News Archives

• Angie's List is a word-of-mouth network designed to let consumers see reviews from other consumers about different services. It's especially useful for local service companies that you might not know about. What better way to find out about new services than from someone who's recently used it?
• Zagat is a service that can send you updates through your cell phone about local restaurants, nightlife, hotels and other attractions in your area. Perfect for someone on the go.

• Movies. Rent your movies from home! Who needs to go to a store when you can subscribe to a movie rental service? With some rental subscriptions, you can even stream your movie rentals online for no additional charge. The perfect addition to your living room for movie buffs.
  
• Games. Whether you're looking for the next blockbuster video game, or simply like playing word games on your PC, you can find a gaming service that keeps you entertained at a reasonable cost. For gaming aficionados like myself, this is a must-have.
• Music. Let's be honest- it's becoming more and more appealing to purchase music online and download straight to your PC than it is to go out and get a CD these days. With the right music subscription, you can download all kinds of songs from your favorite artists, and listen to tunes at your heart's content.
• Newspapers. Need to do that morning crossword puzzle to unwind? You can get a subscription to your favorite newspaper, delivered straight to you. There's something about holding the news in your hands that is still special in today's world.
  
• Magazines. No matter what your interest, you can find a magazine devoted to it. There are multiple magazine services available that cover a wide array of topics such as sports, fashion and even entertainment. If you're looking for some reading about your favorite subject, getting a magazine subscription online might do just the trick.

• State restrictions on teenage drivers. Texas, for instance, has a curfew for young drivers. In addition, some states have "no cell phone" policies and a limit on whether or not teenagers can drive others to and fro.
• Parental involvement and investment with devices like DriveCam, which "can record what's going on inside a car and the view outside through the windshield". There are even mechanisms which act like a GPS signal on the car, telling parents where the car is. This device can also be used to shut the car off.
• Safety programs. Some auto insurance agencies are offering discounts for drivers with good grades, or who participate in certain recommended safety courses.

• Removing candle wax from wood, upholstery or carpet
• Cleaning marble and granite floors
• Odor removal
• Pet hair removal

Confused about the next-gen format war between HD-DVD and Blu-ray? So were most of the major studios, until just last month.  In January, Warner Bros, who previously supported both formats, took the plunge and went all-in with Blu-ray. This tipped the scales heavily in favor of Sony’s new discs, leaving only Paramount (which signed an exclusive deal in August) and Universal with Toshiba’s HD-DVD. The announcement from Warner Bros. came only days before CES, one of the year’s largest entertainment and technology expos, leading HD-DVD backers to cancel their press conferences. After that, the dominoes kept on falling.

 As Warner Bros. is the parent company to studios like New Line and HBO, they followed suit soon after and voiced their alliance with Blu-ray as well. Seeing this trend emerge, Netflix is now making its move to Blu-ray also. Just this week, in fact, there are rumblings out of Japan that Toshiba is dropping HD-DVD for good, making Blu-ray the only sensible choice for high-definition home video.

Currently, Netflix offers over 400 Blu-ray titles. The online movie rental company will not be picking up any new HD-DVD movies, but will continue to rent out HD-DVD titles that are already in stock.

For more information about the Blu-ray announcement, you can visit Netflix.

The hope is that the changes this initiative outlines will help educate companies and consumers alike to the growing need for clean energy. Such a process can be beneficial to everyone involved, and can help the economy as well. Recently, other states have become involved in the push for renewable energy— North Carolina now ranks as the number three state in the nation as far as the quantity of clean energy buildings is concerned, thanks to Food Lion LLC. How many other states will choose green energy in the months and years to come? 

For more information about the energy initiative for Texas, you can read the Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation press release.

In the late 1980s, scientists and engineers began developing a new cable television system that would broadcast an all-digital television (DTV) transmission, and create the most significant advancement since color TV in the 1950s. The new technology is more efficient and allows for better sound and picture quality, as well as more programming options for consumers.

In 1998, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) worked with Congress to pass legislation to require the conversion from analog television transmission to the new digital format. They found by converting to the DTV system, analog frequencies will be freed up to be used for public safety, such as police, fire and emergency rescue services. In addition, the frequencies will be used to advance commercial wireless service.

So what has changed so far? As of March 1, 2007 all televisions receivers shipped interstate or imported into the United States must contain a built-in digital tuner. The digital tuner will allow consumers to view free, over-the-air programming much like the programming received via antenna today, the difference being the digital capabilities for more programming and enhanced audio and video output.

Analog televisions without a built-in or external digital tuner will NOT capture the digital signal, so a digital-to-analog set-top converter box will need to be used in conjunction with an antenna. In addition, the digital tuner is not necessarily a HD (high definition) tuner, and must be specified as such; HDTV will pick up the high resolution transitions that the digital tuners will not.

The transition has been pushed back to help the public prepare for the change, and the FCC has also provided for those consumers without paid television to obtain converters. Starting January 1, 2008 and ending March 31, 2009, households in the U.S. can request coupons at $40 each to use towards the purchase of a digital-to-analog converter box.

So on February 17, 2009 all broadcasting will be in DTV format. The shift will create nationwide advancements in cable television, as well as public services. We are entering an age of technological innovation that will be touching every household in the country and simultaneously providing the same benefits to every consumer, entertainment and general safety.

The AT&T Foundation recently announced their launch of a $1.5 million competitive grant to help nonprofit organizations extend their educational outreach programs with wireless communication technology. It is a one-time award ranging from $2,500 to $25,000 for wireless applications and hardware.

"AT&T is committed to improving education and to supporting innovative applications of wireless and other technologies that help students achieve academic success," said Laura Sanford, AT&T Foundation president. "Mobile technology provides students of all ages with opportunities to learn anytime and anywhere."

Qualifications for the grant include:

• Open to 501(c)(3) public charities and government instrumentalities nationwide
• Funds are to be utilized to enhance education through wireless technology
• Program must engage youth and adults in the process of life-long learning
• 51 percent or more of the project must target underserved populations, including racial and ethnic groups, low-income populations, seniors, youth and/or people with disabilities

For more information, such as deadline for submission and specific guidelines see the AT&T press release.

In keeping with their company motto to give back to the community they serve, Qwest has generously donated $8,000 to the Montana Conservation Science Institute's Camp Eureka.

Camp Eureka is a summer natural history camp for blind children between the ages of nine through 14. At camp, the children can learn to explore Montana's nature using blindness skills. This is also a chance for the kids to come together with peers that face the same daily challenges and mentors that are there to guide them and teach them new tools.

Beth Underwood, director of Camp Eureka, expresses her extreme gratitude for Qwest's donation. She knows that because of Qwest's generosity, the children can know realize their dreams.

Please see the Qwest press release for more information.

In a time where cable theft is on the rise, EMBARQ has stepped up as a community partner to lend a hand and ask for help from the people of Las Vegas.

