| 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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BUSH TAPS MARTIN AS FCC CHAIRMAN – President Bush tapped Kevin Martin, a 38-year-old lawyer with strong Republican ties and a socially conservative bent, for the chairman post of the Federal Communications Commission. CISCO GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS HAS ENTERED THE BLOGOSPHERE!!! CISCO BREAKS NEW GROUND WITH GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS BLOG – Networking company Cisco Systems launched their first public blog last month. It's a very interesting blog as it's not the type of blog that would immediately spring to mind. |
| This Week@WASHINGTON, DC |
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FCC'S JULIUS KNAPP CHIMES IN ON WIRELESS – GovernmentVAR senior editor Jill Aitoro sits down with Julius Knapp, deputy of the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology, to find out what VARs might expect as they move into the latest era of communications. WHY OUR BROADBAND POLICY'S STILL A MESS?— Broadband is booming, DSL prices are NET TAXES? NOT OVER MY DEAD BODY! - A recent suggestion to tax Internet and other data connections with a levy originally intended to pay for the Spanish-American War has raised alarms far beyond technology companies. One of the sharpest critics of the idea has been Rep. Christopher Cox, a California Republican who's one of the leading advocates for lower taxes in Congress. Cox also is chairman of the new Homeland Security committee, which oversees both physical and "cyber" security. LAW LEADS E-GOV GROUP – Steven Law, deputy secretary at the Labor Department, will head the E-Government Committee of the President's Management Council, the Office of Management Budget announced ANTI-P2P LAWMAKER GETS TOP SENATE SPOT— Orrin Hatch, the senator who once said the AS FILE SHARING NEARS HIGH COURT, TECHIES WORRY— As the bitter debate over computer file sharing heads toward the Supreme Court, the pro-technology camp is growing increasingly anxious. WEB SATISFACTION DIPS— The latest quarterly poll of public satisfaction with government Web sites shows a slight but statistically significant drop compared to December SENATORS QUESTION WHETHER PHONE MERGERS WOULD REDUCE COMPETITION –At Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, members worry that mergers limit customers shopping for phone, Internet and other telecommunications services STATE TO AWARD E-PASSPORT CONTRACTS SHORTLY— The State Department and the Government Printing Office in the next few weeks will make the final decision on which and how many companies will provide electronic passports for U.S. citizens ISECURITY SPENDING TO RISE - Federal agencies are expected to increase their spending on information technology security by 27 percent in the next five years, according to Input. CALLS FOR BLOGGER FREEDOM – Internet bloggers should enjoy traditional press freedoms and not face regulation as political groups, US politicians and journalists have said. In separate letters, Democrat lawmakers and internet commentators urged the US Federal Election Commission (FEC) to make sure that political web sites that serve as focal points for political discussion, like Wonkette.com and Freerepublic.com, don't have to comply with campaign-finance rules. |
| This Week@EMEA |
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EMEA WLAN UP 9.3PC— Demand for wireless is growing in the Middle East, with enterprise THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION HAS OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED 'YOUR EUROPE' – This is a comprehensive web site providing information for citizens and businesses within the EU. "With this initiative, the Commission makes life easier for enterprises and reduces cross-border administrative burdens," said Gunter Verheugen, Commission Vice-President. FOR TELECOMS IN EUROPE, TURF BATTLES ARE ESCALATING – Across Europe, phone companies are challenging one another outside of their home bases - Telecom Italia in France and Germany, for instance, and BT Group of Britain in Italy and Spain. This month, their gradual push abroad could get a jump start as Tiscali, the financially troubled Italian Internet service provider, seeks to sell its French unit. WESTERN EUROPEAN IP VPN MARKET TO REACH €4.3BN IN 2009 – The Western European LONDON-NTL TRIALS 18 MBPS BROADBAND—Broadband speeds could soon reach new heights as cable operator NTL pilots ADSL2+, a technology that offers a maximum download speeds of 18 mbps. PIRACY ROW WIDENS AFTER SWEDISH INTERNET FIRM RAID— A raid on a Swedish internet firm last week, hailed by the entertainment industry as a blow against piracy of songs and movies, has sparked a debate in the high-tech country over confidentiality rights and file sharing AFRICAN LEADERS BACK TECH TAX TO HELP POOR NATIONS— African leaders voiced support for a plan asking wealthy nations to tax their cities' investment in technology to buy mobile phones and computers for poor nations http://news.com.com/African+leaders+back+tech+tax+to+help+poor+ U.K. GETS TOUGH ON MUSIC SWAPPERS— The U.K. music industry has compared the fight against illegal online file sharing with curbing drunk driving. