Broadband Future

House Backs Telecom Bill Favoring Phone Companies - New York Times

2006-06-09T06:49:00.000-06:00

House Backs Telecom Bill Favoring Phone Companies - New York Times: "WASHINGTON, June 8 — The House of Representatives approved the most extensive telecommunications legislation in a decade on Thursday, largely ratifying the policy agenda of the nation's largest telephone companies."

Beware of broadband speed overkill | CNET News.com

2006-05-19T06:26:00.000-06:00

Beware of broadband speed overkill | CNET News.com: "Today's high-speed Internet access packages may sound tempting, but consumers should think long and hard about how much broadband they actually need before they ante up."

Politicos propose new action on Net neutrality | CNET News.com

2006-05-19T06:25:00.000-06:00

Politicos propose new action on Net neutrality | CNET News.com: "WASHINGTON--The push for new laws mandating Net neutrality principles appears to be gaining steam on Capitol Hill."

WSJ.com - AT&T Plans Expansion Of Its Internet TV Service

2006-05-19T06:19:00.000-06:00

WSJ.com - AT&T Plans Expansion Of Its Internet TV Service: "AT&T Inc. plans to offer television service in 15 to 20 markets by the end of the year, a sign that the company may be overcoming the hurdles imposed by its decision to use a new Internet technology to deliver TV signals."

The Blog | Arianna Huffington: "Net Neutrality": Why are the Bad Guys So Much Better at Naming Things? | The Huffington Post

2006-05-13T06:18:00.000-06:00

The Blog | Arianna Huffington: "Net Neutrality": Why are the Bad Guys So Much Better at Naming Things? | The Huffington Post: "Why are the bad guys so much better at naming things? Especially legislation. Especially bad legislation. "

No Neutral Ground in Net Debate - New York Times

2006-05-13T06:17:00.000-06:00

No Neutral Ground in Net Debate - New York Times: "ACCORDING to Arianna Huffington, the use of banal, insipid language could spell doom for the Internet."

Switchboard in the Sky - New York Times

2006-05-09T06:45:00.000-06:00

Switchboard in the Sky - New York Times: "CHESTERHILL, a tucked-away village in Ohio's Appalachian southeast, has been on technology's periphery for years. Its 312 residents have limited cellphone service and no broadband Internet service. The town's antiquated telephone lines struggle to handle minimal Internet speeds for those who do dial up."

Congress may consider mandatory ISP snooping | CNET News.com

2006-04-29T06:50:00.000-06:00

Congress may consider mandatory ISP snooping | CNET News.com: "It didn't take long for the idea of forcing Internet providers to retain records of their users' activities to gain traction in the U.S. Congress."

Tech Stats from BusinessWeek Online

2006-04-21T06:59:00.000-06:00

Tech Stats from BusinessWeek Online: "Internet-based calling is set to soar in 2006. As carriers aim to reduce the cost of sending phone calls and subscribers aim for lower phone bills, the number of people subscribing to Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, services will almost double this year, to 47.3 million, according to consultancy Infonetics"

Bandwidth Glut a Thing of the Past

2006-04-18T14:11:00.000-06:00

Technology News: Telecom : Bandwidth Glut a Thing of the Past: "The global bandwidth glut that resulted when the telecom bubble burst in the late 1990s finally appears to be abating.

Signs of the glut's demise are evident in the industry, according to TeleGeography Research in Washington, D.C. 'Following several rough years, the global bandwidth market is showing signs of improved health: supply equilibrium, price stability and competitor consolidation,' the market analysis firm said in a report."

WSJ.com - Out of the Telechasm

2006-04-18T11:26:00.000-06:00

WSJ.com - Out of the Telechasm: "Ten years after Congress declared it was 'deregulating' the telecom industry, our Representatives and Senators are at it again. Both Houses of Congress are drawing up legislation to address some of the absurdities that resulted from the last effort at reform. We'd like to report this as a hopeful sign. But this is Congress, and aside from one noble if likely doomed effort, the prospects don't look bright."

