| 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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STARTING IN MID-'05, STOCK OPTIONS MUST BE EXPENSED – After years of heated debate between high-tech companies and accountants, the head accounting rule-setting body declared all companies must subtract the cost of stock options from their earnings starting in mid-2005. |
| This Week@WASHINGTON, DC |
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FCC PROMOTES DEPLOYMENT OF BROADBAND COMMUNICATIONS ON VESSELS – The Federal Communications Commission adopted rules that further the Commission’s goal of promoting market-based deployment of broadband technologies. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-255347A1.doc FCC TO ALLOW WIRELESS ACCESS ON PLANES – Federal regulators voted to give airline passengers high-speed Internet connections while they fly. The unanimous vote by the Federal Communications Commission means air travelers could be surfing by 2006. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&ncid=738&e=1&u= FCC AMENDS RULES TO PERMIT NEW WIDEBAND UNLICENSED DEVICES – The FCC adopted rules aimed at further facilitating the introduction of new unlicensed wideband devices. These devices will include radar systems to improve automotive safety and tracking systems for personnel location, such as hospital patients and emergency rescue crews, as well as for functions such as inventory control. U.S. LAGS IN BROADBAND ADOPTION DESPITE DEMAND FOR VOIP, IP VIDEO – Survey finds 50 percent of U.S. households will subscribe to broadband access by 2006, with shift to much higher broadband rates.
SENATE APPROVES LAST MINUTE TELECOM PACKAGE – The U.S. Senate approved a telecommunications package that includes reopening the E-Rate financial pipeline and creating a federal agency spectrum relocation fund. AIR FORCE CREATES NEW TECH POLICY OFFICE – Air Force officials announced that they will consolidate three technology offices to promote better integration of current and future information technologies with the service's war-fighting operations. SCHOOLS TO RECEIVE 2004 ERATE LETTERS – eRate funding commitments for the 2004 program year will begin flowing again as soon as President Bush signs a bill passed unanimously by the Senate that exempts the eRate from the Anti-Deficiency Act (ADA) for a period of one year. |
| This Week@EMEA |
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COUNCIL ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON FUTURE ICT POLICY FOR EUROPE – The Council of the European Union adopted on 10 December 2004 a Resolution of the future Information Society policy of the Union. Complementing the work already initiated by the Commission, this Resolution will be submitted to the Spring 2005 European Council, as a contribution to the debate on the mid-term review of the Lisbon strategy. NEARLY HALF OF EUROPEAN INTERNET HOUSEHOLDS HAVE BROADBAND – The Netherlands leads the European broadband market, with 45 per cent of all homes in the country to have a broadband connection. EU LAUNCHES EUROPE-WIDE ONLINE PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP – The European Commision is running an on-line consultation concerning the future Community Action Programme to promote active citizenship. GERMANY TO SUPPORT WIRELESS CAR-TO-CAR PROJECT – The German Research Ministry is to commit funds to Network on Wheels, a European project investigating the possibilities of WLAN car-to-car communications systems. TELECOM ITALIA TO DELIVER CISCO SYSTEMS ENTERPRISE VOIP OFFERING --Telecom Italia and Cisco Systems signed an agreement to bring IP-based integrated voice and data systems to market for medium and large corporations. ITALY TO CREATE NATIONAL DTV E-GOVERNMENT PORTAL-- The ‘Italia Utile’ (‘Useful Italy’) DTV portal will make the public information and services offered through the web-based e-government portal Italia.gov.it available via terrestrial digital TV. http://europa.eu.int/ida/en/document/3648/5718 TEACHERS AND STUDENTS CONNECT IN STOCKHOLM-- The city of Stockholm ensures its citizens are well connected and well informed by providing services to nearly one million residents through a high-speed, optical network. UK FORECASTS 96% E-GOV HIT RATE – The vast majority of government services will be available electronically by the end of next year, according to a report from the Cabinet Office. UK’S MILIBAND TAKES E-GOVERNMENT – David Miliband is the new minister responsible for e-government as part of his Cabinet Office brief. He takes over from Ruth Kelly who was appointed education secretary in the Cabinet reshuffle following David Blunkett's resignation. http://www.kablenet.com/kd.nsf/Frontpage/FC3B39F36C0397F580256F6D00371BFF?OpenDocument UK PUTS COURT HEARINGS ONLINE-- The £20m Xhibit system is to be rolled out across the England and Wales following an 18 month pilot at Snaresbrook Crown Cout in east London. People will be able to track the status of court hearings online following the introduction of a new national IT system. IRELAND EYES PASSPORT OVERHAUL--- Passport services in Ireland are to be incorporated into the country's e-government program, according to the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. Government is to draw up plans for biometric passports which are likely to incorporate facial recognition technology