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| This Week@Cisco in Government Affairs |
| Cisco's E-Update keeps you up to date on the major policy news of the week. Focusing on broadband, education and e-government areas, but covering high-tech and telecom in general, the E-Update is a great source of information for policymakers. Click EUpdate to become a subscriber.
If you have high-tech public policy news or announcements that you think other e-update subscribers would be interested in, please send them to john.earnhardt@cisco.com. There are over 1300 subscribers to Cisco Government Affairs' eUpdate. CISCO GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS WEBSITE - Please visit www.cisco.com/gov to view our worldwide government affairs website. You can reach any member of the team at: http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/779/govtaffairs/contact/. Also see Q&A with Laura Ipsen, Vice President of Worldwide Government Affairs, as she reviews the issues that Cisco is focusing on: http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/media_info/public_policy_overview.html |
| TOP NEWS OF THE WEEK |
| CISCO CEO CALLS FOR EDUCATION REFORM AND BROADBAND PUSH – The chief executive of Cisco Systems told the US Congress it needs to invest more in the US education system and do more to encourage broadband adoption. http://www.computerweekly.com/articles/article.asp?liArticleID=134066&li ArticleTypeID=1&liCategoryID=2&liChannelID=28&liFlavourID=1&sSearch=&nPage=1 |
| This Week@WASHINGTON, DC |
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SENATORS LOBBY S.E.C. CHIEF TO DELAY NEW OPTIONS RULE – The technology industry may no longer have the kind of political sway it enjoyed in the late 1990's, but it is making a strong push on Capitol Hill to prevent regulators from forcing companies to treat stock options as a business expense. Options are more often used as a form of compensation in the technology sector than in other industries. POWELL LAYS OUT PLAN FOR FCC – NPR's Robert Siegel talks to FCC Chairman Michael Powell about the FCC's involvement in the transition to digital TV. They also discuss efforts to combat "indecency" on television and radio broadcasts, and about the evolving role of the FCC in regulating what's seen and heard by the American public. FCC TO RESOLVE DELAY IN FUNDING INTERNET IN SCHOOLS - Bowing to pressure from legislators and school officials, federal regulators said they will restart funding of school grants for high-speed Internet service even as they try to bring accounting clarity to the $2.25 billion program. FCC Chairman Michael Powell came under fire this week for a decision to halt funding for schools while changes were made to address problems of fraud in the program. http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB109711695730538964,00.html (Paid subscription required) FCC HOPES US WILL TUNE IN TO DIGITAL TV – The number of high-definition TV (HDTV) homes in the US will increase five-fold between 2004 and 2008, but the country will still have a ways to go towards becoming a digital TV nation CONGRESS, FCC DRAW UP SPECTRUM BATTLE PLAN – First responders seek greater access to voice, data capabilities. SBC TIES BROADBAND BUILD TO FCC SHARING RULES – SBC Communications Inc. will speed its rollout of a fiber-optic network to consumers if federal regulators don't force the company to share those connections with competitors, its chairman said. SBC, the second-largest U.S. telephone company, has said it plans to spend $4 billion to $6 billion to run fiber-optic lines to neighborhoods and new homes over the next five years, offering video and high-speed data to half of the customers in its 13-state territory. US ‘IS FALLING BEHIND ON BROADBAND’ – The US is falling behind other countries in the deployment of high-speed internet access and urgently needs a national broadband plan, Michael Copps, member of the Federal Communications Commission, said. US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CALLS FOR TELECOM REFORMS – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce (the Chamber) commissioned a comprehensive, independent study-Sending the Right Signals: Promoting Competition Through Telecommunications Reform-because the telecommunications industry is in a depressed economic condition and is not recovering along with the rest of the economy. TELEWORK: TAKING THE STRESS OUT OF WORK – More feds are working from home or satellite locations. U.S. PREPARES TO CRACK DOWN ON INTELLECTUAL-PROPERTY PIRACY – The Bush administration is expected to announce today a coordinated crackdown on the theft of U.S. intellectual property, such as pirated compact discs and knockoff auto parts, which U.S. officials say amounts to about 7% of global trade. HOUSE PASSES FIRST SPYWARE BILL – The U.S. House of Representatives passed the first of two anti-spyware bills that it's considering, leaving the second for a vote. HOUSE STRUGGLES OVER SECURITY BILL – Did Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) propose moving cybersecurity authority to OMB? FORMER BUSH OFFICIAL ON CYBERSECURITY RETURNS TO GOVERNMENT - Howard Schmidt, a highly regarded technology executive who was former special adviser to President Bush for cybersecurity, is returning to work with the Homeland Security Department on efforts to protect the nation's computer networks. http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/9852889.htm ANDY PURDY TAPPED AS CYBER-SECURITY DIRECTOR - The Department of Homeland Security has filled the nation's top cyber-security post after the previous chief abruptly resigned last week in a move that raised questions about the Bush administration's commitment to protecting U.S. computer networks from electronic threats. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12240-2004Oct6.html FEDS EXPAND SMART-CARD USE TO ACCESS CONTROL, ID – The federal government's use of smart cards is moving beyond small demonstration projects to initiatives involving thousands -- even millions -- of users, with a focus on physical access to facilities, computer systems, and networks VOICE OVER IP COMING TO NMCI – Navy network one of the biggest deployments of the technology. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2004/1004/news-voip-10-04-04.asp INTERNET DREAMS – Companies expand IP work. LOCKHEED MARTIN WINS $3 BILLION TELECOM CONTRACT – Lockheed Martin Corp. beat a pair of telecom giants to win the Postal Service’s $3 billion contract for its telecommunications infrastructure. http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/1_1/daily_news/24656-1.html PRESIDENT BUSH, FRIST NAME HEALTH IT GROUP MEMBERS – A new commission to set a strategy and timeline for implementing health care IT standards is taking shape. President Bush and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) named the initial members of the Commission on Systemic Interoperability group. The group, by November of next year, must recommend standards that will serve as the foundation for establishing a system of universal health records. NO STRINGS ATTACHED – Agencies and vendors take wireless to new heights. INTEL REFORM MOVES THROUGH CONGRESS – Bills focus on boosting information sharing. BUSH SIGNS EXTENSION TO R&D TAX CREDIT – U.S. President George Bush Monday signed a bill that included an 18 month extension of an R&D tax credit sought by many IT groups. COMMENTARY: PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES SPEND LITTLE TIME ON TECH ISSUES – It's easy, in a presidential campaign dominated by war and the economy, to dismiss narrower matters. The overall economic climate and America's place in the world will have more impact on the future of Silicon Valley and California than any of the more technology-specific issues. |
| This Week@EMEA |
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PAKISTAN: AWAIS HINTS FURTHER REDUCTION IN BANDWIDTH RATES – Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Awais Ahmed Leghari has hinted further reduction in bandwidth rates, which will make mark as lower rates in the region. DUBAI LAUNCHES ECITIZEN INITIATIVE – Dubai eGovernment is launching tomorrow eCitizen, an instructor-led cost effective certification programme, designed to increase the level of e-literacy among Dubai public DIAL M FOR M-GOVERNMENT IN DUBAI – Dubai eGovernment has launched an SMS service that allows mobile phone users to get immediate responses from government. QATAR’S E-GOVERNMENT'S BOOST TO SERVICES HIGHLIGHTED – The positive changes in the working of various departments in Qatar following the implementation of the e-government programme were highlighted at a press breifing at the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) headquarters yesterday.http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=64883 BROADBAND INTERNET JUST OVER HORIZON IN LEBANON - Lebanon has just come closer to offering broadband services, but the digital gap is still wide compared to neighboring countries. http://dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=3&article_id=9083 STUDY: POOR INFRASTRUCTURE HINDERS E-GOV'T IN NEW EU – While new European Union (E.U.) member countries must meet key requirements on e-government initiatives to fit in with the union's goal of creating an advanced information society, many of the countries are being hindered by poor communications and IT infrastructure, a new report claims. EU COMMISSIONER-DESIGNATE FOR INFORMATION SOCIETY EXPLAINS HER VIEWS & GOALS – On 29th September 2004, Mrs. Viviane Reding, European Commission Commissioner-designate for Information Society and Media made her speech to the European Parliament setting out her views and goals. EU PARLIAMENT GRILLS COMMISSIONER-DESIGNATE FOR INFORMATION SOCIETY – Inequalities in access to information technology – ”the digital divide” and media pluralism were key issues at the European Parliament hearing of Viviane Reding, the Commissioner-designate who will take on the portfolios for the information society and the media. Several MEPs raised points and questions at her hearing. EU E-GOVERNMENT: TIME TO DELIVER – The European Union's e-government programme 'should now deliver on its promise' say official advisors. Europe's bid to become the most competitive knowledge based economy by 2010 requires e-government to be the "catalyst for innovation", according to a report issued by the EU's technology advisory body. STAGE IS SET FOR EU SOFTWARE DIRECTIVE CLASH – A clash between the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers over the European Union software patents directive looks almost certain after the assembly chose an outspoken opponent of the legislation to draw up its response to the Council. US E-VOTING TO BE SCRUTINISED BY EUROPEAN, INTERNATIONAL MONITORS – The election monitors will meet with officials, observe voter registration