TelecomWeb News Digest articles from May 2004

TelecomWeb News Digest archives from May 2004

Senate Passes Legislation Banning Taxation of Internet Access.
May 3, 2004... The Senate has passed legislation temporarily restoring the ban on state and local taxation of Internet access services. The lawmakers late last Thursday voted 93-3 to bar state and local governments from imposing taxes on 'Net access, but at...

BellSouth Rejects AT&T's Offer on UNE Pricing.
May 3, 2004... It didn't take but a few hours after AT&T on Thursday (April 29) unveiled a broad plan to negotiate wholesale pricing on unbundled network elements (UNEs) for Atlanta-based BellSouth Corp. to flatly reject the offer. Commenting on AT&T's...

Powell Lauds AT&T for Moving in Right Direction.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... While BellSouth may not have liked the AT&T proposal on UNE pricing, the plan apparently captured the attention of FCC Chairman Michael Powell. "I applaud AT&T's effort to move forward on the contentious issue of access to local phone...

BellSouth Signs Agreements with Two Competitors.(AT&T)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... BellSouth may have snubbed AT&T's UNE proposal, but the Baby Bell apparently was not about to treat all of its competitors with the contempt it showed for AT&T's offer. BellSouth on Thursday (April 29) signed long-term commercial agreements...

Dell, Operation Homelink Provide Computers for Families of Fort Hood Soldiers.
May 3, 2004... Families of Fort Hood, Texas, soldiers have another avenue to stay in touch with loved ones deployed overseas. Dell on Friday (April 30) joined forces with Operation Homelink, a non-profit organization with a goal to provide refurbished...

Cable Industry's Annual Convention and International Exhibition Returns to New Orleans May 2-5.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... The U.S. cable television industry will convene in New Orleans on May 2 for the 53rd Annual Convention & International Exposition hosted by the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA). The 2004 National Show runs May 2-5 at the...

Cellular Pessimism Takes a Holiday, Says ABI Research.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... After three disappointing years, the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is finally vindicating itself with an anticipated growth in 2004 of over 200 precent versus 2003, according to the latest data from ABI Research. Ironically,...

Kansas Regulator Directs SBC to Reveal Details of Sage Deal.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... The Kansas Corporations Commission (KCC), the state regulator that has jurisdiction over telcos, has followed the lead of the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) giving SBC until May 5 to provide details of its interconnection deal with...

Country Growth Rates in Broadband Compared.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... New analysis from Point Topic shows that Switzerland, China and Italy were the three fastest growing countries in the world last year when compared to expectations, while Latvia, the Czech Republic and New Zealand were the slowest. The...

SBCA to Take Its Case to FCC Regarding NAB Attacks on Satellite Radio.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association (SBCA) plans to file formal comments with the FCC following criticism from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) alleging that satellite radio providers, SIRIUS and XM Satellite...

Study Shows Rebound in the Global Enterprise Communications Market.
May 3, 2004... According to a new study from research and consulting firm InfoTech, the worldwide enterprise communications market has bottomed out and will return to growth in 2004. Total TDM and IP line shipments are projected to increase 6.5 percent over...

Disney to Comcast: What Part of 'No' Don't You Understand?(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... After embarking on a two-month campaign to assume control of The Walt Disney Co., cable giant Comcast has finally accepted "no" as a final answer to its unsolicited $48 billion acquisition offer. Following a two-day retreat at its Burbank,...

Nortel Fires its CEO in Wake of Financial Probe.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... The inquiry into suspicious accounting practices at Canadian telecom equipment giant Nortel on Wednesday (April 28) resulted in the firing of Nortel CEO Frank Dunn. Nortel's board has named William Owens as Dunn's replacement. Dunn's...

Michigan PSC Orders SBC, Sage to File Agreement for Review.(Public Service Commission)(SBC Communications)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) on Wednesday (April 28) issued a formal order requiring Bell company SBC Communications and competitive local exchange carrier Sage Telecom to file their recently executed interconnection agreement...

