Saturday, January 28, 2006
USATODAY.com - Digital Content Protection Act would be consumer disaster
USATODAY.com - Digital Content Protection Act would be consumer disaster: "When it comes to home entertainment — music and movies — the Senate is considering making those rules a lot more annoying. A bill was introduced by Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), it's called the Digital Content Protection Act of 2006. It's designed to give the FCC (and, let's be honest, the movie and music industries) control over the capabilities of home entertainment technology.
The government, rather than the free market, would be able to say what capabilities a new device could have. And you can bet the entertainment industry would have a big say in that."
The government, rather than the free market, would be able to say what capabilities a new device could have. And you can bet the entertainment industry would have a big say in that."
WSJ.com - Net Firms Raise Capitol Hill Profile
WSJ.com - Net Firms Raise Capitol Hill Profile: "WASHINGTON -- Google Inc. has more than 5,000 employees world-wide. Only one of them works here as a lobbyist.
Internet companies such as search firm Google are investor favorites, but on Capitol Hill they risk being dwarfed by the lobbying might of telecommunications and cable companies. Recognizing their political disadvantage, some Internet companies are beefing up their Washington operations, hiring lobbyists, making political contributions and trying to persuade lawmakers to craft rules for the Internet that will favor their businesses."
Internet companies such as search firm Google are investor favorites, but on Capitol Hill they risk being dwarfed by the lobbying might of telecommunications and cable companies. Recognizing their political disadvantage, some Internet companies are beefing up their Washington operations, hiring lobbyists, making political contributions and trying to persuade lawmakers to craft rules for the Internet that will favor their businesses."
Could Your VoIP Phone Be Tapped?
Could Your VoIP Phone Be Tapped?: "BURLINGAME, CALIFORNIA -- Several privacy and civil-liberties organizations are mounting a legal challenge to prevent VoIP and other Internet-based communications from being subject to taps from law-enforcement agencies."
Light Reading - VOIP - Report Hisses at VOIP Quality - Telecom News Analysis
Light Reading - VOIP - Report Hisses at VOIP Quality - Telecom News Analysis: "The overall reliability of VOIP service has improved over the past six months, a new study shows, but VOIP calls still feature much more jitter, hiss, and delay than circuit-switched calls."
The Crumbs You Leave Behind - New York Times
The Crumbs You Leave Behind - New York Times: "THE Justice Department may not prevail in its effort to force Google to hand over its raw search data to help the government solve the mystery of how people find pornography on the Internet. But the issue has raised the surfing public's awareness, and in the last couple of weeks, the idea has widely circulated that on the Internet, there really is no privacy. Even if the government does not find out what you do online, lots of other people may."
3 Phone Companies to Offer AOL's Broadband Services - New York Times
3 Phone Companies to Offer AOL's Broadband Services - New York Times: "In an effort to curtail the steady loss of dial-up customers, AOL announced yesterday that it would sell high-speed Internet services through AT&T, BellSouth and Qwest Communications."
Friday, January 27, 2006
TelecomWeb
TelecomWeb: "“The base of contributors to universal service must be expanded to include everyone who uses the infrastructure,” a group statement said in reference to USF support from all broadband and IP voice service providers. “This includes but is not limited to all providers of two-way communications regardless of technology used.”"
TidBITS: Communications Convergence: Outstripping Wires
TidBITS: Communications Convergence: Outstripping Wires: "There was a day when telephone companies provided a dial tone, cable companies offered television stations and specialty channels, and Internet companies offered service over telephone line-based modems. Recent events make it clear that those days are long, long over."
200Mbps wi-fi in offing prompts big mesh dream
200Mbps wi-fi in offing prompts big mesh dream: "FUTURE VERSIONS of the 802.x wi-fi wireless standard will achieve 200Mbps, Ravi Chillara, CEO of Skymesh said. And the 802.11n standard which runs at 100Mbps is nearly ready to go."
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Government study: VoIP, video can be taxed | CNET News.com
Monday, January 23, 2006
Move Over, HD-TV. Now There's HD Radio, Too. - New York Times
Move Over, HD-TV. Now There's HD Radio, Too. - New York Times: "Traditional broadcast radio, the last bastion of analog entertainment technology, sees a bright future for itself. Its strategy for success is to become more like one of its main competitors, satellite radio.