They have offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of any and all involved in the theft of their copper cable wires that transmit information to their valued customers.

Officials speculate that the wire is taken for the purposes of selling it to a scrap yard for a monetary profit.

Jim Hansen, senior vice president of Network Services at EMBARQ, says that copper theft is a danger to the public in general.

"When people steal cable, it puts the entire community at risk. Cutting cable can cut emergency communications which affects everyone. Imagine having a loved one suddenly in need of emergency medical assistance, only to find communications services don't work because someone just cut the cable to steal the copper."

Detective Mike Hope, director of Crime Stoppers of Nevada, states, "We're starting to see companies and associations across the nation start offering rewards, and I am pleased EMBARQ has recognized the seriousness of cable theft enough to get actively engaged and really take this effort to another level."

EMBARQ not only is dedicated to brining people reliable phone and Internet access, they strongly believe in focusing on the community it serves. By getting involved in Las Vegas, this company truly does stand by their word.

Please see the EMBARQ press release for more information.

According to results from the ZipRealty first quarter 2007 Housing Market Perception Survey, buyers and sellers perceive an improvement in home pricing trends and believe the housing market is beginning to stabilize, indicating sellers are more realistic with their pricing and expectations and that fewer buyers are "fence-sitting."

ZipRealty's recently-announced survey results show that a shrinking percentage difference between buyer and seller views of home price trends, a sign that both are beginning to see eye-to-eye. The percentage difference between buyers and sellers who believe prices will decline decreased from 26 percent in the fourth quarter 2006 to only 19 percent in the first quarter 2007, while the percentage difference between buyers and sellers who think prices will increase declined from 10 percent to six percent.

"As we enter the prime summer real estate season, we believe sellers are more realistic with their pricing and are more willing to negotiate and work with buyers," ZipRealty's President Patrick Lashinsky explains. "Our recent survey results support our belief that the current market continues to favor buyers, but that buyers are actively looking to submit an offer once they find the right home at the right price."

ZipRealty's most recent monthly Price Reduction Index, which tracks housing trends in 18 markets nationally, reveals a month-over-month increase in the percentage of actively listed homes with at least once reduction in listing price, a signal that sellers are lowering their expectations this spring. Additionally, the number of single family homes and condos listed for sale are up 32 percent in April 2007 compared to one year ago.

For more information, check out the ZipRealty press release.

At a press conference last week on the National Mall, the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) joined with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters, the Federal Communications Commission, and representatives from national launch partners the Associated General Contractors of America, John Deere, The Travelers Companies, Inc., and Cox Communications, to ceremonially connect 811, the new national 'Call Before You Dig' number.

"Now that there is a single number to call, any time, there's no excuse for putting lives at risk by striking a utility line," said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters. "If 911 is the number you call to report emergencies, 811 is the number to call to prevent them."

The 811 number was designated by the FCC in 2005 at the direction of an Act of Congress in 2002. Its creation was supported by more than fifteen industry stakeholder groups who encouraged its development and creation and now promote its use nationwide.

To ensure that all Americans know and use 811, today's event on "America's Front Yard" also kicked off a national public education campaign, which will use an educational Web site, television and radio PSAs, industry and consumer outreach, and local events to raise awareness of the new number and demonstrate its relevance to consumers and professionals who conduct digging activities. Additionally, the campaign's national launch partners and promotional sponsors will promote the new number through a variety of tactics designed to leverage the grassroots power of their customers, clients and members, creating awareness and positive behavioral change among those most likely to dig.

"Knowing the approximate locations of where utility lines are buried before each digging project helps protect America's pipelines, industry and people," said CGA President Bob Kipp. "We believe the new 811 number will encourage more people to have their lines marked to protect themselves, their neighbors and their community."

Nationwide, risky assumptions about the location of underground utility lines, which are buried at various depths below the ground, lead to more than one unintentional hit per minute every day, every year. Even simple digging jobs can damage utility lines and disrupt vital services to an entire neighborhood, harm those who dig, and result in expensive fines and repair costs.

For more information about the 811 service, campaign, and a new national survey on consumer digging habits, visit www.call811.com.

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According to a recent article in The New York Times, Comcast is testing a service in Pittsburgh and Denver that will allow customers to download a movie via the company's On Demand service on the same day it becomes available for purchase on DVD.

Consumers usually have to wait 30 to 45 days from when a movie is released on DVD for it to be available On Demand. "This is a sampling mechanism for the title," Andrew Mellett, vice president for the video-on-demand division of Warner Digital Distribution, told the Times. "I don't expect it to cannibalize sales on DVD. What we are really interested in seeing is whether this increases the buy rates."

The Times reports that Comcast has declined to comment on the project, although it has been advertising films' availability in local newspapers. According to the paper, Comcast has been the industry leader in offering free and paid video on demand, compiling a library of 8,000 movies and television episodes in an attempt to lure subscribers and distinguish itself from satellite TV.

Also quoted in the article is a representative from Blockbuster, which could be hurt by the success of simultaneous release. The company said that the sales and rentals of DVDs represent the largest revenue stream for the studios and "we believe that they will be very cautious in introducing any new less profitable service that could be cannibalistic to the rental and retail channel."

For more details, check out the full New York Times article On Demand and on DVD at the Same Time.

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.

According to a recent article in The Desert Sun, Time Warner Cable and NFL network are no closer to a deal than they were when I posted about the dispute in September, making it unlikely for a resolution before the network begins airing live games on Thanksgiving Night.

The article quotes NFL Network spokesman Seth Palansky on the issue. "Time Warner has made it clear to us they will not carry our channel," Palansky said. "With that being the case, we're working hard with people who do carry us to have special promotions to offer service to those customers."

In response, Time Warner Cable senior vice president of corporate communications Mark Harrard told the newspaper, "We want to be competitive on our basic [cable package], and we can't be competitive if basic absorbs the high price of the network, particularly a niche network. We are ready to sign up today or yesterday, if it makes business sense. We haven't been able to at this time. It's not a matter of who will yell chicken."

For more information on the ongoing dispute, read the full Desert Sun Times article No settlement in sight between Time Warner and NFL Network. If you are interested in switching from Time Warner Cable to a provider that offers NFL Network, check out packages that include the network from DIRECTV or DISH Network.

Last month, I posted about the AT&T-BellSouth merger being postponed. Officials were supposed to discuss the issue further, but the special meeting regarding the acquisition was never convened.  Now The Associated Press is reporting that the FCC vote has been delayed again, with no further discussion scheduled.

According to the AP, failure to attach conditions to the merger brought a sharp response from the two Democratic commissioners, Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein, who accused the Justice Department of failing to protect consumers. Their opposition meant that AT&T was facing a potential 2-2 tie vote, which would have required a fifth vote from Robert McDowell, a former lobbyist for a trade group that opposed the merger.

