| 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, VoIP, Security, Wireless and Education, 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/gov/contact/index.html. |
| TOP NEWS OF THE WEEK |
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TELECOM INDUSTRY OVERHAUL LOOMS IN AUSTRALIA— The government will investigate whether it needs to overhaul the competition regulations for telecommunications companies ahead of the full privatization of Telstra. COMMISSION LAUNCHES LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST TEN MEMBER STATES OVER INFRINGEMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS RULES— The European Commission has launched legal proceedings against ten EU member states to remedy infringements of EU rules on electronic communications.The Commission has pointed to defects in national laws, and incorrect practical application of EU rules http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=7352 |
| This Week@WASHINGTON, DC |
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FEDERAL REGULATORS FACE CONFOUNDING VOIP CHOICES— Federal face a new set of challenges with VoIP: Should they require providers to offer 911 service? What about compelling them to help subsidize rural phone service? http://www.networkingpipeline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=160900212 US SENATORS WANT REVIEW OF SUBMARINE CABLE DEAL TO INDIA— Three Republican senators are urging a government panel to investigate the national security implications of the $130 million sale of a network of US undersea communications cables to India's largest phone and broadband company http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=155518 CONGRESS PRIMED TO PASS LAWS REQUIRING DISCLOSURE OF DATA THEFTS— At least two proposals designed to crack down on companies suffering breaches of private customer information are on the table. Consumer outrage over the recent spate of embarrassing data thefts is pushing Capitol Hill to reverse years of government protection for victimized companies. The government's new interest in requiring such embarrassing disclosures reverses years of efforts by the FBI and U.S. prosecutors to shield corporations that have been victims of hackers from bad publicity by keeping such crimes out of headlines. But now, consumers want to know if their private information has been stolen http://www.informationweek.com/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid= ARMY DELAYS ITES-2S— Army officials announced April 15 that they postponed the award of the multibillion-dollar Information Technology Enterprise Solutions-2 Services (ITES-2S) contract until the middle of October, a two-month delay http://www.fcw.com/article88594-04-15-05-Web TRAFFIC WEB SITE ADDS 54 LIVE CAMERA VIEWS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.— The TrafficLand Company, based in Fairfax, VA, announced the expansion of Washington, D.C. traffic camera views available on the www.TrafficLand.com public Web site to 112, bringing the total available across the region to 415. The TrafficLand Web site is accessed by desktop computers or Web-enabled cell phones and displays live views from traffic cameras throughout the Washington, D.C. region http://www.govtech.net/news/news.php?id=93690 |
| This Week@EMEA |
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EUROPE MULLS BROADBAND VIA ELECTRICITY GRID—The European Commission hopes to use electric power supply lines to offer low-cost high-speed Internet access following a recommendation it issued this week http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=156234 THREE QUARTERS OF YOUNG DUTCHIES HAVE MOBILES – Mobile penetration for young people and children between the ages of five and 24 in the Netherlands has reached 73.9 per cent, but remain largely uninterested in mobile gaming, according to research from market analysts Mobile Youth http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=7354 OFCOM INTRODUCES MARKETING CODES OF PRACTICE FOR FIXED-LINE TELECOMS SERVICES— UK telecoms regulator Ofcom has introduced mandatory codes of practice for sales and marketing in fixed-line telecoms services to address concerns about ‘mis-selling’ and other abuses of marketing activity http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=7311 UAE LOWEST MOBILE RATES— The UAE has the lowest prepaid mobile phone rate at $0.06 per minute, out of 18 Arab countries surveyed for a study by Amman-based Arab Advisers Group, reported The Daily Star http://www.ameinfo.com/57801.html UAE INTERNET, 430,000 SUBSCRIBE— UAE Internet connections have rocketed by 20% to 430,000 connections over the past year, according to the Q1 results statement from Etisalat. This growth was almost as high as mobile phone subscriptions which were up by 23% to 3.9m in the UAE CONNECTING REGIONAL TELECOMS— Deregulation and liberalisation in regions telecoms sectors will be in the spotlight at Connect 2005, being held in Dubai from 29 May to 1 June. The four-day summit will present case studies from several regional and international operators. There will also be specialist forums on new technologies, applications and mobile entertainment content http://www.ameinfo.com/57752.html GAMBIA- GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO ICTS— THE GAMBIA Government is committed to improving access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) and promoting their use to stimulate economic growth, equality and poverty reduction.The Department of State for Communication, Information and Technology (DOSCIT) is also committed to creating the necessary enabling environment. This would enable government and the public utilise the opportunities offered by ICTs and their applications to service delivery, operational efficiency and improvement of people's live http://allafrica.com/stories/200504150292.html VOIP ROLL-OUT IN EGYPT— Converged voice-video-data networks and next-generation services provider NetCentrex and systems integrator Giza Systems announced a partnership to provide voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services in Egypt— http://allafrica.com/stories/200504120734.html |
