Communications-related Headlines is a free online news summary service =
provided by the Benton Foundation (www.benton.org). Posted Monday =
through Friday, this service provides updates on important industry =
developments, policy issues, and other related news events. Headlines =
are compiled this week by Norris Dickard (norris( at )benton.org) -- we =
welcome your comments.
DTV
TiVo, I Love Thee
WIRELESS
Wifi for fee Big Chill; EV-DO Next Big Thing?
INTERNET
Can-Spam Law Not Curbing Spam
TELEPHONY
FCC Order Meant to Improve Long Distance Competition
DTV=20
TIVO, I LOVE THEE
Since TiVo's intro in 1999, the digital video recorders have attracted a =
growing base of fans claiming the devices have altered more than just =
their viewing habits. TiVo, they say, has changed their lives. The =
recorders are also available from ReplayTV, Dish Network and some cable =
providers, but it is the TiVo name that has become synonymous with the =
technology. It is actually used as a verb, to TiVo. An empowered parent =
likes the gadget and referenced her young son. "He doesn't know about =
the popular toys or junk food, because he doesn't watch live TV," a Ms. =
Silberman said. "We record the wholesome shows that we want him to see, =
and that is what is available for him. Now that he isn't sitting in =
front of the TV all the time, he's watching less."=20
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: ]
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/18/technology/circuits/18tivo.html?8dpc
(requires registration)
WIRELESS
WIFI FOR FEE BIG CHILL; EV-DO NEXT BIG THING?
Fee-based Wi-Fi hot spots have so far failed to become tech's next big =
thing. Many analysts believe it is because the connection charges are =
high, the services don't offer ubiquitous coverage and because of a =
growing number of free wireless connections. In a related development, =
Verizon Wireless is hoping a new technology, called EV-DO, and which =
stands for "Evolution Data Optimized," will be the next big thing, and =
help the company generate new revenue by providing a longer, wider range =
coverage of wireless access to the Web.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Scott Thurm, David Pringle and =
Evan Ramstad]=20
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB107956780465958560,00.html?mod=3Dtele=
communications%5Fprimary%5Fhs
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Alamar Latrour and Jesse Drucker]=20
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB107956799859558570,00.html?mod=3Dtele=
communications%5Fprimary%5Fhs
(requires subscription)
INTERNET
CAN-SPAM LAW NOT CURBING SPAM
A new federal anti-spam law (Can-Spam) has done little to decrease the =
amount of junk e-mail coming into Americans' in-boxes, according to a =
survey released today by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. It =
found the mounting spam problem has caused nearly 30 percent of =
respondents to reduce their use of e-mail. "This is the first reading on =
the effect of Can-Spam which was meant to help begin solving this =
problem," said Pew Internet & American Life Project Director Lee Rainie. =
"It's still early in the life of the law obviously, but if in the early =
days the bad guys seem to be getting the upper hand from the good guys, =
that's not good."=20
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Robert MacMillan]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2279-2004Mar17.html
(requires registration)
Full Report is at:
http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=3D116
TELEPHONY
FCC ORDER MEANT TO IMROVE LONG DISTANCE COMPETITION
The FCC today announced the release of an order meant to expand long =
distance competition. It is meant to improve telephone service for =
consumers by eliminating certain of the FCC's "operate independently" =
rules and allows the integration of certain local and long distance =
operations. The FCC explains in their press release: "Permitting the =
sharing of these limited internal functions that BOCs and their long =
distance affiliates formerly had to separately perform will provide =
efficiency gains and should translate to savings of millions of dollars =
in yearly operational costs that likely will be passed on to the BOCs' =
long distance consumers." BOC =3D Bell Operating Company. The "operate =
independently" rules were adopted in 1996 by the FCC to implement =
section 272 of the Telecommunications Act's separate affiliate =
requirements.=20
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://www.fcc.gov/
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