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is likely to bring further legal action against U.K. citizens accused of sharing copyright-protected files over the Internet. http://news.com.com/U.K.+gets+tough+on+music+swappers/2100-1027_3-5615896.html UAE, DRAFT LAW ON CYBER CRIME— Cyber crimes in the UAE will carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a Dhs100,000 fine, according to a draft law approved by the Legislative Committee in Abu Dhabi yesterday. http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Detailed/55681.html DUBAI RAMPS UP MARKETING STRATEGY FOR E-GOVERNMENT - The municipal government of Dubai is targeting the student community with its latest e-government initiative. http://www.pstm.net/article/index.php?articleid=538 SOUTH AFRICA- LOCAL GOVT NEEDS IT OVERHAUL— Local government offices lack proper IT skills and integrated IT infrastructure, says a new report by research and consulting firm ForgeAhead http://allafrica.com/stories/200503170594.html SA RANKED 34TH IN IT INDEX— SA has moved from 37th place to 34th place in the World Economic Forum's (WEF's) Networked Readiness Index, although it has lost the top spot in Africa. http://allafrica.com/stories/200503100739.html KENYA’S MAJOR ICT LAW TO BE UNVEILED— Kenya's ICT Policy will be in place ahead of a major information technology event scheduled for May 2005. http://allafrica.com/stories/200503160881.html NIGERIA- RURAL TELEPHONY BILL GETS SECOND READING— A Bill for an Act to provide telephone and telecommunications services to rural communities in Nigeria has passed a second reading in the Senate with a provision for funding from the fifty percent of the annual operating levy paid by telecommunications operators. http://allafrica.com/stories/200503180143.html |
| This Week@Americas International |
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LATIN AMERICAN MOBILE OPERATORS ARE ENJOYING REGIONAL REBOUND— An improving Latin American economy is putting wireless phones within reach of more consumers. That's boosting the stocks of wireless firms that operate in the region. BRAZIL-GOVT. EXPANDING GESAC PROGRAM - Brazil's communication ministry plans to expand its GESAC digital inclusion program to reach 6 million users in low income groups by the end of the year. MIT BACKS BRAZIL'S CHOICE OF LINUX OVER MICROSOFT— MIT's Media Lab has recommended Brazil install open-source software instead of proprietary software offered by Microsoft on thousands of computers that will be sold to the poor, according to a letter obtained by Reuters. http://news.com.com/MIT+backs+Brazils+choice+of+Linux+over CHILE-SUPREME COURT OKS CABLE MERGER – Chile's supreme court has approved the merger of local cable TV providers VTR and Metrópolis, in a unanimous vote that ratified a decision made by the antimonopoly tribunal TDLC. ECUDOR-CONATEL PUSHING FOR US$500,000 MAX. FINE - Ecuador's telecoms regulator Conatel would like to raise the maximum fine applicable to mobile operators to US$500,000 compared to the US$200 limit in place now. PANEL: U S CANADA MEXICO NEED INTEGRATED BORDER SECURITY SYSTEM – The United States, Canada and Mexico should create a common North American security perimeter by 2010 with combined visa, visitor screening, cargo inspection and political asylum policies, the chairmen of an independent task force of former government officials recommended. CANADA’S GOVERNMENT CRAFTS STRATEGIES BEYOND E-SERVICE DELIVERY – Electronic service delivery, for years the most important issue for the federal public sector, is not the priority it once was, according to a recent joint IDC/Technology In Government study of public sector IT spending in 2005, which also indicates subtle shifts in the way government sees the role ITAC CHIEF TALKS PROCUREMENT REFORM - Q&A with Courtois discusses how SMBs and government can get along. QUEBEC TEAMS WITH INFOWAY TO BEGIN E-HEALTH PROJECTS – The Canadian agency responsible for e-health records is contributing $1.8 million towards four new health-care IT initiatives in Quebec, including the development of a secure system to share health data. ONTARIO’S NATURAL RESOURCES SHARES DATABASE ACROSS GOVERNMENT - Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources says it is planning to expand the initial rollout of remote access to its digital land information system to other parts of the public service. |
| This Week@Asia-Pacific/Japan |
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CHINESE E-GOVERNMENT: MOVING ON FROM 'WEB-GLOSS'? - The good news is that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao seems determined to use technology as a mechanism to support administrative reform. Blink and you may have missed it, but China's political leadership gave a strong endorsement to the role of IT-enabled government in the country. AUSTRALIAN GOVT URGED TO PROTECT INFRASTRUCTURE— An Australian government think AUSTRALIAN SENATE INITIATES PROBE ON TELSTRA — The senate gave the go-ahead for a detailed investigation of Australia's telecommunications regulatory regime and the privatization of Telstra. DREAM OF AN OPTICS NETWORK FOR BUSH - A Nationals think tank has proposed that the proceeds from the sale of Telstra be used to roll out a $7billion fibre optic cable network in the bush. Supporters of the "glass Snowy" project claim it would deliver high-speed internet access and other digital services to all but the most remote areas of Australia. ASIAN TELECOM SECTOR SLOWS, BUT GROWTH TO CONTINUE —Asia’s telecom sector is showing flat growth, despite a recovery from the crisis in 2003, a recent IDC report said. However, the region (excluding Japan) will continue to post growth in the next five years. CHINA CHOOSES NORTEL FOR MOBILE NETWORK ON RAILWAY TO TIBET—China's Railways Ministry has selected Nortel to provide a digital wireless communications network for the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. MOBILE TARIFFS IN INDIA MAY FALL AGAIN— Indian regulators will come out with another consultation paper to review tariffs, which could further slash long distance rates. INDIA WANTS MINIMUM 256 KBPS FOR BROADBAND—The government has issued instructions to all telecom service providers to refrain from offering broadband services at a download speed of less than 256 kbps. INDIA: 30% OF MOBILE USERS LOOKING FOR BETTER OPERATORS — Despite doling out low tariffs and feature-rich value-added services, mobile operators in India may have to do a lot more to keep subscribers. INDIA'S NON-VOICE MARKET EXPANDS 139% IN 2004—IDC India said that the country’s non-voice market within the mobile telephony segment grew by 139% in 2004 over the previous year. INDONESIA: REGULATORS DEFEND 3G OPERATOR — The Telecommunications Regulating Agency (BRTI) came to the defense of Cyber Access Communications, saying the licensed operator of 3G did not violate any rules. KOREAN OPERATORS TO BUILD MOBILE FACILITIES ON DISPUTED ISLETS — South Korean mobile operators SK Telecom and KTF have said that they are planning to build mobile phone facilities on the disputed islets of Dokdo in the East Sea. MALAYSIA 'UNWIRES' 800 SCHOOLS— The Ministry of Education and Intel Malaysia launched the national "Wireless Technology" project, which will equip some 800 schools with wireless Internet access by the end of the year. PHILIPPINE BROADBAND PROVIDERS EYE SMES — Competition among telecom companies in the Philippines has extended to the high-speed broadband service with both PLDT and Globe targeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs). JAPANESE MUNICIPALITIES UNWIRED – NTT Com recently conducted a field trial in Tokyo using Tropos MetroMesh routers and the Tropos Control element manager and selected the company's wireless routers for use in building a wireless network for Iwakuni Air Station, a U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in Japan. |
| This Week@US States |
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FLORIDA WORKS TO KILL POTENTIAL VOIP TAX— Internet telephony supporters won a big victory in Florida last week when legislators voted in favor of repealing part of a communications tax on businesses that run their own networks IOWA GOV. SIGNS TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEREGULATION BILL – Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack signed House File 277 on Tuesday, an Act that deregulates the local exchange retail phone rates of the three Iowa companies that remain rate regulated by the Iowa Utilities Board. CHICAGO STUDIES WI-FI – Under threat from a possible state law that would prevent municipalities from acting as utilities to run their own broadband networks, Chicago city government officials authorized a study of a possible citywide high-speed wireless network. |
| Other Tech News Of The Week |
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SINGAPORE OVERTAKES THE UNITED STATES IN THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM'S GLOBAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY REPORT –The United States has dropped four places and ceded top billing in the World Economic Forum's Global Information Technology Report to Singapore. Released today, the Report ranks Singapore as the top economy in exploiting global ICT developments for the first time. STUDY: INTERNET USE IN U.S. HOMES DIPS— Americans are spending slightly less time online that they did a year ago, while some of their counterparts in Asia and Europe are logging longer hours on the Net http://news.com.com/Study+Internet+use+in+U.S.+homes+dips/2100-1038_3-5625735.html GLOBAL IPTV MARKET WORTH €5.4BN BY 2008 – The internet television market is set to expand from 1.9m subscribers in 2004 to 25.3m worldwide in 2008, according to predictions from market analysis firm Multimedia Research. DSL USERS WORLDWIDE PASS 100M MARK—Industry analyst Point Topic said the number of CELL PHONE MAKERS TO ADOPT INTERNET CALLING— With cost-saving voice over Internet telephony taking off and replacing wired phones, makers of cellular phones are taking notice. Cell phone heavyweights Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Nortel Networks and others are incorporating VoIP into the cell phones, chips and wireless network equipment they manufacture or design MOTOROLA DELAYED ITUNES PHONE DUE TO APPLE'S CONCERNS— Apple's concerns over an early unveiling of Motorola's new iTunes phone prompted the company to delay the product's announcement, Chief Executive Ed Zander said yesterday http://www.technewsworld.com/story/41439.html |
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