DSL and Cable Internet News Archives

Monster® and Comcast recently announced that Monster's recruitment services will now be available through Comcast's portal, Comcast.net, as part of a two-year deal.

Monster will be the exclusive provider of career tools and services on Comcast.net through a co-branded recruitment channel, which will offer career content and advanced search and match capabilities for hundreds of thousands job openings nationwide. In addition, employers will have the ability to post jobs, and gain access to the world's largest resume database via the co-branded channel.

"This relationship marks yet another major step forward in Monster's commitment to advance our business through the creation of new points of distribution for our services," said Doug Klinger, president, Monster North America. "Working with Comcast will allow us to capitalize upon two powerful brands to bring Monster's world-class products to key customers nationwide. We look forward to the opportunity to leverage our combined expertise."

"Comcast.net is one of the fastest-growing Internet portals in the country," said Charlie Herrin, SVP of Product Development and Portal Services for Comcast. "We are committed to delivering a great consumer experience on Comcast.net, and working with strong brands like Monster enables us to keep delivering excellent value to our customers."

Comcast.net is now a top 10 site with more than 2.5 billion page views, more than 80 million videos viewed and 15 million unique visitors per month.

If you are looking for a job, you can currently access the co-branded site at comcast.monster.com or by clicking on the 'Jobs' category on Comcast.net.

Good news, golf fans! AT&T announced this week that you can now enjoy more of the 2007 Masters Tournament as the company launches its first major content initiative across the three screens central to customers' lives: the wireless device, the TV and the PC.

Under an agreement with the Masters, AT&T will provide golf fans with access to Masters previews and daily highlights, live tournament and practice range coverage, player interviews, live updates, links to real-time scoreboards and more. Masters coverage will be available through AT&T blue room, AT&T U-verse^SM TV, AT&T Homezone^SM service, AT&T U-verse OnTheGo, AT&T Broadband TV, and Cingular, now AT&T, wireless service. Live video, including Masters Extra and Amen Corner Live, real-time scoring and additional information is also available on the Masters official Web site, masters.org.

The deal furthers the company's commitment to deliver compelling content across the three screens. AT&T offers customers a wide variety of content through a portfolio of advanced video, broadband and wireless services, bringing customers more of the entertainment they enjoy and strengthening programmers' and advertisers' connections with new and loyal audiences.

"By extending the excitement of the 2007 Masters Tournament across the three screens, AT&T is giving golf fans more ways to enjoy one of the greatest traditions in all of sports," said Dan York, head of content and programming, AT&T Entertainment Services. "As audiences look to get content on the range of digital devices, three-screen entertainment is the future. The Masters recognizes that successful programming translates to all three screens, which AT&T can deliver to consumers, programmers and advertisers."

For more information, check out the AT&T press release.

Sales of consumer electronics are growing at a record pace this year as online sales revenue is expected to reach the trillion dollar threshold by 2012. Online retailers are seeing the largest percentage of growth as Internet shoppers are looking for ways to save money as well as time. More and more buyers are looking to Internet malls for their everyday shopping needs. Online merchants who provide a variety of products, reasonable prices as well as fast and reliable delivery options are best positioned to lead the way now and for years to come.

Leadpile.com says online commerce to pass $1 trillion potential and make up 25 percent of all sales in the United States by 2012. Leadpile.com predicts that new "Younger Super Internet Consumer" will lead the way.

"Consumer electronics products will contribute a large part to the overall growth estimates," says Daniel Arque, President of www.GoodBuy4you.com, "which is why we have added many new products to our Web Store like digital cameras, plasma and HDTV units, computers, home theater systems, car navigation and entertainment and much more."

Growth will not be limited to Internet retailers. The National Retail Federation is forecasting that holiday retail sales will rise 5 percent over last year. That means that registers will ring up more that $435 billion in transactions. Sales last year were up 6.7 percent from 2003 levels. If recent trends continue, it is very likely that shopping centers and stores will be looking a lot like Christmas long before Thanksgiving.

"Consumers won't have to wait until the last minute to get the best deals this year because retailers are expected to be aggressive in their pricing strategies throughout the entire holiday season," said Tracy Mullin, NRF president. "Stores are planning for holiday sales and promotions, so discounted prices won't have a negative effect on profits."

For more information on the trend, check out this press release.

AT&T recently announced that Frost & Sullivan selected AT&T Homezone(SM) service as the 2007 North American Consumer Communication Services Product of the Year.

The Frost & Sullivan Award for Product of the Year recognizes the company that has demonstrated excellence in new products and technologies within its industry. In selecting AT&T for this award, Frost & Sullivan noted, "AT&T has incorporated a coherent product strategy to retain its competitive position in the consumer services space and to provide customers with an integrated home-entertainment experience."

"AT&T's Homezone services builds on the company's reputation as a reliable network provider and a consumer services innovator," said Jeff Weber, vice president, AT&T Product and Strategy. "This award from Frost & Sullivan recognizes the original thinking and careful planning that went into bringing this service to market and that our mission to connect with customers via the three screens they value most—the TV, the PC and the wireless phone—is working."

With AT&T Homezone services, the company became the first national telecommunications provider to offer seamlessly integrated video content and TV entertainment to the "digital living room," through both broadband and traditional satellite networks via a single set-top device.

AT&T Homezone integrates AT&T Yahoo!(R) High-Speed Internet, AT&T | DISH Network satellite television and AT&T Home Networking services. It features digital videorecording, movies on demand, photo and music sharing, storage for both, and remote Web-based access to the system. It will soon also include remote access to the system through wireless devices. The service is available across most of the company's traditional broadband footprint.