How to Tame the 800-Pound Gorillas.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Being all things to all people is not the goal of Lightpath Network Services. Rather, says Brian Fabiano, senior vice president of network services for the Jericho, N.Y.-based business communications provider, "We serve a select list of the...

WiMAX Seen as Secret Ingredient for Successful Deployments for Broadband Wireless Operators.
May 3, 2004... From an operator's perspective, WiMAX, the new wireless broadband standard, can ease the financial burden of deploying and expanding a network. According to technology market research firm ABI Research, these cost advantages help both the...

JIT Optical Protocol from MCNC Delivers Light Path Provisioning Breakthrough.(Just-in-Time)
May 3, 2004... Scientists at MCNC Research & Development Institute (MCNC-RDI) continue to validate the Just-in-Time (JIT) optical networking protocol for ultra-fast provisioning and management of all-optical network connections. The protocol was recently...

Qwest Will Not Assess Interstate Access Fees on Internet-based Phone Calls.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... In yet another stunning departure from controversial policy positions held by its sister Bell companies, Western regional Bell Operating Company Qwest says it will no longer levy connection fees on calls made to customers on its network from...

EFF Embarks on 'Patent Busting' Campaign.(Electronic Frontier Foundation)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... The San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation has embarked on a new initiative to combat what it describes as "the chilling effects bad patents have on public and consumer interests." "Patents traditionally only targeted large...

JupiterResearch Reports 68 Percent of Wireless Customers Pleased with Their Carrier.
May 3, 2004... JupiterResearch, a division of Jupitermedia Corporation on Tuesday (April 27) unveiled its latest report, "U.S. Wireless Carriers: How To Compete If You're Not Verizon," showing that most wireless customers are pleased with services, coverage...

Study: State, Local Taxation of DSL Internet Access Would Harm USF, National Economy.(digital subscriber line)(Universal Service Fund)
May 3, 2004... The imposition of state and local telecommunications taxes on digital subscriber line (DSL) services would slash federal Universal Service Fund (USF) contributions by $280 million and lead to $4.3 billion in reduced industry revenues available...

Consumer Internet Access Coalition Endorses McCain Compromise.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... In approving the temporary ban on Internet taxation, the U.S. Senate appeared to heed the advice of the Consumer Internet Access Coalition (CIAC), which urged the lawmakers to support compromise legislation sponsored by Sen. John McCain...

Google Ready to Take Company Public with IPO Filing.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Google Inc. of Mountain View, Calif., the online search engine leader, early last week was poised for an initial public offering (IPO) of stock. By week's end, the company publicly revealed its intent to go ahead with the IPO. The company finds...

Call Centers in Europe, Middle East, Africa Seen Numbering 45,000 by 2008.
May 3, 2004... Findings from a new report by independent market analyst Datamonitor, "Vertical Guide to Call Centers in EMEA," indicate the number of call centers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) will increase by over 50 percent through 2008. The...

Alcatel Invests $15 Million in General Bandwidth.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Paris-based Alcatel General has invested $15 million in Bandwidth Inc. of Austin, Texas, further strengthening a three-year OEM relationship between the two companies. The investment will allow for additional development enhancements to the two...

Bentley Systems Acquires Communications Information Software Inc.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2004... Bentley Systems Inc. has acquired the assets of Communications Information Software Inc. (CIS), a specialist in communications network design and provider of documentation software. CIS' product, FOCUSOne, is used by more than half of the U.S....

Symbian Likely to Lead Smartphone OS Market Through End of Decade, Says ABI Research.
May 3, 2004... Despite inroads by Microsoft's Windows Mobile OS, which has demonstrated success with Motorola among other handset vendors recently, ABI Research believes that Symbian will continue to lead the market for cell phone standardized operating...

Three Percent Increase Seen for Canadian IT Spending in 2004.
May 3, 2004... Canadian IT spending will grow by 3 percent in 2004, led by government spending, according to a new document from Forrester Research Inc. GDP growth is a key factor in driving business investment in IT, just as in the United States, but a...

