REGULATION
FCC Proposes Limited Section 706 Relief for Bell Companies
(TelecomAM)
Deployment of Advanced Telecommunications Services By All
Providers (FCC)
Rules for Bells' Data Lines Eased (Chicago Tribune)
FCC Grants 24 MHz of Wireless Spectrum for Public Safety Use (TelecomAM)
Public Safety Radio Spectrum (FCC)
FCC Proposes to Deregulate International Call Market (TelecomAM)
FCC Offers Plan for Competition in Video Services (WSJ)
INTERNET
Nonprofit ISPs in Danger (CyberTimes)
Professor Protests Copyright Law (CyberTimes)
LEGISLATION
House Approves Campaign Finance Bill (WP)
House Approves Shays-Meehan Bill on Campaign Finance Reform
(NYT)
House Clears Bill to Revamp Campaign Finance (WSJ)
House Telecom Subcommittee Approves Bill on Slamming and Spamming
(TelecomAM)
Privacy Issues in Antispam Bill (CyberTimes)
House Passes Commerce Spending Bill Without Internet Add-Ons
(TelecomAM)
SECURITY
Another E-mail Security Problem is Discovered, This One In Eudora (NYT)
ANTITRUST
U.S. Judge Orders Microsoft to Turn Over Operating System Code (NYT)
Microsoft Moves for a Dismissal (WP)
JOURNALISM
Boston Globe Columnist Refuses to Resign (ChiTrib)
NU Journalism School Gets $20 Million Grant (ChiTrib)
==========
REGULATION
==========
FCC PROPOSES LIMITED SECTION 706 RELIEF FOR BELL COMPANIES
Issue: Bandwidth/Access
The Commission initiated two proceedings intended to create marketplace
conditions conducive to the nationwide deployment of advanced
telecommunications services, such as high-speed Internet access and video
telephony, by all providers. First, the Commission commenced an inquiry into
the current availability of advanced telecommunications services and what
actions the Commission can take if it determines that these services are not
being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely manner. Second,
the Commission proposed actions to encourage all wireline providers, both
incumbent local telephone companies and their competitors, to provide
advanced telecommunications services. Both proceedings follow Congress's
blueprint for stimulating telecommunications competition and bringing the
benefits of technology to all sectors of American society. (See summary at
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/News_Releases/1998/nrcc8058.html)
[SOURCE: Telecom AM]
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
DEPLOYMENT OF ADVANCED TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES BY ALL PROVIDERS
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/News_Releases/1998/nrcc8057.html
RULES FOR BELLS' DATA LINES EASED
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune (Sec 3, p.3), AUTHOR: Jon Van]
http://chicagotribune.com/textversion/article/0,1492,SAV-9808070217,00.html
FCC GRANTS 24 MHZ OF WIRELESS SPECTRUM FOR PUBLIC SAFETY USE
Issue: Spectrum
At its open meeting August 6, the FCC licensed 24 MHz of wireless spectrum
for public safety use, including a block set aside for development of
interoperable networks so emergency workers can communicate on the same
frequency. FCC Wireless Bureau Chief Daniel Phythyon said this doubles the
amount of spectrum available to public safety entities and "takes them into
the 21st century." The spectrum was reallocated from TV channels 63, 64, 68,
69. It can be used for voice, data, image and video.
[SOURCE: Telecom AM]
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO SPECTRUM
Issue: Spectrum
"The Commission adopted rules for licensing the largest block of spectrum
ever allocated at one time for public safety services. In a document that
includes both a First Report and Order (First Report) and a Third Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking (Third Notice), the Commission establishes service rules
for licensing 24 megahertz (MHz) of spectrum in the 764-806 MHz band
(referred to as the 700 MHz band), establishes a band plan for use of this
spectrum, seeks comment on how to license the remaining portion of the
public safety spectrum (8.8 MHz) and on additional proposals to implement
effective public safety nationwide interoperability. The First Report also
announces the Commission's plan to establish a National Coordination
Committee that will seek accreditation from the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) and be charged with, among other things, developing
national standards for operation and use of the spectrum allocated for
nationwide interoperability."
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Wireless/News_Releases/1998/nrwl8033.html
FCC PROPOSES TO DEREGULATE INTERNATIONAL CALL MARKET
Issue: International
The Federal Communications Commission moved to deregulate the international
phone market. The
rules would give U.S. long distance carriers more flexibility in reaching
rate agreements with foreign telcos. The Commission proposed two rule
changes: 1) U.S. carriers could make pricing deals with nondominant foreign
carriers without getting prior approval from the FCC; and 2) Rules would be
further eased for negotiations in countries considered competitive.
