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TELECOM Digest Thu, 24 Nov 2005 21:13:00 EST Volume 24 : Issue 533 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson EU Committee Approves Telecom Data Storagte Rules (Huw Jones) Partnerships in Online Travel Searches Are Key to Survival (Kyle Peterson) Many Went Online For Hurricane News (Anick Jesdanun) Cellular-News for Thursday 24th November 2005 (Cellular-News) Re: Lingo Phone Can't Port Number (Rik) Re: Voicepulse Owns Your Number (Steve Sobol) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Huw Jones <reuters@telecom-digest.org> Subject: EU Committee Approves Telecom Data Storage Rules Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2005 19:29:29 -0600 By Huw Jones A European Union parliament committee voted on Thursday to keep details of all EU-wide telephone calls and Internet use for six months to a year to help combat terrorism and serious crime. Telecoms firms typically store data for three months for billing customers, but some member states such as Britain want data to be kept for much longer. The European Parliament's civil liberties committee voted by 33 to eight in favor of the new rules, with five abstentions. The full Parliament will vote on the measures in December, and member state approval will also be needed before the rules become law. Alexander Alvaro, the German liberal legislator in charge of the bill in parliament, said after the vote that a more balanced text had emerged, compared with what the European Commission proposed and with what some member states want. "Everything that makes this directive proportionate and balanced is now in, especially concerning the limitation of data types, limitation on storage period, safeguards on access and sanctions," Alvaro told Reuters after the vote. "It had a two-thirds majority in committee, and I think this is a quite realistic estimation for plenary too," Alvaro added. "Now Council (member states) will have to move." FLASHPOINTS Britain, the current EU president, wants rules on retaining telephone and Internet usage details agreed between member states and the parliament by the end of the year. Britain sees the rules as an important way to tackle terrorism and other serious crime, made more urgent after the deadly bomb attacks on Madrid last year and on London in July. In Thursday's vote, the committee also voted that member states should reimburse telecoms firms for the additional costs of complying with the new rules. The lawmakers also voted in favor of inserting a new provision in the bill to ensure "effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties" for infringements of the rules. The committee also agreed that only a judge could authorize access to telephone and Internet traffic, a condition absent in the Commission proposal. "The Council has about 10 key flashpoints. They have problems with the costs, the limitations on types of data, and they have problems with access to data and the sanctions," Alvaro said. Details on a fixed-line call would include name and address of caller, number dialed, name and address of the receiver, the date and the start and completion times of the call. Details of a mobile phone call would include the subscriber's identity number or SIM card and the location at the start of the call. Internet data would include the IP address of the computer, telephone number of connection to Internet, name and address of the subscriber and the date and time of logging in and off. The committee voted to make it optional to record information about uncompleted calls, while the Council would like that to be mandatory. Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. ------------------------------ From: Kyle Peterson <reuters@telecom-digest.org> Subject: Partnerships are Key to Online Travel Search Survival Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2005 19:31:06 -0600 By Kyle Peterson The online travel search market is fast filling up with Web sites offering the cheapest bookings, and experts warn that the smaller entrants without partnerships with major service providers are sure to fail. Unlike full-service online travel agencies such as Expedia Inc. that sell tickets and make reservations, travel search engines sniff out bookings and direct users to Web sites where they can make purchases. Some travelers use search engines to avoid booking fees that travel agencies charge. The newest breed of these businesses are the so-called meta-search sites that present users with lists of bookings for comparisons. The trouble is that too many sites are doing the same thing and too few travelers care, according to Henry Harteveldt at Forrester Research. "There is a glut. They're not working," Harteveldt said. "Our research indicates these meta-search sites just aren't gaining any traction." Data from Forrester shows that only 6.5 percent of travelers who planned trips online used travel search engines to plan a trip, compared with 44 percent who used a travel agency. About 27 percent of travelers researched trips using general search engines such as Google and Yahoo!. And 25 percent looked at sites hosted by travel service suppliers such as airlines and hotels. "The truth is that meta-search really doesn't matter," Harteveldt said. An Internet search for "travel search engines" yields dozens of results, including not only well-known brands like Expedia and Orbitz, which is owned