"With its Homezone service, AT&T has demonstrated a commitment to delivering consistent growth in the future as it has in the past," said Piyush Arora, Frost & Sullivan analyst. "This service builds on AT&T's existing infrastructure and video delivery strategy to combine satellite TV programming with new levels of integration and on-demand content via broadband. It's a real homerun for consumers and AT&T."

For more information, check out the AT&T press release.

Continuing in its commitment to provide consumers with a safe Internet experience, EarthLink has added "zero-day protection" in the fight against spyware, Trojans, keyloggers and other threats with its upgraded Protection Control Center with Attack Shield.

Traditional antivirus solutions take a reactive approach to detecting and eliminating new viruses: they wait for an attack to infect a computer before arming consumers with updates that protect them from the latest threats. However, EarthLink's "Attack Shield" technology is proactive: by utilizing Sana Security's award-winning multi-behavioral security engine, the application is able to monitor in real-time the consumer's PC to detect potential behaviors to determine if an installed program is malicious and remove it without requiring definition updates.

Why Upgrade to the Protection Control Center with Attack Shield?
Online security has typically required an Internet user to manage each protection application individually on a desktop or laptop computer - a time consuming and frustrating process. According to EarthLink, it's Protection Control Center and Sana's anti-malware behavior technology will give consumers a single, easy-to-use consumer interface that simplifies the task of securing a computer against online threats and nuisances that can compromise personal identity and data.

In addition to the Attack Shield upgrade, the Protection Control Center 2.0 also includes the following enhancements:

• Improved active defense technology that detects more spyware and viruses before they can get onto a consumer's PC
• Better system performance
• Enhanced user interface
• Firewall lockdown that allows consumers to shut down all Internet traffic with one click if they think their computer is under attack
• Enhanced Firewall
• LAN Detection that allows consumers to set up trusted networks to which they connect to most

More on Viruses & Malware
According to the Anti-Spyware Coalition, a computer virus is code that recursively replicates a possibly evolved copy of itself. Viruses infect a host file or system area, or they simply modify a reference to such objects to take control and then multiply again to form new generations. Definitions for spyware, Trojans and other forms of malware can be found at http://www.antispywarecoalition.org/documents/glossary.htm. For more information on the Protection Control Center with Attack Shield or to sign up, visit http://www.earthlink.net/software/pcc/. For EarthLink's Podcast about the Protection Control Center with Attack Shield, please go to: http://www.earthlink.net/about/.

Verizon announced at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that FiOS Internet customers in five states will be experiencing online connection speeds of up to 50 Mbps (megabits per second) downstream and 5 Mbps upstream, as the company continues to raise the speed of its super-high-speed, all-fiber Internet service.

Massachusetts and Rhode Island recently joined New York, Connecticut and New Jersey as states where Verizon has increased the maximum connection speed of both its mid-tier and top-tier FiOS Internet services.

The mid-tier maximum connection speed in those markets was increased from 15 Mbps downstream and 2 Mbps upstream to 20/5 Mbps, and the top-tier service was increased from 30/5 Mbps to 50/5 Mbps. The company plans similar FiOS Internet speed increases this year in some of the 11 other states where the service is available. Verizon says that specifics will be announced at a later date.

"Today's digital family relies on an increasing number of consumer electronics for their communication, their entertainment and their overall productivity," said Brian Whitton, executive director of access network design and integration for Verizon Telecom. "Digital cameras, high-def TV, remote-monitored home security, wireless networks, online multiplayer gaming systems, telecommuting connections, MP3 players, multiple PCs and more are increasingly commonplace at home. Broadband is the powerful thread that optimizes these devices and ties them all together."

Verizon is currently the only major U.S. telecommunications company building an advanced, all-digital, fiber-optic network on a mass scale all the way to customers' homes. Verizon is the first and only major telecommunications company to be certified by the independent Fiber to the Home Council as providing customers with 100 percent fiber-optic service, the ultimate communications and entertainment technology.

The company says that more than 6 million homes and businesses in parts of 16 states are now passed by Verizon's all-fiber network, and Verizon expects its new network to pass about 18 million premises by the end of 2010.

Verizon offers FiOS Internet service in more than 1,600 communities across parts of all 16 states where the company's new network is deployed: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia and Washington. The company currently offers FiOS TV service in parts of ten states: California, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.

To see if Verizon FiOS Internet service is available in your home, visit the Verizon page and enter your address.

The Communications Workers of America recently released a new policy paper as part of its "Speed Matters" campaign, a multi-million-dollar, strategic effort that they say will help bring affordable, high-speed Internet to all Americans and to create 21st century, quality jobs.

The report spotlights the critical need for a comprehensive national high-speed broadband policy if the United States is to bring the benefits of the telecommunications revolution to all.

"High-speed networks are the infrastructure of the 21st century and the U.S. needs a national policy to get all of us there," said CWA President Larry Cohen. "This is a critical public good and where markets are slow to deliver, we need to find ways to create financial incentives to speed up private sector build out. In addition, we need to ensure that all regions of the country have access to service, including rural areas and urban communities. That's why we need a national public policy that will make sure that all Americans can benefit from high-speed Internet and other 21st century advances."

The report also points to ways that government can create financial incentives to speed up the build out of high-speed networks, including accelerated depreciation of investments and making low interest loans available to carriers in order to go forward with build out.