Networking Pipeline | Blog | Google, eBay And Amazon To AT&T: We'll Build Our Own Network

2006-04-18T10:18:00.000-06:00

Networking Pipeline | Blog | Google, eBay And Amazon To AT&T: We'll Build Our Own Network: "AT&T and the telcos are threatening to charge Google and other Web sites extortion-type fees unless Google and others pay for adequate bandwidth. But Google and others may soon have this answer for them: No, thanks. We'll build our own fat pipe into customers' homes."

DenverPost.com - BUSINESS

2006-04-18T06:55:00.000-06:00

DenverPost.com - BUSINESS: "Forget about paying for wireless Internet access at places such as Starbucks and FedEx Kinko's. On Monday, the Downtown Denver Partnership began offering the service for free along the 16th Street Mall."

For Travelers, a Way to Save More Dollars While Using Fewer Clicks - New York Times

2006-04-17T06:22:00.000-06:00

For Travelers, a Way to Save More Dollars While Using Fewer Clicks - New York Times: "LIFE just got easier for travelers looking for bargains on the Web, while for some of Yahoo's competitors, things just got a bit more complicated.

Yahoo announced last week that it had integrated its FareChase technology into its main search engine, so that it can scan multiple sites for airlines, hotels and car rentals and show the lowest-price offers directly in results whenever someone types in, say, 'lowest fares to Las Vegas.'"

ISP snooping gaining support | CNET News.com

2006-04-14T07:02:00.000-06:00

ISP snooping gaining support | CNET News.com: "he explosive idea of forcing Internet providers to record their customers' online activities for future police access is gaining ground in state capitols and in Washington, D.C."

Putting the squeeze on movie DVDs - Technology - International Herald Tribune

2006-04-13T19:57:00.000-06:00

Putting the squeeze on movie DVDs - Technology - International Herald Tribune: "CONCORD, Massachusetts A U.S. company called Euclid Discoveries says it has invented a video-compression technology that could spawn either a lucrative new market for Hollywood or a major new crisis."

Free Net TV threatens telecoms and cable | CNET News.com

2006-04-13T07:47:00.000-06:00

Free Net TV threatens telecoms and cable | CNET News.com: "Walt Disney's bold move to let people download TV shows for free could spell trouble for cable and satellite providers, but it also throws into question the strategy of telephone companies spending billions to get into the paid TV business."

Disney to make TV shows available free on Web - Yahoo! News

2006-04-10T07:19:00.000-06:00

Disney to make TV shows available free on Web - Yahoo! News: "NEW YORK (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co.'s ABC Television (NYSE:DIS - news) will offer some of its most popular shows, such as 'Desperate Housewives' and 'Lost,' for free on the Internet in a two-month trial, the company said on Monday."

Overly Wired? There's a Word for It - New York Times

2006-04-09T07:47:00.000-06:00

Overly Wired? There's a Word for It - New York Times: "WAS there gridlock before there were automobiles? Was there jet lag before there were airplanes? Who was the first person to say 'I Googled it' or 'he's cyberstalking me'? At what moment did a 'web log' turn into a 'blog'?"

Internet Calls Untethered From Your PC - New York Times

2006-04-06T14:25:00.000-06:00

Internet Calls Untethered From Your PC - New York Times: "WHY does Skype get so much hype? Sure, this software lets you make free 'phone calls,' computer to computer, anywhere in the world. But it wasn't the first such program, it's not the most feature-laden, and it's still a mystery to most people over 25."

Software Out There - New York Times

2006-04-04T21:59:00.000-06:00

Software Out There - New York Times: "As a result, computer industry innovation is rapidly becoming decentralized. In the place of large, intricate and self-contained programs like Microsoft Word, written and maintained by armies of programmers, smaller companies, with just a handful of developers, are now producing pioneering software and Web-based services. These new services can be delivered directly to PC's or even to cellphones. Bigger companies are taking note."

Death by Smiley Face: When Rivals Disdain Profit - New York Times

2006-04-02T07:23:00.000-06:00

Death by Smiley Face: When Rivals Disdain Profit - New York Times: "THE tectonic changes facing media companies are by now the topic of an often-recited sermon. Put briefly, digital technology is placing control over much information squarely in the hands of consumers and creating all kinds of opportunities for new entrants who can push the revolution forward."

