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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 |
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WIRELESS TO DRIVE INTERNET GROWTH, TECH LEADERS SAY – Wireless services will lead the next growth phase of the Internet as venture capitalists who helped fund the early boom open their wallets again, industry leaders said. |
| This Week@WASHINGTON, DC |
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ADELSTEIN TAPPED FOR ANOTHER TERM IN FCC – President Bush intends to keep Democrat Jonathan Adelstein on the Federal Communications Commission, the White House announced. VOIP RULING A START, NOT AN END – The FCC's decision last week to exempt VoIP from state regulation is heralded as a watershed ruling by some, but it is only the first step in defining policy for broadband IP services. REGULATORY UNCERTAINTY REMAINS TOP OF MIND FOR MANY COMMUNICATION SERVICE PROVIDERS, SAYS CAPGEMINI SURVEY – As the telecommunications industry embraces new innovations such as VoIP and Video over IP, concerns over regulation are increasingly becoming a top concern for service providers. VOIP INVESTMENTS MAKE SENSE UNDER BUSH 2 – Analysts are recommending that firms take a closer look at VoIP technology now that President George W. Bush has won a second term. REPORT: A NATION ONLINE: ENTERING THE BROADBAND AGE – The sixth report released by the U.S. Department of Commerce examining the use of computers, the Internet, and other information technology tools by the American people. SENATE MAY RAM COPYRIGHT BILL – Several lobbying camps from different industries and ideologies are joining forces to fight an overhaul of copyright law, which they say would radically shift in favor of Hollywood and the record companies and which Congress might try to push through during a lame-duck session. SENATE BROKERS INTERNET ACCESS TAX DEAL – Senate negotiators said that they had cleared the way for Congress to approve a new Internet access tax moratorium that will ban tariffs on most dial-up and broadband connections for the next four years. FIXING THE DHS CYBERSECURITY GAP – Management experts aren't surprised that an audit turns up cybersecurity struggles at DHS. GOVERNMENT CAN'T MANDATE SECURITY, PANEL SAYS – Now is not the time for the U.S. government to mandate cybersecurity standards to private industry, despite significant threats and a lack of understanding by many company executives. FEDS SEEK IDEAS FOR NATIONAL HEALTH-DATA EXCHANGE – The goal is a secure nationwide system for sharing electronic patient information. SURVEY: eLEARNING IN NONPROFITS AND ASSOCIATIONS – The 2004 Nonprofit and Association E-learning Survey provides data on mission-based organizations’ use of e-learning technologies. Overall, the survey shows wide and growing adoption of e-learning among nonprofit organizations and associations. REPORT: ENTERING THE MAINSTREAM: THE QUALITY AND EXTENT OF ONLINE EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES – The report represents the second annual study of the state of online education in U.S. Higher Education. |
| This Week@EMEA |
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MEPS APPROVE NEW EUROPEAN COMMISSION TEAM – MEPs have voted to approve the new European Commission team. The result was 449 votes in favour to 149 votes against with 82 abstentions. MORE PROGRESS REQUIRED ON E-GOVERNMENT, SAYS KOK REPORT – A report presented by former Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok has called for more determined political action to revitalise the Lisbon Strategy for economic, social and environmental renewal in the EU. In particular, it warned that more efforts are needed to develop and reap the benefits of e-government. EUROPEAN COMMISSION APPROVES PUBLIC FUNDING OF RURAL BROADBAND PROJECTS – The Commission approved public funding of broadband projects in Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Scotland and East Midlands. EU COMMISSION REPORT: 83% OF EU CITIZENS USE MOBILES – European mobile phone use has climbed significantly in the last year - an expansion of 4.6 per cent, according to the Commission's annual survey of the European telecommunications industry. The report values the mobile market in the Union at €277bn. UK OFCOM REVIEW 'MISSES GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY' – Ofcom