AT&T's did offer last minute concessions, including $10-per-month Internet access in its service area, free modems, promises to freeze prices temporarily for competitors that use the company's networks, and even a pledge to bring back some BellSouth jobs shipped overseas. However, consumer groups criticized the concessions as "short-term candy for a few instead of long-term lower prices and better choices for all consumers."

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an executive order near the end of October to make it easier for the state to build broadband networks. According to the official press release, the goal of the order is to ensure all government agencies are using the best technologies to serve the people and create a broadband task force that lets experts from government and business work together to identify and eliminate obstacles to making broadband Internet access available across the state.

"California is home to the greatest technology entrepreneurs. Let's show the world what we can do," said Gov. Schwarzenegger at the UC Davis Health System Pediatric Telehealth Colloquium in San Francisco, where a doctor examined an 11-year old leukemia patient by video about 100 miles away in Sacramento. "If we want to stay number one in technology, we need action. In countries like Japan and South Korea, the people have access to great technologies at lower costs than anywhere in America. We can do that. Michigan has one of the largest wireless broadband networks in the country. We can do that. That's why I'm signing an executive order to help make California a leader in the telecommunications revolution."

After his speech to the colloquium, the Governor joined Silicon Valley CEOs and executives to discuss the economic development that increased broadband adoption would spur. "Broadband will help build California so we can grow our economy by competing in the global marketplace," said Gov. Schwarzenegger. "California must remain competitive so we continue to attract the best, brightest and most creative workforce in the world."

Research conducted on the California "One Gigabyte or Bust" Broadband Initiative estimated that enabling broadband access for 50 percent of Californians would have enormous economic impacts on the state, adding over $365 billion annually to the state's economy within seven years and helping create or retain two million sustainable jobs. Similarly, the California Communications Association estimates that every dollar invested in broadband networks generates $3 in economic activity, and that every $1 billion in telecom capital spending equates to 7,000 new telecom jobs—including jobs in network construction, engineering, operations and the creation of new equipment and products.

A U.S. Commerce Department study released this year found that the availability of broadband is directly tied to business growth—especially among new technology-intensive firms. The Governor's office believes that greater broadband access will directly support California's world-leading technology industry—creating jobs both in the communications sector and for high-tech companies like Intel, Google, Yahoo!, and eBay, which rely on Internet usage to drive business. They also feel that increasing broadband deployment will also further support the California economy by making the state an attractive home for the nation's—and the world's—preeminent scientists and researchers.

To read the full text of the executive order, see the official press release Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Executive Order to Help Make California the Leader in Telecommunications Revolution.

Verizon said today that it is continuing to aggressively work on restoration efforts in the Buffalo area, following the early season snowstorm that hit the region earlier this month. With nearly 600 technicians in the field, Verizon expects to have its network fully restored within two weeks.

"While most of our customers are already back in service, or never experienced phone service outages in the wake of the storm, there is remaining field work necessary in order to fully restore our network," explained Joseph DeMauro, regional vice president for Verizon operations.

To help with restoration efforts, Verizon has brought in more than 200 technicians from other parts of New York state to assist the local teams in repairs and other tasks, such as pole replacements, installing new drop wires and splicing new cables.

"The work needed now includes repairs to service-affecting issues like low-hanging or unattached wires," DeMauro said.  "Our employees are engaged in identifying these issues, making repairs and restoring service as quickly as possible."

DeMauro noted that damaged cabling and wires may not cause a customer's service to go out, but rather may cause static during a conversation, intermittent service, or similar conditions.  Since the start of the storm, the company has completed 68 percent of this type of weather-related repair work.

Verizon is also conducting engineering surveys of neighborhoods to identify downed wires and cables, and the company is working with local agencies and the power company to identify safe work areas as well as those areas needing telecom service.   Under standard safety procedure, Verizon employees are not permitted to enter neighborhoods until electricity is restored and all safety issues associated with power outages are cleared.

As of last Wednesday, less than one week after the storm hit, all of Verizon's 80 central offices that serve the affected areas were back on commercial power.  Following the storm, 30 of the company's central offices had continued to operate on battery or generator backup power.  All Verizon central offices, which perform the essential functions of supplying dial tone and routing calls and data transmissions for customers, are equipped with backup batteries and generators that kick in automatically if the electrical power supply is interrupted.  In addition, portable generators were used in locations where commercial power was interrupted for an extended period of time.

Hundreds of communities across the country received a helping hand last weekend, as 30,000 Comcast employees, family members and friends volunteered their time on Comcast Cares Day, the company's sixth annual day of service. In all, more than 180,000 volunteer hours were logged on Oct. 7 on projects ranging from beautifying schools, parks and community centers to delivering meals; and from renovating an apartment complex to sprucing up a neighborhood zoo.

For the first time, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and the National Urban League were national partners in Comcast Cares Day, working with the company to co-sponsor projects in 30 communities across the country. Comcast worked with 15 local affiliates of NCLR, the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, and 15 affiliates of the National Urban League (NUL), the nation's oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African Americans.

In recognition of the efforts of Comcast Cares Day volunteers, the Comcast Foundation is donating more than $1.2 million in grants to the nearly 300 partner organizations in 34 states and Washington, D.C.

"For the sixth consecutive year, Comcast employees turned out in force to donate their time on the weekend to make a noticeable, lasting difference in the towns where they live and work," said Comcast Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian L. Roberts. "We were particularly honored to have two outstanding organizations, NCLR and the National Urban League, as national partners this year, along with the hundreds of local organizations around the country that work year-round to serve our communities."

In addition to Comcast Cares Day, Comcast employees volunteer year-round with a variety of projects and organizations through the company's Comcast Cares program.

Read more in the Comcast press release.

According to CNet News, the Federal Communications Commission has canceled its meeting in which it was supposed to vote on the proposed $80 billion merger of AT&T and BellSouth.

The FCC had planned to vote on the merger during its regular open meeting on Thursday, but removed it from the agenda and postponed the vote until Friday.

The apparent cause of the first postponement was the FCC split between Democrats and Republicans on the merger. Chairman Kevin Martin, a Republican, had been pushing for the deal to be approved without any restrictions, according to CNet sources. But the two Democratic commissioners, Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps, were upset over the Department of Justice unconditional approval of the merger earlier this week.

In an effort to sway the Democrats to their side, AT&T apparently submitted alternative proposals to the FCC on Thursday, according to a story first published by Reuters. Even though the Republicans control the commission with three of five seats, it's crucial for at least one of the two Democrats to approve the merger, since one of the Republicans, Robert McDowell, has said he will not vote on the merger, because he had worked for a group that represents competitors to AT&T and BellSouth before joining the FCC.