CWA's campaign involves working with policymakers in Congress and at the state and local levels and is building support among other public interest groups and organizations for ensuring universal access to high-speed broadband networks.

For more information, read the press release CWA's 'Speed Matters' Campaign to Press for High Speed Internet for All or visit www.speedmatters.org.

According to a new Nickelodeon research study titled "The Digital Family," families today rely on modern technology to function more than ever before, rendering former household staples such as road maps and dictionaries obsolete, as well as reducing the importance of spelling skills. Key findings of the study also indicated that kids and parents place a higher premium on "downtime," and that TV has become their medium of choice to relax. And, contrary to popular belief, parents are embracing technologies just as much as kids, and view cell phones as essential part of managing their lives, while also providing kids more freedom.

"The Digital Family" research incorporates findings from Nickelodeon's "Living in a Digital World" research project (2006), which explores technologies including: the Internet, television, cell phones, mp3 players and more. "The Digital Family" offers insights from kids 8-14 and parents of kids 0-14, and references several findings from Nickelodeon commissioned studies (Multicultural Kids Study 2006 and Nickelodeon Wireless Study 2006).

"In today's modern family, parents and kids identify technology as a homework helper, virtual babysitter, time-keeper and a center piece of a lot of family time," said Cyma Zarghami, President of Nickelodeon and the MTVN Kids and Family Group. "We found that technology has brought the need for new skills while seemingly lessening the need for others. What is very apparent is the critical role technology is playing in helping modern families functions."

The survey found that tech devices like computers and the Internet have become essential tools in daily living, making kids and parents much more productive and self sufficient. In some instances, the Internet has almost become part of the family. More than half of parents (59 percent) strongly agree that it helps them get things done and 68 percent surveyed believe it makes them more efficient and self sufficient.  As one parent from the study said, "I just didn't realize how much the internet was part of my family."

The majority of kids said the Internet helps them do better in school (85 percent) and helped them learn things (93 percent). Kids also said they believed it helps them to be more creative and makes them feel like they've accomplished something.

CNN.com announced this week that it claimed the greatest average monthly share of online news among all Current Events and Global News sites in 2006.

CNN.com, with 15 percent of online news usage, garnered a higher average monthly share of online news than both second-ranked Yahoo! News, which had a 13 percent share, and third-ranked MSNBC.com, which had a 10 percent share.

"During 2006, CNN.com reasserted its dominance as a leading online news source, providing users with incomparable access to the best news and information and the most compelling on-demand video," said David Payne, senior vice president and general manager of CNN.com. "Coming off such a strong year, we face the challenge to take the online news experience to a whole new level. As we move into 2007, our online consumers will find CNN.com more than capable to meet the challenge."

"The phenomenal reach of our digital assets and the quality content that CNN.com provides as the number one online news source has led to unprecedented growth for our digital advertising business," said Greg D'Alba COO of CNN Ad Sales and Marketing. "Combining our impressive digital portfolio with CNN's powerful on-air networks, our ad sales team is able to develop fully-integrated packages for our clients that deliver all the advantages of CNN's brand across multiple platforms."

As the first Internet site dedicated to 24-hour news coverage, CNN.com attracts an average of 23 million unique users each month. Launched in 1995, CNN.com draws from the resources of CNN Worldwide to provide relevant, up-to-the minute news and information. CNN.com features the latest multimedia technologies, from video streaming and user-generated content to audio packages and searchable archives of news features and background information.

For more information, check out the press release CNN.com Tops News Sites in 2006 for Online News Usage.

MySpace.com recently announced that it filed suit against Scott Richter, for violations of state and federal laws including the CAN-SPAM Act and California's anti-spam statute. The suit, filed in United States District Court in Los Angeles on last week, seeks a permanent injunction barring Richter and his affiliated companies from the MySpace site in addition to unspecified monetary damages.

MySpace alleges in the suit that between July and Dec. 2006, Richter and his associates arranged for millions of spam "bulletins" to be sent from MySpace users' accounts without their knowledge. According to the lawsuit, Richter either phished MySpace accounts himself or acquired a list of phished accounts to launch spam campaigns. The campaigns promote Web sites offering products and services such as ringtones and polo shirts, according to MySpace's filing.

"We're committed to protecting our community from phishing and spam," said Hemanshu Nigam, Chief Security Officer for MySpace. "If it takes filing a federal suit to stop someone who violates the law and damages our members' experience, then that's what we'll do."

Richter previously has been sued by Microsoft and then-New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. According to Microsoft, Richter agreed in a post-judgment settlement to pay $7 million and to make "fundamental changes" in his e-mail practices. According to Spitzer's office, Richter settled that case for both monetary damages and specific changes in his e-mail campaigns.

MySpace says the suit against Richter is the latest in a series of aggressive steps it has taken over the last two years to combat spam, phishing and other abusive misuse of the MySpace site.

For more information, check out the MySpace press release.

Last week, CBS Research revealed new data showing that as the public at large becomes more connected to digital media, the more engaged they become in primetime television programming. Additionally, as more TV viewers become aware of the 2009 deadline for broadcasters to switch to full digital transmissions, the likelihood of them investing in new digital TV sets increases by 40 percent.

Those are just two of the major findings revealed today by a comprehensive study CBS Research has conducted examining consumers' attitudes towards digital media, and the role television will play in the near future. The project was led by David F. Poltrack, Chief Research Officer, CBS Corporation, President of CBS Vision.