More channels and music formats, and less-intrusive advertising are critical to its growth, industry executives say."
More channels and music formats, and less-intrusive advertising are critical to its growth, industry executives say."
Like This? You'll Hate That. (Not All Web Recommendations Are Welcome.) - New York Times
Like This? You'll Hate That. (Not All Web Recommendations Are Welcome.) - New York Times: "SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 22 - On Amazon.com, a customer interested in buying the novel 'The Life of Pi' is also shown 'The Kite Runner' because other Amazon customers - presumably with similar tastes - also purchased that book. That's just one approach among many in the science of recommendation software."
Missed It in the Theater Today? See It on DVD Tonight - New York Times
Missed It in the Theater Today? See It on DVD Tonight - New York Times: "PARK CITY, Utah, Jan. 22 - Hollywood will inch further toward making movies simultaneously available in theaters, on DVD and on home television screens at the Sundance Film Festival this week, as IFC Entertainment unveils a plan to release 24 films in theaters and on cable at the same time this year."
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Online Video Presents: The Waste, the Wacky, The Wonderful
Online Video Presents: The Waste, the Wacky, The Wonderful: "Just because Apple Computer won the first round of the Internet video wars, I wouldn't count out Google's rickety video store just yet. Google's new video service is weak partly because it is attempting to do far more than most of the new wannabe Internet TV channels do."
This Time, the Revolution Will Be Televised - New York Times
This Time, the Revolution Will Be Televised - New York Times: "CONVERGENCE is back, but it is not what it used to be. Following its release after about five years in the halfway house for overblown business ideas, it has been swiftly rehabilitated in the form of various online-offline business ventures."
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Light Reading - Video - Google Says No to QOS Fees - Telecom News Analysis
Light Reading - Video - Google Says No to QOS Fees - Telecom News Analysis: "Google (Nasdaq: GOOG - message board) said Thursday it would not pay telephone or cable companies “QOS fees” in exchange for priority treatment on the operators' broadband networks. (See Net Neutrality Goes to Washington.)"
Podcast Ad Networks Launch
Podcast Ad Networks Launch: "Two new podcasting ad networks -- Kiptronic and Podtrac -- launched this week, leading what's expected to be a growing field of entrants into the space this year."
Blueprint: Circuit-to-Packet
Blueprint: Circuit-to-Packet: "The Internet is poised for its next major burst of growth and usage as billions of telephones, fax machines and PDAs join the desktops, laptops and servers already communicating on the Internet. This is a critical moment for traditional telephone carriers and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) developing next-generation voice, data and multimedia services; missteps or slowdowns can be enormously costly in the race for market and mindshare."
Sunday, January 15, 2006
911 dials IP technology
911 dials IP technology | CNET News.com: "Last year's hurricanes along the southeastern coast of the United States highlighted how fragile and woefully outdated the emergency communications system in this country has become.
Now some experts who are building and maintaining 911 networks believe that upgrading emergency systems to Internet Protocol technology could make them hardier and more reliable. That is, if someone would step up to pay for it."
Now some experts who are building and maintaining 911 networks believe that upgrading emergency systems to Internet Protocol technology could make them hardier and more reliable. That is, if someone would step up to pay for it."
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Hey, Baby Bells: Information Still Wants to Be Free - New York Times
Hey, Baby Bells: Information Still Wants to Be Free - New York Times: "AT the top of my wish list for next year's Consumer Electronics Show is this: the introduction of broadband service across the country that is as up to date as that 103-inch flat-screen monitor just introduced by Panasonic. The digital lifestyle I see portrayed so alluringly in ads is not possible when the Internet plumbing in our homes is as pitiful as it is. The broadband carriers that we have today provide service that attains negative perfection: low speeds at high prices."
MSN Money - Financial Times Business News: News Corp nears decision on broadband
MSN Money - Financial Times Business News: News Corp nears decision on broadband: "Mr Murdoch said DirecTV could spend $1bn to develop a high-speed data product so it could better compete with the cable and telephone companies and offer a full bundle of video, voice and data services. While the News Corp chairman provided no further details, the options for entering the wireless broadband market appear somewhat limited."