| This Week@Americas International |
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CHILE-SUBTEL BACKS VOISSNET SUIT AGAINST CTC - Chile's telecoms regulator Subtel has backed a complaint presented by telephony provider Voissnet to the antimonopoly tribunal TDLC alleging anticompetitive practices on the part of local telco Telefónica CTC Chile (NYSE: CTC), Voissnet CEO Alberto Mordojovich told BNamericas http://www.bnamericas.com/story.xsql?Tx_idioma=I&id_noticia= PERU- BCP BUDGETS US$25MN FOR IT THIS YEAR - Peru's Banco de Crédito del Perú (BCP) plans to invest US$25mn this year in IT projects, up 79% compared to US$14mn in 2004, according to Gilberto de la Guarda, head of administration and technology process management at the bank's systems division http://www.bnamericas.com/story.xsql?Tx_idioma= CHILE, VENEZUELA-INTERLINK TO INVEST US$10MN IN VOIP PROJECT - US telecoms solutions provider Interlink Global plans to invest US$10mn over the next 12 months in equipment and network upgrades for a regional IP telephony project, the company CTO Oscar Ligardi said http://www.bnamericas.com/story.xsql?Tx_idioma= |
| This Week@Asia-Pacific/Japan |
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JAPANESE POWER FIRMS READY $931M IN FIBER-OPTIC EXPANSION— Electric Power and Kansai Electric Power announced plans to invest about 100 billion yen ($931 million) to double the number of subscribers to their home-use fiber-optic communications networks http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=156235 INDIA-CHINA PACT COULD MAKE ASIA THE NEXT IT HUB—Asia could become a major source of IT innovation if China and India cooperate in developing their computer industries, according to experts speaking at the InformationWeek Spring Conference http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid= CHINA TIGHTENS INTERNET CENSORING—The Chinese government has become increasingly sophisticated at controlling the Internet, taking a multilayered approach that contributes to precision in blocking political dissent, a study said CHINA'S MOBILE PHONE SALES RISE 14%--China's mobile phone market grew 14% last year, with Nokia, Motorola, and Samsung leading the pack, research firm Gartner said. Mobile phone makers sold 68 million units last year in China, accounting for about 12% of global unit sales last year, according to Gartner http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=156569 NUMBER OF INDIAN MOBILE USERS PASSES 100M MARK— India's Communications Minister Dayanidhi Maran has announced that the number of mobile phone users in India has passed the 100 million mark, up from 98.08 million subscribers a month ago http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=156240
HIGH-SPEED MOBILE USERS IN KOREA TO REACH 25M BY 2009—The number of subscribers to high-speed mobile phone service in South Korea is expected to reach 25.23 million by 2009, surging from last year's 9.54 million, according to an IDC report. IDC also said the number of high-speed phone users in the Asia Pacific region, excluding Japan, will probably rise to 142 million over the next five years http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=156566 PHILIPPINE TELCOS URGED TO STOP OPPOSING VOIP— Philippine Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri has urged telecommunications companies to stop opposing a government policy seeking to fully deregulate the industry and allow widespread adoption of VoIP.The economic planning chief said the cost of telco services in the country remained one of the highest in the world http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=156237 E-PASSPORT PROGRAM ROLLS OUT IN SINGAPORE—Singapore's Immigration & Checkpoints Authority is moving ahead with its effort to use Gemplus International's smart-card technology in its pioneering biometric passport program |
| This Week@US States |
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TAX FILERS SWARM TO THE INTERNET—Millions of taxpayers followed the usual pattern this year of heading to the Internet in the last few days leading up to the April 15 deadline. On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, more than 1.2 million and 1 million consumers, respectively visited the site of the Internal Revenue Service, ComScore Networks Inc. said. TurboTax.com, run by Intuit Inc., and HRBlock.com, operated by tax-preparer H&R Block, drew 320,000 and 214,000 people, respectively GAS STATION WI-FI CHANGES MEANING OF 'FULL SERVICE'— In one section of Michigan, you'll no longer need to waste precious time standing idly by the pump while filling your car. A communications vendor Friday is launching a series of hotspots at gas stations so users can spend their time more productively while filling their cars http://www.mobilepipeline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=160901200 CALIFORNIA SPAMMERS SLAPPED DOWN— A federal judge in San Francisco Wednesday slapped an injunction on a California company accused of spamming millions of messages touting mortgage services and other products. Judge Samuel Conti ordered Los Angeles residents Rick Yang and Peonie Pui