"We firmly believe, as do three foreign countries, 18 state commissions and the Department of Justice—every regulatory or legal entity that had an obligation to examine the benefits of this merger—that no conditions on this merger are necessary for this combination to be a public benefit," said Michael Balmoris, an AT&T spokesman. "However, we are open to discussing with the Democratic FCC commissioners reasonable conditions on the merger in order to obtain unanimous approval, so long as they do not affect our ability to deliver merger benefits to customers and shareowners."

For more information, check out the article FCC vote on AT&T/BellSouth merger postponed.

Two months ago, a federal appeals court blocked a trial judge's order that would have required DISH Network to disable more than 3 million digital video recorders. Last week, the U.S. District Court of Appeals agreed that the DVRs can stay in operation while the direct-broadcast satellite provider appeals the original court injunction.

"We are pleased the Federal Court found that [DISH Network parent company] EchoStar has a 'substantial case on the merits' and blocked the Texas decision for the duration of the appeal," said the company in reponse to the court ruling. "This action by the Federal Court reinforces our belief that the Texas court made significant errors during the trial process and we look forward to complete vindication of our position."

TiVo sued the satellite TV service provider in 2004, alleging that EchoStar and certain subsidiaries violated a TiVo patent related to the storage and playback of television. A jury ruled in April that EchoStar infringed on Tivo's patented TV-viewing technology in making set-top boxes for its customers.

In August, the federal district court judge who presided over the jury trial issued the injunction against EchoStar, ordering it to pay TiVo $89.6 million in damages—more than the $74 million awarded by the jury. EchoStar had secured a temporary stay of the injunction, but this week's stay will be in place as long as the DBS company pursues its appeal.

In their official statement in response to the ruling, Tivo said, "We are confident that the jury's decision in TiVo's favor will be upheld once the Federal Circuit has the opportunity to review the entire record in this case. It is important to note that most injunctions in patent cases are stayed pending appeal, and the appeal itself will be decided on a totally different standard of review."

For more information, check out the Bloomberg article EchoStar Can Sell Digital Recorder During TiVo Appeal.

The Comcast Foundation recently announced a $50,000 grant for a literacy program to LULAC National Educational Service Centers, Inc. (LNESC). The LNESC is a national, non-profit, community-based organization established by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), whose mission is to educate and prepare America's future workforce through intensive educational programming and leadership development training. Support of LNESC's "Accelerated Program" reinforces Comcast's continued commitment to improving educational opportunities for the Hispanic community.

The project will be implemented in three Comcast markets; the La Villita neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois; Balboa Park in San Francisco, California; and Pueblo, Colorado. The "Accelerated Reader" program will serve approximately 180 participants, 90 elementary school children and 90 parents. LNESC's supplementary services are considered an integral part of the education system in these neighborhoods because they face high rates for poverty, school drop out, and unemployment.

"Comcast is proud to support this important program, which provides essential literacy tools to individuals furthering their education," said David L. Cohen, executive vice president for Comcast and chairman of the Comcast Foundation. "Ultimately, providing support to organizations such as LNESC will expand the opportunities available to the Hispanic community and contribute to the success of those who participate in their programs."

For more information, check out the press release The Comcast Foundation Supports LULAC's Education of Latino Youth.

Market Watch is reporting that the AT&T-BellSouth merger delay will end soon. According to the business news site, the Federal Communications Commission has scheduled a vote for Oct. 12 at the behest of Chairman Kevin Martin, who has insisted on trying to meet the agency's informal 180-day deadline on reviewing proposed mergers.

However, the deal also has to win approval from the Justice Department's antitrust division. While the two agencies tend to consult each other through the review process and Justice typically issues its ruling several days or weeks before the FCC, there have been exceptions. The most notable occuring when the FCC was the first agency to block the DIRECTV-Dish Network merger a few years ago.

According to Market Watch, regulatory analysts have long predicted that the AT&T-BellSouth merger would pass regulatory muster with few conditions attached because the companies do not compete in many markets and they co-own Cingular Wireless, the nation's biggest mobile company. The merger has already won approval in all U.S. states in which the two companies have a large presences, as well as the foreign countries in which AT&T operates.

For more information, check out the article AT&T-BellSouth merger set for vote.

The Federal Communications Commission announced last week that it has ended its investigation into Time Warner Cable's decision to drop the NFL Network back in August without providing appropriate notice to subscribers. At the time, the FCC ordered Time Warner Cable to reinstate the NFL Network while it investigated a complaint issued by NFL Enterprises over the issue.

The FCC reached a consent decree in which Time Warner Cable agreed that it violated an FCC rule that requires cable operators to provide customers 30 days' notice before deleting a channel. The agency said it would take no action against the company and closed the investigation.

While Time Warner Cable is still in talks with the NFL Network, no agreement has been reached. The network is hoping to complete a distribution deal before its package of live Thursday and Saturday night National Football League games launches on Thanksgiving night.

For more on the issue, check out the Digital Pro Sound article Dressler's Last Play: NFL Network Talks.

On Saturday, Oct. 7, more than 30,000 Comcast employees and their families will be volunteering with almost 300 community organizations in 34 states and the District of Columbia as part of one of the largest single-day corporate volunteer efforts in the United States, the sixth annual Comcast Cares Day. Comcast employees and their families will donate 180,000 volunteer hours of service, or the equivalent of more than 86 person-years of community service, in one day.

"At Comcast, we appreciate how incredibly important community service is to the health and well-being of the neighborhoods we serve," said Comcast Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brian L. Roberts. "Our employees and their families have generously given of their time and talents to help improve their communities. We're very proud of their contributions, and are delighted to be working with almost 300 partner groups throughout the country to make this year's Comcast Cares Day a resounding success."

Comcast Cares Day is a company-wide day of service in which Comcast employees and their families volunteer on the same day in their local communities. Local Comcast management teams work with civic leaders to identify non-profit partner organizations and projects that address specific needs in cities and towns across the country.

Comcast's employee volunteers will represent all sectors of the Comcast Family of Companies, from its corporate headquarters in Philadelphia to its local cable offices and the company's content businesses.

The Comcast Foundation will also donate more than one million dollars in grants to the local community partner organizations on behalf of each employee and family member who volunteered on Comcast Cares Day. These partner grants are to help Comcast's community partners continue their mission throughout the year.

According to a recent Adweek article, Comcast is encouraging candidates in various state and local mid-term elections to take their speeches digital through Comcast Spotlight, a video-on-demand initiative that allows candidates to expand their campaign messaging beyond the 30-second spot. Candidates in approximately 70 Comcast markets can put together VOD spots up to two minutes in length, in the hopes of better informing constituents and would-be voters in the days leading up to the November elections.

"Getting our complete message to voters is critical in a political campaign," said Andrea Silbert, a businesswoman who was the first candidate from Massachusetts to craft a VOD spot. She was defeated in the September primary, but she still praised the initiative. "The on-demand platform allows us to provide greater detail in an unfiltered presentation not available through traditional media."

