INTERNET
Report: Broadband Technology Booms in Rich Nations
No More 'AOL' for Time Warner
Bi-Partisan Bill to Provide Fast Web Services in Pennsylvania
Online Health Sites a Worldwide Worry
EDTECH
Texas Cuts Its Edtech Division
WSIS
Fight Looms over Management of the Internet
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REPORT: BROADBAND TECHNOLOGY BOOMS IN RICH NATIONS
Broadband technology is booming in wealthy countries but slow to spread in
the developing world, according to a report issued Tuesday from the
International Telecommunications Union (ITU). However, the report says that
developing nations are not the only ones lagging behind. Broadband also lags
in European states where the lines are still controlled by former state
monopoly providers. The report highlights a project in India that uses an
extensive cable to create a rural rail network, showing that there is great
potential for broadband. "Broadband is arriving at a time when the
revolutionary potential of the Internet has still to be fully tapped," said
Tim Kelly, who heads the ITU's Strategy and Policy Unit. The greatest
penetration of broadband has been in South Korea and Hong Kong, but in the
United States, ITU says nearly 20 million of the 70 million Internet
subscribers now have broadband. However, the US is still behind Japan, which
has the faster and cheaper broadband services due to fierce competition
among broadband providers.
SOURCE:Yahoo! News; AUTHOR: Robert Evans, Reuters
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030916/tc_nm/telecom...
oadband_dc
BIPARTISAN BILL TO PROVIDE FAST WEB SERVICES IN PENNSYVANIA
On Tuesday, Pennsyvania state senators Jake Corman (R-Centre) and Connie
Williams (D-Montgomery) introduced bipartisan legislation to aid the
deployment of speedier Internet services in underserved regions, mainly in
the rural areas of the state. This bill is one of many up for consideration
as the state lawmakers' year-end deadline approaches for the reauthorization
of a decade-old law providing incentives to phone companies to upgrade to
Internet access. Corman says a statewide broadband network has an
underestimated economic importance. "Broadband in the 21st century is
equivalent to rural electrification in the industrial age," he said. This
bill would target broadband deployment for areas where 25 or more customers
have indicated interest. Another bill would establish a fund to accelerate
deployment in rural areas by levying a surcharge on profits from the state's
telephone companies. This bill would also set up a state board to provide
grants to help local communities gain access to high-speed Internet service
for residents and businesses.
SOURCE: Pocono Record; AUTHOR: Robert B. Swift
http://www.poconorecord.com/local/tjd44146.htm
NO MORE 'AOL' FOR TIME WARNER
AOL Time Warner executives plan to drop the 'AOL' from their name as they
position themselves for building a new corporate identity. The company's
board of directors, which meets tomorrow, is expected to approve the name
change. Sources say that the decision to ax the AOL from the company name is
not a sign of any company plans to sell off its AOL-related assets. Time
Warner stalwarts have pushed for a name change for the last 18 months -- an
idea initially resisted by company chairman Richard Parsons. But as tensions
grew due to an SEC investigation of AOL assets, Parsons relented, concluding
that the best way for the company to move forward would be to revert to the
original Time Warner name. The new name would also allow the company to
place increased emphasis on Time Warner assets, avoiding the confusion of
having them lumped under the shorthand name AOL, which is perceived by many
as an Internet-only asset.
SOURCE: Washington Post; AUTHOR: David Vise
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21766-2003Sep16.html
ONLINE HEALTH SITES A WORLDWIDE WORRY
In a study of the top 100 sites returned on the Yahoo! search engine in the
categories of breast cancer, diabetes and depression, an Australian
researcher found that only a minority conformed to international standards
on how health information should be provided to the public. Holly Cardamone,
a communications consultant and qualified nurse, found that 58 sites
contained unverified information. Such sites could lead to a risk of people
taking actions that could harm their health, such as abandoning medication,
or could unnecessarily frighten users by not distinguishing between common
and rare conditions. Other researchers have identified a phenomenon of
"cyberchondria," where people already prone to hypochondria used the greater
amount of information on the Web to feed their health-related obsessions.
But Cardamone also found some positive aspects of online health information.
For example, many breast cancer sites contained quality information, and
well-run support groups could help feelings of isolation, particularly with
stigmatized conditions such as mental illness or rare health disorders. She
concluded that it is generally better for people to have access to online
health information, though they should check with their doctors before
believing what they read.
SOURCE: The Sydney Morning Herald; AUTHOR: Jenny Sinclair
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/15/1063478109311.html
EDTECH
TEXAS CUTS ITS ED-TECH DIVISION
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has announced the elimination of at least
200 jobs and the liquidation of its educational technology division. The
Texas-State Telecommunications Access Resource (T-STAR) network -- which
provides television communications and videoconferencing to school districts
-- and regional education service centers also will be cut. Earlier this
year, the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (TIF), a $1.5 billion grant
initiative that helped bring technology to hundreds of state schools,
hospitals and libraries, was discontinued. Some TEA staff have been
transferred to other departments, such as textbooks, curriculum and
instructional units. The reshuffling has been billed as an attempt to better
integrate technology throughout all facets of the agency. Jim Hirsch, a
district associate superintendent for technology services, expressed concern
over the cuts. "Texas had one of the strongest technology divisions within a
state agency, and now that it's gone, you have to wonder where that
leadership is going to come from," he said. Many states are suffering
similar cutbacks, and national education leaders worry about a lack of
technology leadership and support at the state level.
SOURCE: eSchool News; AUTHOR: Corey Murray
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=4641
WSIS
FIGHT LOOMS OVER MANAGEMENT OF THE INTERNET
The debate over the role of governments in managing the Internet is brewing
as policymakers prepare for the UN-backed World Summit on Information
Society (WSIS) in December. Two camps are forming over the wording of a key
article to be adopted at the summit, says Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi of the
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and newly
elected regulator at the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
"Some governments are arguing that the management of things like IP
(Internet Protocol) addressing, global domain names, privacy should be done
by an inter-governmental organization because they feel the Internet is a
public resource, and they have responsibility over public resources," he
said. The governing body over the Internet could potentially be
characteristically international, including government, private sector and
civil society, or inter-governmental, implying exclusive involvement by
governments. Representatives from early 200 countries will attend the summit
in Geneva, where policymakers will try to form a consensus on practices and
standards for the Internet and other information technologies.
SOURCE: CNN; AUTHOR: Reuters
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/internet/09/16/internet.control.reut
WSIS homepage:
http://www.itu.int/wsis
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