Ting Chen to immediately stop operations of their spamming companies, Optin Global, Inc. and Vision Media Limited Corp., then froze the firms' assets http://www.techweb.com/wire/security/160900500 MINNEAPOLIS SEEKS CITYWIDE WIRELESS INTERNET— Minneapolis on Wednesday officially began the process of selecting a company to build and operate a citywide wireless network, becoming the latest major city to embark on providing affordable Internet access to all residents and businesses. The city expects between 20 and 30 companies, including Qwest Communications International Inc., Minnesota's largest telephone company, and Time Warner Inc., to answer its request for proposals http://www.techweb.com/wire/mobile/160702521 FLORIDA SPAMMERS SLAPPED WITH INJUNCTION— Florida won an injunction against a pair of spammers based in the state, Attorney General Charlie Crist said Tuesday, forcing them to cease and desist their junk e-mail campaigns while the case goes forward. The injunction, the first under Florida's nine-month-old anti-spam law, bans Scott J. Filary, 25, and Donald E. Townsend, 34, both of Orlando, from, among other things, sending spoofed e-mail or registering domain names STATE OF MISSISSIPPI AWARDS E-PROCUREMENT CONTRACT— On behalf of the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) the Department of Information Technology Services has awarded Tier Technologies Inc. an e-procurement system contract. This award is designed as a phased implementation of a General Purchasing System with e-procurement capabilities including integration with the Mississippi Statewide Automated Accounting System (SAAS). http://www.govtech.net/news/news.php?id=93659 VIRGINIA LAUNCHES INTEGRATED E-GOV WEB APPLICATION— The Commonwealth of Virginia has launched an e-government solution that allows local government users to simultaneously query multiple state databases. It is projected to significantly reduce case processing time, associated worker costs and paper files for users while improving access, security and citizen satisfaction STATES LAG FEDS IN ELECTRONIC TAX FILING— The number of state income tax returns filed electronically still lags behind the federal e-file rate in all but three states, despite states' efforts to encourage taxpayers to move away from paper filing. This gap, which exists everywhere but Kansas, Massachusetts and Ohio, remains even after a decade of double-digit growth in the electronic filing of state returns, which is more efficient for state governments and saves money |
| Other Tech News Of The Week |
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ONE-THIRD OF LARGE ENTERPRISES FAVOR MANAGED VOIP: STUDY—Forrester finds that interest in the technology is greatest among companies with over 20,000 employees http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid= ENTERPRISE USERS ALREADY TALKING VOIP— Because their phones speak the language of the Internet, Boeing Co. engineers can both hear and see each other as they remotely collaborate on projects. Boeing began experimenting with Internet telephony in 2001 and is now spreading it, videophones included, across the far-flung aerospace and defense company http://www.advancedippipeline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=160702235 BROADBAND SEMICONDUCTOR MARKET TO BEAT $2 BILLION BY 2009— The growing demand for VoIP and high-definition video services is expected to drive the worldwide DSL, cable modem, and PON (passive optical networks) semiconductor markets to pass the $2 billion sales mark by 2009, according to a report. http://www.techweb.com/wire/hardware/160702174 TELECOM SOFTWARE SPENDING TO EXCEED $30B IN 2005 -- INSIGHT RESEARCH— The global market for operations support systems (OSS), including software that performs engineering, provisioning and management functions in telecommunications networks, will exceed $30 billion this year, a report by Insight Research forecasts http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=155707 NORTH POLE GETS HOT(SPOT)— Two Moscow-based Intel employees have created a Wi-Fi hotspot near the North Pole, according to Intel.The hotspot, which Intel says is the first in the Arctic region, was installed at the Barneo ice camp, which is about 80 kilometers from the actual North Pole http://www.mobilepipeline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=160901360 TALKFREE LAUNCHES VOIP SERVICE FOR THE DEVELOPING WORLD— TalkFree Telecom has launched a new, low-cost PC-to-phone voice over IP (VoIP) service for customers in the developing world, to be offered through international channel partners. Telecommunications costs can be exorbitant in developing countries, where consumers can pay as muych as $1 or $2 per minute of telephone service TalkFree plans to keep its prices down by offering bonuses to channel partners who re-sell its services at the lowest rates http://www.networkingpipeline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=160900336 VERIZON TO OFFER STARZ MOVIES OVER IP— Verizon Communications announced an agreement with Starz Entertainment Group to provide movies over Verizon's Fios TV fiber optical channel. Fios is Verizon's fiber-optic broadband Internet service http://www.networkingpipeline.com/news/160901397;jsessionid WIRELESS E-MAIL WILL BE A BUILT-IN APPLICATION ON ALL SMARTPHONES BY THE END OF 2008— IT departments should plan now for wireless e-mail on all supported handheld devices, as wireless e-mail will be a built-in application on all smartphones by the end of 2008, according to Gartner, Inc. http://www.govtech.net/news/news.php?id=93684 |
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