Safety groups urged full funding for the Enhance 911 Act of 2004 in a Fri. letter to members of Congress. President Bush signed the E-911 law in Dec. 2004, but no money has been appropriated to fund the provisions, said the letter, signed by the National Emergency Number Assn. and 37,000 other public safety groups. The law aims to create a national 911 program office and make grants of up to $250 million per to enhance emergency communications. The DTV legislation provided an E-911 grant fund of $43.5 million, to be funded by a spectrum auction occurring “no later than January 28, 2008,” the letter said. Thus, while much money will be available for grants in 2008 or 2009, none is appropriated for public safety access point (PSAP) grants. “It is essential that Congress recognize the critical role that 911 plays in all emergencies and as a vital homeland security asset by providing funding for the Enhance 911 Act,” the letter said.
Comcast, which just settled a rate case, may see additional charges challenged by franchising authorities, said a lawyer who represents the LFAs and a cable accountant involved in the latest deal. A settlement unveiled this month ended a spat between cities and the company over charges for gear such as DVRs and remotes, said attorney Ken Fellman. But the accord didn’t involve rates that will soon be disclosed for 2006, said Fellman, who represents 31 Denver area cities and counties. More than a million cable customers in those localities and about 70 more will get $2.6 million under the arrangement (CD Feb 21 p10).
The U.S. needs communications systems that are “operable and interoperable” during crises, the White House said in a report issued Thurs. White House homeland security advisor Frances Townsend’s report analyzed the U.S. response to Hurricane Katrina and suggested how to improve operations.
Recent regulatory and market developments require rethinking U.K. VoIP regulations, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) said Wed. The range of VoIP services and number of providers have increased the past 18 months, spurring consumer interest. Market and technology changes have been accompanied by significant regulatory changes, Ofcom said. Discussions with the European Commission led the regulator to conclude that where a VoIP service meets all gating requirements it automatically becomes a publicly available telephone service (PATS). These requirements are that it’s publicly available, used for making and receiving national and international calls through numbers in national or international numbering plans, and provides access to emergency services. European telecom regulators have recently approached regulating VoIP very differently, and the FCC required that VoIP services interconnected with the publicly switched telephone network provide access to emergency services, Ofcom said. In an inquiry launched Wed., Ofcom proposed ending its “interim forbearance policy” of allowing providers of new voice services to enter the market and offer emergency access without having to meet all PATS requirements. It also suggested setting guidelines for how it will investigate and act on potential breaches of obligations regarding network reliability and emergency calls. And it said it plans to introduce a mandatory industry code telling providers what information they must give consumers about what VoIP services can and can’t do. In particular, it said, if reliable emergency access isn’t available, Ofcom intends to require all providers to “seek positive acknowledgement from their customers” that emergency calls can’t be made. Comments are due May 3 -- robindrha.mangtani@ofcom.org.uk. The U.K. Internet Telephony Services Providers Assn. (ITSPA) said Ofcom’s commitment to develop VoIP is commendable, but excessive regulation could stifle the sector. One sensitive area is consumer information, such as number portability. “The U.K. has become a hotbed for the development of VoIP and this is in no small part due to the light touch interim approach that Ofcom put in place in September 2004,” said ITSPA Chmn. Eli Katz. Proposals to regulate consumer information requirements “could reverse this trend and shrink the range of innovative services” now offered to consumers, he said.
Although IPv6 is in its early stages, most network hardware, operating systems and network-enabled software packages -- such as databases and e-mail -- will be compatible within 5 years, said a new National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) report. IPv6 capabilities often will standard in new versions of products and incorporated in deployed networks through equipment upgrades, NIST said. This gradual deployment may occur more quickly in the U.S. than in other countries, mainly because of concerns about regional shortages of IPv4 address space, analysts said. Market trends suggest demand for unique IP addresses could grow considerably, with expanded use of the Internet likely to increase pressures on existing IPv4 address resources. If new classes evolve of networked functions -- widely available networked computing in the home or office and industrial devices for monitoring, control and repair -- demand for global IP addresses will grow rapidly, the report said. Over time, IPv6 could become “a more useful, more flexible mechanism for providing user communications on an end-to-end basis” than IPv4. IPv6’s redesigned header structure and other improvements could simplify configuration and operation of some networks and services, saving network administrators money, NIST said. Auto-configuration and other features of IPv6 could make connecting computers to the Internet easier and simplify mobile Web users’ network access, the report said. But IPv6 deployment faces hurdles. The large base of IPv4-compatible gear and applications and IPv4’s proving robust and flexible enough to serve many producers and users -- likely will slow migration to IPv6, the report said. To realize IPv6’s potential end-to-end communications capabilities, users must put more money and staff hours into the transition to the new protocol, which could take a long time, NIST said. Some warn that once most Internet users move to IPv6, pockets of IPv4 could persist in older systems. Interoperability needs will be important in an organization’s decision to adopt IPv6, NIST said. The report urged govt. agencies to study their business cases for IPv6 and develop appropriate security plans for its inevitable emergence. Longer term, the govt. must consider allocating new resources and collaborating with states and business on IPv6 R&D, NIST said.