It is unclear what kind of effect the new platform could have on the election. However, Comcast said that in its mature markets, more than 75 percent of its digital cable subscribers have accessed VOD in the past 90 days. Of that number, 80 percent are registered to vote in their district, while 72 percent said they generally vote in statewide elections and 45.1 percent reported that they always cast ballots in statewide elections.

For more information, check out the Adweek article Comcast Offers Pols Digital Platform.

The Arthur W. Page Society has named AT&T Inc. as the winner of the 2006 Page Principles Award by for the company's massive communications response in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The annual award recognizes an outstanding demonstration of effective corporate communications and the application of the Page Principles, which are the seven communications management concepts upheld by the Page Society. The award will be formally presented to AT&T during the Arthur W. Page Society's 23rd Annual Conference in October.

Roger Bolton, president of the Arthur W. Page Society, said the competition's panel of judges was most impressed by the AT&T entry. "I salute AT&T and everyone who was involved in the unprecedented relief effort to reunite families after Hurricane Katrina. The company demonstrated that its operating principles, which are very much aligned with the Page Principles, are more than just words—the company acted on its values and delivered on its promise to do the right thing for the communities it services. The Page Society congratulates AT&T for the technology, leadership and compassion demonstrated in the wake of the storm."

"Our mission at AT&T is to keep people connected in good times and bad," said Selim Bingol, senior vice president, Corporate Communications, AT&T. "Given the unprecedented scale of the disaster, helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina was especially gratifying and humbling work. We are guided by the Page Principles so this recognition from the Page Society means a great deal to AT&T."

For more on the award, check out the San Antonio Business Journal article AT&T honored by communications management group for Katrina efforts.

The Associate Press is reporting that the chairman and a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee have asked the Justice Department to delay approval of the merger of AT&T Inc. and BellSouth Corp. until a federal court decides whether two previous mergers were in the public interest.

Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., and ranking member John Conyers, D-Mich., sent a letter earlier this week to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales asking the department delay its decision until a federal judge rules on the merger of SBC Communications Inc. and the old AT&T Corp., as well as the merger of Verizon Communications Inc. and MCI Inc.

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sens. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, wrote a similar letter questioning whether Justice has been approving mergers too hastily, counter to the intent of federal law.

For more information, check out the article Lawmakers call for delay in AT&T/BellSouth merger.

According to a new economic study commissioned by the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) and conducted by Microeconomic Consulting and Research Associates (MiCRA), consumers and small businesses could save a total of $101.5 billion on their phone bills over the next five years as a result of competition from facilities-based providers of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service. Residential cable telephony consumers could save an average of $135 each year or more by using a cable provider's telephone service, the study finds.

"Robust facilities-based phone competition is a huge win for American consumers," said Dr. Michael Pelcovits, Principal at MiCRA and lead author of the study. "This study shows that preventing a phone company lock on the market provides residential and small business customers innovative new services at enormous savings.  The economic impact of $100 billion of phone savings is truly dramatic."

The study found that by 2011, nearly 24 million Americans are likely to purchase phone service from their cable companies. The study concludes that the traditional phone companies are compelled to respond to competition by cutting prices—creating yet additional savings for the customers that the incumbent phone companies retain.

Other findings include:

• Comprehensive cable telephony services are priced as low as $34.95 per month, plus approximately $6.00 in taxes and other fees.  Comparable services from AT&T and BellSouth cost approximately $50.00 per month, plus fees and taxes.
• Residential users of cable telephone services are estimated to grow from 10.0 million in 2007 to 23.7 million by 2011.
• Residential customers of incumbent telephone companies could save $70 billion over five years if incumbent telephone companies are forced to respond to the competitive challenge by facilities-based VoIP providers.

For more details on the survey's findings, check out the NCTA press release New economic study shows substantial economic benefit of facilities-based phone competition.

AT&T recently announced that approximately 2,000 previously outsourced technical support jobs will be added to the AT&T payroll. The jobs—which have been outsourced both domestically and overseas—are related to supporting AT&T's DSL customers who self-install their service or have other basic questions about the service.

"This is one more example of how we're working together with our union to add jobs in growing parts of our company," said Bill Blase, executive vice president-Labor Relations. "We're pleased that the Communications Workers of America has recognized the mutual importance of creating these jobs with competitive wages and benefits that enhance the company's ability to compete while creating good jobs."

The DSL jobs are the second group of jobs that the company and the union have agreed to create in recent months. Previously the company and most regions of the CWA agreed on a contract covering premises technicians who will perform installation work at customer homes for AT&T's new U-verse^SM video service. Hiring of those workers is under way as the product is rolled out. The company is currently assessing where to locate the DSL jobs, which will be added to the AT&T payroll by the end of 2008.

For more information, check out the San Antonio Business Journal article AT&T plans tohire 2,000 DSL jobs.

BellSouth recently announced that it has earned a perfect score of 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) 2006 Corporate Equality Index.

The nation's largest lesbian and gay political organization, the HRC conducted its 2006 Equality Index that rated 446 companies on a scale of 0 percent to 100 percent on several factors, including whether they have a written non-discrimination policy covering sexual orientation; support transgender employees with written non-discrimination policies and benefits; offer inclusive health insurance, bereavement and family leave policies to employees with same-sex partners; offer diversity training; have Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) employee groups; engage in appropriate and respectful advertising to the GLBT community; contribute to GLBT community organizations; and decline to engage in any activities that would undermine the goal of equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

"At an ever increasing pace, corporate executives understand that supporting their gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees is not only the right thing to do but it is also good for business," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

BellSouth has participated in all of the HRC's five annual surveys. This is the highest score the company has received surpassing previous years' scores in the mid-80s. "We are very pleased to receive a perfect score for our efforts in this area," said BellSouth Chief Diversity Officer Valencia Adams. "The GLBT market is one that continues to contribute to the success of our bottom line, and it is our plan to continue to build relationships that benefit our company and our customer."

According to a recent USA Today article, the average American home now has more television sets than people. The article states that the threshold was crossed within the past two years, according to Nielsen Media Research, with an average of 2.73 TV sets in the typical home and 2.55 people.

In addition, the article quotes other interesting Nielsen findings:

• Half of American homes have three or more TVs, and only 19 percent have just one. In 1975, 57 percent of homes had only a single set and 11 percent had three or more.
• In the average home, a television set is turned on for more than a third of the day—eight hours, 14 minutes, an hour more than it was a decade ago.
• The average person watches four hours, 35 minutes of television each day.

Read more in the USA Today article Average home has more TVs than people.

While Time Warner Cable and Common Sense Media are focusing on helping parents making better viewing choices for their children, the U.S. Senate focused on passing a bill to mandate a study examining the effects such exposure has on the cognitive development of children.

