(Beware the Ides of March!)
DIGITAL DIVIDE
Free wireless networking comes to Boston's Newbury Street
(MacCentral)
CABLE
FCC Votes To Exempt Cable Firms From Telecom Line-Sharing Laws (WSJ)
FCC's Decision On Cable Broadband Services Broadens Cable Industry's
Media Monopoly (CDD)
Comcast To Offer HDTV to D.C. Market (WP)
COPYRIGHT
Senate Won't Act On Digital Content Bill - Lawmaker (WP)
INTERNET
Internet Oversight Body Rejects Elections (SJM)
Who Should Run the Net? (WP)
DIGITAL DIVIDE
FREE WIRELESS NETWORKING COMES TO BOSTON'S NEWBURY STREET
Issue: Community Networking, Wireless/Wi-Fi
Boston-area company Tech Superpowers Inc. has established a free wireless
community network on Boston's Newbury street. The Newbury Open Network,
based at the Trident Booksellers Cafe, offers local residents free Internet
access through the 802.11b wireless standard, more commonly known as Wi-Fi.
The Wi-Fi network allows local residents to connect to the Internet at
speeds ranging from 128k to 1.5 Mbps, depending on the user's proximity to
the cafe's wireless antenna. Tech Superpowers Inc. is making the network
available to anyone in the neighborhood, and is encouraging other local
businesses to establish other wireless hubs in the neighborhood in order to
expand free Internet access to other parts of the community.
[SOURCE: MacCentral/Yahoo News; AUTHOR: Peter Cohen]
(http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=77&u=/mc/20020313/tc_mc/fre
e_wireless_networking_comes_to_boston_s_newbury_st_)
CABLE
FCC VOTES TO EXEMPT CABLE FIRMS FROM TELECOM LINE-SHARING LAWS
Issue: Open Access, policy
The FCC ruled in a 3-1 vote that broadband Internet access carried over
cable pipes is an "information service." The ruling will free cable
operators from many of the regulations requiring them to lease elements of
their networks to competitors at discounted rates. The cable industry
applauded the ruling. Robert Sachs, the president of the National Cable and
Telecommunications Association, stated, "Given the vigorous competition
between cable, modem, digital subscriber line, and satellite-delivered
broadband Internet services, a policy of regulatory restraint is
particularly appropriate." Last month the FCC tentatively gave the
"information service" designation to high-speed Internet service carried
over conventional phone lines. If this decision is formalized, it will free
the phone companies from current regulations and enable them to compete
equally with the cable industry. The ruling was not well received by
independent service providers such as Earthlink and Juno, who may find it
difficult to compete with the cable and phone companies broadband offerings.
Consumer advocates are concerned that the deregulation will result in
monopolies over news and entertainment content.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Yochi J. Dreazen]
(http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1016122582609354080,00.html?mod=technol
ogy_main_whats_news)
(Requires subscription)
FCC'S DECISION ON CABLE BROADBAND SERVICES BROADENS CABLE INDUSTRY'S MEDIA
MONOPOLY
Issue: Open Access, Competition
The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and the Center for Digital
Democracy (CDD) have responded to the FCC's ruling on cable broadband
services as a blow to consumers, competitors, and citizens. "Michael
Powell's FCC has struck a deadly blow to the future health of the Internet
and has given a great victory to the cable industry lobby," said Jeff
Chester, CDD's executive director. "Cable will not be able to become an even
more powerful media gatekeeper, controlling much of what will be digitally
distributed into U.S. homes."
[SOURCE: Center for Digital Democracy]
(http://www.democraticmedia.org/news/FCCcabledecision.html)
COMCAST TO OFFER HDTV TO D.C. MARKET
Issue: Digital Television
Comcast Cable Corporation plans to begin transmitting high-definition
television channels in several major markets. Although HDTV provides better
picture and sound quality, the cost of television sets capable of displaying
the signal has remained prohibitively high. TV set prices start at just
under $2,000 - a price most consumers have not been willing to pay. Comcast
hopes to jump-start demand for HDTV with new services. Pricing for the D.C.
area has not been announced, although customers in a Philadelphia pilot
program were charged 10.95 a month. As many cable companies begin to upgrade
their services to include HDTV, analysts predict that over-the-air
broadcasts will continue to erode. James B. Boyle, a cable industry analyst
with Wachovia Securities, said, "There is less of a need and mandate for
over-the-air television."
[SOURCE: Washington Post; AUTHOR: Christopher Stern]
(http://www.washtech.com/news/media/15653-1.html)
COPYRIGHT
SENATE WON'T ACT ON DIGITAL CONTENT BILL - LAWMAKER
Issue: Copyright
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) said yesterday that
Congress will leave it up to the entertainment and technology industries to
devise solutions for preventing digital piracy. "Until the differences are
resolved, certainly no legislation will pass this year, " he said. "The
entertainment industry has not fully made their case, but the high-tech
industry hasn't either." The entertainment industry has been supporting the
efforts of Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ernest Hollings (D-SC) to
create legislation forcing computer and consumer electronics companies to
implement technology to prevent digital piracy. Richard Parsons,
CEO-designate of AOL Time Warner, said, "We believe that such a requirement
can be accomplished by narrowly focused government action." Leahy believes
that government-mandated technology standards would stifle innovation.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Brian Krebs]
(http://www.washtech.com/news/regulation/15666-1.html)
INTERNET
INTERNET OVERSIGHT BODY REJECTS ELECTIONS
Issue: ICANN
In a controversial vote, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers (ICANN) decided to reject future elections to fill board seats with
Internet users from the general public. ICANN's chief executive said most
board members believed any election system would be unable to prevent fraud
by special interest groups. ICANN will instead create committees and other
forums for the community at-large that could become the basis for future
elections. Karl Auerbach, one of five elected board members disagreed with
the decision: "ICANN made a great leap backwards. It repudiated the compact
up on which it was formed - an agreement that ICANN would, being a public
and tax-exempt entity, allow the public to meaningfully participate."
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/editorial/2861182.htm)
WHO SHOULD RUN THE NET?
Issue: ICANN (commentary)
As the Internet becomesmore deeply entrenched into global commerce and daily
life, very fundamental questions must be addressed. Author Jonathan Krim
explores the question of Internet management as it comes to a boil in the
recent ICANN debate. Krim suggests that the Internet cannot be governed
solely by either the technical community or government regulators. All
decisions about the Internet, including technical ones, result in real-world
implications. Therefore, Internet politics will hopefully remain an art of
compromise to avoid becoming the province of special interests.
[SOURCE: Washington Post; AUTHOR: Jonathan Krim]
(http://www.washtech.com/news/regulation/15656-1.html)
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