Net neutrality showdown | CNET News.com

2006-03-31T14:50:00.000-07:00

Net neutrality showdown | CNET News.com

Democrats attack new bill over Net neutrality | CNET News.com

2006-03-31T06:32:00.000-07:00

Democrats attack new bill over Net neutrality | CNET News.com: "WASHINGTON--Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday assailed a new telecommunications bill for allegedly failing to preserve Net neutrality principles."

Politico rejects Net neutrality concerns | CNET News.com

2006-03-30T06:36:00.000-07:00

Politico rejects Net neutrality concerns | CNET News.com: "The recent outcry over prospects for an Internet that favors some content over others is overblown, an influential congressman said Wednesday."

New Telephony - New Report Puts VoIP Sector Under the Microscope

2006-03-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

New Telephony - New Report Puts VoIP Sector Under the Microscope: "We all keep hearing about VoIP and the impact it’s having on our familiar telecommunications world. Without a doubt, the technology has progressed more quickly than most observers had expected, and it continues to pick up speed. To go along with all the talk, there is a sizeable morass of numbers and metrics attempting to gauge the progress made by VoIP carriers. To add another perspective, New Paradigm Resources Group Inc. (NPRG) recently completed an in-depth look at the VoIP sector to add a micro-level understanding of this sector and the carriers comprising it."

New broadband bill draws fire | CNET News.com

2006-03-29T07:16:00.001-07:00

New broadband bill draws fire | CNET News.com: "Internet companies including Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are protesting new federal legislation that would not strictly regulate how broadband operators can organize their network."

Internet Firms Want FCC to Enforce Net Neutrality

2006-03-29T07:16:00.000-07:00

Internet Firms Want FCC to Enforce Net Neutrality: "Internet companies yesterday criticized legislation that would give the Federal Communications Commission only limited ability to stop phone and cable companies from blocking access to Web sites, saying the proposal would endanger the open nature of the Web."

Hughes Looking At Rural Internet

2006-03-27T10:42:00.000-07:00

Hughes Looking At Rural Internet: "Hughes Network Systems LLC, a Germantown satellite service company trying to reposition itself after the sale of its DirecTV satellite television business, plans to announce a campaign today aimed at selling Internet access to small businesses and consumers in rural parts of the country."

US telecom execs battle Net neutrality demands - Yahoo! News

2006-03-26T15:19:00.000-07:00

US telecom execs battle Net neutrality demands - Yahoo! News: "Telecommunications providers like AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T - news) intensified their efforts this week to persuade US policymakers to avoid imposing regulations on the Internet for services like streaming movies and unfettered Web access."

The next broadband battleground | Perspectives | CNET News.com

2006-03-23T06:43:00.000-07:00

The next broadband battleground | Perspectives | CNET News.com: "Net neutrality in broadband networks has become a major public-policy debate. Every industry whose products or services can be digitized will be affected by the outcome, as tens of billions of dollars are at stake."

Broadband Video: Standards Set for National Compatibility - Yahoo! News

2006-03-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

Broadband Video: Standards Set for National Compatibility - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON-- The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and a group of broadband providers today announced a set of principles that would allow consumers to attach devices to broadband video networks."

» A tiered Internet is nothing new: and here's how VoIP call quality suffers | IP Telephony, VoIP, Broadband | ZDNet.com

2006-03-16T06:44:00.000-07:00

» A tiered Internet is nothing new: and here's how VoIP call quality suffers | IP Telephony, VoIP, Broadband | ZDNet.com: "The big telecom and cable behemoths would love to charge high bandwidth services extra for fast service. One variation of this proposal would offer these services under a tiered rate structure where you would pay more money for preferential bandwidth. That's what Shaw Communications wants to do."