The Children and Media Research Advancement Act, sponsored by Senators Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Sam Brownback, R-Kan., among others, will establish a research program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC, working with the National Academy of Sciences, will examine existing research and set new research priorities regarding how screen media—including television, computers and video games— effects children. It will also issue grants over six years to researchers to examine the impact of media on a child's social, cognitive and physical development.

Read more about the new bill in the AdWeek article Senate Calls for Media Study.

Time Warner Cable and Common Sense Media recently announced a new partnership to provide Time Warner Cable customers with access to point of decision reviews, ratings and program information designed to help parents make informed viewing choices about TV, movies, music, books, websites and video games. Time Warner Cable will integrate Common Sense Media's extensive reviews, recommendations and media parent tips into its cable television and high-speed data services.

Time Warner Cable will launch a co-branded section on the Company's website and on Road Runner, its high-speed online service, that will present Common Sense Media's independent ratings information for television shows, movies, books, music and video games. Common Sense Media is also producing televised reviews and media information spots for Time Warner Cable's free video on demand service. Additionally, the companies plan to explore the integration of Common Sense Media reviews, recommendations and ratings into the Time Warner Cable interactive program guide and TV listings search functionality.

"We are pleased to partner with Common Sense Media in giving parents additional tools and information to help them make informed decisions for their families," said Time Warner Cable President and CEO Glenn Britt. "Our goal is to incorporate Common Sense Media assets and expertise across a wide variety of Time Warner Cable platforms making this information easy to access for interested customers. We believe Common Sense Media's extensive reviews will add another level of resources to the cable ratings system that has been operating since the mid 1990's."

Time Warner Cable says it is dedicated to providing customers with more control over their cable services. The new partnership should complement the company's Parental Controls which allow users to block specific channels and in many cases specific programs; as well as the Family Choice tier launched in December 2005 that provides customers with a package of programming they could reasonably assume would not contain any content that might be objectionable for younger viewers in the household.

"Time Warner Cable has taken a big step forward in empowering millions of parents by providing them with point of decision media and entertainment reviews and ratings that allow families to experience the best possible media viewing environment," said James P. Steyer, CEO and Founder of Common Sense Media. "Increasingly, parents need trustworthy information to help them navigate through a rapidly changing media world and make positive choices. We're pleased that Glenn Britt and Time Warner Cable are demonstrating such a strong commitment to kids and families by leading the industry in this way."

Read more about this new partnership in the press release Time Warner Cable and Common Sense Media Partner to Help Parents Make Informed Media Viewing Choices.

Amazon.com has launched Amazon Unbox™, a new digital video download service offering customers television shows, movies and other video content from more than 30 studio and network partners from Hollywood and around the world. The only video download service to offer DVD-quality picture, Unbox's RemoteLoad™ technology allows customers to buy from one PC (such as an office computer) and download to another (such as a home computer). As part of the launch, the site is inviting customers to visit www.amazon.com/unbox to try the Unbox service with a free TV show.

Amazon says that Unbox offers triple the video quality of the leading commercial Internet video services, delivering content encoded at 2,500 kilobits per second using the VC-1 Advanced Profile codec. Unbox also automatically includes a second file optimized for playback on any Windows Media-compatible portable device at no additional charge. The service uses progressive download, eliminating the need to wait for the entire video to download before watching. This means the typical cable high-speed Internet customer can start watching any Unbox TV show or movie within five minutes of ordering.

"Amazon Unbox offers TV and movie enthusiasts a fast, convenient way to watch thousands of their favorite videos from around the world," said Bill Carr, Amazon.com's vice president of digital media. "Now Amazon.com customers can choose to get videos delivered to their doorstep from Amazon's DVD store or choose Amazon Unbox and download DVD-quality picture movies or television shows to their PC."

Amazon Unbox customers will be able to access their videos in the Amazon Your Media Library, a personalized Web page that indexes and organizes their media purchases from Amazon.com, including books, CDs, DVDs and Unbox Videos. Your Media Library provides each Unbox customer a place to keep track of their Unbox video purchases, and the option to download them to an additional PC.

Customers can purchase television series episodes for $1.99 per episode and most movies for $7.99 to $14.99, or rent the latest movies for $3.99.

For more information on this new service, read the Amazon.com press release or visit www.amazon.com/ubox. 

California's legislature passed an amended bill this week, by a vote of 64 to 5, that aims to increase competition among cable television providers and make it easier for telephone companies to enter the market. The bill eliminates city-by-city franchises, which proponents said made it nearly impossible for rivals with new technologies to enter California's market for TV entertainment services.

The bill comes at an opportune time for the telephone and cable companies that are fighting to sign up as many customers as possible for a bundle of services including telephone, cable television and high-speed Internet access. AT&T and other telecom giants have been lobbing to eliminate similar laws requiring franchise deals with municipalities before they are allowed offer TV service.

"California has led the way in the evolution of new technology, and with this bill, our state's policy toward contemporary TV and entertainment technology is catching up to the times," said Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, a vocal supporter of the legislation.

In an analyses by the state Senate's Rules Committee, researchers found that more than 60 percent of the state's TV-watching households have cable reception, while 27 percent subscribe to satellite service and the rest use conventional antennae.

Read more about the bill in the CNET News.com article California passes bill easing cable rules.

BellSouth is prepared for the arrival of Ernesto, as either a hurricane or tropical storm, on the Florida coast. Through its work with the Federal Communications Commission and government agencies, the company has addressed issues related to first responder status and access to impacted areas.

BellSouth is maintaining active dialogue with its partners and suppliers to ensure they meet the company's supply needs before, during and after the storm hits. Through these preparedness efforts, BellSouth will be able to maintain power, provide continuous connectivity and avoid widespread outages.

"BellSouth has a tremendous amount of hurricane experience; however, the unprecedented damage during last year's hurricane season taught us a great deal about our network and what we needed to do to make it even stronger," said Bill Smith, BellSouth's Chief Technology Officer. "We are confident in our readiness and ability to keep our customers connected or, at a minimum, reconnect them quickly."

Since last year, the company has done a number of things to prepare for the 2006 hurricane season. Those preparations included increasing its supply of emergency generators to provide power to its network in the event commercial power is lost. Currently, many of BellSouth's switching facilities include permanent generators, some of which are fueled by natural gas and do not require re-fueling. Several additional steps have been taken to prepare for this hurricane season.

"Just as important as our preparedness efforts, we want residents and businesses in Florida to be equally prepared," continued Smith. BellSouth offers customers several tips to stay safe, smart and connected before, during, and after a hurricane or other natural disaster.

Time Warner's AOL recently announced partnerships with 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group that will offer consumers downloadable movies through the AOL Video portal. These new partnerships complement the more than 17 video content partnerships and more than 45 on-demand channels that AOL Video announced in July. Available to anyone on the Web at AOLvideo.com, the AOL Video portal is a one-stop, high-quality entertainment destination to find, watch and share millions of free streaming and pay-to-download video content from across the Web, broadcast and cable television, and movies.

