Global Policy and Government Affairs (GPGA)

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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

US FCC EASES REGULATIONS ON DSL BROADBAND - U.S. communications regulators lifted regulations on high-speed Internet services offered by local telephone companies like Verizon Communications, in an effort to boost fast Web access. http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2005-08-05T193428Z_01_N05212849_RTRIDST_0_POLITICS-TELECOMS-FCC-DSL-DC.XML

STRIKE UP THE BROADBAND - [Commentary] In telecommunications, one of the most heavily regulated sectors of the U.S. economy, classifications matter greatly. So free-marketers have reason to applaud Friday's decision by the Federal Communications Commission to reclassify high-speed Internet connections offered by telephone companies. http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112354379047108101,00.html
(Paid subscription required)

FORMER FCC CHIEF TO JOIN PROVIDENCE EQUITY - Michael K. Powell, who was the nation's chief regulator of communications at a time when deregulation and new technologies fueled a frenzy of deals in cable, telecommunications and media, is now becoming a deal maker himself. HTTP://WWW.NYTIMES.COM/2005/08/11/BUSINESS/MEDIA/11DEAL.HTML (Free Registration Required)

FEDS FUND VOIP TAPPING RESEARCH—The federal government is funding the development of a prototype surveillance tool by George Mason University researchers who have discovered a novel way to trace Internet phone conversations. http://news.com.com/Feds+fund+VoIP+tapping+research/2100-7348_3-5825932.html?tag=cd.top

FCC CRITICIZED FOR VOIP TAPPING REQUIREMENTS— Broadband Internet service and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) companies must build technology that allows "tapping" for interception by U.S. law enforcement officials to comply with a ruling by the Federal Communications Commission last week that critics complain unnecessarily and unilaterally expands federal rules on eavesdropping. http://www.technewsworld.com/story/45416.html

FEDS TEST RFID CONTROLS AT U.S. BORDERS—The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has begun testing immigration documents laced with radio-frequency identification chips at five spots on the Mexican and Canadian borders. The goal of the technology is to speed up--if not automate--secure entry and exit of visitors at the nation's ports, according to a Homeland Security press release. http://news.com.com/Feds+test+RFID+controls+at+U.S.+
borders/2100-7348_3-5823958.html?tag=cd.hed

US OFFICIALS GO TO HACKERS' CONVENTION TO RECRUIT— As scam artists, organized-crime rings and other miscreants find a home on the Internet, top federal officials are trolling hacker conferences to scout talent and talk up the glories of a career on the front lines of the information wars. "If you want to work on cutting-edge problems, if you want to be part of the truly great issues of our time ... we invite you to work with us," Assistant Secretary of Defense Linton Wells told hackers at a recent conference in Las Vegas. http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID=2005-08-11T200718Z_01_EIC143491_RTRIDST_0_NET-HACKERS-DC.XML

EUROPE MULLS WIRELESS BROADBAND REGULATION— The market for wireless broadband in the European Union will be thrown open to question in October when member states vote whether to introduce a technology-neutral approach to spectrum previously earmarked for 3G systems. Two camps have formed. One led by the UK and, crucially, with strong backing from the EU, is pushing to adopt a free-market approach to the 3G expansion bands (2.5 MHz -2.69 MHz). The other, led by France and Finland, wants the EC to mandate use of IMT-2000 technologies only. http://206.190.35.122/s/cmp/20050811/tc_cmp/168600531

BRITAIN OUTPACES THE UNITED STATES IN E-DEMOCRACY— Electronic tools stimulate citizen interest, involvement -- and accountability- The British government spent about $5.3 billion dollars on the five-year e-government project, of which $1.8 billion went to e-democracy initiatives http://www.fcw.com/article89814-08-08-05-Print

BELARUSIAN PRESIDENTS SIGNS TELECOMMUNICATIONS LAW— Belarusian President Lukashenko has signed the amended Law on Telecommunications. The new law sets forth a new framework for telecommunications regulations in order to increase the effectiveness of telecommunications network functioning and development. http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=9599

