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12
May 2009 |
Internet service providers (ISPs) have rejected calls for them to police the net and cut off users who repeatedly file-share material unlawfully.
The umbrella group that represents ISPs said disconnecting users would be a "disproportionate response".
A coalition of UK creative industries wants the online connections of repeat offenders to be slowed or stopped.
The government has said it is looking at "penalties" for illegal file-sharers in its Digital Britain report.
In a statement, the Internet... |
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12
May 2009 |
Virgin Mobile USA has reported a 301% jump in first quarter profits to US$19.1 million compared to US$4.7 million in the first quarter of 2008 - while revenues were largely flat at US$337.3 million, up 2% year over year.
"We are pleased with our first quarter results and the initial success of our new offers focused on high-quality customer additions," said Dan Schulman, Chief Executive Officer, Virgin Mobile USA. "Gross customer additions on hybrid plans grew to 55% of the total in the first quarter. Me... |
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12
May 2009 |
In an attempt to reduce piracy, the French have passed a new law requiring Internet service providers to cut off Internet access for repeat copyright infringers. Under the new ‘HADOPI’ legislation ISPs have to warn their customers twice that they are accused of infringing copyright. If both warnings are ignored, Internet access for that subscriber will be terminated for up to a year - and they’ll have to keep paying their ISP bill throughout this period too.
The law goes much further than disconnecting a... |
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11
May 2009 |
South African mobile group MTN has finally acquired a 60 per cent stake in Kenyan corporate communications solutions firm UUNET, whose holding firm is also South Africa-based.
Senior officials at the Uganda subsidiary of the telecom giant confirmed the transaction, but referred us to the group’s head office in Johannesburg, South Africa, for details. MTN Uganda is not officially allowed to comment on the acquisition as it was conducted at headquarters level.
The Johannesburg-based group executive for ... |
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11
May 2009 |
How did a Norwegian electricity company become the biggest fiber-to-the-home provider in the country? By adopting an innovative business model, offering faster speeds at identical prices, and—most unusual of all—letting customers save a few hundred bucks by digging their own fiber trenches through their backyards. We spoke to the company about the willingness that Norwegians have shown to get involved in laying their own infrastructure.
From power to broadband
Lyse didn't start out as a broadband compan... |
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11
May 2009 |
AT&T said it recently conducted an optical-fiber transmission capacity test over a simulated 580-kilometer link that produced total bandwidth of 32 Terabits per second.
According to AT&T, the results exceeded the bandwidth capacity of the previous record-setting test by 25% and over more than twice the distance.
The telco worked with network-equipment provider NEC and fiber-optic cabling supplier Corning on the test. The researchers transmitted data at 114 Gigabits per second over 320 separate optical... |
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10
May 2009 |
Qwest has rolled out free WiFi to its fixed high-speed Internet customers. The company is offering free access at 17,000 hotspots nationwide operated by AT&T. The move comes as other broadband providers are successfully using free WiFi as a customer acquisition and retention tool.
AT&T, which purchased hotspot provider Wayport last year, offers its broadband customers and some smartphone users free WiFi access. Meanwhile, cable operator Cablevision has launched a free WiFi network to its broadband custom... |
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10
May 2009 |
A recently introduced cyberbullying bill could land us all in jail—that is, if you have ever used an electronic medium to troll someone. HR 1966, the Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act, is named after the high-profile "MySpace suicide" victim Megan Meier. It's meant to prevent people from using the Internet to "coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person." However, as with many bills of this nature, the murky language and vague standards leave much open to interpret... |
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8
May 2009 |
The communications regulator has proposed a cut in the price Eircom can charge rival operators for local loop unbundling (LLU).
This is the process which enables rivals to use the connections between the local exchange and customers' homes, and is usually used to provide broadband services.
ComReg is proposing a cut of more than 25% in the monthly rental charge - from the current �16.43 to �12.18.
The regulator says LLU is important for competition in the high-speed broadband market.
'ComReg... |
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7
May 2009 |
The U.K. government is to increase the maximum fine for intellectual-property infringement from US$7,520 to US$75,200.
Following a consultation by the U.K. Intellectual Property Office (IPO), a majority of respondents supported the increase in the maximum fine, known as an exceptional statutory maxima. Respondents included the Publisher's Association, the British Phonographic Industry and the Alliance Against Intellectual Property Theft.
The government will now "work to identify suitable legislative o... |
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7
May 2009 |
The European Parliament has voted through a massive tranche of reforms for the European telecommunications sector, including a significant net-neutrality amendment.
The 'Telecoms Package' of laws was voted into force on Wednesday with a large majority, and must now be ratified by the Council of Telecoms Ministers. The vote marks the first time that internet access has been recognized in European law as a fundamental right on a par with freedom of expression.
The legislation also compels European telec... |
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7
May 2009 |
More U.S. households are forgoing traditional landline telephones and going with only cellular service, according to a new survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Twenty percent of homes surveyed only had cellular service, compared with 17% of homes that had a landline and no cell phones. By comparison, the first survey, conducted in 2003, found only 3% of households relied solely on mobile phones.
This session identifies the issues facing both buyers and sellers as they migrate... |
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7
May 2009 |
The European Parliament has voted through a massive tranche of reforms for the European telecommunications sector, including a significant net-neutrality amendment.
The 'Telecoms Package' of laws was voted into force on Wednesday with a large majority, and must now be ratified by the Council of Telecoms Ministers. The vote marks the first time that internet access has been recognised in European law as a fundamental right on a par with freedom of expression.
The legislation also compels European telec... |
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6
May 2009 |
UK families are more likely to spend money on their internet service than food – that's the finding of a Digital Families report published by O2 today.
Said to be the most comprehensive study into the attitudes families have towards the technology they use everyday, the O2 Digital Families report was put together after questioning 500 families across the country in light of the launch of the provider's new home organisation gadget – the Joggler.
Despite the recession the report found families were emb... |
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6
May 2009 |
Virgin Media is piloting broadband speeds of 200Megabit per second (Mbps) for a small group of users in the UK.
Following successful trials in the lab, 100 "lead adopters" in Kent will have access to the high speeds, believed to be among the fastest in the world.
Virgin will be using the high speeds to test applications such as 1080p high definition TV and 3DTV.
The pilot will last six months before the results are analysed. A variety of upstream speeds will also be tested.
Virgin is able to ach... |
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