TELECOM Digest     Fri, 5 Jan 2007 22:05:00 EST    Volume 26 : Issue 005

Inside This Issue:                            Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Brazil Court Orders YouTube Shut Down on Sex Video (Reuters News Wire)
    Should Kids Have Cell Phones in School? (Lisa Hancock)
    Skype as a Replacement For my Phone (dterrors@hotmail.com)
    CommunicationsDirect News Daily Update (communicationsdirect_daily)
    Analysis: 2007 Looks Good for AT&T (USTelecom dailyLead)
    Re: User Generated Content Good For Old Media (Lisa Hancock)
    Re: Telephone Building Web Page (Steven Lichter)
    Re: The Best Phone Company in America (Steven J. Sobol)

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Date: Thu, 04 Jan 2007 23:42:17 -0600
From: Reuters News Wire <reuters@telecom-digest.org>
Subject: Brazil Court Orders YouTube Shut Down on Sex Video 


A Brazilian court ordered the popular video sharing service YouTube, a
unit of Internet search provider Google Inc., to be shut down until it
removes a celebrity sex video from its site, a judicial clerk said on
Thursday.

Daniela Cicarelli, a model and ex-wife of soccer great Ronaldo, sued
YouTube after a video of her apparently having sex in shallow water on
a beach with her boyfriend was posted to the site.

For days it was the most viewed video in Brazil and the United States.

Cicarelli and boyfriend Tato Malzoni filed to force YouTube to take
the video down and demanded $116,000 in damages for each day the video
remains up. Some copies of the video have been taken off the site but
users have reposted it.

The case dragged on for several months before they filed a third suit
in December requesting that YouTube be shut down as long as the video
is available to users.

The court honored that request on Wednesday, but legal experts say the
ruling by the Brazilian court could be difficult to enforce in the
United States, where YouTube is based.

Last year, a Brazilian court demanded Google disclose data on local
users of its social networking site Orkut who had pages with content
supporting racism or child pornography.

Google took down some of those Orkut pages but has said that under
U.S.  law it could not reveal user data.

Google was not immediately available for comment on Thursday.

Copyright 2007 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. And, discuss this and other topics in our forum at
http://telecom-digest.org/forum (or)
http://telecom-digest.org/chat/index.html

For more news and headlines each day, please go to:
http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/newstoday.html

------------------------------

From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
Subject: Should Kids Have Cell Phones in School?
Date: 4 Jan 2007 12:50:23 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com


Should kids be even allowed to bring a phone into the building?  If
so, should it be allowed with them?

I am curious as to what other people think of this issue.  It is
presently controversial.

Generally speaking I don't think kids "need" cell phones; for a kid
they're generally a luxury rather than a need.

I don't buy the argument that parents need to be able to reach their
kids "since 9/11".  "9/11" was a once in a lifetime event.  Other
disasters, natural or man-created can of course happen, but they are
rare, too.

However, the argument that pay phones are no longer available is
unfortunately valid in most places.  I've seen lots of places where
pay phones were pulled (like the local public library).  School kids
tell me they were pulled in school as a result of prank call abuse.

I don't like the idea that middle school age kids are so interdependent
on the outside world that they need cells phones to deal with it.
Parents should be available for their kids directly, not over the
phone; I don't like parents using the phone as a crutch as too many
do. Kids tell mom "I'm at the library" when in reality they're
somewhere they shouldn't be.

Some companies (including Disney) are advertising GPS/monitoring phones
for their kids.  I don't like the idea of parents becoming "Big
Brother" either, that makes me really uncomfortable.  It's like saying
to the kids "Oh, we trust you.  Well, actually we don't trust you."   I
was a goody-goody growing up, but I'd resent as hell secret attempts by
my parents to monitor my whereabouts.  I think the first thing I'd do
would be to figure out how to defeat the tracking.

Unfortunately today high school kids have much more adult
responsibilities than in our day.  Having a cell phone is almost a
necessity. High school age kids today work after school.  They have
varied after school activities.  They have no public transit and are
dependent on the car.  They have split parents who both work.

Any thoughts?