has "missed a golden opportunity to open up the UK communications market to greater competition, innovation and investment", according to internet lobby group UKIF. UK GOV LAUNCHES TECHNOLOGY FIVE-YEAR PLAN – Tony Blair and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Patricia Hewitt will today announce the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) five-year programme, 'Creating Wealth from Knowledge'. IRISH GOVERNMENT SPENDS MORE ON R&D, BROADBAND – Ireland's departments of enterprise and communications are both to receive notable increases in their 2005 funding. SPOTLIGHT ON WELSH PUBLIC SECTOR SPENDING – Spending by the Welsh public sector is to be put under the spotlight at the first ever all-Wales conference to debate how to improve efficiencies in public sector procurement. A number of keynote speakers have been signed up to speak at ‘Transforming Procurement’, a major conference organised by the Welsh Assembly Government’s Welsh Procurement Initiative. ITALIAN TECHNOLOGY MINISTER NAMED TO UN ICT TASK FORCE – Italy's innovation and technology minister, Lucio Stanca, has today been named as a member of the United Nations ICT Task Force, which is to investigate the possible applications of technology in advancing development. ITALIAN GOVERNMENT WANTS COMMON GOALS AND CRITERIA FOR EUROPEAN E-GOVERNMENT – Italian Minister for Innovation and Technologies Lucio Stanca has made a proposal to develop a fully-fledged European strategy for e-government, including common targets and performance criteria for all EU Member States. IN GERMAN THE FUTURE LOOKS BROADBAND – Broadband Internet access is growing by leaps and bounds in Germany, according to a new study. However, Germany isn't leading the pack. Many other countries are more developed in this area. GERMAN MOBILE CITY PORTAL – The first e-government web portal in Europe dedicated to public services that use mobile technology has been launched by the City of Bremen in Germany. E-BELARUS PROGRAMME TO CONTINUE, DESPITE UNDERFUNDING - The head of the National Academy of Belarus, Mikhail Miasnikovich, has said that implementation of the national Electronic Belarus programme will be continued in spite of the fact that for the last year, the government has only allocated some 50 per cent of the planned programme budget. SWEDISH GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES NEW E-GOVERNMENT PORTAL – The Swedish Government has launched Sverige.se, a new online gateway to the country’s public sector services. DUTCH BROADBAND PENETRATION INCREASED TO 40.4% OF HOUSEHOLDS – There were 2,847,000 Dutch broadband connections on 30 September, 2004, up from 2,525,000 on 30 June 2004, according to a report from telecoms news site TelecomPaper. BELGIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS BILL – The bill aims to transpose the package of EU directives on electronic communications into Belgian law. GOVERNMENT-WIDE CIO POSITION TO BE CREATED IN FINLAND – Finland is planning to hire a government-wide IT director in order to further promote common e-government solutions for the entire public sector. FRENCH GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES E-PROCUREMENT PLATFORM – The platform is an optional, public-private solution that will allow public sector bodies to publish call for tenders online and receive electronic bids. CROAT DIPLOMAT IN WASHINGTON RECALLED OVER BLOG – Croatia has recalled an official from its Washington embassy after he reportedly wrote Web diaries portraying diplomatic life as boring and saying he saw no difference between the candidates in the U.S. election. POLISH IM SERVICES LAUNCH VOIP – Polish instant messenger service providers Tlen and Wirtualna Polska Kontakt have launched VoIP services. A third, Gadu-Gadu, is expected to join them in the next few weeks. POLAND ADOPTS NEW E-GOVERNMENT ACTION PLAN FOR 2005-2006 – Adopted by the Council of Ministers, the new e-government action plan complements the ‘ePoland’ Information Society strategy approved last January. The main aim of the plan is to show the directions of the future development of e-Government in Poland. HUNGARY DEVELOPS M-GOVERNMENT SERVICES – The Hungarian authorities are increasingly using mobile government (m-government) for the delivery of public services. With a penetration rate of 81% against 30% for computers, mobile phones are a highly inclusive technology in Hungary. |