Through AOL Video, popular movie titles—including recent DVD releases and a large selection of movies representing all genres—from 20th Century Fox, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group will be available for purchase and download with prices ranging from $9.99 to $19.99 per movie. Once downloaded, movies can be viewed offline as well as on other PCs and compatible portable devices.

Read more about AOL Video in the CNET News.com article AOL to sell digital movie downloads.

I posted about Qwest calling for data retention laws yesterday, but the company is now saying that the comments were a mistake and it is actually skeptical of the mandates by Congress.

In an interview with CNET News.com, Jennifer Mardosz, Qwest's corporate counsel and chief privacy officer, said that she misspoke during a panel discussion organized by the Progress and Freedom Foundation in Aspen, Colo. "I just completely misspoke there," Mardosz said. During the panel discussion, she said Qwest "absolutely" supports House of Representatives legislation sponsored by Rep. Diana DeGette mandating data retention—a requirement that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said will aid in terrorism and child exploitation investigations. "I associated (DeGette's) name with the female Colorado legislator that introduced the state legislation," Mardosz said. "That was just a pure and honest mistake that I made."

Qwest's revised position is more in sync with other telecommunications companies, which say they are already required by law to cooperate with criminal investigations and have been generally skeptical of broad, new mandates.

For more information on Qwest's turnabout, read the CNET News.com article Qwest on data retention laws: Oops.

Yahoo Inc. is testing a security service designed to prevent Web surfers from landing on sites that look like they are from Yahoo but actually fakes set up by criminals to carry out phishing scams. The service, currently supporting only U.S. Yahoo Web sites, lets users know if they have landed on a legitimate Yahoo sign-in Web page, preventing them from entering their Yahoo ID and password on a phishing site. A Yahoo spokeswoman said it is being tested and hasn't been officially announced.

A huge online security problem, phishing scams set up legitimate-looking Web sites from well-known companies, such as banks, online stores, and Web portals, and try to lure people to them via e-mail and other methods. The scammer's main goal is to convince people to enter sensitive information, such as passwords and credit card numbers, leaving them vulnerable to ID theft and fraud.

Each Yahoo sign-in seal will be associated with an individual computer, requiring to installation on every computer a person plans on using. Once installed, the seal will appear on Yahoo sign-in screens, letting the user know the site is genuine. To create a seal, users will need to either enter text terms or upload an image unique to them. This information is displayed in the seal that only appears on legitimate Yahoo sign-in screens.

Test this new Yahoo! service or read more about it in the PCWORLD article Yahoo Tests Antiphishing Service. 

In an effort to combat unauthorized data brokers obtaining and selling its customers' calling records, AT&T's services division filed a lawsuit in U.S district court in San Antonio, Texas, this week to block 25 unnamed defendants who have allegedly pretended to be customers to gain access to account information.

AT&T said that the so-called data brokers had fraudulently obtained records for some 2,500 customers. The company believes the lawsuit will help it identify the perpetrators through e-mail addresses and Internet Protocol addresses. Once it identifies the data brokers, the company plans to seek an injunction as well as a return of profits earned from selling customer information. In addition, AT&T customers affected by the data breach have been notified and access to their online accounts has been frozen.

Earlier this year, wireless phone companies Cingular, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless each filed lawsuits against companies that own Web sites that allegedly sell customer information. T-Mobile and Cingular have each won temporary restraining orders against perpetrators.

AT&T said it has taken additional steps to prevent this type of activity in the future. "Regrettably, there are always people looking for ways to circumvent the system," Priscilla Hill-Ardoin, chief privacy officer for AT&T, said in a statement. "But we intend to remain vigilant in order to keep our customers' information secure."

Read more about what the company is doing to protect its customers' privacy in the AT&T press release AT&T Services Inc. Files Suit to Bar Data Brokers from Unauthorized Access to Customer Data.

In the wake of AOL's release of user search data, broadband company Qwest Communications is the lone provider strongly endorsing federal legislation requiring Internet providers to keep records of their customers' behavior.

"We support legislation," Jennifer Mardosz, Qwest's corporate counsel and chief privacy officer, said this week. "We want to be at the table. We want to have these discussions. The main thing is what's reasonable and balancing the interests of privacy and law enforcement." According to Mardosz, Qwest already keeps logs for more than 99 percent of its services for one year.

The endorsement is an unusual stand for Qwest, which defended its customers' privacy rights when requiring the National Security Agency to obtain a court order to conduct electronic surveillance, according to a USA Today article in May. Their enthusiastic support of mandatory data retention could make it politically easier for members of Congress to enact new laws even if other companies remain staunchly opposed.

Read more about Qwest's position and the propsed legislation in the CNETnews.com article Qwest calls for mandatory data retention laws.   

I guess all the gearing up I've been doing for the new NFL season has me focusing on sports, so I am also going update on the Time Warner/NFL Network dispute I posted about last week. According to several news reports, Time Warner Cable has threatened to go to court to overturn a decision forcing the cable company to reinstate the NFL Network on some of its systems.

"Given the extraordinary nature of the injunction and the immediate harm it will cause if not lifted immediately, Time Warner will have no choice but to obtain judicial relief to protect its interest and those of its customers, if the bureau or the commission has not acted by 10 a.m. eastern time on Monday," the company said in its Aug. 3 appeal to the FCC.

Time Warner argued that the FCC acted without giving it a chance to respond, the agency exceeded its authority by requiring the channel be restored and that the order "inflicts severe, immediate and irreparable harm" on Time Warner Cable and its customers.

The FCC's Media Bureau rejected Time Warner's requests to stay its decision, reconsider it and refer the matter to the five FCC commissioners for a ruling. "The Commission's obligation is first and foremost to the consumer—not to the private interests of Time Warner or NFL Network—and because of this we again find continued carriage to be in the public interest," said FCC spokeswoman Rebecca Fisher. The agency also noted that approximately 30,000 complaints had already been registered with the two companies.

Time Warner Cable has said the NFL Network wants a 350 percent increase over the rate Adelphia was paying, or approximately $100 million. A spokesman for the channel disputed that rate and said the fight was about whether it would be relegated to a sports package or available more broadly. "No other provider in the country carries us on a sports tier and we refuse to have Time Warner do so," said NFL Network spokesman Seth Palansky. "We have not had any subsequent conversations but would hope that we can soon."

About one-third of the subscribers Time Warner acquired had received the NFL Network, but the majority saw it by paying for a digital or sports package instead of through a basic cable package, according to the company.

According to a new Consumer Reports survey, consumers paid as much as $7.8 billion over the last two years to repair or replace computers infected with viruses and spyware. While the figure is down from a similar survey a year ago, the new survey shows that people are still paying a high price to deal with those problems.