[public replies, please]

------------------------------

From: dterrors@hotmail.com
Subject: Skype as a Replacement For My Phone
Date: 5 Jan 2007 11:59:06 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com


Can I drop my phone service and use Skype instead?  The Skype site says
"Skype is not a replacement for your ordinary telephone" But why not?
Has anyone done that?

------------------------------

Subject: CommunicationsDirect News Daily Update - January 05, 2007
From: communicationsdirect_daily <communicationsdirect_daily@communication.com>
Reply-To: communicationsdirect_daily-owner@communicationsdirectnews.com
Date: Fri,  5 Jan 2007 11:35:00 EST


********************************
PricewaterhouseCoopers Presents
The CommunicationsDirect News Daily Update
For January 05, 2007
********************************


Altitude, Bouygues Telecom Mull Combined Fixed Mobile Services
http://www.communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/150/21916?11228

     French telecoms companies Bouygues Telecom and Altitude have
     begun negotiations on the joint launch of a fixed-mobile
     convergence (FMC) service for the business segment. The
     commercial launch of the combined mobile and fixed-line services
     is expected to be launched at the end of March this year.
     Significance: The partnership with ...

A Big Pill to Swallow
http://www.communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/140/21910?11228

     On July 31, Adelphia Communications closed its asset sale to
     Comcast and Time Warner Cable, ending 40 months of tedious
     negotiations, culminating in a $12.5 billion deal that involved
     systems serving 4.8 million customers in 31 states.  It also
     marked the beginning, or in some cases the continuance, of a
     complicated transition of ...

Nokia Joins Sprint Nextel to Provide Fast Internet Access for Mobile
Phone Users
http://www.communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/150/21907?11228

     HELSINKI, Finland -- Nokia Corp. said today it has joined Sprint
     Nextel in providing technology for the U.S. communications
     company's wireless network to allow mobile phone users faster
     access to the Internet. The wireless fourth-generation, or 4G,
     WiMax technology will be available in late 2007. Nokia said it
     is ...

Broadband Pricing All Over the Map
http://www.communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/120/21903?11228

     Powered by the availability of High Speed Packet Access radio
     technology, carriers are finally rolling out 'true' wireless 
     broadband services, offering speeds of up to 3 Mbit/s. But
     with that welcome development comes a dilemma: How should such
     services be priced? The answers are all over the map, according
     to the new ...

Cisco Pays Big Bucks For E-Mail Security Vendor
http://www.communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/150/21901?11228

     Cisco is buying security appliance vendor IronPort Systems for
     $830 million in cash and stock. Its acquisition of this vendor of
     systems focusing on enterprise spam and spyware protection is
     seen as representing a significant broadening of Cisco's security
     focus, until now aimed almost exclusively at network security
     rather ...

Virgin Mobile USA Touts Customer Adds
http://www.communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/120/21898?11228

     Virgin Mobile USA ended 2006 with 4.6 million customers. The
     company reached its current total after adding 600,000 new
     customers since November 2005. Beyond subscriber adds, Virgin
     Mobile calculates that its customers sent or received 1.5 billion
     text messages last year. On average, that translates to each
     customer sending or ...

In Search of Storage Skills
http://www.communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/150/21896?11228

     Storage is growing at an alarming rate, but getting hold of the
     staff to manage it is easier said than done. Metadata,
     virtualization, and security skills are already posing problems.
     A number of execs are steeling themselves for a tough 2007. "We're 
     in an extremely competitive environment when looking for talented 
     ...

2006 Top Ten: Big IPTV Moments
http://www.communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/140/21893?11228

     Most people will probably look back at 2006 as (another) 'warm-up
     year' for IPTV. Here at Light Reading we like to think of IPTV as
     a toddler -- just out of diapers, and about to break a heap load
     of stuff as part of its 'learning process.' During the past 12
     months, the sector's nascent movers and shakers ...

Your feedback on our e-letter is always welcome. Send email to:
CommunicationsDirect Editor <telecom_direct_editor@us.pwc.com>

Copyright (C) 2007 PricewaterhouseCoopers.