drives and speak to county voting registrars. Efforts will be concentrated in five US states where problems were experienced in the 2000 Presidential election. One of these will be Georgia, one of only two states the other being Maryland where an entirely electronic ballot will be held, using direct-recording electronic (DRE) machines. BROADBAND COULD BEAT ROAD CONGESTION – UK telco BT has called on all parties involved in tackling congestion on British roads to look at increased use of broadband communications as part of the solution. UKs BT CUTS BROADBAND PRICING – BT makes its latest move in the on-going UK broadband price wars. UK STAFFS BREAKS THE BOUNDARIES – Councils in a UK county are implementing shared IT systems to offer joint services. A group of 10 local authorities in Staffordshire are introducing a joint communications infrastructure allowing staff to share data and contact each other across council boundaries. WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY PUT IN FOR REMOTE COMMUNITIES WESTERN ISLES OF SCOTLAND – The Western Isles’ Connected Communities project has been developed to deliver a high performance broadband network to remote residences, businesses and public sector organisations located throughout the Western Isles of Lewis, Harris, North Uist, South Uist, Benbecula and Barra. HUNGARIAN "E-GOVERNMENT" LONG ON VISION, SHORT ON SERVICES, SAYS EIU – Budapest. (Interfax-Europe) - In terms of developing an "e-government," Hungary is in the middle of the pack among new and prospective EU members from the central and eastern European region, as well-intentioned information society programs and a high level of IT education and skills have yet to translate into viable online public services for citizens and especially businesses, according to a survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). |
| This Week@Asia-Pacific/Japan |
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CHINA LEADS WORLD ON BROADBAND - China is leading the world in the number of subscribers to high-speed net through phone lines, says a report. The number of broadband subscribers via DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) has doubled in a year to 13 million. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3699820.stm AUSTRALIANS SKEPTICAL ABOUT RFID BENEFITS – Australian executives are sceptical compared to their counterparts in South Korea and China as to whether they can secure a high return on their investments in radio frequency identification technology, new research states. AUS GOVT SAYS NO TO TELSTRA'S NET TELEPHONY PLAN - The Government has refused permission to the Australian telecommunication and information services major, Telstra, to start Internet telephony services in the country. The company has also been refused permission to provide leased Internet access services, Web and management services and co-location services. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/10/04/stories/2004100402770100.htm PHUKET THAILAND’S ‘ONE-STOP-SHOP’ RUNS INTO DEALYS – The Thai resort island of Phuket has run into delays in getting its citizen helpdesk service online. AUS ELECTION CAUSES SPENDING PAUSE – BIG vendors and distributors have resigned themselves to an IT spending slowdown ahead of the federal elections this Saturday. Key players say government departments and corporates have put off their spending. Caretaker provisions that have put big government projects on hold, coupled with uncertainty in the corporate market, have slowed demand for technology products and services ahead of the poll. NSW HOUSING IN MAJOR REVAMP – The New South Wales Department of Housing (DoH) is to replace its core software systems as a part of the NSW Businesslink shared services program. In a call for expressions of interest the Department said it was seeking replacements or upgrades for its core housing applications, as well as a new infrastructure layer that will let it build web-based services and applications. KOREA, INDIA ON PATH TO FURTHER IT TIE-UPS – An agreement between Korea and India to share advancements in information-technology paves the way for further growth in the domestic software industry, the Ministry of Information and Communication said. Under the agreement, reached at meeting of the two nations' information-technology ministers in New Delhi, the countries designated eight fields for closer cooperation. They include software development, hardware development, third-generation mobile telephony, broadband infrastructure installment and e-government projects. BROADBAND IS THE FUTURE: INDIA’S MARAN – Inviting foreign entrepreneurs to invest in the fast growing telecommunications sector in India, Communications and Information Technology Minister Dayanidhi Maran said that his government would provide the necessary policy framework for sustaining the growth momentum. He further announced that he would unveil a new broadband wireless policy soon. INDIAN STATE GOVT SIGNS DEAL WITH INTEL – The government of the state of Uttaranchal has signed a deal with Intel to extend the 'IT-Enabled Education' programmes to all 1420 government-aided schools in the state. INDIA FACES A TALENT CHALLENGE – India’s outsourcing sector faces a major "talent challenge" as a lack of skilled employees threatens its global success, company officials and analysts say. Call centres are flourishing in India, but they represent only a small portion of the global outsourcing market and almost 97 per cent of future work will involve high-end analytical processes such as banking and marketing applications. INDIA MULLS TOUGH ID RULES FOR CYBERCAFÉS – Internet cafés in parts of India face closure if new regulations forcing them to provide police with names and addresses of all their customers are introduced. Under the new rules, visitors to Internet cafés will have to show their ID cards or be photographed. The governor of Karnataka State in southern India is reported to be close to passing the new law, which is desinge to fight cybercrime. Similar measures are also being mulled for Mumbai and Maharashtra State. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/01/india_cybercafe/ ORACLE EXEC UPBEAT ABOUT CHINA'S RFID PLANS – Despite lingering fears of incompatibility between China's upcoming radio frequency identification standard and international standards, the Chinese government's plans to impose a mandatory standard for RFID are unlikely to result in sharply higher costs for companies that use the technology, according to an Oracle executive. |
| This Week@Americas International |
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BROADBAND USE GROWING IN LATIN AMERICA – The broadband market in Latin America varies greatly from country to country, but as a whole, the region will slowly make progress towards having widespread high-speed Internet use. Pyramid Research predicts that the broadband market will be the fastest growing telecom service in the Latin American region between 2004 and 2009. Broadband subscriber lines are set to grow at a CAGR of 22%, compared to 2% for landline telephony and 6% for mobile phones. ONTARIO, CANADA SCHOOL BOARD STRETCHES NETWORK OVER 71,000 SQ. KM. – In what is being called one of Canada’s largest wireless rollouts for education, a school board in northwestern Ontario is investing in a broadband wireless network intended to ramp up distance learning options for 7,000 students in 27 remote locations spread out over some 71,000 sq. km. |
| This Week@US States |
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QUADRUPLING SEEN FOR WIRELESS SPENDING – State and local governments will quadruple their spending on wireless broadband technologies to $2 billion over the next three years, according to INPUT, a Reston, Va.-based government market research firm. The company said the market will be fueled by a push to provide broadband to businesses and homes. (Registration required) THE PUNDITS, THE PEDAGOGY AND THE PATH TO 21ST CENTURY EDUCATION – The state of Georgia intends to eliminate that hit-or-miss integrated classroom by launching its 21st Century Ed Tech Centers. E-VOTING DOUBTS SURFACE – Citing a lack of confidence in electronic voting systems, a non-partisan voting group is urging voters in Santa Clara, Alameda and eight other California counties to use absentee ballots to cast their votes next month. SPYWARE LEGISLATION TO TAKE EFFECT JAN. 1 – Some experts doubt whether the California law will have much impact on illegal spyware activity. CALIFORNIA PRIVACY LAW TARGETS DATA SHARING – The legislation, which takes effect Jan. 1, requires businesses to tell consumers what companies they share data with or provide an opt-out option. FLA. LINKS 33 STATE AGENCIES VIA PRIVATE IM NETWORK – After evaluating the benefits of Omnipod's private IM network in a statewide pilot, Florida's State Technology Office is implementing Omnipod's POD technology across all 33 state agencies. The MyFlorida Secure IM Solution links email, phone and instant messaging communications on a secure, hosted platform. |
| Other Tech News Of The Week |
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FIRMS FAILING ON SECURITY: STUDY – Global corporations are failing to safeguard their information networks against potent threats from viruses, worms and especially their own employees, according to a report by consultancy firm Ernst and Young. CHEAP TALK – Five years ago, running a telephone company was an immensely profitable proposition. Since then, those profits have inexorably declined, and now that decline has taken another gut-wrenching dip. IT SPENDING FORECASTS PULLED BACK – A new survey by CIO Magazine indicates that CIOs have slightly lowered their IT spending expectations from past months, pegging growth at 7.4% over the next year. This compares to a growth estimate made in August of 8.9% for the year. September's number is the lowest forecast since April 2004, when CIOs forecast 6.6% yearly growth in IT spending. http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?1003071 WINNING OVER SKEPTICS, VOIP SUPPORT BUILDS – While brand-name companies are making news with ambitious convergence plans, other large businesses eyeing convergence say VoIP adoption will be more of a slow march than a sprint. http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/100404specialfocus.html?nl ANALYST: TALK IS CHEAP BUT VOIP IS CHEAPER – Moving to Voice over IP will help companies save money, but many users shy away from the technology because they're concerned it will cost more to install than circuit-switched telephony equipment. Ronald Gruia, program leader for enterprise communications at Frost & Sullivan Canada, said many users aren't aware of the benefits of Voice over IP, such as the lower cost of moving, adding and changing telephone extensions. |
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