http://www.kablenet.com/kd.nsf/Frontpage/BD16C59ADD705DB380256F6B00424B70?OpenDocument IRISH PEOPLE WANT M-GOVERNMENT – M-government has been named as a growth area following a survey which says that the public wants the ability to interact with government via mobile phones. DIGITAL RADIO NETWORK TO LINK PUBLIC ORDER AND SAFETY AUTHORITIES IN HUNGARY--The Hungarian Government is about to launch a tender for the delivery of a single digital radio network to connect the country’s public order and safety authorities. http://europa.eu.int/ida/en/document/3650/5718 LINUX FOR E-LEARNING IN JORDAN--- IBM is set to support Jordan's EduWave as part of its open source e-learning solution platform for Middle East markets. EduWave, the comprehensive K-12 e-learning platform, has been introduced in over 3,000 schools in Jordan. SINGLE ACCESS POINT TO MANAGE UAE PROJECTS – The Ministry of Finance and Industry, and Ministry of Public Works and Housing have put the ‘e-project’ in motion. |
| This Week@Americas International |
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MEXICO WARMS UP TO VOICE OVER INTERNET SERVICE - VoIP, or voice traffic over the Internet, is headed for Mexico offering an opportunity for upstart telecommunications companies but a headache for traditional companies, who see pressure on their earnings as the cost of long distance calls decline. PUERTO RICO AWARDS $4.9 MILLION PORT SURVEILLANCE CONTRACT –The port of San Juan in Puerto Rico signed a $4.9 million contract with Honeywell for an integrated digital surveillance system. BRAZILIAN STATE SETS UP REAL-TIME E-GOVERNMENT SAVINGS CLOCK – The Government of the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo launched on an e-government savings clock website, providing a visual, innovative way of communicating savings made through the implementation of IT projects in the public sector. ONTARIO, CA MINISTRY TURNS TO E-CONSULTATIONS ON HOUSING – Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) has completed five of six online consultations it conducted over six months in 2004 on issues such as land-use planning, greenbelt protection and rental housing. IN CANADA E-VOTING STILL EXPENSIVE, FRAUGHT WITH SECURITY ISSUES – Unlike the U.S. willingness to adopt the latest technology, Canada "is not quite there," explained Hollins, who's based in Pickering, Ontario. |
| This Week@Asia-Pacific/Japan |
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SURVEY FINDS SHIFTING IT PRIORITIES OF ASIAN OFFICIALS – The latest 'Public Sector Technology & Management priorities survey' tracked an increased focus on information security issues. CISCO TO OPEN JAPANESE R&D FACILITY IN EARLY '05-- Cisco expects to open the Tokyo facility in February, will make an initial investment of $12 million over five years. CHINA ON TRACK FOR 220BN SMS YEAR – China's mobile phone users sent 176 billion short messages in the first 10 months of this year, according to figures released by the country's ministry of information industry. By the end of the year the number of text messages will exceed 220 billion, CHINA URGES MORE FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN TELECOMS – Foreign investors are being encouraged to supplement the Chinese government’s 200 billion Yuan ($24 billion) annual investment in the nation’s telecoms industry. CHINESE E-GOVT: TOO HOT TO HANDLE? – Estimated at US$4.8 billion, China's market for e-government services now depends upon the development of common national standards. CHINA NETCOM SEEKS 20% STAKE IN PCCW – China Netcom has offered to buy a 20% stake in PCCW. If successful, the PCCW deal will make the mainland carrier PCCW's second-largest shareholder. CHINA UNICOM AWARDS MOTOROLA $344M IN CONTRACTS – Motorola will carry out a phase 3.2 cdma2000 1X wireless network expansion for China Unicom, enabling it to grow capacity by more than 5.4 million subscribers. INDIA: 440 BN INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE BY 2014 –India will invest RS20 trillion ($440 billion) in its infrastructure sectors like roads, ports, telecom, irrigation and energy in the next 10 years, Minister of State for Commerce E.V.K.S. Elangovan. INDIA WILL LAUNCH CHEAP BROADBAND – India's two state-run telephone firms will launch a cheap broadband service by 15 January. Dayanidhi Maran, Communications minister, has said in a statement that Bharat Sanchar Nigam and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam will launch the service in six cities. THE PHILIPPINES GETS E-GOVT CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE – Oracle, HP and Red Hat have linked up with the National Computer Centre (NCC) to establish an ‘e-government centre of excellence’. MALAYSIA’S JARING TO SPEND $52M TO EXPAND BROADBAND COVERAGE-- Malaysian ISP Jaring will invest about RM200 million ($52 million) next year to expand its broadband coverage nationwide to reach 500,000 users by 2008. COMMENTARY: MAYBE 2005 WILL BE THE BIG YEAR FOR BROADBAND IN NEW ZEALAND – |
| This Week@US States |