PBI Media Announces Company Name Change.(PBI Media L.L.C.)
May 10, 2004... PBI Media, LLC, a full-service provider of global competitive businessto-business information and marketing solutions announces a company name change to Access Intelligence, LLC, effective immediately. The name change comes on the heels of two...

Business Spending on Managed Services to Double, Reaching $80B by 2008.
May 10, 2004... New findings from research and consulting firm InfoTech show spending on Managed Services by U.S. businesses will more than double from $33 billion in 2003 to $80 billion in 2008. Network Management and Managed Security Services will be the...

Fixed Line Operators to Send Strong Message to Detractors with Fixed Line SMS.
May 10, 2004... The answer to declining revenues and deteriorating relationships with end-users in the fixed-line telephony market could possibly rest with the mobile industry. Efforts to emulate mobile functionality -- in particular, to replicate the success...

ITAA Calls for Reforms in Security Clearance Process.(Information Technology Association of America)
May 10, 2004... Following the release of an Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) member survey detailing backlogs and delays in the approval of security clearances for government contractors resulting in significant costs to the taxpayer and...

Qwest Sues AT&T Over Alleged Illegal Use of Local Network.(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... Denver-based Qwest Communications International Inc. has filed a lawsuit against AT&T, alleging the long distance carrier illegally avoided paying millions of dollars in interexchange access fees for using Qwest's local network. The lawsuit was...

Court To Hear Group's Case Seeking 'Special Access' Protection.(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... A coalition of businesses, industry associations and a business users group concerned about the highly charged issue of special access will finally get its day in court, thanks to a recent decision from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. ...

House Members Vow to Pass Anti-Spyware Legislation.(Brief Article)
May 10, 2004... A scan of more than 1 million computers recently made public by Internet Service Provider EarthLink showed more than 300,000 malevolent "spyware" programs permeating the Internet. "There is no more pernicious, intrusive activity going on on the...

Sasser Worm Permeates Internet; Hits Banks, European Commission.
May 10, 2004... The "Sasser" computer worm, first reported by TelecomWeb on Monday, continues to ravage the Internet, attacking both corporate and home computer systems. The worm was initially discovered this past weekend and has already infected more than a...

SBC's Secrecy Stirring Controversy in Policymaking Circles.
May 10, 2004... What in the world is SBC Communications up to? The Bell Operating Company (BOC) is doing everything in its power to maintain a tight curtain of secrecy around a negotiated interconnection agreement with a competitive local exchange carrier...

NARUC Offers Intercarrier Compensation Principles for Reform.(National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners)
May 10, 2004... Aspects of the current intercarrier compensation system are rapidly becoming unsustainable, asserts the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). There is disagreement among stakeholders over the appropriate solutions,...

SBC Tops Telecom's List of Biggest Political Spenders.(Brief Article)
May 17, 2004... SBC Communications sits atop the telecom list of biggest political spenders in the 2003-2004 election cycle, having thus far doled out more than $1.4 million in campaign donations to its favorite politicians, according to TelecomWeb's sister...

AT&T Proposes Binding Arbitration to Break Deadlock in UNE Negotiations.
May 17, 2004... Frustrated by the lack of progress in reaching commercial agreements that would preserve local telephone competition and allow for a smooth transition to its own facilities, AT&T on Friday (May 14) asked each of the four Bell companies --...

U.S. Attorney's Office Serves Nortel Networks With Subpoena for Documents.(Brief Article)
May 17, 2004... Nortel Networks Corporation on Friday (May 14) confirmed that it has received a federal grand jury subpoena seeking certain documents, including financial statements and corporate, personnel and accounting records, prepared during the period...

Network Management Mined As Emerging Revenue Stream.(Brief Article)
May 17, 2004... Most wireless service providers own their networks, and, when it comes down to it, all mobile operators also want to own their customers. However, TelecomWeb's sister publication, Wireless Business Forecast, detects a growing trend by which...

Navigation Products Aftermarket Industry Faces New Challenges, Finds ABI Research.(Brief Article)
May 17, 2004... Historically, aftermarket automotive electronics solutions have been very competitive with OEM offerings because of their ability to lead on innovation and value. But with many new, lower-cost consumer electronics offerings entering the market,...

