "EBay is aiming to take over the phone book's customary role as the first place people turn to find local services from housecleaners to accountants.
While eBay Inc.'s focus for now is on auto services like oil changes and brake jobs, its goal may be to connect consumers with local businesses of all kinds. This could signal a major shift in the way consumers shop for such services and greatly affect pricing and competition among local shops."
While eBay Inc.'s focus for now is on auto services like oil changes and brake jobs, its goal may be to connect consumers with local businesses of all kinds. This could signal a major shift in the way consumers shop for such services and greatly affect pricing and competition among local shops."
For U.S. Consumers, Broadband Service Is Slow and Expensive
WSJ.com - Portals: "The good news for Web-surfing American households is that the cost of entry-level, high-speed Internet service is falling, thanks to competition between telephone and cable companies. The bad news is that even at these low prices you're not getting much for your money."
Small-Town Shops Bulk Up on the Web
Small-Town Shops Bulk Up on the Web - New York Times: "In the newest era of this city's history, the Internet is propping up bricks and mortar downtown, acting as a mainstay for the stores that have helped Manitowoc establish what development specialists call a 'recreational' shopping experience. Indeed, besides generating sales for giants like Amazon, the Internet is allowing small stores, here and around the country, to develop the niche products that shield them against big-box retailers."
Light Reading - VOIP - Cable Is the Voice of VOIP - Telecom News Analysis
Light Reading - VOIP - Cable Is the Voice of VOIP - Telecom News Analysis: "TeleGeography finds that cable MSOs remain the largest providers of VOIP service in the U.S. They served one half of all U.S. VOIP subscribers at the end of the third quarter, compared with 35 percent at the end of the third quarter last year. "
Sunday, November 13, 2005
It's Like Selling Meals by the Bite. And It May Work. - New York Times
It's Like Selling Meals by the Bite. And It May Work. - New York Times: "But the bigger point is that it is now possible to envision a world not too far in the future where all imaginable types of programs, including the latest movies and top-rated network TV shows, are available through some kind of download or video-on-demand system."
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Feds' Net-wiretap order set to kick in | CNET News.com
Feds' Net-wiretap order set to kick in | CNET News.com: "On Monday, the clock starts ticking for broadband and Net-phone providers to make it easier for law enforcement to conduct surveillance on users of their networks.
According to a final order issued by the Federal Communications Commission in late September, all broadband Internet service providers and many Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, companies will have 18 months--until spring 2007--to ensure their systems have backdoors that allow police to eavesdrop on their customers' communications for investigative purposes."
According to a final order issued by the Federal Communications Commission in late September, all broadband Internet service providers and many Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, companies will have 18 months--until spring 2007--to ensure their systems have backdoors that allow police to eavesdrop on their customers' communications for investigative purposes."
Monday, November 07, 2005
VoIP battle heats up
Rocky Mountain News: Tech & Telecom: "Internet-based phone service is growing up in a hurry.
Telcos, ISPs - even cable-TV companies - have entered the race to provide voice over Internet protocol, giving consumers more choices even as the technology continues to evolve."
Telcos, ISPs - even cable-TV companies - have entered the race to provide voice over Internet protocol, giving consumers more choices even as the technology continues to evolve."
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Cities ride the Wi-Fi wave
St. Paul Pioneer Press | 11/06/2005 | Cities ride the Wi-Fi wave: "As municipal-broadband pioneer Chaska works the kinks out of its network, bigger cities like Minneapolis press ahead with their own plans to build hotspots for everyone. Established providers like Qwest, however, are crying foul."
NOT DONE -- Telecom battle will be settled in voting booth - DesMoinesRegister.com
DesMoinesRegister.com: "elecom questions and answers
Q. Does a yes vote for a telecommunications utility commit the city to installing any equipment?
A. Voting to form a telecommunications utility, or even an electric utility, does not automatically commit the city to building any system, according to Iowa law. The vote authorizes the formation of a board, which can examine the matter. The board can also decide not to proceed with a utility system."
Q. Does a yes vote for a telecommunications utility commit the city to installing any equipment?
A. Voting to form a telecommunications utility, or even an electric utility, does not automatically commit the city to building any system, according to Iowa law. The vote authorizes the formation of a board, which can examine the matter. The board can also decide not to proceed with a utility system."
Apple's Front Row Comes Closer to Couch-Driven Computing
Apple's Front Row Comes Closer to Couch-Driven Computing: "Now that the computer industry is nearing the end of its decades-long quest to ensure that nobody's nose is farther than three feet from a monitor, some companies are moving on to a different, more difficult goal: Letting you keep using the computer from across the room."