| This Week@Americas International |
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KOREA, CHILE SEEKING INFO-TECH COOPERATION – Policymakers and business leaders from Korea and Chile will discuss growth strategies in information and technology fields and ways to promote trade between the two countries in a conference in Santiago. http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/11/17/200411170040.asp MEXICAN, CANADIAN Visitor screening program expands – Federal agents in three cities along the Mexican and Canadian borders began photographing and fingerprinting some foreign visitors as part of a program aimed at preventing terrorists from entering the USA. IN CANADA VOIP TO WIN LOCAL CALLING SHARE, STUDY SAYS – Canada's established phone companies can expect to lose a major chunk of their local phone business by 2007 as Internet-based voice technologies gather mainstream momentum, according an industry report. SASKATCHEWAN, CAN: NEW SERVICES JUST A MOUSE-CLICK AWAY – Northern Saskatchewan is about to become one of the most connected areas in Canada. A recently launched project will effectively eliminate the so-called digital divide between the province’s urban and rural areas. ONTARIO, CANADA: ARE YOU BEING E-SERVED? – The new ServiceOntario Web site launched last week by Consumer and Business Services Minister Jim Watson, the new portal offers Ontarians “one-stop access” to government services and information through a channel of their choice – in person, online or phone. NOVA SCOTIANS TO TEST DRIVE GOVERNMENT@YOURSERVICE – Barrington Passage and Shelburne are two of six communities across Nova Scotia, Canada that are participating in a new Internet service pilot project. |
| This Week@Asia-Pacific/Japan |
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BALLMER FOCUSES ON MICROSOFT’S GOVT AGENDA IN ASIA – Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was cheerleader-in-chief for the day as he announced new initiatives to support Asia’s e-governance push. JAPAN & U.S. GRAPPLE WITH IT ISSUES – CIOs in Japan and U.S. deal with access, info-sharing and training issues. JAPAN TELECOM SUCCEEDS WITH BROADBAND TEST ON MOVING TRAIN – Japan Telecom Co. said it has succeeded in an experiment for broadband communications on a train traveling at a high speed. The leading Japanese telecommunication carrier said it has become the first Japanese firm to develop technology to offer broadband services on a moving train. KOREAN E-GOVERNMENT PROJECT EMBRACES FOREIGN RESIDENTS – Korea will develop its system of e-government for foreigners (G4F) by 2007, due to the growing number of foreign residents in Korea. SOUTH KOREA ALLOCATES WIRELESS BROADBAND SPECTRUM – The South Korean government has allocated bandwidth for a new breed of portable Internet service that will be able to deliver a broadband connection to devices travelling at moderate speeds. CHINA'S COMING OF AGE ONLINE – A new report from eMarketer forecasts huge growth opportunities for the IT, telecom and Internet sectors in China — but there are pitfalls. TAIPEI TO CLOAK CITY IN WORLD’S LARGEST WI-FI GRID – While wireless connections are available in many homes, businesses and cafes around the world, Taipei’s CyberCity project aims to make Wi-Fi ubiquitous outdoors. INDIA HAS SUCCESS STORIES IN E-GOVERNANCE’ – India is on the move especially in the area of e-governance. Many states have taken up pilot projects that deal with citizens in large scale and have claimed to have one successful project to their credit. INDIA RELEASES POLICY FOR STATE WEAN DEPLOYMENTS – India's Department of IT has released new technical and financial guidelines for states looking to establish Wide Area Networks. BANGLADESHI OFFICIALS LACK IT KNOWLEDGE – Most government officials are still unfamiliar with IT-based governance two years after the launch of the country's e-government programme. BALLMER TALKS E-GOV WITH INDIA'S PM – A day after inking pacts with two of the country's leading technology firms, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday. VIETNAM: E-GOVT & ‘DEMOCRATISATION’ LINKED – According to Vietnam's Director of Post and Telecommunication Development Strategy Institute, e-government cannot be seen as an administrative reform in isolation from wider civic