Mergers, Acquisitions, Venture Capital, Hedge Funds - Dealbook - New York Times

2006-03-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

Mergers, Acquisitions, Venture Capital, Hedge Funds - Dealbook - New York Times: "Talk of an imminent sale of Sun Microsystems to Google has been swirling around trading floors and Silicon Valley for more than a week. Shares of Sun, which has a partnership with Google to develop and distribute each other’s technology, spiked up about 4 percent last week as a result of the rumors. The speculation got even more legs after Google purchased Writely, a maker of a Web-based word processor that some people viewed as a product to be added to Sun’s StarOffice suite, which Google may help distribute. It’s also convenient that Eric Schmidt, Google’s chief executive, is the former chief technology officer of Sun."

Those Bell Mergers Are Giving Cable Companies Even More to Worry About - New York Times

2006-03-13T06:10:00.000-07:00

Those Bell Mergers Are Giving Cable Companies Even More to Worry About - New York Times: "In the chess game between the cable companies and their nemeses, the Bell phone companies, the Bells may be gaining ground. Phone mergers — including AT&T's recent proposal to take over BellSouth — could give the Bells more power to cut prices, move faster into television and expand their advantage in the wireless market."

Anonymous Source Is Not the Same as Open Source - New York Times

2006-03-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

Anonymous Source Is Not the Same as Open Source - New York Times: "WIKIPEDIA, the free online encyclopedia, currently serves up the following: Five billion pages a month. More than 120 languages. In excess of one million English-language articles. And a single nagging epistemological question: Can an article be judged as credible without knowing its author?"

As Internet TV Aims at Niche Audiences, the Slivercast Is Born - New York Times

2006-03-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

As Internet TV Aims at Niche Audiences, the Slivercast Is Born - New York Times: "ANDY STEWARD, a successful London computer consultant and sailboat racer, became exasperated when trying to watch his favorite sport on television. There were a few half-hour recaps of some major sailing races, but they were always shown late at night."

Google Acquisition Signals New Rivalry - New York Times

2006-03-10T06:34:00.000-07:00

Google Acquisition Signals New Rivalry - New York Times: "Google Inc. said yesterday that it had bought the Silicon Valley start-up Upstartle, gaining its Writely Internet word processing software. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Writely lets users compose documents on the Web and share them with others, according to notes on Google's Web site yesterday."

Amazon Considering Downloads - New York Times

2006-03-10T06:32:00.000-07:00

Amazon Considering Downloads - New York Times: "Amazon.com is in talks with three Hollywood studios about starting a service that would allow consumers to download movies and TV shows for a fee and burn them onto DVD's, according to three people briefed on the discussion"

AT& T Deal Raises Issue of Internet Control

2006-03-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

AT& T Deal Raises Issue of Internet Control: "Consumer groups and big online brands say mega-deals such as the proposed AT&T purchase of BellSouth are creating a growing threat to the openness of the Internet by consolidating power in the hands of companies that provide access to the Web."

AT&T Is Said to Be Near Deal for BellSouth - New York Times

2006-03-05T06:55:00.000-07:00

AT&T Is Said to Be Near Deal for BellSouth - New York Times: "AT&T Corp. is planning to acquire BellSouth Corp., according to several people familiar with the negotiations who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the talks."

Hey Neighbor, Stop Piggybacking on My Wireless - New York Times

2006-03-05T06:51:00.000-07:00

Hey Neighbor, Stop Piggybacking on My Wireless - New York Times: "For a while, the wireless Internet connection Christine and Randy Brodeur installed last year seemed perfect. They were able to sit in their sunny Los Angeles backyard working on their laptop computers."

Senate Bill to Address Fears of Blocked Access to Net - New York Times

2006-03-03T06:43:00.000-07:00

Senate Bill to Address Fears of Blocked Access to Net - New York Times: "Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, will introduce new legislation today that would prohibit Internet network operators from charging companies for faster delivery of their content to consumers or favoring some content providers over others."

CNN.com - Tolls could dot the Internet highway - Feb 27, 2006

2006-02-27T19:24:00.000-07:00

CNN.com - Tolls could dot the Internet highway - Feb 27, 2006: "NEW YORK (AP) -- On the Internet, the traffic cops are blind -- they don't look at the data they're directing, and they don't give preferential treatment.

