| 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 eUpdate 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. 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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UN PANEL: NO SINGLE NATION SHOULD CONTROL INTERNET ADDRESSES—A U.N. panel created to recommend how the Internet should be run in the future has failed to reach consensus but did agree that no single country should dominate. The United States stated two weeks ago that it intended to maintain control over the computers that serve as the Internet's principal traffic cops. In a report released, the U.N. panel outlined four possible options for the future of Internet governance for world leaders to consider at a November "Information Society" summit. http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid= U.S. BROADBAND ACCESS NEARS 40 MILLION, JULY 11, 2005—Some 37.9 million Internet users in the United States now have broadband access, according to a report released by the Federal Communications Commission. The figure toted up by the FCC, which measured the number of users as of the end of 2004; was up 34 percent from the prior year http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid= |
| This Week@WASHINGTON, DC |
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WHITE HOUSE CALLS FOR UNIFIED R&D SPENDING—Agencies should look at ways to combine their individual R&D efforts, including projects involving networking and computer science, according to a White House memorandum issued last week. http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/technology-policy/36356-1.html HOMELAND SECURITY ADDS CYBERSECURITY POSITION—Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says IT management is one of his department's six imperatives. He laid out a reorganization plan for the department that includes a new assistant secretary for cybersecurity and telecommunications. http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid= FEDERAL SPENDING ON TELECOM TO CONTINUE GROWING—The Department of Homeland Security and e-government are among the drivers that will boost federal telecom spending according to the government market research firm Input http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid= MORE THAN 8,000 APPLY FOR H-1B VISA-CAP EXEMPTIONS—New government rules allow up to 20,000 foreign nationals with graduate degrees from U.S. institutions to avoid the 65,000 visa cap http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid= ENHANCED IN-AIR INTERNET SURVEILLANCE SOUGHT— Federal law enforcement agencies are seeking enhanced surveillance powers over Internet service on airplanes, an effort to shape an emerging technology to meet the government's concerns about terrorism. Authorities want the ability to intercept, block or divert e-mail or other online communication to and from airplanes after obtaining a court order http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2005/07/12/AR2005071201435.html OMB ASKS LAWMAKERS TO LOOSEN UP ON E-GOV FUNDING—The administration once again is making its case to appropriators about why e-government is important to modernizing federal agencies. In identical letters to the House and Senate Appropriations committees chairmen, Clay Johnson, Office of Management and Budget deputy director for management, asked lawmakers to limit or remove any language that hampers agencies’ abilities to spend money on cross-departmental projects http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/e_gov/36369-1.html CDC, DHS YEARS AWAY FROM BIOTERROR, PUBLIC HEALTH IT INTEGRATION—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Homeland Security Department are pursuing related public health IT initiatives to create a national health IT strategy and federal architecture, but there is little integration between the agencies’ efforts http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/technology-policy/36343-1.html |
| This Week@EMEA |
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EUROPEAN COMMISSION TELLS COUNTRIES TO INCREASE WI-FI SPECTRUM—The European Commission said that it has decided to make two additional frequency bands available for Wi-Fi access across all 25 countries of the European Union http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid= EU MOVES TO SPEED UP EUROPE'S WIRELESS INTERNET— The European Commission opened access to a new radio frequency that it said will speed up wireless access to the Internet in coffee shops and airports throughout Europe. The European Commission said it was making available part of the 5 gigahertz (GHz) band for Wi-Fi, a technology used by laptops for high-speed, wireless connections to the Internet. http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID=2005-07-14T150343Z_01_L14126630_RTRIDST_0_NET-TELECOMS-EU-WIRELESS-DC.XML COMMISSION WARNS 11 MEMBER STATES OVER TELECOMS INACTION—The European Commission has sent letters to eleven EU member states for failing to implement properly EU rules on electronic communications, including telecommunications http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=8992 COMMISSION TO PROMOTE ‘E-CONTRACTING’—The European Commission has received authorisation from the Council to open negotiations, on behalf of the EU, on a draft UN Convention aiming to make it easier to conclude international business-to-business contracts electronically. The negotiations will take place within the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=8993 EUROPEAN TELECOMS SPENDING TO INCREASE 3.4% IN 2005 – SURVEY—With an average 3.4 per cent spending increase for telecoms technologies and services, Europe’s 2005 enterprise telecoms outlook is good, according to the Business Technographics survey http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=9021 MORE UK HOUSEHOLDS WITH BROADBAND THAN DIAL-UP—UK communications regulator Ofcom has today published research revealing changes in the country's