Saturday, November 05, 2005
News Corp may form 'Net company: Murdoch
News Corp may form 'Net company: Murdoch - Yahoo! News: "CHICAGO (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch said News Corp. (NYSE:NWS - news) may form a new company with partners to allow the media giant to enter the U.S. high-speed Internet market, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday."
Just Googling It Has Companies A Bit Unsettled - New York Times
Just Googling It Has Companies A Bit Unsettled - New York Times: "Wal-Mart, the nation's largest retailer, often intimidates its competitors and suppliers. Makers of goods from diapers to DVD's must cater to its whims. But there is one company that even Wal-Mart eyes warily these days: Google, a seven-year-old business in a seemingly distant industry."
Friday, November 04, 2005
SBC Head Ignites Access Debate
SBC Head Ignites Access Debate: "he head of a major telecommunications company stirred up a hornets' nest this week by suggesting that he wants to charge companies like Google and Yahoo a fee for bringing them into consumers' homes.
SBC Communications Inc. Chairman Edward E. Whitacre Jr.'s comments to Business Week magazine prompted Internet companies to accuse him of aspiring to block access to their Web sites and to extort money from their businesses."
SBC Communications Inc. Chairman Edward E. Whitacre Jr.'s comments to Business Week magazine prompted Internet companies to accuse him of aspiring to block access to their Web sites and to extort money from their businesses."
Why NetZero VoIP over dialup will get few takers
Why NetZero VoIP over dialup will get few takers | IP Telephony, VoIP, Broadband | ZDNet.com: "Today, NetZero rolls out NetZero Voice, a new Internet phone service that offers a downloadable softphone client that will allow free PC to PC calling with other NetZero users.
NetZero Voice comes in several flavors. NetZero Voice 100, offers 100 free PC to phone domestic calling minutes a month with a $3.95 a month plan that will kick in after a free, three-month introductory subscription period. NetZero Voice 250 offers 250 free PC to phone domestic calling minutes for $9.95 a month, also after three free subscription months."
NetZero Voice comes in several flavors. NetZero Voice 100, offers 100 free PC to phone domestic calling minutes a month with a $3.95 a month plan that will kick in after a free, three-month introductory subscription period. NetZero Voice 250 offers 250 free PC to phone domestic calling minutes for $9.95 a month, also after three free subscription months."
Thursday, November 03, 2005
GEPON For Today
Blueprint: Telco Triple Play: "A GEPON system with 32 splits can provide 30 Mbps of symmetric bandwidth to each subscriber-more than enough to support bandwidth-hungry video applications as well as voice and data. Even with three high-definition video streams per household, each 6-7 Mbps (or 18-21 Mbps for all three), 30 Mbps leaves plenty of headroom for VoIP and Internet access."
IPTV: To Stream, or Not to Stream; That is the Question.
925.M - Online Advertising Community - - IPTV: To Stream, or Not to Stream; That is the Question.: "This year we're seeing a lot of 'next big things' pop up. One of the latest ones is IPTV (AKA, TV shows available over the internet.)
Why all they hype? Comedy Central today debuted its new MotherLoad 'broadband optimized video channel.' It's just the same old streaming video technology that's been around since before 'Google' was a verb. Decent news sites have been offering streaming content for a long time now. I suppose it's because major broadcasters have finally mustered up enough guts to put stuff online, and the business climate, along with broadband saturation, has made online video a juicy investment. And I think it's good that some of the TV networks are putting their stuff online--it will encourage more people to abandon their TVs in favor of internet video. And yet, streaming video? That's so 2002. They're still holding back."
Why all they hype? Comedy Central today debuted its new MotherLoad 'broadband optimized video channel.' It's just the same old streaming video technology that's been around since before 'Google' was a verb. Decent news sites have been offering streaming content for a long time now. I suppose it's because major broadcasters have finally mustered up enough guts to put stuff online, and the business climate, along with broadband saturation, has made online video a juicy investment. And I think it's good that some of the TV networks are putting their stuff online--it will encourage more people to abandon their TVs in favor of internet video. And yet, streaming video? That's so 2002. They're still holding back."
If you believe in broadband, free IPTV
If you believe in broadband, free IPTV | Perspectives | CNET News.com: "here is very little on which Democrats and Republicans agree these days.
From taxes to trade to the United Nations to the Supreme Court, Washington politicians are long on battle grounds and all too short on common ground. Yet despite a seemingly ever-rising tide of partisan acrimony, there is broad bipartisan agreement on at least one thing: the vital importance of broadband to America's future."