Researchers found that 56 percent of those surveyed were aware that you could watch network television programs by streaming them over the Internet. Of those aware of this streaming option, 46 percent have already streamed at least one program. Of those not aware of this streaming option, when told which programs were available for streaming, 62 percent selected at least one of the 33 available programs that they probably would watch via streaming over the in the future. Analysts say it is clear that the potential for network program distribution over the Internet is just beginning to be tapped.

In addition, the research shows that people are gradually moving up to higher levels of connectivity. The segment of the population with both a broadband and a digital television connection at home has grown from 22 percent in the fall of 2005 to more than 30 percent in the fall of 2006. The same segment is most likely to watch the top broadcast network programs. In addition, this segment visits network television web sites and is increasingly likely to stream clips and full episodes of network television programs on the  Internet. Members of this upscale, better-educated "fully connected" segment are today the most engaged with the popular network programs.

"This data clearly show a correlation between connectivity and primetime television viewing," said Poltrack. "Consumers who embrace the new media are the heaviest viewers of the top network primetime programs, and this sector of the audience is growing. By offering them new ways to connect to their favorite shows- whether it's Web sites, podcasts, ringtones or other mobile features- we've been able to deepen the bond these fully connected viewers have with our programming. The research also illustrates that as viewers learn about the 2009 deadline for digital transmissions their attitudes towards investing in technology, like advanced home entertainment centers, to watch their favorite shows, changes radically. These findings really demonstrate the potential the broadcast networks have to further engage the public with our content as new technology expands our distribution options."

To read more about this new research, check out the CBS press release.

I never pass up an opportunity to talk about my home state of Michigan and sports, so I thought I would share this latest news. AT&T Inc. announced last week that it has signed a new contract to provide managed service s to the Detroit Tigers major league baseball team.

Under the terms of the three-year contract, AT&T delivered a robust Managed Internet Service (MIS) solution via a burstable DS3 connection in just one week after the contract was signed and just in time for the ALCS and World Series games.

The solution provides increased bandwidth across the Tigers converged Internet Protocol (IP)-based network. The MIS solution is intended to support advanced video and data communications, such as media connectivity, file transfers, Web-browsing and other business-critical corporate operations, for Comerica Park. The flexibility of the MIS allows the service to expand when the additional bandwidth is needed to accommodate high-volume traffic as media and corporate users take advantage of the Tigers network to stream live video and send and receive large media files, especially during the post-season when media attendance is at its highest.

As the Tigers moved into the post-season in 2006, an immediate need for a flexible network solution surfaced. To avoid network downtime, the Tigers enlisted the help of AT&T to provide a network capable of supporting the additional volume. In addition to expanded bandwidth, the network provides added redundancy and increased reliability for greater network efficiency and availability.

"We had a fantastic season this year, and as a result, we knew our network would need additional bandwidth to support the influx of data traffic," said Scott Wruble, manager of IT for the Detroit Tigers. "Thanks to AT&T, we were able to accommodate the spike in traffic we received rather quickly and without worrying over network outages or slower Internet speeds. AT&T provided a solution capable of meeting all of our networking needs."

You may have noticed that some of the posts these last two weeks have mentioned the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). No, I didn't convince my bosses to send me to Las Vegas but I have been keeping up with all the great news coming out of the show.

If you aren't familiar with CES, here's a little background. It is the world's largest annual tradeshow for consumer technology and America's largest annual tradeshow of any kind. The first CES took place in New York City in June of 1967 with 200 exhibitors and 17,500 attendees. Since then, CES has grown tremendously. Nearly 2,700 exhibitors, filling 1.6 million net square feet of exhibit space, showcased their latest products and services to more than 140,000 attendees at the 2006 International CES.

Attendees and exhibitors come from the United States, Canada, Mexico and more than 130 other countries, including manufacturers, retailers, content providers and creators, broadband developers, wireless carriers, cable and satellite TV providers, installers, engineers, corporate buyers, government leaders, financial analysts and the media from around the world.

It's also the place where the most exciting consumer electronics get debuted every year. Some of the past product debuts include:

• Videocassette Recorder (VCR), 1970
• Compact Disc Player, 1981
• Digital Satellite System, 1994
• High Definition Television (HDTV), 1998
• Microsoft Xbox, 2001
• IP TV, 2005

As you can see, this show is pretty important when it comes to the technology we use daily. Trying to keep up with all the new products introduced this year has been a challenge but it's also very exciting. Who knows what will be the next big thing that will become something we all can't live without!

To read more about the show, check out the official site at cesweb.org. And don't forget to check back here for more CES news.

MySpace and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, presenters of the Emmy Awards, recently announced they have joined forces to honor premium broadband content on the Internet. MySpace will serve as the exclusive online partner of the Broadband Emmy Award submissions, empowering video producers and filmmakers to submit self-generated content for consideration through the official MySpace Emmy profile at myspace.com/MyEmmy.

"Amazing content is flourishing on the Web and enabling submissions through MySpace makes a world of sense. This unique collaboration gives users an accessible platform to recognize the best creative content out there," said Shawn Gold, SVP of Marketing and Content for MySpace. "We're inviting all creators of premium broadband content to use the Emmy profile to submit their work for consideration for this highly coveted honor."

"MySpace will make the Emmy more accessible to aspiring professionals and video creators of all occupations and ages," said Peter Price, President/CEO, National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. "The Emmy community on MySpace and our expansion of the categories eligible for the Broadband Emmy are our next steps in the National Television Academy's taking a leadership role in encouraging and recognizing premium content on broadband."