communications sector as consumers and businesses adopt digital networks and formats with increasing enthusiasm. For the first time, there are now more households with broadband than dial-up internet connections. http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=9042 UK IT COMPANIES FAIL TO MAKE THE GLOBAL GRADE—While the UK has the potential to be a world leader in technology in the years ahead, competition from China, India and others threatens to leave UK IT in the slow lane, according to a report http://news.zdnet.co.uk/business/0,39020645,39209253,00.htm CALL FOR COMPULSORY E-GOVERNMENT IN UK—UK public sector managers must consider making some e-government channels compulsory for business or at least provide incentives to increase citizen take-up, argues new research from the Work Foundation, an industrial think-tank http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=9096 FRENCH REGULATOR PROPOSES PROCEDURE FOR WIRELESS LOCAL LOOP AUTHORIZATIONS—Over the past several months, the French communications regulator, Arcep, has been drawing up procedures for the delivery of new authorizations for the use of 3.4-3.6 GHz frequencies, in order to enable the development of wireless local loop networks http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=9075 COMMISSION ENDORSES SWEDISH REGULATOR’S PROPOSALS—The European Commission has completed its 200th assessment of measures proposed by national regulators to improve competition in the electronic communications markets. In the 200th case the Commission has endorsed measures proposed by the Swedish national regulatory authority to increase competition on the leased lines market. http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=9082 SWISS REGULATOR TO OFFER TENDER FOR BROADBAND WIRELESS ACCESS LICENCES—Within the year, the Swiss Federal Communications Commission (ComCom) intends to put licenses for broadband wireless access (BWA) out to tender and has taken the initial preliminary decisions to this end. http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=9018 THE BERLIN WALL GOES ONLINE— Most of the real-world Berlin Wall has been consigned to the dustbin of history, but the structure lives on-on the Internet. The site, launched by the Berlin government, details the history of the Wall from its construction in August 1961, when the communist East German authorities closed the border to stop a mass exodus, to its fall in a peaceful resolution in November 1989 http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050715/tc_afp/afplifestylegermanyhistoryeastinternet ANGOLA-UNDP SUPPORTS IT DISSEMINATION PROGRAMME—A project for the dissemination of information technologies (IT), through the creation of community-based centers and Tele-centers, is being developed since early this year by the Angolan Government in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) http://allafrica.com/stories/200507140609.html GHANA-GOV'T FALLS BELOW ECOWAS LEVELS FOR FUNDING OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHES—Ghana has failed woefully to fulfill the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) treaty which states that every country has to devote one percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to research into Science and Technology for growth. Successive governments in Ghana since the institutionalization of ECOWAS have not seen research into science and technology as a basis for development, therefore less than 0.5% has been invested into it http://allafrica.com/stories/200507120638.html LEBANON ATTACKS PIRATED SOFTWARE—Lebanon's Ministry of Economy and Trade says it is stepping up raids on pirated and counterfeit goods and software in an effort to reduce levels considered to be among the highest in the world http://www.ameinfo.com/64010.html |
| This Week@Americas International |
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ARGENTINA- CESSI: SOFTWARE, IT SERVICES TO REPRESENT 1% OF GDP IN 2006 – Argentina's software and IT association Cessi expects software and IT services to represent 0.9-1% of GDP next year, compared to 0.83% in 2004, Cessi president Carlos Pallotti said. Sector sales, including software, hardware and IT services are expected to grow 15% this year from US$3.74bn in 2004, almost doubling the forecast growth rate of Argentina's economy. http://www.bnamericas.com/story.jsp?idioma=I§or=1¬icia=323235 COLOMBIA- CRT: FIXED TO MOBILE RATES RESOLUTION BY END-AUGUST— Colombian telecoms regulator CRT aims to publish a final resolution on the price of fixed to mobile calls by end of August, after analyzing comments which industry can submit until July 29, CRT business knowledge coordinator Juan Pablo Hernández said MEXICO- MITEL TO COMPLETE PRELIMINARY VOIP TESTING BY AUGUST—The Mexican unit of Canadian telecoms equipment manufacturer Mitel expects to complete preliminary testing of VoIP services with Mexican long distance carriers by early August, so it can start tests with clients of those carriers, Mitel México's director Mario Vázquez said. http://www.bnamericas.com/story.jsp?idioma=I§or=2¬icia=323833 |
| This Week@Asia-Pacific/Japan |
