Bush Comments on National Broadband Goal

In a campaign speech in New Mexico that was otherwise mainly focused on home ownership trends, President George Bush issued a call for affordable high-speed internet access to be available for all Americans by 2007: "This country needs a national goal for broadband technology, for the spread of broadband technology. We ought to have a universal, affordable access for broadband technology by the year 2007, and then we ought to make sure as soon as possible thereafter, consumers have got plenty of choices when it comes to purchasing the broadband...

Read More

Azea Networks Develops Submarine Optical System

Azea Networks, a start-up based in London, unveiled an upgrade solution for undersea cable systems that are nearing the "glass ceiling" of their original design capacity limits. Cable systems deployed in the mid to late 1990s were designed for relatively low bandwidth -- typically between one and eight wavelengths at 2.5 Gbps per channel, yielding no more than 20 Gbps total capacity per fiber pair. Azea said that because these cables employ no electrical regeneration, in principle higher capacities could be achieved by using more sophisticated...

Read More

FTTH Council Urges Federal Funding for Rural Broadband Loans

The FTTH Council is lobbying Congress to ensure full funding of a federal program providing broadband loans for rural communities. The loan program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service, was authorized by Congress in 2002 for a six-year period, but has been targeted for reduction by the Bush Administration. A similar industry effort last year was successful in forestalling cuts to the program in Congress' FY 2004 appropriations legislation. http://www.ftthcouncil....

Read More

Verizon Response to S&P

Verizon Communications issued an immediate response to Standard & Poor's ratings announcement: "Despite the general industry issues cited by S&P, we do not believe this watch is warranted given our strong business results and progress with debt reduction. We have confidence in our business model, which continues to generate healthy cash flows, including $6.4 billion in free cash flow last year. We have already reduced total debt by more than $18 billion over the past two years," said Doreen Toben, Verizon CFO. http://www.verizon....

Read More

Standard & Poor's Foresees Greater RBOC Risks

Citing changing wireline industry dynamics and lack of clarity regarding key regulatory and competitive issues for RBOCs, Standard & Poor's placed its long-term ratings for Verizon Communications on its CreditWatch list with negative implications. Verizon Network Funding Co. also was placed on CreditWatch with negative implications. On 17-Feb-2004, S&P placed SBC Communications and BellSouth on CreditWatch with negative implications, following the announcement that Cingular had agreed to acquire AT&T Wireless. These companies remain...

Read More

Bharti and IBM Announce Telecom Partnership

Bharti Tele-Ventures Ltd., India's leading telecommunications conglomerate, and IBM India announced a long term on demand business transformation agreement targeting the telecom industry. The deal encompasses three components: an initiative to consolidate, transform and manage comprehensive Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and applications.the joint development and marketing of IT and telecommunications solutions and services for India.Bharti Tele-Ventures to be a preferred supplier of telecommunications services to IBM India.http:/...

Read More

Sprint and Truckstop.net Sign Wi-Fi Deal

Sprint entered into a bilateral Wi-Fi roaming agreement with Truckstop.net covering more than 500 Truckstop.net wireless-enabled truck stops and travel plazas in the United States and Canada. The deal will also allow Truckstop.net service subscribers to connect to Wi-Fi ZONES compatible with Sprint service nationwide at many airports, convention centers, hotels, shopping malls and other public venues. http://www.sprint.comhttp://www.truckstop....

Read More