IPVoice Equity Listed on Berlin Exchange sans Company's Authorization.(Brief Article)
May 17, 2004... IPVoice Communications Inc. has sent a demand letter to the Berlin Stock Exchange demanding the immediate delisting of its stock. IPVoice was made aware that the company's stock was recently listed on the Berlin Exchange without the company's...

Viacom Names David Sutphen Vice President, Government Affairs and Legislative Counsel.(Brief Article)
May 17, 2004... Viacom has appointed David A. Sutphen to the post of vice president, government affairs and legislative counsel. Sutphen, who joined Viacom Thursday (May 13), will oversee the development and advocacy of the company's public policy positions on...

SBC Workers Mount Four-Day Strike after Contract Talks Stall.(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... The Communications Workers of America (CWA, the labor union representing an estimated 100,000 workers at SBC Communications Inc. on Friday (May 21) began a four-day strike following the collapse of negotiations on a new contract. The key issues...

Judiciary Committee Leaders Introduce Bill to Negate Supreme Court Ruling.
May 24, 2004... House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) and Ranking Member John Conyers (D- Mich.) late Thursday introduced proposed legislation that would strengthen antitrust laws in the telecommunications industry. The measure...

Bush Taps BellSouth's Ackerman, Lucent's Russo as Chair, Vice Chair of NSTAC.(National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee )(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... President Bush has announced plans to designate Duane Ackerman, chairman and CEO of BellSouth Corporation, to serve as chair of the President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC). Ackerman, currently the NSTAC vice...

Tellabs to Acquire Advanced Fibre Communications.(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... Tellabs of Naperville, Ill., on Thursday (May 20) signaled its intent to acquire Advanced Fibre Communications (AFC) of Petaluma, Calif., in what Tellabs said would be a $1.9 billion cash and stock transaction. The terms of the agreement call...

Rogers, AT&T Wireless Fail to Reach Agreement on Rogers Wireless Stake.
May 24, 2004... Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI) on Thursday (May 20) said it has been unable to reach an agreement, during the 21 day exclusive negotiation period which ended May 19, to acquire AT&T Wireless Communications Inc.'s (AWE) 34.1 perecent stake in...

Telpro gets OK to Acquire Bankrupt Eagle West Communications.(Telecommunication Products Inc.(Telpro))(Eagle West Communications Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... A federal bankruptcy court has given the go-ahead to Telecommunication Products Inc. (Telpro), a provider of video-on- demand and digital programming services, to acquire the assets of Eagle West Communications Inc. Telpro, in an earlier...

Verizon Begins First FTTP Large-Scale Rollout with Keller, Texas.(fiber-to-the-premises)
May 24, 2004... The most significant transformation in over a century in the technology used to carry phone calls, data and video to and from homes and businesses is underway in Keller, Texas, a fast-growing community in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Verizon has...

Industry Group Talks on Access Reform Plan Collapse.(local exchange carriers, telecom policies, telecom industry)(Intercarrrier Compensation Forum)
May 24, 2004... Talks involving major local exchange carriers (LECs) and interstate long distance carriers aimed at producing a plan to reform the interexchange access regime collapsed last week, resulting in a split among the four Bell Operating Companies and...

PUCO Decision Prompts AT&T to End Two Popular Local Service Plans, Raise Rates.(Public Utilities Commission of Ohio )
May 24, 2004... AT&T on Wednesday (May 19) said it will stop offering its popular Call Plan Unlimited and Unlimited Plus local service plans to new Ohio local residential customers and raise rates, effective immediatly, for those customers already enrolled in...

Global Crossing Secures $100 Million Bridge Loan From Singapore Technologies Telemedia.(Brief Article)
May 24, 2004... Global Crossing has finalized an agreement with an affiliate of Singapore Technologies Telemedia (ST Telemedia) providing for availability of up to $100 million of secured bridge financing for Global Crossing's business operations. "Our...