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HOWARD DETERMINED TO PUSH TELSTRA SALE—Prime Minister John Howard is determined to push ahead with the full sale of Telstra despite farmers branding services in the bush "a joke.” CHINA TO INCREASE PIRACY PROSECUTIONS— China agreed to increase criminal prosecutions of pirates of copyrighted movies and music and to delay imposing rules that would make it harder for U.S. software companies to sell to the Chinese government, the U.S. said. At a trade summit in Beijing, Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi made pledges to curb counterfeiting, including coordinating with U.S. customs and FBI agents to stem exports of illegal copies of movies, razors, auto parts and pharmaceuticals http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-china12jul12,1,1559060.story?coll=la-headlines-technology&ctrack=1&cset=true INDIAN MOBILE FIRMS SEEK COMPENSATION ON 'UNEVEN' COMPETITION—Three cellular operators in India have sought compensation from the government, claiming that India’s unified access regime resulted in an “uneven” playing field. BPL Mobile, Idea Cellular and Spice Telecom have signed the joint representation before the Ministry of Telecommunications. INDIA, US TO EXPAND HIGH TECH TRADE— India and the US are poised to expand high technology commerce and move out of a sourcing relationship to a business relationship that would raise the demand on the American system, according to a top Government official. Speaking at a US-India High Technology Co-operation Group (HTCG) seminar on `Strategic Trade Controls', organized by FICCI, Dr S. Jaishankar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said that the complexity of Indian industry was going to create additional demand for dual-use technology. http://www.defenceindia.com/11-jul-2k5/news12.html HONG KONG PURSUES ROLE AS CHINA'S IP HUB—Pursuing its mission to be China's top intellectual property hub, the Hong Kong science park is forging partnerships with four Chinese universities with the aim of developing a legal and technical qualification process for local companies looking to use IP circuit blocks in their designs http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid= |
| This Week@US States |
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ARIZONA SCHOOL WILL NOT USE TEXTBOOKS— A high school in Vail will become the state's first all-wireless, all-laptop public school this fall. The 350 students at the school will not have traditional textbooks. Instead, they will use electronic and online articles as part of more traditional teacher lesson plans http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/aptech_story.asp?category=1700&slug=No%20Textbooks 91% OF US INTERNET USERS AFFECTED BY SPYWARE, VIRUSES – REPORT—Some 91 per cent of internet users have changed their online behavior for fear of becoming victims, according to a report from internet research firm Pew Internet Project (PIP) http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=8989 GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER ANNOUNCES ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY SERVICES—The Department of Technology Services consolidates the Stephen P. Teale (Teale) and Health and Human Services Data Centers (HHSDC) with the Department of General Services Office of Network Services (ONS) under the jurisdiction of the State and Consumer Services Agency. By combining these two large general purpose data centers with the organization responsible for telecommunications within state government, the state expects to improve efficiency and eliminate the duplication of services http://www.govtech.net/magazine/channel_story.php/94700 TEXAS GOV. PERRY OPENS CALL TO TELECOM, RENEWABLE ENERGY ISSUES—Texas Gov. Rick Perry expanded the call of the special legislative session to include legislation related to overhaul of the telecommunications industry and to legislation related to renewable energy. On the table is broadband over power lines and state franchise authority certificates for cable and video http://www.govtech.net/magazine/channel_story.php/94708 |
| Other Tech News Of The Week |
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CARRIERS' INVESTMENTS IN VOIP GEAR SET TO SURGE—Service providers invested $1.73 billion in next-generation voice equipment worldwide in 2004, including for VoIP deployments, according to new figures http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid= TECH FIRMS UNITE ON WIRELESS VOIP—Internet telephone service tiptoed a few more steps into the wireless realm as Skype and Boingo unveiled a service to enable VoIP calls over Wi-Fi hotspots, while Samsung and LG announced plans to develop mobile phones that combine cellular and Wi-Fi technologies http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=170229 COMPETING BROADBAND PROVIDERS BATTLE FOR CUSTOMERS—Telephone and cable TV companies are slashing broadband prices and boosting connection speeds as the two monopoly-prone industries prepare to lock horns on multiple fronts http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=165702499 INTERNET SPEED BATTLE HEATS UP— Comcast, the Bay Area's dominant cable provider, said Tuesday that it will upgrade customers to a faster broadband Internet connection this summer -- up to 6 megabits a second for most subscribers. http://news.yahoo.com/s/sv/20050715/tc_siliconvalley/_www12122200/nc:1212 CYBERCRIME RATES, LOSSES FALL, SURVEY SAYS—The downturn in losses is because of both better management of security tools and sheer luck in the form of a 12-month run without fast-spreading, big-dollar-amount attacks. But the survey also detailed some gloomier news: Losses to identity and information theft are up--way up http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=165702461 APPAREL MAKER TAGS RFID FOR KIDS' SLEEPWEAR—Lauren Scott of California will launch a line of kid's pajamas sewn with RFID tags. Readers placed in a house will be able to scan the tags within a 30-foot radius and trigger an alarm if boundaries are breached http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid= 'MOST WIRED' HOSPITALS HAVE LOWER PATIENT DEATH RATES, STUDY FINDS—The 100 "most wired" U.S. hospitals have an average risk-adjusted mortality rate 7.2% lower than less IT-savvy hospitals, according to a new study released by the American Hospital Association http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid= STEADY GROWTH FOR NETWORK SECURITY—Infonetics Research has recorded modest growth for the worldwide network security appliance and software market, with revenue up 5% between the last quarter of 2004 and the first quarter of 2005 http://www.itp.net/news/details.php?id=16779&category= |
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