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 11:54:09 CST
From: USTelecom dailyLead <ustelecom@dailylead.com>
Subject: Analysis: 2007 Looks Good For AT&T


USTelecom dailyLead
January 5, 2007
http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/fTzEfDtusXjtmgCibuddOddP

TODAY'S HEADLINES

NEWS OF THE DAY
* Analysis: 2007 looks good for AT&T
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY WATCH
* JDS Uniphase buys Casabyte
* Analysts expect Apple iPod phone to debut at Macworld
* Level 3 closes Broadwing purchase
* Report: Equity firms back Reliance's Hutchison Essar play
* Verizon Wireless set to launch mobile-TV service
* Motorola lowers Q4 guidance, maintains long-term outlook
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
* Analysis: Small businesses begin to embrace convergence
* Study: Broadband customers stay connected to prime time
VOIP DOWNLOAD
* VoIP minutes spiked over the holidays, iBasis says
* Conexant VDSL2 solutions support triple-play services

Follow the link below to read quick summaries of these stories and others.
http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/fTzEfDtusXjtmgCibuddOddP

------------------------------

From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
Subject: Re: User Generated Content Good For Old Media
Date: 4 Jan 2007 12:02:52 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com


Kate wrote:

> "The one group that has made the most hype is the so-called 'five
> minutes of fame' and I'm not necessarily convinced that that will
> continue to grow," Davies said.

> "In fact you might find people start to get bored with it (but) the
> less glamorous use of the Internet as a form of creating user
> generated content is part of society now."

I am very skeptical of "user generated" content.  Here's why:

1) This was promoted as the "coming thing" back in the days of BBS's.
All the claims made now about the Internet's ability to spread
information DIRECTLY to the people were made back then.  They were
false then and false now.

2) The reality is that most people only have so much free time.  They
can't be bothered sifting through mounds of what I call "bar chat".
They are not interested in flame wars, insulting unwelcome opinions,
branches into way-off-topic areas, etc.  They want a reasonable chance
that what their reading as some accuracy in it.

   In other words, the traditional news source--be they print, TV or
Internet -- offer editing and controls.  Despite all the complaints of
bias and the like, most people do want their news and information
vetted and edited first.

  There is of course a small subset of passionate people who want to
read it all.  But this is a very small subset.

3) A similar function is performed by the entertainment industry (for
better or for worse).  Advocates claim the Internet will bypass the
"greedy music business" and allow musicians to send their work directly
to the people.  Well again, some pre-editing is required and like it or
not the editors have a pretty good eye of what will be popular.  Same
with movies.  The old time Hollywood moguls like Jack Warner et al had
their faults but they were generally pretty good at picking hits out of
the great many properties submitted to them.  They were generally good
at picking talent to make such productions.  This is a lot harder than
it seems.

  In entertainment, for things that catch the public eye, there is
something "extra" about the production.  It's hard for us lay people to
put a finger on it, but we sure know it if its missing and we quickly
change the channel or walk out.

4) Undoubtedly some new talent will emerge from the new media (myspace
and youtube) and that's fine.  But the vast majority of sites will be
of very little interest to most people.  I suggest it being new it has
something of a "fad" quality to it that attracts lots of people.  It
is here to stay, but it will not totally replace other media as some
like this article suggest.

5) The traditional providers will face competion -- as they have
been -- just from personal time (as opposed to content).  That is,
someone who once watched broadcast TV or read the newspaper will now
spend more time on the Internet playing around (as I do.)  But some of
that will just be using the Internet to download a TV show or
commercial music.