MySpace and the National Television Academy will encourage MySpace users  to enter their work in the Emmy competitions. Beginning Feb. 1, MySpace users will be able to upload their original videos to their personal MySpace profile and submit their video URL to the Emmy profile page for viewing by the MySpace community.

MySpace, with more than 50,000 filmmakers and countless creators of premium video content, and the National Academy are encouraging all artists to enter their videos for consideration through MySpace. MySpace and The National Television Academy will sponsor Emmy scholarships to cover the cost of the entry fees for selected MySpace users. Even those videos not chosen for a scholarship may be entered directly into the Emmy Award competitions at www.myemmy.tv. The National Academy will judge the Broadband Emmys, following its standard procedures of utilizing expert professionals from related areas of expertise.

The 2007 Broadband Emmy Awards will be presented in each of the existing National Television Academy's Emmy Award ceremonies for program excellence, which include for Daytime Entertainment, News & Information, Sports, and Public & Community Service. The MySpace Emmy profile will first feature videos for the Entertainment Broadband Emmy Award, and subsequently throughout the year will feature News & Documentary, Business & Financial, Public & Community Service, and Sports.

For more information, check out MySpace and the National Academy of Television Partner on the Broadband Emmy Awards.

CNET News recently posted an interesting article about the future of bundled services. Most cable providers currently offer phone, high-speed Internet and cable service packages, commonly referred to as triple-play bundles. However, many companies are bringing wireless in as part of these packages as well.

"If 2006 was the year of the triple play," the article states, "2007 may very well be the year of the quadruple bundle as cable operators and phone companies start to integrate mobile wireless services into their service packages."

According to CNET, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox and Advance/Newhouse Communications will all be launching and expanding their integrated mobile phone services in 2007, a direct result of the their joint venture with Sprint Nextel.

The article also goes on to say that adding wireless to their bundles means more to cable providers than just providing customers with a one bill and savings on buying more than one service. These companies see mobility as a way to add more convenience and value to services their customers already have. However, CNET cautions that companies admit that they are still in the early stages of developing these services, so you may have to wait for the perfect quadruple bundle to be available in your area.

To read more, check out the full CNET article.

How much online shopping did you do this holiday season? According to new research, a lot more than you did last year. comScore Networks recently released its estimates of consumer online non-travel (retail) spending at U.S. sites for the 2006 holiday season through Tuesday, Dec. 26. During the first 56 days of the holiday season, total online retail spending reached $23.11 billion, a 26-percent increase from the same days in 2005. Sales during the week prior to Christmas (Dec. 18 - Dec. 22, 2006) rose 38 percent versus the same week in 2005. In addition, year-to-date non-travel e-commerce spending surpassed the $100 billion mark for the first time ever on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2006.

"Online sales continued to show strong growth during the last week before Christmas when procrastinators were clicking with confidence," said Gian Fulgoni, chairman of comScore Networks. "Consumers making purchases in those final days expressed both their faith in retailers' ability to pick and pack their orders in a timely fashion and shippers' ability to drop them on recipients' doorsteps in time for Christmas."

"That online retail consumer spending for the year-to-date has surpassed the $100 billion mark is a testament to the continued growth and strength of the online marketplace," continued Mr. Fulgoni. "Retail e-commerce now accounts for approximately 7 percent of consumers' U.S. retail spending (excluding gas, autos and food), making it an important component of the total U.S. economy."

Ranked by total retail sales for the holiday season through Dec. 26, Amazon.com topped the list of online retailers, followed by Dell.com, Yahoo.com and Walmart.com. An analysis of leading retailers by percentage increase in sales from 2005 to 2006 found that consumer electronics retailer Bestbuy.com achieved the greatest gains, followed by Walmart.com and Ticketmaster.com, with each of these three sites experiencing gains in excess of 50 percent.

For more information, check out the full comScore report.

Electronics retailer Best Buy has partnered with WhiteFence, the nation's number one site for movers looking to connect their utilities and home services online, to offer their Geek Squad and Magnolia services. Geek Squad offers PC and home network set up and connection services, while Magnolia is Best Buy's home theater set up solution. Making it easier for movers to get their home systems up and running is the aim of this strategic partnership.

The increasingly sophisticated and interconnected media options in our homes today dwarf the installations most of us grew up with. With big screen TV sales up 60 percent in 2006, most households are now connecting televisions, cable or satellite boxes, audio systems, gaming systems and TiVo digital recorders into home networks that connect to their PCs, LANs and even printers. Add to that the complexity of surround sound wiring and all-in-one remote controls that are programmed through a PC, very, very few of us can install a home entertainment and PC system by ourselves anymore.

Partly because of the services the offer, Best Buy's sales surged to record highs in 2006. The Best Buy services will be available on WhiteFence powered Web sites in early February.

In response to the merger of AT&T and BellSouth, Communications Workers of America released a statement saying that they believe the joining of the two companies will promote increased investment and build-out of high-speed networks that are critical to the region's economic growth and the nation's position in the global economy.

CWA President Larry Cohen said the merger agreement included real commitments by AT&T-BellSouth for an expanded build-out of both higher speed Internet services and DSL, an important step forward in bringing the full promise of the Internet to areas that have been passed by.

