DIGITAL DIVIDE
Homebound but Plugged In
Hasten Telecom Reforms, Urges World Bank
POLICY
Joint Venture Takes Aim At Digital Divide
States Try to Tackle Online Sales Tax
Will GOP Shake Up Tech Policy?
DIGITAL DIVIDE
HOMEBOUND BUT PLUGGED IN
Despite the lagging tech market, wireless Internet products and services
have been a hot item - and with good reason. Just ask JoWynn Johns, who has
found ways to enrich her life despite being homebound due to a
neuro-hormonal disease. Using the high-speed Wi-Fi network recently
installed at the Charlestown retirement community in Maryland, Johns is able
to take up new hobbies, perform research and keep in touch with her
children, grandchildren and great grandchild. Service provider Oneder, LLC
(pronounced "wonder") plans to build a Washington area wireless network lat
this year or early next year based on the success of their Charlestown
venture.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Yuki Noguchi]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43539-2002Nov26.html)
HASTEN TELECOM REFORMS, URGES WORLD BANK
The World Bank has asked the Kenyan government in Nairobi to speed up the
deregulation of its telecommunication sector as a way to stimulate
investment in information technology. The Bank has been a proponent of
e-commerce and e-government as a way to reduce poverty. World Bank Country
Director Makhtar Diop noted that the Telekom's monopoly over the
telecommunications sector has stifled the ability of ISPs to develop an
efficient network for Internet services.
[SOURCE: AllAfrica, AUTHOR: John Oyuke, The East African Standard]
(http://allafrica.com/stories/200211270085.html)
JOINT VENTURE TAKES AIM AT DIGITAL DIVIDE
Multiconsult, a black-owned empowerment company in Durban, South Africa and
Paradyne Networks, a US-based broadband solutions provider, are exploring a
venture that may help bridge Africa's digital divide. Paradyne's ReachDSL
product allows service providers to deliver broadband Internet access over
any copper cable, even those that are damaged. "ReachDSL is a product that
can truly help to bridge Africa's digital divide as it can take broadband to
rural communities that do not have high quality copper lines. It enhances
the value of existing infrastructures and puts profitability back into the
picture," says Muzi Kunene, CEO of Multiconsult.
[SOURCE: ITWeb]
(http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/internet/2002/0211271242.asp?A=%25&O=)
POLICY
STATES TRY TO TACKLE ONLINE SALES TAX
Attempting to flesh out the outline they constructed three weeks ago in
Chicago, representatives from the fifty states continue to negotiate an
understanding of how to tax Internet sales and recoup what some estimate to
be a $25 billion shortfall over the next five years. Currently at issue is
how the states will reach common definitions of taxable goods and apply them
uniformly across the country's 7,600+ tax jurisdictions. The states see
technology as a helpful tool in automating the collection of sales tax,
easing compliance for online businesses and other retailers. Final
resolution of the issue may be several years away, and Congress must
ultimately approve the package, but Diane Hardt, co-chairwoman of the
Streamline Sales Tax Project, predicts that between 20 and 30 states will
begin formal adoption of the plan by January and that by July at least 15
will have enacted it.
[SOURCE: The New York Times, AUTHOR: Matt Richtel]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/25/technology/25NECO.html?pagewanted=1)
WILL GOP SHAKE UP TECH POLICY?
Soon, longtime Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), best known for campaign finance
reform, will again assume the lead of the influential Senate Commerce
Committee, which, along with the Judiciary Committee led by Sen. Orrin Hatch
(R-Utah), will dictate much of the copyright and technology legislative
agenda.. Joe Kraus, co-founder of DigitalConsumer.org, which lobbies to
protect consumers' digital technology rights, says he is optomistic about
the change. "Mr. McCain has shown a greater interest in making sure consumer
rights are protected, particularly at his staff level."
(http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,56538,00.html)
----------------------------------------------------------------------