IRELAND'S CIOS TOLD TO SLIM DOWN TECH BUDGETS—An upturn in Irish business won't necessarily translate into increased IT spending, as the country's CIOs remain under pressure to slim down their tech budgets. http://management.silicon.com/itdirector/0,39024673,39151307,00.htm

DUBAI- E-LIBRARY TO OPEN— converted into an e-library in an effort to encourage residents to read online. About 80% of the library's material, including e-books, CDs, audio and visual resources will be available online. Members will be able to access the library's materials from remote access. http://www.ameinfo.com/65605.html

UGANDANS LEFT OUT ON ICT— A HUGE section of Uganda's population could be isolated and the state of their welfare regress, if sustained efforts are not marshaled to spread the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) among them, according to President Yoweri Museveni. Currently the digital revolution that is unfolding in earnest in parts of the world and spawning innumerable opportunities is bypassing a huge portion of Uganda's population. http://allafrica.com/stories/200508110977.html

CANADA- BROADBAND COMES TO THE NORTH— High-speed satellite links will bring Canada's remote communities into the 21st century. http://www.canada.com/technology/story.html?id=3a3a4a56-b83e-4ffb-876a-fb5e3254b1b5

WIRELESS CONSOLIDATION FOR LATIN AMERICA— The wireless industry of Latin America is reportedly facing the last part of its consolidation following three acquisitions by America Movil, a Mexican company, over a three-month period. http://www.stockhouse.com/news/news.asp?tick=AMOV&newsid=2880608

VENEZUELA-PC MARKET SEEN GROWING 11% IN 2005— Venezuelan PC vendors can expect to sell 400,000 units this year, up 11% compared to 2004, and the figure could grow considerably if the government moves on with its plans to commercialize a locally assembled PC, IDC Venezuela country manager Judith Gil told BNamericas. http://www.bnamericas.com/story.jsp?idioma=I&sector=1&noticia=326286

AUSSIE SENATE WANTS TOUGHER RULES FOR TELSTRA— Telstra should be subject to even tougher regulations, once it is sold off by the government, a new Senate committee report recommended. Among the report's 35 recommendations, the committee called for a boost in the powers and funding of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to help it better regulate the telecom industry. http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=174684

NEW ZEALAND ISPS BAND TOGETHER TO PRESS DEMANDS— A group of 22 New Zealand ISPs have banded together, under the name Internet Service Providers Association of New Zealand (ISPANZ), in order to press demands ranging from local-loop unbundling to lower pricing and faster wholesale broadband speeds. http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=174440

JAPAN PLANS 'GIANT' BROADBAND SATELLITE— Japanese government officials said they will develop a new communications satellite to provide broadband services that are as fast as fiber-optic cable. Japan's Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry said the new satellite will make it possible to send and receive data at a maximum speed of 100 MBps in mountainous areas and remote islands, as well as aboard Shinkansen bullet trains, airplanes and ships. http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=174205

TOKYO OFFERS CHEAPEST BROADBAND RATES AMONG TOP CITIES— Tokyo offered the least expensive broadband Internet services among the world's six major cities for four years running in fiscal 2004, Japan's Ministry of Communications reported. According to the report, the average monthly cost of an ADSL Internet connection in New York, London, Paris, Dusseldorf and Geneva came to 2,514 yen ($22.57) for every megabit per second. But the cost in Tokyo was just 59 yen (53 cents) thanks to intense price competition. http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=174689

YAHOO BUYS INTO CHINESE INTERNET COMPANY— Yahoo Inc. is paying $1 billion in cash for a 40 percent stake in China's biggest online commerce firm, Alibaba.com, strengthening the ties that international companies are forging in the world's second-largest Internet market. http://www.rednova.com/news/technology/204896/
yahoo_buys_into_chinese_internet_company/index.html