"Workers at BellSouth know that the future of communications and their own future is in the build-out of high-speed telecommunications services. This merger will help provide the resources to make this possible, and at the same time, should help create quality jobs," said Noah Savant, CWA's vice president for the Southeast and BellSouth territory. "Of course we remain concerned about the net effect on jobs within the region for frontline employees and the services we provide. We are pleased to see AT&T commitment to bringing thousands of support jobs back to the United States," Savant added.

CWA says that the United States has fallen to 16th in the world in terms of availability and access to high-speed Internet services. While most believe the availability and benefits of the Internet should be universal, residents in rural communities, low-income urban areas and other communities have less access to high-speed services. The union sees this as a growing disadvantage that needs to be addressed.

"High-tech innovation and job growth, advances in telemedicine and distance learning, and improving public safety and e-government all are possible and, in fact, are routine in much of the world. In the United States, however, current speed standards just aren't sufficient to support these kinds of services," Cohen said. "The build-out of true high-speed networks requires a huge investment of tens of billions of dollars and the AT&T-BellSouth merger will begin to provide the resources to do this," he added.

CWA is America's largest communications and media union, represents over 700,000 men and women in both private and public sectors, including over half a million workers who are building the Information Highway. Its members are employed in telecommunications, broadcasting, cable TV, journalism, publishing, electronics and general manufacturing, as well as airline customer service, government service, health care, education and other fields. The union includes some 1,200 chartered local unions across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Cohen stressed that CWA strongly supports an open Internet "where consumers can go where they want, when they want. Nothing should be done to degrade or block access to Web sites," he said. CWA also believes that reserving proprietary video bandwidth is essential in order to make such a build-out possible. The FCC recognized this in reserving the IPTV space as proprietary, much as cable controls the bandwidth on the set top box, Cohen noted.

For more on the CWA response to the merger, see the press release AT&T-BellSouth Merger Will Promote Critical Build-out of High-Speed Networks.

D-Link, a networking solutions provider, recently announced it is shipping its latest MediaLounge Wireless Media Player "DSM-510" a compact media player capable of delivering video, digital photos, music and more to televisions and home entertainment centers from computers and storage devices over a home network via a wired or 802.11g/b wireless connection. The new media player also aids in the streaming of high-definition (HD) video through a wired network connection.

Building on the new product availability, D-Link also announced that its DSM-510 received Intel Viiv technology verification, which tests the compatibility of networked media devices with Intel Viiv technology-based PCs. Using the Intel Viiv technology verified DSM-510, consumers will get maximum enjoyment out of their digital home entertainment network, including access to the Intel?? Viiv??? Zone, which offers a growing selection of on-demand, Internet-delivered premium content, including movies, music videos, TV shows, and information services.

While performance is optimized for users with Intel Viiv technology-based PCs, the DSM-510 is compatible with computers running Windows XP or 2000.

"The DSM-510 is an extremely powerful, full-featured media player with an intuitive user interface that bridges together computers, storage devices and the Internet with the home entertainment center for a heightened multimedia experience," said Brian Larsen, associate vice president of product development for D-Link Systems Inc. "Passing Intel Viiv technology verification underscores our commitment to bring next-generation connectivity solutions to market for consumers for enjoying seamless sharing and instant access to digital media and entertainment from anywhere inside their home."

"Intel Viiv technology, based on the new Core 2 Duo processor, is the superior technology for today's media PCs. When used with verified devices like the new D-Link MediaLounge player, consumers will enjoy new levels of digital home entertainment' said Gerald Holzhammer, Vice President, Digital Home Group and General Manager of Intel's Consumer PC Platform Group. 'We are pleased that D-Link has completed the verification process for the MediaLounge DSM-510 which will carry the 'Enjoy with Intel Viiv technology' logo."

For best results, Larsen added, the D-Link MediaLounge DSM-510 Media Player would be connected to an existing home network via wired Ethernet, or through an 802.11g wireless standard-compliant router such as the Intel Viiv technology verified D-Link RangeBooster G Wireless Router (WBR-2310) or AirPremier AG Dual-Band Wireless Router (DI-784). Another alternative for Ethernet-wired performance is the D-Link PowerLine Network Kit (DHP-301) that enables consumers to tap into their existing electrical wiring to extend their home network.

The retail price for D-Link MediaLounge DSM-510 is around $240. The device is now available from most computer retail outlets and at www.dlinkshop.com. For more information, check out the D-Link press release.

In this age of instant feedback online from consumers, smart companies are taking advantage of the situation by allowing their products to be reviewed by bloggers. While some companies have tried to outwit the public by creating fake personalities to tout the virtues of their products, the smarter ones are allowing bloggers to find their products at their own pace and to rate and review their offerings as they choose. One such provider is AT&T.

Alan Weinkrantz, a PR tech blogger, has taken it upon himself to chronicle his trial of the AT&T's new U-verse service. Because he lives in San Antonio, Alan was an early trial user of the AT&T U-verse service. Owner of his own PR firm and frequent blogger, he started documenting his experiences and observations on the service in May of this year. Things really heated up when he began to make daily posts at his blog, www.3screens.net, to document his experience of having AT&T's HD (High Definition) broadcast television service installed and deployed at his home.

Alan has not only writes about his experience as an AT&T trial user, but also makes suggestions and commentary about the company's strategy. He even spoke at the TelcoTV Conference in Dallas where he addressed his experiences and observations about being a U-verse customer.