From taxes to trade to the United Nations to the Supreme Court, Washington politicians are long on battle grounds and all too short on common ground. Yet despite a seemingly ever-rising tide of partisan acrimony, there is broad bipartisan agreement on at least one thing: the vital importance of broadband to America's future."
Net-Phone Firm Vonage
WSJ.com - Tracking the Numbers: "Vonage Holdings Corp., a pioneer in selling Internet-based telephone service to consumers, is sending mixed signals to Wall Street.
Vonage is both preparing for an initial public offering of stock that could raise as much as $600 million and exploring selling itself to a larger company at a price that could top $2 billion, according to people familiar with the matter"
Vonage is both preparing for an initial public offering of stock that could raise as much as $600 million and exploring selling itself to a larger company at a price that could top $2 billion, according to people familiar with the matter"
Municipal Wi-Fi Creates a Real Mesh - 11/1/2005 - Wireless Week - CA6279784
Municipal Wi-Fi Creates a Real Mesh - 11/1/2005 - Wireless Week - CA6279784: "Wireless Week and other publications have written extensively about muni Wi-Fi. These networks do seem to be the new rage. I wrote a series of commentaries (www.4mobility.com) in which I pointed out how unrealistic these systems are when it comes to the number of access points, in-building coverage and other issues."
VoIP providers band together | CNET News.com
VoIP providers band together | CNET News.com: "A handful of voice over Internet providers will announce on Thursday that they are banding together to promote the use of Internet telephony.
The group, called the Internet Voice Campaign, is a part of the VON Coalition, a group that aims to increase adoption and use of voice over IP. EarthLink, Google, Pulver.com, Sonus Networks and Skype, which was recently bought by eBay, are all founding members of the group."
The group, called the Internet Voice Campaign, is a part of the VON Coalition, a group that aims to increase adoption and use of voice over IP. EarthLink, Google, Pulver.com, Sonus Networks and Skype, which was recently bought by eBay, are all founding members of the group."
Tech.gov: World Wide Library? - Yahoo! News
Tech.gov: World Wide Library? - Yahoo! News: "In the thousands of years that humans have been producing written works, we've amassed quite a collection of them. However, most of us have little or no access to, or even knowledge of, most of that collection because it is scattered in bits and pieces around the world--in libraries, museums, bookstores, and dusty bins in the back rooms of publishers' warehouses. Wouldn't it be convenient if we could easily search that archive on the Web?"
Yahoo Redraws Online Maps - Yahoo! News
Yahoo Redraws Online Maps - Yahoo! News: "Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO - news) has upgraded its online mapping and driving directions service by borrowing two key features made popular by rival Google Inc."
Google Offers Index of Public Domain Works - Yahoo! News
Google Offers Index of Public Domain Works - Yahoo! News: "Google Inc.'s Internet-leading search engine on Thursday will begin serving up the entire contents of books and government documents that aren't entangled in a copyright battle over how much material can be scanned and indexed from five major libraries."
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Cable companies land Sprint Nextel deal
Cable companies land Sprint Nextel deal - Yahoo! News: "Three top U.S. cable operators on Monday reached a deal to resell wireless phone services with Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S - news) to compete against telephone operators entering the video market, sources familiar with the situation said."
FCC Approves Verizon, SBC Mergers
FCC Approves Verizon, SBC Mergers: "The Federal Communications Commission yesterday approved two huge telephone mergers with limited conditions in the belief that new technologies will give consumers choice in an industry that is rapidly consolidating into a few large players."
Data Security Laws Seem Likely, So Consumers and Businesses Vie to Shape Them
Data Security Laws Seem Likely, So Consumers and Businesses Vie to Shape Them - New York Times: "It has been a bad year for data security.
The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a consumer advocacy group in San Diego, has counted 80 data breaches since February, involving the personal information of more than 50 million people. The sensitive data - names, Social Security and credit card numbers, dates of birth, home addresses and the like - have either been lost by or stolen from companies and institutions that compile such data."
The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a consumer advocacy group in San Diego, has counted 80 data breaches since February, involving the personal information of more than 50 million people. The sensitive data - names, Social Security and credit card numbers, dates of birth, home addresses and the like - have either been lost by or stolen from companies and institutions that compile such data."
The Internet and the future of TV
The Internet and the future of TV | CNET News.com: "Imagine a day when you would be in total control of creating your own TV channel lineup.
Instead of subscribing to a service from a cable, satellite or phone company that might offer you hundreds of channels you'll never watch, you would be able to select what you want and watch it on your own schedule."
Instead of subscribing to a service from a cable, satellite or phone company that might offer you hundreds of channels you'll never watch, you would be able to select what you want and watch it on your own schedule."