by Cendant Corp., but also a slew of names like AllCheapFares, Kwikfly and Travel Now. Experts say the travel search market is reaching a point where competitive pressures threaten to smother start-ups before they can get a toe hold. "I think it's going to be a lot tougher road for some of the new companies to try their hand at travel search," said Phil Carpenter, vice president of corporate marketing at search engine SideStep. "I think it's getting really challenging for new players to enter the space." Carpenter said the key to success is in partnerships with big-name travel suppliers and other travel service companies. Only then will users be confident that they are getting access to the best deals possible, he said. SideStep, a leader in travel search, just this month announced deals with Hilton International, Amazon.com and American Airlines. SideStep searches more than 100 Web sites for travel bargains. But the company is not alone in that approach and faces competition from search engines like Kayak.com and Yahoo! FareChase. Other competitors include general search engines. Meanwhile, online travel agencies such as Expedia and Priceline.com, which made their reputations locating cheap fares, are adapting to the new competitive environment by personalizing research and bookings instead of relying solely on finding low prices. The agencies hope to expand their businesses by addressing all travel needs and making recommendations. "The online travel agencies haven't really felt the pinch," said Lorraine Sileo, an analyst at PhocusWright, a travel research company. She said the newest crop of travel search sites are a bigger threat to each other than to established travel agencies. Still, the appeal of ad revenue, lucrative partnerships or a buyout remain key motivators for people looking to jump on the travel search gravy train. What's more, e-commerce trends suggest their optimism is not misplaced. Data from Forrester Research showed that in 2005, travel has been the largest sales category in online commerce with $62.8 billion of the total sales of $172.4 billion. The travel component on Web commerce is expected to account for $119.1 billion of a total $328.6 billion by 2010, Forrester said. SideStep's Carpenter said there is still money to be made in the online travel industry as long as a company has an innovative approach and the funds to carry out a vision. Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. ------------------------------ From: Anick Jesdanun <ap@telecom-digest.news> Subject: Many Went Online For Hurricane News Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2005 19:32:45 -0600 By ANICK JESDANUN, AP Internet Writer More than half of U.S. Internet users went online for news and information about Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the vast majority having visited the Web sites of traditional news organizations such as CNN and MSNBC, a study finds. Of the Americans who went online for news, 14 percent went to an international news source such as the BBC's Web site. "The fact that you had this U.S. domestic crisis and people turning to international news sources is interesting," said John Horrigan, associate director for research at the Pew Internet and American Life Project, which released the survey findings Thursday. "There were certainly commentators worldwide shocked that this sort of thing was going on in America, and I would imagine some people decided to see firsthand what commentators and news sites overseas were saying," he said. Though nearly three-quarters of the online consumers of hurricane news went to the Web site of a major U.S. news organization, 54 percent did turn to an alternative source, including international outlets, Web journals or nonprofit relief organizations. Some people went to multiple sources, so the totals exceed 100 percent. According to Pew, 9 percent of Internet users say they made donations online for hurricane relief and 5 percent say they used the Internet to organize their own relief efforts. Twenty-four percent sent e-mails or instant messages on the storm, and 9 percent went online to check on the safety of a loved one. Four percent said they posted comments, links or pictures to a bulletin board, chat room or Web journal. The random, telephone-based survey of 1,577 Internet users was conducted in September. The margin of sampling effort is plus or minus 3 percentage points. Pew found little difference in news consumption by dial-up and high-speed broadband users, even though online tasks are typically done in greater numbers by the broadband set. "This modest anomaly is probably attributable to the strong desire for lots of information in the face of such a large natural disaster," the report says. "Established media organizations covered Katrina and Rita heavily and it is no surprise a large majority of Internet users turned to them online." On the Net: http://pewinternet.org Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. ------------------------------ Subject: Cellular-News for Thursday 24th November 2005 Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2005 07:22:05 -0600 From: Cellular-News <dailydigest@cellular-news-mail.com> Cellular-News - http://www.cellular-news.com [[3G News]] Russian government to award 3G license through tender http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14952.php The Russian government plans to award licenses