TIIAP
Evaluation of the Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure
Assistance
Program for the 1994 and 1995 Grant Years (NTIA)
INTERNET
MCI WorldCom Plans Internet Service For Residential
Customers Nationwide (WSJ)
IBM reaches out to blind with talking browser (SJ Merc)
Art Schools Become Creative About Online Instruction (WSJ)
MERGERS
SBC, Ameritech Dodge Critics' Talk (WP)
Economics of Mergers Between Large ILECS (FCC)
COMPETITION
Not All See Lower Cable, Phone Rates (SJ Merc)
Prepaid Services Help Cut Phone Costs (NYT)
LOBBYING
AT&T Finds Internet and a Crowd of Critics (NYT)
TELEVISION
Parents Slow to Embrace V-Chip (WP)
FCC Asked to Examine WWF Ad (WP online)
Predicting Television Signal Intensity (FCC)
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Campaign Finance: A Bad Start (WP)
INTERNATIONAL
China to Reduce Expensive Internet Fees (SJ Merc)
China to Crack Down on Internet Phone Services (SJ Merc)
ANTITRUST
Trial Judge Questions Microsoft's Credibility (WP)
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TIIAP
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EVALUATION OF THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM FOR THE 1994 AND 1995 GRANT YEARS
Issue: TIIAP
The Report looks at the activities and achievements of TIIAP's first group
of grantees, those receiving funding in FY94 and FY95. The results of this
evaluation provide a comprehensive look at the impacts of the TIIAP
investment, the nature and degree of the effects on the organizations
implementing the projects, other organizations that were involved with the
projects, the individuals and communities that were served by the projects,
and the specific value added by the TIIAP funds. From the News Release
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/press/westate2pr.htm: A U.S. Commerce
Department information technology program designed to improve the quality of
public access to health care, education and other such services has had a
wide ranging beneficial impact on communities across the nation,
particularly on rural and inaccessible areas, according to an independent
study released by the Department. The report reveals that the
Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program (TIIAP)
projects are disseminating valuable lessons on how organizations can reduce
barriers to access. "With a modest Federal investment, TIIAP grant
recipients are spurring further development and clearly having a tremendous
impact on communities across the nation," said Commerce Secretary William
Daley. "TIIAP projects are demonstrating the benefits of bringing
information technology into underserved communities. The results of this
study show a pressing need to ensure that all Americans have access to these
new technologies." For a copy of the report, call the TIIAP program at
202-482-2048 or visit the URL below.
[SOURCE: NTIA]
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/tiiap/evaluation/99EvaluationReport/eval_r
eport_page.html
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INTERNET
========
MCI WORLDCOM PLANS INTERNET SERVICE FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS NATIONWIDE
Issue: ISPs
Newly merged MCI WorldCom is expected to announce today a plan to offer
Internet access service to residential customers. When the merger was first
announced, some consumer advocates were worried that the combined company
may ignore residential areas in favor of more profitable corporate clients.
"Any telecom company on the planet that is looking at the consumer market
has to have a bundle of services to offer," said Forrester Research's
Christopher Mines. "They have to have local and long distance and they have
to have Internet." MCI WorldCom will offer Internet access through the UUNet
backbone which the company owns.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (B6), AUTHOR: Stephanie Mehta]
http://wsj.com/
IBM REACHES OUT TO BLIND WITH TALKING BROWSER
Issue: Access
IBM has unveiled a talking Web browser for blind and visually impaired
Internet users. The Home Page Reader for Windows, available for $149, reads
aloud information found on Web pages. The browser is available in English
and Japanese and will be released in other languages later this year. The
software was developed at IBM's Tokyo Research Laboratory.
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR:Reuters]
http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/breaking/merc/docs/061187.htm
ART SCHOOLS BECOME CREATIVE ABOUT ONLINE INSTRUCTION
Issue: EdTech/Arts
"The capabilities of online instruction are well beyond what people
imagine," said Ben Bell, a professor of instructional technology at
Columbia. "Art is a great example of a topic that skeptics would see as one
that could not be taught effectively online. But arts is actually ideally
suited." The article points to a number of examples of online instruction
including Drawing & Painting www.dialnsa.edu, www.mica.edu,
wwww.saumag.edu/art/studio/chalkboard.html; Photography
www.kodak.com/global/en/consumer/education/lessonPlans/pinholeCamera/
(that's pinhole, not pinhead), www.shortcourses.com, and
www.photonet.com; and Design www.corcoran.edu/online and
www.montgomerycollege.edu/online.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (), AUTHOR: ]
http://wsj.com/
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MERGERS
=======
SBC, AMERITECH DODGE CRITICS' TALK
Issue: Merger
SBC Communications and Ameritech broke off private meetings on their
proposed merger with about 20 competitors and opposition group Wednesday.