[public replies, please]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note:  Regards your point (2) above, I can
recall a time (1980-ish through 1993-4) when I used to read almost 
everything on the net. I read almost entirely the 'genuine' Usenet but
skimmed through 'alt'. Now I am essentially 'retired' as you know,
with all the time in the world; I do not get even close to reading it
all any longer. And Usenet has started to mature a lot also in the
past few years. The net is a lot like newspapers used to be in the 
early years of the last century, when the phrase 'yellow journalism'
first took root. Newspapers have 'cleaned up their acts' since that
time and become a lot more sophisticated. Ditto, I think the net has
become a more powerful tool than in its earliest days. I think the
next twenty or so years will bring a gradual merger of these two
sources of information, hopefully for good.   PAT] 

------------------------------

From: Steven Lichter <diespammers@ikillspammers.com>
Organization: I Kill Spammers, Inc.
Subject: Re: Telephone Building Web Page
Date: Fri, 05 Jan 2007 01:24:24 GMT


Diamond Dave wrote:

> On Tue, 02 Jan 2007 17:11:17 -0800, Rob <wahtever@wahtever.net> wrote:

>>> Anyone know what happened to the web site that had pictures of buildings 
>>> mostly in California?  I have some photos for him.

>> http://www.thecentraloffice.com/

> In addition to The Central Office, there are two other central office
> building sites of interest:

> Telebeans: http://www.telebeans.org

> Telebeans was created by Parris Wood, who died in March 2006. His
> parents are keeping the site operational for the time being.

> Telephone World: http://www.dmine.com/phworld/co

> These are central office pictures that I have taken or have been
> submitted to me.

> Enjoy!

> Dave Perrussel
> Webmaster - Telephone World

Thanks for the info. After I asked, I went on my old computer and
found the link.  Just saved the 2 links you listed and will look at
them later.

I worked for GTE for 30 years in California, the whole time as a CO
Installer, before I retired.  I still do some contract work when I
feel like it, but it is not the same as the old days before the
computer switches and the computer geeks who run them now, they could
not find a real case of trouble.  But then I'm one of them too, since
I went to many EAX and ESS schools before I retired.


The Only Good Spammer is a Dead one!! Have you hunted one down today? 
(c) 2007  I Kill Spammers, Inc. A Rot In Hell Co.

------------------------------

From: Steven J. Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net>
Subject: Re: The Best Phone Company in America
Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 04:27:58 UTC
Organization: Glorb Internet Services, http://www.glorb.com


In article <telecom26.4.5@telecom-digest.org>, Jim Haynes wrote:

> Sighted in another venue is a link to an article in Telephony:

> http://telephonyonline.com/mag/telecom_best_phone_company/

> jhhaynes at earthlink dot net

Wow. Nice.

Cox takes top honors in a bunch of JD Powers categories.

What strikes me is the facility-powered phone lines. Apparently,
everyone else is too cheap to do that. In my area, Charter
Communications, the local cable franchisee, does phones too -- our
current phone service is from Charter - and out in Apple Valley,
Verizon is offering FiOS. Both services require the end-user to
provide battery backup. In my case, the unit Charter says to use is
about $100. (I'm sure we'll eventually get one - but we don't have the
extra money right now.)

Quotes:

Cox also decided to make its phone service network-powered from the
outset, despite the fact that it was more costly and time-consuming
than using local power and battery backup.

"We included generator backup in many parts of the country," Bowick
said. "We built hardened facilities -- our master telecom centers were
built very early on with NEBS compliance just as you would expect a CO
to be. Everything was done top-notch before we entered the business.
Early on, it wasn't without some difficulty. This was a new business
we had to learn. But redundancy was key; network powering was key.."

and:

Cox also chose to build its own national fiber backbone network so it
could offer local and long-distance voice services without having to
lease capacity from other service providers. That national backbone
connects its local markets and provides both long-distance voice and
high-speed Internet transport.

Mark Kaish, Cox's vice president of voice development and support, is
a telecom veteran, having worked at both Sprint and BellSouth before
he joined Cox in 2005. What he found when he arrived at Cox was a
level of enthusiasm for voice services that reminded him of earlier
days when telcos were launching data services.


Steve Sobol, Professional Geek ** Java/VB/VC/PHP/Perl ** Linux/*BSD/Windows
Victorville, California     PGP:0xE3AE35ED

It's all fun and games until someone starts a bonfire in the living room.



[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The one thing telcos have going for
them -- reliability in a power outage -- is something that cable and
internet phones are beginning to learn are very important.  PAT]

------------------------------


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End of TELECOM Digest V26 #5
****************************