for third generation (3G) mobile services through tenders, Kommersant business daily reported Wednesday, citing draft rules for holding auctions and tenders of frequencies for mobile services. ... [[Financial News]] Telephone & Data, US Cellular To Delay 3Q Results Release http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14946.php Telephone & Data Systems Inc. and U.S. Cellular Corp. will further delay reporting third-quarter results so they can complete previously disclosed restatements. ... Samsung Elec To Provide Foundry Service To US Qualcomm http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14947.php Qualcomm Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. have agreed to form a partnership whereby the South Korean company will provide made-to-order chips to the U.S. wireless chipset maker, the companies said in a joint press release Wednesday. ... Research In Motion Cuts 3Q, 4Q Subscriber Additions View http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14951.php Research In Motion Ltd. lowered its outlook for third and fourth quarter subscriber additions but backed its revenue guidance for the two quarters. ... Russian mobile operator MTS sees revenue up 25% on year in 2005 http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14955.php Russia's largest mobile operator Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) expects its revenue to increase 25% on the year to U.S. $4.86 billion this year, MTS President Vasily Sidorov told reporters Wednesday. ... Russia's MTS to replace Sistema in bidding for Turkey's Telsim http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14957.php Russia's largest mobile operator Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) will take the place of AFK Sistema and bid for Turkey's second-largest mobile operator Telsim, MTS' President Vasily Sidorov told reporters Wednesday. ... [[Handsets News]] Russia's Svyaznoi handset retailer shuts bulk department http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14953.php Russian mobile handset and services retailer Svyaznoi has closed down its wholesale department, the company's Press Secretary Yelena Nogotkova said, Biznes daily reported Wednesday. ... [[Interviews News]] Informa: 2006 A "Watershed" Year For Mobile Phone Industry http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14949.php Research company Informa Telecoms & Media, part of Informa PLC, Wednesday said 2006 will be a "watershed" year as mobile phone operators change their strategies in response to a number of major threats. These include high subscriber acquisition costs... [[Legal News]] Russian court unfreezes 100% of SMARTS' shares http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14956.php Russia's regional court in St. Petersburg ruled to unfreeze 100% of SMARTS' shares, SMARTS' public relations department said Wednesday. ... [[Mobile Content News]] ITV Signs Content Deal With 3 UK For Mobile Portal http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14950.php ITV PLC, the U.K.'s largest commercial broadcaster, Wednesday said it has signed a deal with 3 UK, a mobile telecommunications subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa Ltd., to offer its most popular shows to mobile phone users via an online portal. ... [[Network Contracts News]] Nokia Gets GSM Network Expansion Order In Thailand http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14948.php Finland's Nokia Oyj said Wednesday it has signed a deal with Advanced Info Service Plc, one of Thailand's leading mobile phone service operators. ... Ericsson Signs 2 Contracts With Digicel In Caribbean http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14954.php Sweden's Telefon AB LM Ericsson Wednesday said it has received two new GSM/EDGE contracts from Digicel Group, a telecommunications company in the Caribbean. ... ------------------------------ From: Rik <hrasmussen@nc.rr.com> Subject: Re: Lingo Phone Can't Port Number Date: 24 Nov 2005 05:45:08 -0800 Organization: http://groups.google.com Follow up: Lingo Customner Service was very professional and gave me a Cancellation Number to call. I did and that person was also very professional. I am shipping the box back to them and they say on receipt of the box, they will issue a refund. Both people I spoke to were aware that Lingo would email me a link to a survey and seemed to be trying to insure I wopuld give them a good review, which I did. It seems they do have an effort to insure their CSR's are professional. I will keep a check on them to see if they get a Point of Presence in my exchange. Rik Rasmussen ------------------------------ From: Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net> Subject: Re: Voicepulse Owns Your Number Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2005 10:12:47 -0800 Organization: Glorb Internet Services, http://www.glorb.com Michael D. Sullivan wrote: > Fred, you can file a complaint with the FCC Which will be ignored, since the FCC doesn't regulate VoIP. Steve Sobol, Professional Geek 888-480-4638 PGP: 0xE3AE35ED Company website: http://JustThe.net/ Personal blog, resume, portfolio: http://SteveSobol.com/ E: sjsobol@JustThe.net Snail: 22674 Motnocab Road, Apple Valley, CA 92307 ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly to telecomm- unications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. 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