Kevin Sullivan, a lawyer for SBC, asked for a resumption of the public
hearings regulators said they wanted before the merger. SBC and Ameritech
maintain that their merger would bring competition to the industry, leading
to lower prices and better service. Ohio Consumers Counsel Robert Tongren
and other critics worry that the marriage of the two Baby Bells will squelch
competition in the local telephone business and erode service. The merger
must be approved by the Federal Communications Commission, the Justice
Department and the regulators in Ohio and Illinois. The public hearings will
resume on February 17.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (Online), AUTHOR: Paul Souhrada]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WAPO/19990203/V000084-020399-idx.html
ECONOMICS OF MERGERS BETWEEN LARGE ILECS
Issue: Mergers
Participants and Agenda for February 5 FCC Roundtable on the Economics of
Mergers Between Large ILECS in the Commission Meeting Room at the Portals
II, 445 12th St. S.W., Washington, DC. Session titles include: Potential
Benefits of the Mergers [with breakouts on downsizing and exercising
monopoly power], Effects on Benchmarking/Diversity, Effects on Actual and
Potential Competition, and Effects on Ability and Incentive of ILECs to
Raise Rivals' Costs. For more info contact Pam Megna at (202) 418-0482. [OK,
I jest]
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/OPP/News_Releases/1999/nrop9003.html
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COMPETITION
===========
NOT ALL SEE LOWER CABLE, PHONE RATES
Issue: Competition
The Consumer Union and Consumer Federation of America say that cable rates
have jumped 21% since the passage of the 1996 Telecommunication Act, which
was intended to increase competition and lower phone and cable
service prices. A report released by the consumer groups says that the 1996
law has
not resulted in either widespread competition or lower prices. Local and
long distance rates have remained the same, while instate long distance
rates have risen 10%, according to the report. The groups say that
low-volume users are not enjoying any of the price breaks or competitive
options that are now available to high end users. "In the emerging digital
world, the majority of consumers face price increases for many essential
telephone and TV services offered under monopolistic conditions,'' the
report contends.
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/breaking/merc/docs/004913.htm
PREPAID SERVICES HELP CUT PHONE COSTS
Issue: Telephony
Many consumers are choosing prepaid cellular phone service versus buying into a
contract in order to control their phone spending and avoid monthly bills.
According to Boston Communication Group, which runs prepaid programs for
companies like Southwest Bell and Airtouch, prepaid calls range from 42 cents
a minute to 80 cents a minute, depending on the service and area of the
country. Contract service offers more features such as long distance and a set
number of minutes each month for as low as 10 cents a minute. Unused minutes are
forfeited at the end of the month with cellular service, whereas prepaid cards
typically allow 60 days to use the card and allow customers to keep unused time
if they buy another card. Use of prepaid service nearly doubled in 1998 from
$533,000 in 1997 to $1.8 million.
[SOURCE: New York Times (E8), AUTHOR: Roy Furchgott]
http://www.nytimes.com/
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LOBBYING
========
AT&T FINDS INTERNET AND A CROWD OF CRITICS
Issue: Lobbying/Competition
AT&T's plans to offer high-speed Internet connections via cable systems has
sparked vocal concern from consumer groups and competing phone and Internet
service providers. America Online has organized a coalition, called Open
Net, to bring the case against AT&T to Congress and the FCC. For $40/month,
consumers can have high-speed cable modem access though the At Home
Corporation. They argue that AT&T -- which will be the largest shareholder
in At Home once its acquisition of Tele-Communications Inc. is completed --
will have unfair control of the high-speed Internet market. Many consumer
groups have sided with AT&T rivals in demanding that the phone giant should
be forced to give competitors access to their cable networks. "They are
doing what Microsoft is accused of doing: building a system where they say
you can't separate the transmission from the actual content," said Gene
Kimmelman, co-director of the Washington office of Consumers Union. Both
federal and local regulators will have to consider whether AT&T or its
competitor's plans will best encourage the deployment of high-speed services
to the American public.
[SOURCE: New York Times (A1), AUTHOR: Stephen Labaton]
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/02/biztech/articles/04tele.html
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TELEVISION
==========
PARENTS SLOW TO EMBRACE V-CHIP
Issue: V-Chip
Television sets with v-chip technology are coming later this year, but if
sales of v-chip decoder boxes in their first few months are any indication
parents are not excited about the new control that the technology gives
them. V-chips allow parents to zap unwanted programs based on sexual
content, violence or objectionable language. With v-chip decoder boxes
languishing on store shelves after a year of sales, Todd Grunberg, vice
president of a Toronto company which has produced 60,000 v-chip decoder
boxes, said "The interest was high, but it just never seemed to translate
into sales." Supporters say it takes time for consumers to embrace new
technology like the v-chip, and early sales figures are not indicative of
public sentiment. TV manufacturers must equip half U.S.-sold TV sets with
v-chips beginning this year. Half the new models must have v-chips by July
1, and the remaining by July 1, 2000. Those who want the v-chip without
buying a new television must buy a decoder box with the chip inside. Prices
for boxes range from $60 to $99. "People really want this kind of tool,"
said Kathryn Montgomery, president of the Center for Media Education in
Washington. "They're very concerned about the problem of sex and violence on
television."