Friday, January 13, 2006
Video Lights Google's Fiber - Telecom News Analysis
Light Reading - Video - Video Lights Google's Fiber - Telecom News Analysis: "With Google (Nasdaq: GOOG - message board) now officially in the video distribution business, the company's growing investment in IP backbone infrastructure will soon pay off, Google watchers say.
Google's new Internet video service was announced Friday at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, and it went live Monday night."
Google's new Internet video service was announced Friday at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, and it went live Monday night."
Ask Not for Whom the Bells Toll.... :: AO
Ask Not for Whom the Bells Toll.... :: AO: "It's a new year: in with the new, out with the old. And it's time to get a big hammer and pound the latest giant nail into the coffin of moribund traditional phone companies. The new giant nail is the arrival of aggressively priced 'Phone In' and 'Phone Out' services from the major portal and VoIP players. Phone In service allows users of regular phones to call VoIP users, while Phone Out lets VoIP users call regular phones. "
Voice Peering Fabric Comes to One Wilshire
CRG West, which operates the One Wilshire Building telecom hotel, and Stealth Communications, announced the general availability of the Voice Peering Fabric (VPF) at One Wilshire. The VPF is a distributed Ethernet network that functions as a voice exchange for VoIP traffic. The VPF enables enterprises and service providers to establish peer-to-peer connections in a secure environment. Going into its third year of service, VPF is located in nine US cities and London, and serves over 100 organizations, carrying over 18 billion VoIP minutes in 2005. VPF members trade minutes and access telecom database services at costs lower than wholesale and transit costs through the VPF Minutes Market and VPF ASP Market. The VPF ENUM Registry, housing over 10 million numbers, is the largest production ENUM database for free call termination.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
RED HERRING | Net Giants in the Living Room
RED HERRING | Net Giants in the Living Room: "Yahoo and Google have always wanted to be more than search companies. In the past few days, they became content distributors and sellers, clearly positioning themselves as media companies.
In so doing, they’ve anointed themselves as possible successors to established media networks. Perhaps more important, they’ve shown they understand the key to winning and retaining users lies in giving them control over what they want to see and where they want to see it."
In so doing, they’ve anointed themselves as possible successors to established media networks. Perhaps more important, they’ve shown they understand the key to winning and retaining users lies in giving them control over what they want to see and where they want to see it."
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
WSJ.com - Web Phones Go Unplugged
WSJ.com - Web Phones Go Unplugged: "A slew of new phones are heading to stores aimed at the millions of people who might like to try Internet calling but are put off by the prospect of sitting at a computer to make calls or hooking a phone to an adapter.
Some of the new phones from makers like Panasonic, Motorola Inc. and Uniden America Corp. have built-in adapters and are preset to connect to popular Internet-calling services like Vonage and Skype. They communicate cordlessly with a base station that's plugged into a computer or modem. Other devices will be able to shuttle automatically between operating as cellphones, cordless home phones or phones capable of working over the wireless Internet connections at many coffee shops and hotels."
Some of the new phones from makers like Panasonic, Motorola Inc. and Uniden America Corp. have built-in adapters and are preset to connect to popular Internet-calling services like Vonage and Skype. They communicate cordlessly with a base station that's plugged into a computer or modem. Other devices will be able to shuttle automatically between operating as cellphones, cordless home phones or phones capable of working over the wireless Internet connections at many coffee shops and hotels."
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
BBC NEWS | Technology | Towards a two-tier internet
BBC NEWS | Technology | Towards a two-tier internet: "The egalitarian nature of the internet is under threat, argues internet law professor Michael Geist."
A Two-Tiered Internet in Our Future?
A Two-Tiered Internet in Our Future?: "The concept of a two-tiered Internet has been around for more than a decade - but the idea has become more of reality now that the big phone companies, including BellSouth and AT&T, are pushing for it in Congress.
It is expected that the House of Representatives will consider a bill proposing a second tier for the Internet early this year, when it once again takes up the issue of revamping the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The proposal is almost certain to result in outcry from the likes of Google, Yahoo, Time Warner Inc. and Microsoft, which fear that such a move will give the big phone companies too much control over the flow of traffic across the Web."
It is expected that the House of Representatives will consider a bill proposing a second tier for the Internet early this year, when it once again takes up the issue of revamping the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The proposal is almost certain to result in outcry from the likes of Google, Yahoo, Time Warner Inc. and Microsoft, which fear that such a move will give the big phone companies too much control over the flow of traffic across the Web."