Recent regulatory and market developments require rethinking U.K. VoIP regulations, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) said Wed. The range of VoIP services and number of providers have increased the past 18 months, spurring consumer interest. Market and technology changes have been accompanied by significant regulatory changes, Ofcom said. Discussions with the European Commission led the regulator to conclude that where a VoIP service meets all gating requirements it automatically becomes a publicly available telephone service (PATS). These requirements are that it’s publicly available, used for making and receiving national and international calls through numbers in national or international numbering plans, and provides access to emergency services. European telecom regulators have recently approached regulating VoIP very differently, and the FCC required that VoIP services interconnected with the publicly switched telephone network provide access to emergency services, Ofcom said. In an inquiry launched Wed., Ofcom proposed ending its “interim forbearance policy” of allowing providers of new voice services to enter the market and offer emergency access without having to meet all PATS requirements. It also suggested setting guidelines for how it will investigate and act on potential breaches of obligations regarding network reliability and emergency calls. And it said it plans to introduce a mandatory industry code telling providers what information they must give consumers about what VoIP services can and can’t do. In particular, it said, if reliable emergency access isn’t available, Ofcom intends to require all providers to “seek positive acknowledgement from their customers” that emergency calls can’t be made. Comments are due May 3 -- robindrha.mangtani@ofcom.org.uk. The U.K. Internet Telephony Services Providers Assn. (ITSPA) said Ofcom’s commitment to develop VoIP is commendable, but excessive regulation could stifle the sector. One sensitive area is consumer information, such as number portability. “The U.K. has become a hotbed for the development of VoIP and this is in no small part due to the light touch interim approach that Ofcom put in place in September 2004,” said ITSPA Chmn. Eli Katz. Proposals to regulate consumer information requirements “could reverse this trend and shrink the range of innovative services” now offered to consumers, he said.
SAN JOSE -- The author of a Cal. data-breach notification law that sent ripples from state capitols to Capitol Hill said he'll introduce a follow-up bill in 2007 if the U.S. doesn’t pass a law at least as strong as his in 2006. “Lead, follow or get out of the way,” was the blunt message to Congress Cal. Sen. Joseph Simitian (D-Palo Alto) gave last week at the RSA Conference here. He’s prepared to offer legislation to “tidy up any issues of concern to business” or to tighten the law on the books, he said.
Verizon names Monica Azare, ex-Verizon Wireless, senior vp-state public policy & govt. affairs, N.Y. and Conn… Inspiration Networks promotes Ron Shuping to exec. vp- programming… David Lowenstein, ex-National Urban League, becomes Minority Media & Telecom Council managing dir… Cal. PUC appoints state Sen. Martha Escutia (D), PUC Pres. Michael Peevey, Cisco Systems Senior Vp Mike Volpi and Great Valley Center Pres. Carol Whiteside to board of Cal. Emerging Technology Fund… Maggie Wilderotter, Citizens Communications and ex-Microsoft, joins Xerox board… New at media and communications investment firm Quadrangle Group, all ex-Harpoon Equity: Robert Donahue as managing principal; Ryan Brown and John Hill as vps.
SAN JOSE -- ICANN’s CEO said defenders of progress have an uphill fight persuading public officials to keep hands off the Internet’s routing and addressing systems as they handle policy questions. The worldwide network will be broken up if nations adopt rules on “content” -- everything from security and e-commerce to political content and healthcare information -- incompatible with the Internet’s underlying principles ensuring interoperability, CEO Paul Twomey said at the RSA Conference on security here. He said Internet policy-makers should think long-term, not have a “knee-jerk reaction to a so-called security incident.”
The Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) would add information-sharing capabilities to improve national emergency response and terrorist activity prevention under FY 2007 budget plans, said DHS Secy. Michael Chertoff Thurs. during a hearing of the House Committee on Homeland Security. DHS would received an increase of $45.7 million, up 18.1% from FY 2006, under the proposed budget for analysis and operations of the agency’s information-sharing capabilities. The budget also proposes an increase of $36.3 million for technology infrastructure building, Chertoff said. “This increase will provide a highly reliable, secure and survivable network infrastructure and data center environment to improve information sharing, more effectively securing the homeland while reducing redundant investments,” Chertoff said in a prepared statement. Chertoff said the plan would create a single, secure network for the dept., and reliable e-mail communication. It would also restructure help desks and related services, modernize desktop workstations and site services and improve voice, video and wireless capabilities. Additionally, the proposed budget includes an increase of $9 million for Data Center Development. Chertoff also touted DHS’s successes this year, including establishing a secure data sharing network. DHS began the first phase of a 56-site network, enabling the sharing and protection of secret-level data between federal partners, he said.