"I can't recommend blogging and social media to clients unless I've done it and have been successful," he said in an interview with MidwestBusiness.com. "This is a fortuitous set of events because I'm in San Antonio and became a trial U-verse." Alan went on to say that "there are enough analysts and technical experts in the world. I don't think the world needs more "experts."

His commentary about the service is open and honest. No service is perfect and Alan isn't shy about noting drawbacks, including small things like no clock on the set-top box or overload of certain types of channels.

In addition, he makes it clear that he's only paying such close attention to one provider because he lives in the firm's service area. "If I lived in an area served by Verizon, I would be doing the same thing about them," he assured MidwestBusiness.com. "AT&T is really just my plumbing supplier."

Read more about Alan's experience with AT&T U-verse service at www.3screens.net. You can also check out his interview with MidwestBusiness.com.

DSL's subscriber base went up to more than 173 million while global broadband subscribers reached more than 263 million over the last year. Each week, 1.25 million people signed up to broadband according to the latest statistics prepared for the international DSL Forum by industry analyst Point Topic. An additional 65 million people subscribed to broadband in the period—with two-thirds of new subscribers choosing DSL that delivers broadband over telephone lines.

According to the Forum, DSL is by far the most popular broadband access technology in the world at 65.6 percent market share, rising to 82 percent in the European Union—the world's largest broadband region.

Sixteen countries now have more than two million DSL subscribers, together representing just under half of all broadband customers using this technology. Globally, the largest broadband market in the world is the USA with more than 55.5 million subscribers, followed by China at 48.5 million. Japan in third place has almost 26 million. Together, they account for almost half of all broadband connections across the world.

"As the global reach of broadband into people's lives continues to grow, the range of access technologies used to deliver its benefits is also expanding to capitalize on the various available infrastructures," said Michael Brusca, president of the international DSL Forum. "Even though DSL is the predominant delivery technology in the world, the DSL Forum is working to extend the benefits of our own specifications to be equally applicable for other network technologies and to address the service delivery needs of the ever-growing range of multimedia devices and applications that depend on broadband for their success."

To read more about these findings, visit www.dslforum.org.

There's a new wrinkle in Internet shopping that's set to help protect shoppers but which may end in confusion and disaster for many small on-line vendors, according to The Wall Street Journal. In a move to counter "phishing" (when online crooks impersonate legitimate vendors to lure unsuspecting consumers into a scam) Microsoft's new Internet Explorer 7 Web browser will contain a feature that turns your Web address bar green when you've landed on a legitimate e-commerce site, as defined by Microsoft. Sounds like a great idea, right?

The problem is that the necessary certificates to get IE7's 'green light' are generally only available to larger companies. That's because the new certificates, which are called EV SSL's (short for extended validation secure-sockets-layer) will be offered only to corporations and limited liability companies. Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and individuals will be unable to purchase certification. And so your Aunt Edna will be suspect if she tries to sell her hand made holiday wreaths on her personal Web site.

There's no denying that phishing is a legitimate security issue, but considering that the Internet grew on the efforts of individuals and person-to-person connections, it seems a shame to deny legimate, honest individuals who sell valuable goods and services online the ability to stand in the green zone with larger companies. If only Microsoft could find a way to turn this process around and create "red zones" where truly dangerous and suspect sites could be identified and action taken; that would leave individual vendors free to do what they've always done and make the Internet the quirky, free-for-all it's always been.

Internet media and market research company Nielsen//NetRatings recently announced findings that showed 78 percent of active home Web users connected via broadband during the month of November, up 13 percentage points from 65 percent of active Web users a year ago.

According to their research, broadband consumers are heavy Internet users compared to their narrowband counterparts. In November, with an average of 34 hours and 50 minutes per person, they spent 33 percent more time online than narrowband users, who had an average of 26 hours and 13 minutes per person. Among all time spent online during the month, 82 percent could be attributed to those connecting via broadband. In addition, broadband users viewed over twice as many Web pages as narrowband users, with averages of 1,574 and 681 Web pages per person, respectively.

Analysts say the new data shows that social activities dominate broadband time online. Web sites for online gaming, instant messaging, e-mail and social networking all made the top 10 list when ranked by average time per person among broadband users at home. The Web has become an integral part of everyday social life, particularly among kids and teens. Online gaming site Pogo.com led the pack among broadband users, with an average of four hours and 23 minutes per person in November. Another online gaming destination, Electronic Arts, ranked second with an average of 3 hours and 43 minutes per person. MSN Games and RuneScape also made the top 10, with average times reaching nearly two hours.

AOL Instant Messenger ranked third according to time spent by home broadband users, with an average of three hours and 24 minutes per person. Yahoo! Mail and Google Gmail were also among the top 10, both with averages over one and half hours. Social networking favorite MySpace followed in fourth place, with a monthly average time spent of two hours and eight minutes per person.

"What most of these Web sites have in common is that they engage the consumer for an extended period of time by offering a way to connect with others," said Carolyn Creekmore, senior director of media analytics, Nielsen//NetRatings. "Online games provide an outlet for camaraderie and playfulness, while instant messaging, e-mail and social networking allow for more direct, albeit often equally creative, communication."

For more information, check out the Nielsen//NetRatings press release. If you are interested in broadband Internet access for your home, click here to enter your address for information on the providers and services available in your area.

EMBARQ recently announced the opening of its first Technology and Innovation Center^SM in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club. In addition to modernizing the existing lab with new computers and educational software, the Center is now equipped with new furniture and EMBARQ products and services, including high-speed Internet as well as local and long-distance phone service, a value of more than $40,000.