The magazine found that spam e-mail is the biggest computer-security problem. However, viruses are the most expensive, with a price tag of $5.2 billion in 2004 and 2005 to repair or replace infected computers. Consumers also reported losing $630 million in 2004 and 2005 to phishing scams, the fake e-mails and Web pages that ask for private information such as account numbers and passwords.

Read more about the survey in the article Viruses, Spyware Cost Users $7.8 Billion or check your newsstand for the Consumer Reports issue in September.

The AT&T Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AT&T Inc., recently announced a $1 million grant to the Community Technology Centers' Network (CTCNet) to provide new technology resources for people with all types of disabilities, including learning disabilities. In collaboration with the Alliance for Technology Access (ATA), CTCNet will upgrade technology services and equipment to benefit people with disabilities at community technology centers nationwide.

As part of the three-year $100 million AT&T AccessAll initiative to provide technology access to underserved communities, the AT&T Foundation grant will fund training for community technology center staff on universal design and assistive technology to create stronger community learning environments that can accommodate multiple learning styles and abilities. Additionally, the grant will fund the purchase of assistive technology devices, which help users build skills and use technology to overcome challenges. CTCNet will make AT&T grant funds available to regional centers though a competitive application process.

The grant to CTCNet is part of the AT&T AccessAll signature philanthropic initiative, a landmark three-year $100 million program that connects families and communities with technology tools that can improve lives. The program builds on the AT&T Foundation's existing investment in technology for the underserved, which totals nearly $83 million.

Read more about this initiative in the AT&T press release.

The Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime, the first and only international treaty designed exclusively to combat computer crime, won approval last week from the U.S. Senate. The treaty was created to streamline computer crime laws globally, especially those in smaller or less developed nations that may not have updated their legal framework to reflect the complexities of the Internet. The treaty requires participating countries to target broad list of activities, including unauthorized intrusions into networks, fraud, the release of worms and viruses, child pornography and copyright infringement.

The Council consists of 45 member states, including all of the European Union, and five nonvoting members, of which the United States is one. Negotiations on the treaty began in 1997, and so far, 15 European nations, including Albania, Denmark, France, Norway and Ukraine, have fully ratified the final document.

Read more about the treaty in the article Senate ratifies controversial cybercrime treaty.

AT&T recenctly announced that the AT&T Blue Room will give fans unprecedented front-row access to the Lollapalooza festival through daily, live webcasts of big-name performances, a 24-hour streaming radio station featuring interviews and shows by past and present Lollapalooza artists and on-site promotional opportunities for concert attendees.

The AT&T Blue Room is AT&T's online portal featuring exclusive musical content—such as in-studio interviews, live performances and unedited commentary by chart-topping artists—and is one of the fastest-growing live webcast sites in the industry.

On Aug. 4 through 6, 2006, the AT&T Blue Room will feature exclusive performances from some of the more than 130 bands taking part in this year's Lollapalooza music festival. Webcasts will run from 12:30 to 10 p.m. CDT each day. Following the event, much of the content will be archived on the Blue Room allowing fans to relive the festival experience.

Check out the AT&T Blue room at http://blueroom.att.com.

TiVo Inc., a creator of and leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), announced that it has been recognized by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with a 2006 Emmy Award for outstanding achievement in enhanced television programming.

"TiVo is proud to receive an Emmy Award and recognition from the Academy and its peers for the innovative services that it provides in enhancing the viewing of television by bringing it to a whole new level," said Tom Rogers, President and CEO of TiVo.

This year's Interactive Television Emmy Awards recognize original interactive television programming content, applications and services that have been deployed in the United States between June 1, 2005 and May 31, 2006 and that have demonstrated creative excellence. Other finalists in this category include AOL Music on Demand, CNN Enhanced and DirecTV Interactive Sports. Awards will be presented at the Creative Arts Awards Ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, August 19.

The U.S. Senate will not vote on a bill to ban Internet gambling before the chamber takes its August recess. Supporters of the legislation were trying to push it through the Senate quickly following the arrest of David Carruthers, the chief executive of BETonSPORTS, on charges of racketeering and conspiracy. However,  lawmakers are still working on the bill and will not be able to hold a floor vote before the Senate recesses for its August vacation.

Almost identical to legislation overwhelmingly approved earlier in July by the U.S. House of Representatives, the Republican-backed bill would prohibit most forms of Internet gambling and make it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make payments to online gambling sites. Critics of the bill contend that it is an election-year appeal to the party's conservative base, but supporters claim legislation is needed to clarify that a 1961 federal law banning sports betting also covers an array of online gambling.

According to iDefense, a computer security group, more than one million users of MySpace.com and other Web sites may have been infected with adware spread by a banner advertisement for a site called deckoutyourdeck.com. The banner appeared in user profiles on MySpace and exploits a problem in the way Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser handles Windows Metafile (WMF) image files. MySpace has been targeted by hackers because of its popularity, but site officials contacted in London had no immediate comment.

Learn more about this threat in the article Ad Dishes Up Adware to More Than a Million PCs.

Golfer Ben Crenshaw recently signed an endorsement deal with Time Warner Cable to become its newest spokesperson. Crenshaw will promote Time Warner Cable high-speed Internet, cable and phone services through print and media ads and corporate outings for the next three years. A professional golfer for 33 years, Crenshaw won the Masters in 1984 and 1995 and captained the last winning U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1999.

Fox Interactive Media announced last week that they are creating a multimedia campaign to spread advice regarding online safety. Through a partnership with the National PTA and Common Sense Media, they plan to air TV and Web ads, as well as create informational materials. Public-service announcements will feature Kiefer Sutherland, star of Fox's "24", and play on Fox-owned television networks, as well as Fox's online properties. Common Sense, a nonprofit organization that specializes in family-oriented reviews of movies, TV, games and Web sites, will publish an "Internet Survival Guide for Parents" to accompany the announcements. To read more about this new program, check out CNET's article Fox launches online-safety campaign.

BellSouth is featuring live Internet broadcasts of key speeches and other events from the 97th Annual NAACP Annual Convention, July 16-20. This year's convention marks BellSouth's ninth consecutive year bringing the convention to NAACP members and supporters worldwide. The Webcast features video and audio feeds, as well as a photo gallery of speakers and events surrounding the convention. Archived, on-demand video access of speeches and the photo gallery will be available following the broadcasts. To view the Webcast, visit www.naacpwebcast.com.

Were you turned down on your natural gas service order? Or are you required to pay a large deposit to get your telephone, electricity and natural gas turned on? The reason for this is probably your credit score. Low credit scores affect several aspects of your life, including the prices you pay for your home essential services.

The only way to keep this from happening to you next time you try to switch on services at your home is for you to raise your credit rate, which may be easier than you think. Doing simple things like paying your bills on time and keeping your debt low can bring up your score.