[SOURCE: Telecom AM]
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
FCC OFFERS PLAN FOR COMPETITION IN VIDEO SERVICES
Issue: Cable
At an open meeting yesterday, the Federal Communication Commission proposed
a plan intended to encourage competition in the provision of multi-channel
services. New rules would stiffen penalties for cable operators who refuse
competitors access to programming. With cable rates raising at seven times
the rate of inflation, the FCC hopes that increased competition will provide
rate relief for the cable consumer. Critics, however, claim that rate caps
are the only way to control soaring cable prices.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B7), AUTHOR: John Simons]
http://wsj.com/
========
INTERNET
========
NONPROFIT ISPS IN DANGER
Issue: Community Networks
Oregon Public Networking, which provides Internet access to about 12,000
people in rural southwestern Oregon, about 5,000 of whom meet federal
poverty standards, is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and
may lose its tax-exempt status. The case could determine whether as many as
500 of the nation's community networks that provide Internet access to the
poor can keep their nonprofit status. Marc Owens, director of the IRS's
exempt organizations division, said that "the key question with regard to
any Internet service provider is, 'What are you doing that is any different
from the America Onlines of the world?'" Owens said if a nonprofit ISP
cannot demonstrate how they are different from commercial ISPs then they are
at risk for losing their tax-exempt status. Richard Civille, a member of the
Colorado-based Association for Community Networking's board, said that
without tax-exempt status, community networks could cease to exist. "We're
pretty determined not to see this happen," Civille said. "We cannot have a
healthy information economy without equal access to the Net. The role of
community networks in helping to promote full equity is growing. You kill
community networks, and you create more income disparity."
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes), AUTHOR: Rebecca Fairley Raney]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/08/cyber/articles/07tax.html
PROFESSOR PROTESTS COPYRIGHT LAW
Issue: Copyright
I. Trotter Hardy, a law professor at the College of William and Mary School
of Law in Williamsburg, VA, recently completed a government-financed study
on the problems of copyright protection in the digital age. He thinks that
the new law that Congress is poised to pass that would protect the owners of
music, art and prose from duplication on the Internet, is a big mistake. In
a recent interview, Hardy said that "the rush to legislation concerns me."
And he believes that the current copyright law, which is written in general
terms, is "broad enough" to combat today's Internet copyright pirates as
well as unforeseen malicious people around the technology bend. "An amended
copyright law creates complexity and invites further amendments" from
special interest groups, Hardy said. "After a point, it becomes very hard
for average people to keep up and know what the new law means and how the
new parts are related to the old parts."
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes), AUTHOR: Carl S. Kaplan]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/08/cyber/cyberlaw/07law.html
===========
LEGISLATION
===========
HOUSE APPROVES CAMPAIGN FINANCE BILL (WP)
HOUSE APPROVES SHAYS-MEEHAN BILL ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM (NYT)
HOUSE CLEARS BILL TO REVAMP CAMPAIGN FINANCE (WSJ)
Issue: Campaign Finance
The House has finally approved a bipartisan measure to reform the nation's
campaign finance system. The Shays-Meehan bill, representing largest change
in campaign finance rules in over a quarter of a century, would ban the
unregulated contributions to political parties, known as "soft-money."
Additionally, the legislation would impose stricter regulations on "issue
ads" aired by independent organizations in the last 60 days before an
election. Rep. Martin Meehan (D-Mass), co-sponsor of the bill, said upon
it's passage; "You only get an opportunity once in a generation to really
make a difference on a major issue. This is a golden opportunity we have."
[SOURCE: Washington Post (A1, A16), AUTHOR: Helen Dewar]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-08/07/130l-080798-idx.html
[SOURCE: New York Times (A19), AUTHOR: Alison Mitchell]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/politics/080798campaign-finance.html
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (A2), AUTHOR: David Rogers]
http://wsj.com/
HOUSE TELECOM SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVES BILL ON SLAMMING AND SPAMMING
Issue: Telephone Regulation
On August 6 the House Telecom Subcommittee approved a bill (HR-3888) to
crack down on slamming and spamming. The bill combines measures from House
Telecom Subcommittee Chairman Billy Tauzin (R-LA) and senior Commerce
Committee Democrat John Dingell (D-MI); the bill allows for consumers to
obtain rebates and sets up a dispute resolution method between carriers
concerning slamming -- when a carrier subscribes a customer without consent.
The spamming part of the
bill, dealing with unsolicited commercial e-mail, requires the Federal Trade
Commission to come up with rules for controlling spam and requires that the
words "unsolicited commercial e-mail" be in the text of any such message.