That's something operators of the Internet highway, the major U.S. phone companies, want to change by effectively adding a toll lane: They want to be able to give priority treatment to those who pay to get through faster."

Survey: Rural Broadband Users Closing Gap - Yahoo! News

2006-02-27T06:06:00.000-07:00

Survey: Rural Broadband Users Closing Gap - Yahoo! News: "NEW YORK - The use of high-speed Internet services is growing fast in rural America, partly closing the gap between country and city, a survey shows."

Future of the Internet Highway Debated - Yahoo! News

2006-02-25T15:55:00.000-07:00

Future of the Internet Highway Debated - Yahoo! News: "NEW YORK - On the Internet, the traffic cops are blind — they don't look at the data they're directing, and they don't give preferential treatment.
ADVERTISEMENT

That's something operators of the Internet highway, the major U.S. phone companies, want to change by effectively adding a toll lane: They want to be able to give priority treatment to those who pay to get through faster."

Networking Pipeline | Former FCC Chairman Powell: Net Neutrality 'Doing Great'

2006-02-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

Networking Pipeline | Former FCC Chairman Powell: Net Neutrality 'Doing Great': "BOULDER, Colo. -- Even as the debate about Network Neutrality heats up and spawns headline-grabbing rhetorical fury, the man who started it all -- former FCC chairman Michael Powell -- can kick back, relax, and say that his so-called Internet Freedoms are 'doing great.'"

Tollbooths on the Internet Highway - New York Times

2006-02-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

Tollbooths on the Internet Highway - New York Times: "When you use the Internet today, your browser glides from one Web site to another, accessing all destinations with equal ease. That could change dramatically, however, if Internet service providers are allowed to tilt the playing field, giving preference to sites that pay them extra and penalizing those that don't."

Politicos divided on need for 'net neutrality' mandate | CNET News.com

2006-02-14T07:12:00.000-07:00

Politicos divided on need for 'net neutrality' mandate | CNET News.com: "Net surfers should be able to enjoy unfettered access to content, politicians said Tuesday, but they remained divided over whether new laws forcing 'net neutrality' principles on broadband providers are the way to go."

Yahoo Grapples With Online Rights - New York Times

2006-02-13T07:04:00.000-07:00

Yahoo Grapples With Online Rights - New York Times: "In advance of what could be harsh Congressional questioning this week, Yahoo plans to issue a statement today outlining its belief in openness and freedom of speech — even when it is forced to violate those beliefs by laws in China."

DenverPost.com - BUSINESS

2006-02-12T07:13:00.000-07:00

DenverPost.com - BUSINESS: "Small Internet phone-calling companies in Colorado are booming, part of a nationwide trend away from traditional phone service.

Golden-based New Global Telecom is one of the fastest-growing - exploding from about 3,000 customers to almost 60,000 in the past year."

TV When -- and Where -- You Want It

2006-02-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

TV When -- and Where -- You Want It: "Michael K. Simmons Jr.'s two jobs occupy every day of the week, straining his otherwise loving relationship with TV.

But new technology is here to help. Simmons has learned how to download basketball games from Web sites like ESPN360 and snippets of the Grammy Awards show from Yahoo. He records shows such as 'Lost' and '24' to his laptop."

Is Apple creating the FCC's worst fear?

2006-02-10T12:38:00.000-07:00

Is Apple creating the FCC's worst fear?: "It's election time in Washington, and you can almost smell the campaign contributions - and the political causes that generate them. In this light, both the Senate and the House want to take up telecom regulation again, playing on the FCC's recent decision to free the RBOCs from sharing their high-speed DSL and fiber to the home. The RBOCs want to charge extra for the QoS needed for services such as premium video. The 'we want everything for free crowd' wants (no surprise) QoS for free. It may be that Apple has already cast the deciding vote."

Verizon Executive Calls for End to Google's 'Free Lunch'

2006-02-07T12:17:00.000-07:00

Verizon Executive Calls for End to Google's 'Free Lunch': "A Verizon Communications Inc. executive yesterday accused Google Inc. of freeloading for gaining access to people's homes using a network of lines and cables the phone company spent billions of dollars to build."