participation. VIETNAM E-GOVERNMENT TO SPEED UP PROCESSES BY 2010 – By 2010, the government may be handling many of its administrative services online, with a website for every state agency. FILIPINOS ARE GETTING THE MESSAGE – Iignore the voice capabilities of their phones and use their handsets almost exclusively for texting. Nearly 38% of sales in the Philippine cellular market come from text, compared with 1% to 2% in the U.S. SINGAPORE TRADE AGENCY WINS CALL CENTRE AWARD – International Enterprise Singapore has won an award for 'Best New Call Centre', beating off competition from other call centres in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. AUS VOIP REGULATION TO CHANGE – The Federal Government is investigating changes to the treatment of voice of IP services under current telecoms regulations to encourage broad consumer access of the technology. AUS IT MINISTER COONAN TO CONVENE 'BOARD OF IT' – Information technology minister Helen Coonan plans to establish a formal policy advisory body from the ranks of industry to assist government as it sets policy priorities for IT in Australia. AUSTRALIAN E-GOV GROWS – Australian e-government is all about the customers, a top official says. COMMENTARY: AUS CIO IN A GOLDFISH BOWL – Now that the federal election is over, the search is on for an Australian Government CIO. Before you smarten up your CV, Paul Smith takes a look at the history of the position and what the hottest IT job in the country is likely to entail. NZ GOVT APPROVES SHARED LOGON AUTHENTICATION – The New Zealand government has approved the 'Initial Implementation Shared Logon' project - which will enable citizens to access government services online. |
| This Week@US States |
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CALIFORNIA IT STRATEGIC PLAN RELEASED – California's CIO and Gov. Schwarzenegger's Special Advisor on Information Technology, Clark Kelso, has released the state's Information Technology Strategic Plan. The plan outlines the future of IT in California. WI BROADBAND AVAILABILITY SPREADS TO RURAL AREAS – With more demand and a government effort to expand broadband access, more rural areas are being wired. PA LEGISLATURE APPROVES BILL PUSHING FOR FASTER BROADBAND AVAILABILITY – The state's traditional local telephone companies could get more latitude to increase rates for basic service, but Philadelphia's plans for citywide wireless Internet access could be pre-empted under a bill approved by the Legislature. |
| Other Tech News Of The Week |
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UN ESTABLISHES E-GOVERNANCE WORKGROUP – The United Nations has formally established a working group to look at spam, cyber-security and other internet-related issues. GATES, UNESCO SIGN COMPUTER ACCESS DEAL – Microsoft Corp. chairman Bill Gates signed a cooperation agreement with UNESCO to improve access to computers, the Internet and information technology training in developing countries. RADIO FREQUENCY CRAZE – RFID TECHNOLOGY GETS PUT TO MANY USES HERE AND ABROAD – Radio frequency identification (RFID) is becoming familiar around the world. And demand is growing. In a 2003 study, Wireless Data Research Group predicted the market for RFID hardware, software and services would increase at a 23 percent annual growth rate from more than $1 billion in 2003 to $3 billion in 2007. IN TEXAS, 28,000 STUDENTS TEST AN ELECTRONIC EYE – Chief Alan Bragg is not using video surveillance. Rather, he watches an icon on a computer screen. The icon marks the spot on a map where the student got off the bus, and, on a larger level, it represents the latest in the convergence of technology and student security. HALF OF ENTERPRISES TO BE WIRELESS BY 2006: STUDY – About thirty percent of all enterprises will have wireless LANs in full production by the end of this year, according to a research report released Tuesday by META Group. In addition, the report indicated that number will increase to 50 percent of enterprises by 2006. $9 BILLION IN SPENDING SEEN FOR HEALTH CARE IT BY ’09 – State and local government spending for health care-related information technology will rise 50 percent over the next five years to more than $9 billion, according to INPUT, a Reston, Va.-based IT market research firm. (Free registration required) |
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