BROADBAND
Highspeed Internet Spreads Slowly (WP)
FCC Action Threatens Openness Of Internet And Communications
Networks (CDD)
POLITICAL DISCOURSE
House Clears Campaign Finance Bill; Senate Opponents Threaten
Filibuster (WSJ)
INTERNET
'.us' Addresses Available to American Public
BROADBAND
HIGHSPEED INTERNET SPREADS SLOWLY
Issue: Broadband
According to a recent Federal Communications Commission study, the digital
divide between those with highspeed Internet access and those without is
slowly narrowing. About 96 percent of the nation's most wealthy Zip codes
have high-speed Internet access, while the study found high-speed customers
in only 59 percent of the poorest Zip codes. The contrast between rural and
urban areas was even greater. The FCC found that 98 percent of the most
densely populated Zip codes have at least one high-speed Internet customer.
In contrast, less than 40 percent of rural Zip codes have even a single
high-speed subscriber. The report raises concerns about the fact that the
U.S. trails Korea, Canada and Sweden in the deployment of highspeed Internet
access.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Christopher Stern]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7801-2002Feb13.html)
FCC ACTION THREATENS OPENESS OF INTERNET AND COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS
Issue: Broadband
The Federal Communications Commission is currently considering The Notice of
Proposed Rule Making (NPRM), a framework that will redefine how broadband
services are delivered over telephone networks. The current framework,
governed by open access rules, has forced large cable and telephone
companies to interconnect with local telephone and broadband Internet
providers on a nondiscriminatory basis. The NPRM could remove these access
requirements and give more control of the growing DSL broadband industry to
major cable and telephone companies.
[SOURCE: Center for Digital Democracy (CDD)]
(http://www.democraticmedia.org/news/fccThreatensNet.html)
POLITICAL DISCOURSE
HOUSE CLEARS CAMPAIGN FINANCE BILL; SENATE OPPONENTS THREATEN FILIBUSTER
Issue: Broadcasting
After a 15 hour debate the House passed the Shays-Meehan campaign finance
bill with a bipartisan vote of 240-189. If passed by the Senate, the bill
would bring about the most sweeping overhaul of campaign-spending rules
since the Watergate scandal a generation ago. The House bill would ban
unlimited "soft money" donations to the national political parties,
typically large donations made by corporations, unions and individuals. A
requirement that would have tightened a current law that broadcasters give
campaigning politicians their lowest advertising rates was stripped from the
bill.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Associate Press]
(http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1013674630218867440,00.html?mod=home_wha
ts_news_us)
(requires subscription)
INTERENT
'.US' ADDRESSES AVAILABLE TO AMERICAN PUBLIC
Issue: Internet
Beginning April 24, the ".us" Internet domain name will be available to
Americans. NeuStar Inc., a Washington-based company, says that only
companies, organizations and individuals with a physical presence in the
United States will be allowed to register .us addresses. Unlike England's
".uk," or Japan's ".jp," which are heavily used in their respective nations,
.us has long remained a relatively underpopulated Internet neighborhood.,
because it was not available to the general public until now.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: David McGuire ]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7786-2002Feb13.html
--------------------------------------------------------------