[SOURCE: Telecom AM]
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
PRIVACY ISSUES IN ANTISPAM BILL
Issue: Spam Legislation
The House Commerce Committee's telecommunications, trade and consumer
protection subcommittee approved a measure to regulate unsolicited
commercial email, dubbed spam, by requiring senders to identify themselves
in the body of their message. The measure is part of a bill that prohibits
telephone companies from switching customers' long distance carriers without
prior approval, also called slamming. "While few oppose the anti-slamming
provisions, Internet interests, civil libertarians and marketers are still
very much divided over what types of regulations, if any, should be placed
on unsolicited commercial email." For example, groups like the Center for
Democracy and Technology (CDT), "oppose blanket restrictions on email saying
that it infringes on free speech and sets a bad precedent for regulating the
Internet."
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes), AUTHOR: Jeri Clausing]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/08/cyber/articles/07spam.html
HOUSE PASSES COMMERCE SPENDING BILL WITHOUT INTERNET ADD-ONS
Issue: Legislation/Budget Issues
On August 6 the House passed the fiscal year 1999 spending bill for the
Commerce Department and the FCC (HR-4276), by 225-203 vote, as the e-rate
debate failed to materialize. The bill cuts the FCC's budget by $5 million
from this year. The bill will now be reconciled with the Senate version
(S-2260) which
includes Internet filtering and content legislation as well as budgets for
the FCC, NTIA and other agencies. The Administration has threatened to veto
the bill over its treatment of the Census to be taken in 2000. Rep. Joe
Scarborough (R-FL) decided to not offer his amendment to eliminate e-rate
funding. He will support e-rate legislation proposed by House Telecom
Subcommittee Chairman Billy Tauzin (R-LA) that finances the plan through the
telephone excise tax.
[SOURCE: Telecom AM]
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
========
SECURITY
========
ANOTHER E-MAIL SECURITY PROBLEM IS DISCOVERED, THIS ONE IN EUDORA
Issue: Security
Just a few days after a serious security vulnerability was found in email
programs by Microsoft and Netscape, an equally troubling flaw has been
discovered in Eudora email software. The newly found flaw was discovered
earlier this week by a Massachusetts-based software company. The weakness
makes it possible for a malicious computer user to "booby-trap an email
message by inserting a seemingly harmless link to an Internet location that
in fact executes malignant code. This could permit an attacker to destroy or
steal data or to otherwise tamper with a personal computer." Eudora's flaw
is a consequence of the growing power of email that allows email messages to
include features containing software code as well as text. The flaw was
found only in Eudora versions 4.0 and 4.1, not earlier versions.
[SOURCE: New York Times (A1,C4), AUTHOR: John Markoff]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/08/biztech/articles/07email-code....
=========
ANTITRUST
=========
U.S. JUDGE ORDERS MICROSOFT TO TURN OVER OPERATING SYSTEM CODE
Issue: Antitrust
United States District Judge, Thomas penfield Jackson, yesterday ordered the
Microsoft Corporation to turn over to the Government the source code for its
operating system and make its chairman, Bill gates and 16 other executives
available for pretrial depositions that last as long as the Justice Dept.
deems necessary.
[SOURCE: New York Times (C1,C3), AUTHOR: Joel Brinkley]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/08/biztech/articles/07microsoft.html
MICROSOFT TO MOVE FOR DISMISSAL
Issue: Anti-trust
Yesterday, Microsoft announced that it would move for a dismissal of the
Government's two anti-trust lawsuits against the software giant. Microsoft
lawyer, William Neukom said that he would "seek to convince the judge that
there is no genuine issue of material fact" involved in the governments
charges. While, legal experts say chances are very slim that U.S. District
Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson will throw out the case, Microsoft's motion
could delay the trials, scheduled to begin on September 8.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (F1), AUTHOR: Rajv Chandraskaran]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-08/07/063l-080798-idx.html
==========
JOURNALISM
==========
BOSTON GLOBE COLUMNIST REFUSES TO RESIGN
Issue: Journalism
Boston Globe columnist Mike Barnicle is refusing a request to resign from
the paper contending, "I have done nothing wrong." Barnicle is accused of
plagiarizing portions of a column and lying about doing so. "The Globe will
take a look at the options it has before it and will do what is best for the
newspaper," spokesman Richard Gulla said Thursday. Earlier this year, the
paper asked Patricia Smith to resign after she admitted to fabricating
people and quotes in some columns.
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune (Sec 3, p.1), AUTHOR:Jim Kirk]
http://chicagotribune.com/textversion/article/0,1492,SAV-9808070201,00.h...
NU JOURNALISM SCHOOL GETS $20 MILLION GRANT
Issue: Philanthropy/Journalism
The Medill School of Journalism will receive $20 million from the Robert R.
McCormick Tribune Foundation to construct a new building, bolster the
school's broadcast journalism program, and create a multimedia center. The
grant also continues the foundation's support of NMC, a new media center
affiliated with Medill and the university's Kellogg Graduate School of
Management.
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune (Sec 2, p.3)]
http://chicagotribune.com/
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
...and we are outta here. Enjoy the weekend and we'll be back on Monday.