INTERNET
Italy Sponsors Technology Transfer To Developing Countries
AT&T raises fees for high-speed Net access by as much as 80%
COPYRIGHT
Recording Industry Will Appeal Net Radio Ruling
Lights, Camera, Legislation
WIRELESS
Analog Phones Could Hang It Up;FCC Expected To OK System Shutdown
INTERNET
ITALY SPONSORS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Italy's technology minister, Lucio Stanca, believes that having more
Internet and other information technology may go far in alleviating poverty.
Stanca, a former IBM executive, is now is spearheading Italy's Internet
program for developing countries -- as part of the Group of Eight's efforts
to reduce the so-called digital divide. One of the first projects, to be
implemented in the fall, is creating an electronic database for real estate
in Mozambique. "Of course we must solve the problem of world hunger,
disease, education," Stanca recently told The Associated Press. "But if we
want to move from a phase of assistance to creating development in these
countries, we must first help them create good governance." The idea is
that, by making their public administration more transparent and
accountable, developing countries would also become more attractive
potential recipients of traditional forms of aid, such as loans and
investments.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Alessandra Rizzo (Associated Press)]
(http://www.nj.com/newsflash/business/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?f
0002_BC_Italy-TechnologyTrans&&news&newsflash-financial)
AT&T RAISES FEES FOR HIGH-SPEED NET ACCESS BY AS MUCH AS 80%
Consumer advocates are criticizing AT&T Broadband for raising the price of
high-speed Internet access without explicitly informing consumers. Gene
Kimmelman from Consumer's Union said, "AT&T shortchanged its customers. It
delivered less than they had paid for without offering them a discount. This
is fundamentally a problem of an unregulated cable monopoly taking advantage
of its high-speed customers." AT&T had been charging $46-a-month for the
high-speed service but after taking over the service from Excite At Home
they cut downloading speeds in half without lowering the price. Their
message to consumers was that "the lighting-fast connection" had been
"optimized for all users through a maximum network setting for 1.5 mbps
downstream." What this really meant is that it would now take twice as long
to download files using the service. AT&T vice president of Internet
services acknowledges the rate increase but maintained that at the current
price and speed, "there's nobody close to us in offering that value of
service."
SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: David Lieberman]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/2002-08-08-att-broadband_x.htm)
COPYRIGHT
RECORDING INDUSTRY WILL APPEAL NET RADIO RULING
The Recording Industry Association of America said today that it will appeal
a federal ruling establishing royalty rates that Internet radio stations
must pay to artists and record companies. On June 20, the Librarian of
Congress, James Billington, set Internet royalty rates at .07 cents per
song, per listener, which is half the .14 cents-per-song figure approved
last by an arbitration panel appointed by the U.S. Copyright Office. All
sides of the debate have criticized Billington's royalty rate
recommendation. Small Internet broadcasters say that the .07 cents-per-song
rate will drive them out of business, while the RIAA contends that the rate
undervalues the intellectual property of record companies and musicians.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: David McGuire]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56215-2002Aug7.html)
LIGHTS, CAMERA, LEGISLATION
CNet writer Jim Hu lays out the history of the media industry's battle to
insert copyright protections into consumer electronic devices. As high-tech
companies are focusing more and more on digital entertainment, the Hollywood
studios are focusing their efforts on controlling the use and distribution
of their work. Michael Eisner, CEO of Walt Disney said, "At least one
high-tech executive has described illegal pirate content as a 'killer
application' that will drive consumer demand for broadband...Unfortunately,
other high-tech companies have simply lectured us that they have no
obligation to help solve what they describe as 'our problem'." Several
studios and TV networks are suing Sonicblue, a manufacturer of digital
recorders for allegedly allowing consumers to pirate movies. The company's
chief technology officer Andy Wolfe, believes, "It's not our job to convince
Hollywood that it's not a threat. It's our job to convince them it's not
illegal. What we've done is try to convince Hollywood it's a new channel for
commerce and to profit from it rather than be afraid of it." The Federal
Communications Commission will be meeting today to discuss digital broadcast
copyright protections.
[SOURCE: CNET, AUTHOR, Jim Hu]
(http://news.com.com/2009-1023-948672.html)
WIRELESS
ANALOG PHONES COULD HANG IT UP FCC EXPECTED TO OK SYSTEM SHUTDOWN
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to grant permission
to wireless carriers to shut down analog networks in the next five years.
Cingular Wireless, along with Verizon Wireless and AT&T Wireless believe
that analog networks are inefficient and are attempting to reclaim airwaves
for their digital subscribers. Of the USA's 140 million wireless customers,
fifteen percent use analog phones. Losing analog networks could result in
problems for consumers roaming outside their regions and hearing-impaired
consumers who say digital phones interfere with hearing aids. Industry
officials claim they will have built out their digital networks within 5
years and roaming will not be an issue.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Paul Davidson]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020808/4343670s.htm)
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