WIRELESS
Fast Hookup With Cellphone Is Expected From Verizon (NYT)
BROADCASTING
Russia's Regional TV Stations Suffer as Nationwide Broadcaster Stays
Dark (NYT)
INTERNET
Is Broadband the Answer? Unfortunately, Not Always (WSJ)
Most Web Sites on the Hill Unimpressive, Survey Finds (WP)
WIRELESS
FAST HOOKUP WITH CELLPHONE IS EXPECTED FROM VERIZON
Issue: Wireless
The largest wireless carrier in the United States, Verizon Wireless, is
expected to announce today the availability of the nation's first commercial
"third-generation" wireless service, which would provide users with fast
access to the Internet through cellphones, people close to the company said.
The 3G service, as it's called, will provide Internet access at speeds up to
144 kilobits a second, more than double normal connections. The service,
which will cost at least $30 a month in additional fees, will be available
on the East Coast from Maine to Virginia, in the Bay Area of Northern
California and in Salt Lake City in time for the Olympic Games. Rather than
focusing mainly on data services available on the tiny screens of
cellphones, as carriers in Japan and South Korea have done, Verizon Wireless
will probably try to sell its services to customers who want mobile Internet
connections on laptop computers.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Simon Romero]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/28/technology/ebusiness/28CELL.html)
(requires registration)
BROADCASTING
RUSSIA'S REGIONAL TV STATIONS SUFFER AS NATIONWIDE BROADCASTER STAYS DARK
Issue: Broadcasting
Last week, a Russian court shut off the signal of TV-6, the independent
nationwide broadcaster, declaring it insolvent in proceedings the network
says were rigged. The day after, the network's partner in the Siberian city
of Surgut filled the void in its airwaves with a broadcast of the office
parrot. Regional stations are scrambling to fill giant gaps in their
broadcasts left when the authorities unexpectedly switched TV-6 off the air
at midnight on Tuesday. The 156 regional partners have contract agreements
to buy programming from the national network, whose closure is causing havoc
with their budgets . Beyond business, regional stations say they have lost a
worldview they valued. The state-controlled networks are similar in party
line, while other private national networks, like STS and TV-Center, offer
only entertainment programs - no news.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Sabrina Tavernise]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/28/business/worldbusiness/28RUSS.html)
(requires registration)
INTERNET
MOST WEB SITES ON THE HILL UNIMPRESSIVE, SURVEY FINDS
Issue: E-Government
When it comes to Web sites, there is "a digital divide" within Congress,
according to a recent report by the Congress Online Project, a venture
funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts. After evaluating the Web sites of all
605 House and Senate personal offices, committees and leadership offices,
the Congress Online Project concluded that a small minority of offices boast
sophisticated sites while the majority offer unimpressive ones. Just 10
percent received grades of A or B, while 90 percent got grades of C or
below. The best sites, according to the project, correctly identify their
audience; provide up-to-date, targeted content; offer opportunities for
interaction; are easily used; and employ creative innovations.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Juliet Eilperin]
(http://www.washtech.com/news/govtit/14890-1.html)
IS BROADBAND THE ANSWER? UNFORTUNATELY, NOT ALWAYS
Issue: Broadband
TechNet, a technology-industry lobbying group, argues in a recent white
paper that "the most critical broadband policy issue" is encouraging
investment to bring high-speed Internet access to the home. Yet, according
to Tom Weber, in their haste to make broadband a new national priority, the
tech industry and policy makers are ignoring the fact that consumers are
just not very interested. Anywhere from 70% to 80% of U.S. households can
already sign up for high-speed cable-modem Internet access, but fewer than
10% have subscribed. Weber suggests that if "cable and telecom companies
want someone to blame for broadband's lackluster growth, how about the
record companies, which still aren't giving consumers what they want."
Referring to the recording-industry's attack on Napster. Lawrence Lessig, a
copyright expert and law professor at Stanford University, has urged
Congress to mandate a compulsory Internet licensing system that would let
start-ups offer music services without securing agreements from all the
record companies, but would still ensure that copyright holders were
compensated.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Tom Weber]
(http://online.wsj.com/article/0,4286,SB1012170461714514200,00.html?mod=tech
nology%5Fcolumns%5Ffeatured%5Flsc)
(requires subscription)
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