Internet Lions Turn Paper Tiger in China - New York Times

2006-02-06T19:34:00.000-07:00

Internet Lions Turn Paper Tiger in China - New York Times: "What if the Chinese authorities didn't simply force Google to exclude sites like hrw.org (the Human Rights Watch Web site) and lesbian.com from the Chinese version of its search engine results, or insist that Yahoo hop to whenever the government fancied the identity of one of its e-mail users, as the authorities have done?"

Don't blow it, Congress | Perspectives | CNET News.com

2006-02-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

Don't blow it, Congress | Perspectives | CNET News.com: "As Congress begins writing new telecom legislation, a big question is whether Internet users will have the same broad freedom to access applications and content as before, or whether their online experience will be controlled by companies supplying your Net access."

Postage Is Due for Companies Sending E-Mail - New York Times

2006-02-05T06:51:00.000-07:00

Postage Is Due for Companies Sending E-Mail - New York Times: "This Tuesday the Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing to consider legislation for what has been called Net neutrality — effectively banning Internet access companies from giving preferred status to certain providers of content. The concern is that companies that do not pay could find it hard to reach customers or attract new ones, threatening the openness of the Internet."

Is Verizon a Network Hog?

2006-02-02T15:43:00.000-07:00

Is Verizon a Network Hog?: "Documents filed with the Federal Communications Commission show that Verizon Communications (VZ) is setting aside a wide lane on its fiber-optic network for delivering its own television service. According to Marvin Sirbu, an engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon University who examined the documents, more than 80% of Verizon's current capacity is earmarked for carrying its service, while all other traffic jostles in the remainder."

The Shackles Of The Net

2006-02-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

CBS News | The Shackles Of The Net | February 2, 2006 16:04:41: "The nation’s largest telephone and cable companies are crafting an alarming set of strategies that would transform the free, open and nondiscriminatory Internet of today to a privately run and branded service that would charge a fee for virtually everything we do online. "

Tech.gov: A Gated Internet - Yahoo! News

2006-02-02T10:39:00.000-07:00

Tech.gov: A Gated Internet - Yahoo! News: "A number of telephone companies such as SBC/AT&T, Verizon and others have begun talking about offering a new prioritization service to Internet businesses. The general concept is simple: Pay the ISP some extra money, and the data packets to and from your Web site get priority. Your users will get the information they want faster, or perhaps they will enjoy a smoother online gaming experience, or they'll be able to make their purchases more quickly. Whichever the case, what business wouldn't want to deliver a better online experience to its customers?"

Web's Big 3 Jockey for First

2006-02-02T06:27:00.000-07:00

Web's Big 3 Jockey for First: "If the business race for Internet supremacy were a horse race, here's how I'd handicap it today:

Google is way out in front, with hints of tiring. Yahoo is a distant second, but gaining. Microsoft is the only other runner still on the track -- several lengths behind, no less -- but the aging champion won't quit."

BetaNews | EarthLink Runs VoIP Over Phone Lines

2006-02-02T05:55:00.000-07:00

BetaNews | EarthLink Runs VoIP Over Phone Lines: "he VoIP market is one of the fastest growing Internet industries. While it only had less than two percent penetration in 2004, research firm IDC predicts that number will rise to 22.1 percent by 2008. Furthermore, JupiterResearch projects that as many as 20 million US households will subscribe to a VoIP service."

MercuryNews.com | 02/01/2006 | Google tests VoIP calls to firms

2006-02-02T05:54:00.000-07:00

MercuryNews.com | 02/01/2006 | Google tests VoIP calls to firms: "Google is adding another way to cash in on search advertising, confirming Tuesday that it is working with a Florida-based telephone network to allow people to make Internet phone calls directly to the companies highlighted in its search results.

A Google spokesman briefly explained the company's dealings with VoIP Inc. after a Securities and Exchange Commission filing by the Ft. Lauderdale-based company Monday made vague reference to a Google telecommunications service."