U.S. Office Joins an Effort to Improve Software Patents - New York Times
U.S. Office Joins an Effort to Improve Software Patents - New York Times: "The United States Patent and Trademark Office plans to announce today that it will cooperate with open-source software developers on three initiatives that it says will improve the quality of software patents."
Techworld.com - Qwest threatens users with $5-per-spam charge
Techworld.com - Qwest threatens users with $5-per-spam charge: "Qwest has added a new clause in its ISP contract that threatens to charge customers $5 for every spam message sent by their computer - even if they are not aware of it."
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Business 2.0: Breaking down VOIP's walls - Jan. 6, 2006
Business 2.0: Breaking down VOIP's walls - Jan. 6, 2006: "SAN FRANCISCO (Business 2.0) - If you are a consumer shopping for VOIP, welcome to the land of confusion.
You can scour the shelves of your local RadioShack for a Skype Starter Pack. Or you can go to Best Buy or Fry's and see row after row of products葉his one for Vonage, another for AT&T (Research) CallVantage, and on and on. Want to switch services? You'll have to go buy more gear."
You can scour the shelves of your local RadioShack for a Skype Starter Pack. Or you can go to Best Buy or Fry's and see row after row of products葉his one for Vonage, another for AT&T (Research) CallVantage, and on and on. Want to switch services? You'll have to go buy more gear."
DECT Phones Bridge Landline, VOIP
ABC News: DECT Phones Bridge Landline, VOIP: "Jan. 6 LAS VEGAS—The old landline has life in it yet. With a new network standard and new designs, cordless phone manufacturers are pairing up with Voice-Over-Internet (VOIP) providers and cellular technologies to make a classic 19th-century technology look and feel fresh.
The new standard is DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications), which is actually a decade old in Europe, but is superior to our current cordless phone technology. The FCC finally approved DECT for US use in October, giving it a previously unused frequency slice at 1920-1930 MHz, sandwiched cozily between the PCS bands used by US cellular carriers. The fresh frequency means DECT phones could sound clearer than cordless handsets in the overcrowded 2.4 GHz band, which is used by phones, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth devices."
The new standard is DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications), which is actually a decade old in Europe, but is superior to our current cordless phone technology. The FCC finally approved DECT for US use in October, giving it a previously unused frequency slice at 1920-1930 MHz, sandwiched cozily between the PCS bands used by US cellular carriers. The fresh frequency means DECT phones could sound clearer than cordless handsets in the overcrowded 2.4 GHz band, which is used by phones, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth devices."
Double Trouble
Double Trouble: "Need a reminder to scrutinize all charges on your bills in the new year? Try this telling tele-tale:
After switching her long-distance calls to an Internet (VOIP) service recently, Jenifer Boadwine cut back her Verizon unlimited nationwide calling plan to a cheaper Verizon regional plan to save a few bucks."
After switching her long-distance calls to an Internet (VOIP) service recently, Jenifer Boadwine cut back her Verizon unlimited nationwide calling plan to a cheaper Verizon regional plan to save a few bucks."
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Courting the Web Giants
Courting the Web Giants: "LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6 -- The International Consumer Electronics Show's newest and newsiest attendees, Yahoo Inc. and Google Inc., are creating huge gravitational pull for a host of software and handset makers that view these companies as changing how consumers access various forms of media."
Coming Soon to TV Land: The Internet, Actually - New York Times
Coming Soon to TV Land: The Internet, Actually - New York Times: "LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6 - What would a world with television coming through the Internet be like?"
Friday, January 06, 2006
WSJ.com - Phone Companies Set Off A Battle Over Internet Fees
WSJ.com - Phone Companies Set Off A Battle Over Internet Fees: "Large phone companies, setting the stage for a big battle ahead, hope to start charging Google Inc., Vonage Holdings Corp. and other Internet content providers for high-quality delivery of music, movies and the like over their telecommunications networks."
WSJ.com - Millions Resist Shift to Mobiles Fit for 911 Calls
WSJ.com - Millions Resist Shift to Mobiles Fit for 911 Calls: "The reluctance of millions of customers to buy newer mobile phones that allow emergency operators to pinpoint their location is creating a huge headache for some wireless companies.