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CENTER FOR DIGITAL GOVERNMENT RELEASES SECURITY REPORT: The paper, titled "A Good Defense: Information Security as a Cost of Doing Business," is underwritten by Symantec and outlines the growing number and increasing sophistication of malicious software attacks that are forcing a change in strategy among public agencies in protecting mission-critical, network-reliant operations. U.S. 8TH-GRADERS GAIN IN MATH, SCIENCE; 4TH-GRADERS WEAK – U.S. eighth-graders have risen in the world when it comes to math and science skills, a new international study finds, but their younger counterparts are having trouble keeping up CA GOVERNOR PICKS TWO TO REPLACE PUC MEMBERS – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) is remaking the California Public Utilities Commission in his image appointing "twin" Danny DeVito -- hold it! back on script -- nominating Silicon Valley businessman and Steve Poizner (R) and San Francisco attorney Dian Grueneich (D) to the five-member PUC to replace out-going Commissioners Loretta M. Lynch and Carl Wood. ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PARTNERS WITH STI FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRACKING – STI, the nation's leading provider of education data management solutions to K-12 schools, announced a partnership with Illinois Association of School Administrators to provide comprehensive professional development tracking for Illinois school administrators. FLORIDA TO BUILD WIRELESS SYSTEM-- Florida Gov. Jeb Bush today announced plans for a statewide wireless communications system. The plan is to have the system ready to use as part of public safety and homeland security measures in Jacksonville for Super Bowl XXXIX in February, Bush said. http://www.fcw.com/geb/articles/2004/1206/web-florida-12-10-04.asp MONTANA TOUTS ELECTRONIC FILING OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS — Starting in the 2006 elections, candidates for state office will be able to file their campaign finance reports electronically, and voters can view this information on their computer screens at any time, night or day. JUDGE RULES MARYLAND SPAM LAW UNCONSTITUTIONAL – An e-mail marketing company that was sued for allegedly violating the U.S. state of Maryland's antispam law has prevailed, as the judge dismissed the case on the grounds that the law in question is unconstitutional. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid= D.C. MAYOR ANTHONY A. WILLIAMS HAS TECHNOLOGY AGENDA FOR NLC — He will create a National City Network for Webcasts, online chat and virtual city tours SANTA CLARA DEBUTS VIRTUAL WEB SITE – Being a major Silicon Valley city, it only makes sense that Santa Clara's new Web site has gone virtual. Visitors to the new site at santaclara.org can visit the site's "virtual concierge" or see the entire Santa Clara Convention Center without leaving their chair. WIRELESS FIRMS FIGHT TAXATION IN MARYLAND’S LOCAL GOV’T – Cingular, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon Wireless are challenging the right of Montgomery County and the City of Baltimore to impose local taxes on wireless telephone lines. BLACKSBURG, VA., WINS AWARD –Congressman Rick Boucher presented the town of Blacksburg, Va., with the Grace Hopper Government Technology Leadership Award for Blacksburg Alert, the town's electronic public notification system. |
| Other Tech News Of The Week |
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COMMENTARY: TECHNOLOGY CAN REMOVE POLITICAL BLINDFOLDS – We long for transparency in business processes, so why not apply those same tools to government? WORLDWIDE BROADBAND SUBSCRIBER BASE TO INCREASE TO 200M BY 2006 –The worldwide base for broadband technology is expected to reach more than 200m subscribers by 2006, up from about 100m at the end of 2003, according to a report from Irish market research firm Research and Markets. U.S. LAGS IN BROADBAND ADOPTION DESPITE DEMAND FOR VOIP, IP VIDEO: REPORT –Survey finds 50% of U.S. households will subscribe to broadband access by 2006, with shift to much higher broadband rates. INTERNET TELEPHONE SHIPMENTS REFLECT EMERGING VOIP MARKET – Shipments of internet-based telephones are expected to jump 43 percent this year, reflecting how Internet Telephony is becoming firmly established in companies. SPRINT TO BUY NEXTEL IN $36 BILLION DEAL –Sprint Corp. said it will buy mobile telephone company Nextel Communications Inc for about $36 billion creating a U.S. wireless carrier with nearly 40 million subscribers. U.S. CONSUMERS WILLING TO PAY PREMIUM FOR FINGERPRINT BIOMETRICS TO MAKE LIFE EASIER AND MORE SECURE-- 71 percent of U.S. consumers favor adding feature to PCs and cell phones for password replacement, mobile commerce, wireless banking and other functions TOP 10 “MOST UNWANTED” SPYWARE – A security firm named the top 10 spyware threats, saying that the secretly-installed software poses an "insidious" threat to consumers and corporations alike. COMPANY CLAIMS FIRST TRUE WIMAX CHIP –WaveSat this week began shipping a chip that it says is the first to comply fully with the IEEE 802.16-2004 wireless broadband standard, commonly known as WiMax. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=1293&e=9&u= INDUSTRY HOPES RFID GEN 2 STANDARD GETS NOD – EPCGlobal expects to see final approval for the GEN2RFID specifications by year's end. GOOGLE -- 21ST CENTURY DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM—Google plans to announce an agreement with some of the nation's leading research libraries and Universities to begin converting their holdings into digital files that would be freely searchable over the Web. |
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