Rocky Mountain News: Tech & telecom

2006-02-02T05:53:00.000-07:00

Rocky Mountain News: Tech & telecom: "Colorado legislators shot down a bid to prevent state and local municipalities from taxing Internet- based phone services, the second year the measure has failed.

The House Finance Committee voted 7-6 to defeat the measure proposed by Rep. Matt Knoedler, R-Lakewood, and also voted to keep the matter from being heard again this term."

Light Reading - Broadband - Our Fiber-Fed Future - Telecom

2006-02-02T05:52:00.000-07:00

Light Reading - Broadband - Our Fiber-Fed Future - Telecom: "After several decades of false starts, FTTx is finally on its way in Europe – with potentially momentous implications for Europe's incumbent telcos.

Fiber to the home, the office, or the building is the endgame for European wireline access networks, as it is throughout the developed world. If incumbents make the wrong decisions here, they face at best a radically reduced role in telecom, and at worst extinction. It may already be too late for them to survive in anything like their current form, at least on the wireline side of their business."

NE Asia Online 2006 Feb : PON, VDSL: Providers Evaluate Tradeoffs

2006-02-02T05:50:00.000-07:00

NE Asia Online 2006 Feb : PON, VDSL: Providers Evaluate Tradeoffs

USATODAY.com - Digital Content Protection Act would be consumer disaster

2006-01-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

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."

WSJ.com - Net Firms Raise Capitol Hill Profile

2006-01-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

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."

Could Your VoIP Phone Be Tapped?

2006-01-28T08:11:00.000-07:00

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

2006-01-28T08:10:00.000-07:00

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

2006-01-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

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

2006-01-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

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."

TelecomWeb

2006-01-27T07:29:00.000-07:00

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

2006-01-27T07:19:00.001-07:00

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

2006-01-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

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."

Government study: VoIP, video can be taxed | CNET News.com

2006-01-26T06:41:00.000-07:00

Government study: VoIP, video can be taxed | CNET News.com

Move Over, HD-TV. Now There's HD Radio, Too. - New York Times

2006-01-23T06:33:00.000-07:00

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."

Like This? You'll Hate That. (Not All Web Recommendations Are Welcome.) - New York Times

2006-01-23T06:32:00.000-07:00

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

2006-01-23T06:29:00.000-07:00

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."

Online Video Presents: The Waste, the Wacky, The Wonderful

2006-01-22T15:18:00.000-07:00

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

2006-01-22T15:12:00.000-07:00

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."

Light Reading - Video - Google Says No to QOS Fees - Telecom News Analysis

2006-01-21T06:52:00.001-07:00

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

2006-01-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

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

2006-01-21T06:29:00.000-07:00

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."

911 dials IP technology

2006-01-15T08:27:00.000-07:00

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."

Hey, Baby Bells: Information Still Wants to Be Free - New York Times

2006-01-14T20:14:00.000-07:00

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

2006-01-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

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."

Video Lights Google's Fiber - Telecom News Analysis

2006-01-13T16:41:00.000-07:00

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."

Ask Not for Whom the Bells Toll.... :: AO

2006-01-13T09:33:00.000-07:00

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

2006-01-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

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.

RED HERRING | Net Giants in the Living Room

2006-01-12T13:37:00.000-07:00

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."

WSJ.com - Web Phones Go Unplugged

2006-01-11T22:05:00.000-07:00

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."

BBC NEWS | Technology | Towards a two-tier internet

2006-01-10T16:39:00.000-07:00

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?

2006-01-10T16:35:00.000-07:00

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."

U.S. Office Joins an Effort to Improve Software Patents - New York Times

2006-01-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

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

2006-01-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

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."

Business 2.0: Breaking down VOIP's walls - Jan. 6, 2006

2006-01-08T07:39:00.000-07:00

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."

DECT Phones Bridge Landline, VOIP

2006-01-08T07:36:00.000-07:00

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."

Double Trouble

2006-01-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

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."

Courting the Web Giants

2006-01-07T06:27:00.000-07:00

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."