That's a problem because the Federal Communications Commission had set a Dec. 31, 2005, deadline for 95% of customers to have so-called E911-compliant phones."
That's a problem because the Federal Communications Commission had set a Dec. 31, 2005, deadline for 95% of customers to have so-called E911-compliant phones."
VoIP Awareness on the Rise, But More Can Be Done, Study Says
VoIP Awareness on the Rise, But More Can Be Done, Study Says: "A new research study commissioned by Level 3 Communications indicates that although awareness of VoIP is on the rise, more consumers would switch to VoIP from regular phone service if VoIP service providers were more aggressive in promoting the value of their services and offering guarantees for quality, as well as demonstrating their desire to build customer loyalty."
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Lehman: Verizon may want to rethink FTTP
Lehman: Verizon may want to rethink FTTP: "Verizon's FTTP initiative, which has now passed more than 3 million homes and businesses in 16 states, cost the company $1 billion in free cash flow in 2005, Bath said in the note. That cost could double this year, he said, draining another $1 billion to $2 billion per year through 2010. AT&T's investment in FTTN, meanwhile, is 'smaller and more concentrated,' Bath wrote, perhaps totaling $6 billion and ending in 2008, when it could begin to generate free cash flow."
Google to offer new video download service - WSJ - Yahoo! News
Google to offer new video download service - WSJ - Yahoo! News: "NEW YORK (Reuters) - Google Inc is to allow users of its site to buy videos from content partners in an upgrade to its video-search service, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter."
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Industry Feeling Presence of the 800-Pound Google - Los Angeles Times
Industry Feeling Presence of the 800-Pound Google - Los Angeles Times: "Google will unveil its own low-price personal computer or other device that connects to the Internet.
Sources say Google has been in negotiations with Wal-Mart Stores Inc., among other retailers, to sell a Google PC. The machine would run an operating system created by Google, not Microsoft's Windows, which is one reason it would be so cheap — perhaps as little as a couple of hundred dollars."
Sources say Google has been in negotiations with Wal-Mart Stores Inc., among other retailers, to sell a Google PC. The machine would run an operating system created by Google, not Microsoft's Windows, which is one reason it would be so cheap — perhaps as little as a couple of hundred dollars."
WSJ.com - Watching the Web on TV
WSJ.com - Watching the Web on TV: "The past year has seen an explosion of video content on the Internet as major entertainment companies have begun making thousands of hours of sports, music videos, movies, news and other programs available on the Web.
Now some of the biggest technology and media companies are trying to make it easier to watch Web-based content on TV sets, as well as on computers."
Now some of the biggest technology and media companies are trying to make it easier to watch Web-based content on TV sets, as well as on computers."
The Nitpicking of the Masses vs. the Authority of the Experts - New York Times
The Nitpicking of the Masses vs. the Authority of the Experts - New York Times: "Uneasily sharing space on the top ledge of my computer browser are two buttons I click almost daily for an information fix: Encyclopaedia Britannica, as old and steadfast as the ligature in its name, and a mercurial upstart called Wikipedia, in which almost anyone anywhere can fiddle with the prose."
Provider of TV Movie Channels Looks to Expand to PC's and Video Players - New York Times
Provider of TV Movie Channels Looks to Expand to PC's and Video Players - New York Times: "Starz Entertainment Group is introducing a $9.95-a-month subscription service that will allow people to download movies from the Internet and watch them on their computers, portable video players and television sets."
Monday, January 02, 2006
Data, Music, Video: Raising a Curtain on Future Gadgetry - New York Times
Data, Music, Video: Raising a Curtain on Future Gadgetry - New York Times: "But the biggest trend expected at the International Consumer Electronics Show, which begins this week in Las Vegas, is that these machines will be communicating with one another. The theme of this year's show might best be described as Convergence: This Time We Mean It."
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Answering Back to the News Media, Using the Internet - New York Times
Answering Back to the News Media, Using the Internet - New York Times: "Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel, or so goes the old saw. For decades, the famous and the infamous alike largely followed this advice. Even when subjects of news stories felt they had been misunderstood or badly treated, they were unlikely to take on reporters or publishers, believing that the power of the press gave the press the final word."