INDIAN TELCOS SIGN FIBER-OPTIC DEAL WITH PAK TELECOM— Indian telecom giants Bharti and Reliance Infocomm will be partnering with Pakistan Telecom to lay a fiber-optic network from Lahore to the India-Pakistan border at Wagah. The project was discussed at the Indo-Pak Commerce Secretary level talks recently, during which New Delhi assured Islamabad that it would support the initiative, officials said. http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=174685

INDIA-BSNL CUTS BROADBAND RATES BY 50%-- State-owned BSNL has slashed broadband rates of 256 kbps connection by 50%. Now, subscribers will have the option to choose BSNL DataOne service of 256 kbps connection for 250 rupees ($ 5.7) a month, instead of 500 rupees ($11). http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=174442

CARROLL APPOINTED AS CIO FOR OHIO— Ohio Gov. Bob Taft appointed Mary Carroll, the state’s acting chief information officer and director of information technology since February, to the Cabinet-level post earlier this week http://www.fcw.com/article89866-08-11-05-Web

GEORGIA- FULTON NAMED TOP 10 DIGITAL COUNTY— For the third year in a row, the Center for Digital Government in partnership with the National Association of Counties and Government Technology magazine, rated Fulton County among the nation's top 10 "Digital Counties." The ranking is based on an assessment of county governments' utilization of information technology to improve the overall delivery of services to their customers and citizens. http://www.govtech.net/news/news.php?id=96230

SPEAKER RICHARDSON PUTS GEORGIA HOUSE ON INTERNET— Georgia Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) today announced that he is throwing open the doors of Georgia government to everyone. In a press conference held at the State Capitol, Richardson unveiled his latest effort to bring the workings of the House to all Georgians by broadcasting House committee meetings live over the Internet. http://www.govtech.net/magazine/channel_story.php/96221

GLOBAL BROADBAND BOOM— The market for high speed service is expected to grow to 440 million by 2010, mostly through DSL cable.Nearly half a billion computer users around the world are expected to adopt broadband technology within the next five years, according to a study released Wednesday. http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=13120&hed=
Global+Broadband+Boom&sector=Regions&subsector=MiddleEast

STREAMING HD BROADBAND OLYMPICS— The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing won't just be about sport. It'll be about broadband. That's the word from China NetCom president Zhang Chunjiang, who says that broadband will feature heavily in the 2008 Games, more so than previous events. http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=173988

MICROSOFT TO FIGHT CRIME WITH SPAMMER'S MONEY—Software giant Microsoft will invest the $7 million it is expecting from a damages settlement with "spam king" Scott Richter into fighting Internet crimes, paying its legal bills and "rewarding" the state of New York. http://news.com.com/Microsoft+to+fight+crime+with+spammers+money/2100-7350_3-5826561.html?tag=cd.top

RFID TECHNOLOGY PREVENTS INFANT ABDUCTION— In the last 22 years, there have been 233 infant abductions in the United States, half of which occurred from healthcare facilities. VeriChip's RFID infant protection systems are designed to combat not only infant abductions, but accidental infant mismatchings. http://www.technewsworld.com/story/45418.html

RFID PATENT CONSORTIUM LAUNCHED— A group of 20 RFID vendors has announced the formation of a ‘patent pool’ consortium intended to simplify and streamline users' access to RFID intellectual property. http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=9595

REPORT AND WIKI RELEASED ON EVOLVING STATE IP-BASED COMMUNICATIONS AROUND THE GLOBE— The Global IP Alliance ("Alliance") released its initial report and established an ongoing process to allow government, industry and consumers to obtain current information on the state of global IP-based communications technology and regulation. http://www.govtech.net/magazine/channel_story.php/96205

TIVO TESTS INTERNET DOWNLOAD SERVICE— Add TiVo Inc. to the list of companies trying to wed the Internet to television. The digital recording company is preparing to enable customers to download TV shows to their set-top boxes via the Internet — even before the shows air on TV. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050812/ap_on_hi_te/tivo_internet_deal;_ylt=
Ajk80MvYWlXLxDnF3C70DgsjtBAF;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

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