[SOURCE: Washington Post (Online), AUTHOR: Marta W. Aldrich (Associated Press)]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WAPO/19990204/V000304-020499-idx.html
FCC ASKED TO EXAMINE WWF AD
Issue: Advertising/Regulation
The American Family Association and Morality in the Media, two groups critical
of violence and sex in the media, as well as several individual viewers filed
complaints with the Federal Communications Commission about a WWF ad that ran
during the Super Bowl. One of the scenes sited by the watchdog groups show a
woman with her legs wrapped around as female wrestler Sable who says, "we never
use sex to enhance our image." Another scene shows executives smashing into
glass as 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin says, "a nonviolent form of entertainment."
WWF officials said most people who saw the ad, including Fox who aired it, saw
nothing wrong with it. [Because they got the joke] Robert W. Peters, president
of Morality in the Media says the main complaint comes from the commercial
being run during such a heavily watched television event.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (online), AUTHOR: Skip Wollenberg (AP)]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WAPO/19990204/V000312-020499-idx.html
PREDICTING TELEVISION SIGNAL INTENSITY
Issue: Television
You know, like when you're sitting around with a couple of buddies watching
classic "Wiseguy" episodes and you say, "This is intense, dude." Or perhaps
better explained by the News Release: The Commission has adopted an order
addressing the way it measures and predicts the strength of television
signals for the purposes of the Satellite Home Viewer Act ("SHVA"). Under
the SHVA, television signal intensity is the key element in determining
whether a consumer is "unserved" by network television broadcast stations
and, thus, is eligible to receive network service using a home satellite
dish. The revised rules are designed to better identify those consumers who
can and cannot get their local broadcast television stations over the air.
More information available at
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/Orders/1999/fcc99014.wp and from Donald
Fowler, Jr. at (202) 418-7200. Also, see a joint statement from Chairman
Kennard and Commissioner Ness
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/News_Releases/1999/nrcb9001.html#kennard
[SOURCE: FCC]
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/News_Releases/1999/nrcb9001.html
================
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
================
CAMPAIGN FINANCE: A BAD START
Issue: Campaign Finance
[Editorial] New House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) has taken a position -- the
likely effect of which, if it prevails, will be the death of campaign finance
reform in this Congres. The House passed a strong campaign finance reform
bill last
year. The bill is ready to be passed again. The drafting was done long ago;
the votes are there. But Speaker Hastert indicated in an interview the other day
that he is inclined to hold it up in order to come up with "something that I
think is fair." One of the things that is thought to have hurt the
Republicans in the last election was last year's miserable legislative
record, which delay of this bill would perpetuate. The majority forced
consideration of campaign finance last year with a discharge petition. Will
they have to go through that again?
[SOURCE: Washington Post (A26), AUTHOR: WP Editorial Staff]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPcap/1999-02/04/044r-020499-idx.html
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INTERNATIONAL
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CHINA TO REDUCE EXPENSIVE INTERNET FEES
Issue: Internet Access
On average, Internet users in Beijing cough up 34.8% of their monthly
salaries on Internet access fees. On Thursday [that's today between you and
me], China Daily reported that the government plans to reduce expensive
Internet rates this year in hopes of boosting the information industry.
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Reuters]
http://www.mercurycenter.com/breaking/docs/081120.htm
CHINA TO CRACK DOWN ON INTERNET PHONE SERVICES
Issue: Internet Regulation
Internet telephony "must be under the strict supervision of the government,"
said Zhang Chunjiang, a director general in China's Ministry of Information
Industry. "Some unlawful domestic operators are colluding with some overseas
companies and this has seriously eroded revenues of our country from
international telecommunications. The amount of funds involved is huge, it
has reached several billions of yuan (hundreds of millions of dollars). This
is actually a kind of information smuggling by evading the supervision of
port of entry of our country. So we will crack down very harshly on
operators of illegal Internet telephony," he said. [Or, to paraphrase
former-President Bush, Not good. Wouldn't be prudent.] Reuters reports,
Chinese authorities have mixed feelings towards the Internet, which
challenges decades of control over the flow of information by the Communist
Party. The country now has some two million Internet users, according to
official figures, and the number is expected to reach 10 million by next year.
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Reuters]
http://www.mercurycenter.com/breaking/docs/030627.htm
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ANTITRUST
=========
TRIAL JUDGE QUESTIONS MICROSOFT'S CREDIBILITY
Issue: Antitrust
With the judge in the Microsoft antitrust trial questioning the "entire
reliability" of a key video presentation that the company prepared for its
defense, Microsoft lawyers asked to conduct another demonstration and create
a new videotape. U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson granted the
request. As Microsoft lawyers watched in dismay yesterday, a Justice
Department attorney yesterday rolled the tape frame-by-frame on a large
projection screen, pointing to numerous discrepancies in the presentation.
The government maintained the company had actually filmed more than one
machine and spliced the results together. The computers also appeared to
have other software running on them that could have affected the results of
the test. At day's end, Microsoft officials said they were unable to explain
the inconsistencies but that they stood by points made in the video. The new
tape should be ready for today's courtroom session.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (A1), AUTHOR: Rajiv Chandrasekaran]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/longterm/microsoft/micro.htm
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