EMBARQ says that the Center is the latest initiative in the company's ongoing commitment to education and to the communities where it provides communications services.

"It is rewarding to see the EMBARQ Technology and Innovation Center come to life," said Angela Quinn, president, Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas. "Thanks to EMBARQ's generous donation of advanced technology, our kids now have the world at their fingertips, which will help them improve their education and life skills."

As part of its efforts to further the success of the Technology Center and the local Boys & Girls Club, EMBARQ says employees will volunteer in a variety of capacities, including mentoring and after-school programs. Many of the volunteers have been involved with the Club for years and now have the opportunity to further their commitment to Las Vegas youth with the opening of the Technology Center.

"EMBARQ is honored to support the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club by offering financial, technological and volunteer resources," said Dan Hesse, EMBARQ Chairman and CEO and a member of the national board of governors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "We are pleased that the Center will provide Las Vegas youth with the technological resources necessary to further their education and explore the world around them."

EMBARQ has been a long time supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs and plans to open EMBARQ Technology and Innovation Centers at Boys & Girls Clubs in Franklin, Indiana; Ft. Myers, Florida; and Louisburg, North Carolina, in Jan. 2007, with several more at locations to be determined later in the year.

To learn more about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas, visit www.bgclv.org.

EarthLink has teamed with PlumChoice, Inc., the nation's leader in remote PC services, to make EarthLink's Cyber Check, a remote PC virus and spyware removal service, easier and more convenient for consumers. As a result of the relationship, Cyber Check service will now offer new customer benefits, including 24/7 support, easy online scheduling and the ability to select a favorite technician for service.

"Cyber Check was launched to help consumers solve their spyware and virus problems over the phone in the comfort of their home," said Craig Forman, executive vice president of EarthLink and president of the ISP's value added services business unit. "Working with PlumChoice, we've made EarthLink Cyber Check even better with added convenience, reliability and choice."

EarthLink Cyber Check offers convenient, remote removal of dangerous and frustrating spyware and viruses from customers' PCs. Customers must first call 1-87RESCUE42 (877-372-8342) and give a certified online technician permission to access their computer via the Internet. Then, the remote removal of unwanted spyware and viruses begins.

"EarthLink is renowned for its commitment to outstanding customer service and we're proud to have been selected as their remote services provider," said Ted Werth, CEO of PlumChoice, Inc. "We look forward to working with EarthLink to raise consumers' expectations of quality PC services to a whole new level."

EarthLink's Cyber Check is available 24/7, regardless of a consumer's Internet service provider for a one-time fee of $99. Within five days of working with a Cyber Check representative, customers can call back to report any related issues at no additional charge (this service is extended to 30 days if the customer is using the EarthLink Protection Control Center). In addition, Cyber Check is guaranteed: customers have the ability to end a remote session at any time; and if EarthLink Cyber Check representatives fail to remedy the customer's problem, EarthLink will grant a refund.

To find out more about Cyber Check, you can read this EarthLink press release.

Consumers who love holiday classics, like "Christmas with the Kranks" or "I'll Be Home for Christmas," can now enjoy unlimited access to those and other yuletide favorites without having to brave mobs at the mall or the clinking of the cash register. In response to the growing demand for access to online video content, AT&T Inc. today announced that the company will offer unlimited access to a library of more than 2,200 movie and video selections and 24-hour access to live TV at no charge for one or more months.

Effective today, new residential AT&T Yahoo!^® High-Speed Internet customers can take advantage of a 30-day free trial of Vongo, the movie download service offering from Starz Entertainment, with more than 1,000 popular movies and 2,200 total video titles. Customers can also enjoy a 90-day free trial of AT&T Broadband TV, providing access to a wealth of live programming while at home, at work or on the go, using wired and wireless broadband technologies. Regular-service subscription charges apply at the end of the trial period. Current AT&T Yahoo! High-Speed Internet customers can also participate in the free trials by upgrading their existing service speed to Express (up to 1.5 Mbps), Pro (up to 3.0 Mbps) or Elite (up to 6.0 Mbps) service.

"From movies to live TV, AT&T understands that today's consumers want unlimited access to enhanced content at their convenience- with video leading the charge," said Rick Welday, chief marketing officer, AT&T Consumer.

"By trialing today's offer of free movie downloads and real-time access to live TV content, our customers can better experience the benefits, value and advantages unique to AT&T Yahoo! High-Speed Internet," said Welday.

The move to let consumers enjoy free trials of downloadable content for a period of time from Vongo and AT&T Broadband TV, in conjunction with MobiTV, comes on the heels of a series of related video announcements from AT&T. New AT&T Yahoo! High-Speed Internet customers can redeem offers for both Vongo movie downloads and AT&T Broadband TV, as outlined in the directions that are provided in the AT&T Yahoo! service kit. Current customers can upgrade their existing service speed online and will then receive information regarding the offers in subsequent customer notification.

AT&T Broadband TV delivers 20 channels of live and made-for-broadband television content spanning national news, sports, entertainment and full-length music videos from top artists. Among the channels included in the initial channel lineup are Bloomberg Television, The Oxygen Network, Comedy Time, Toonworld TV Classics, MAXX Sports and The Weather Channel.

Vongo subscribers have unlimited access to more than 2,200 movie and video selections as well as a live streaming Starz TV channel. Members may download movies and video selections onto three eligible devices of their choice for each account, allowing for multiple-viewing options and family enjoyment.

You can read more about the offer in this AT&T press release.