Archive for February, 2010
Canada – Shaw to Begin Rolling Out 1-Gbps Fiber-Optic Broadband Service
February 28th, 2010 | 
Author: The new service will support download speeds of up to 1-Gbps, making it ten times faster than the company’s existing High-Speed Nitro offering, which runs at 100-Mbps.
Shaw expects to begin rolling out the FTTH service in April. Initially, it will likely only be available in a handful of newly-built apartment buildings in Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver.
Shaw to Begin Rolling Out 1-Gbps Fiber-Optic Broadband Service
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USA – FCC: Broadband Adoption and Use in America
Adults who do not have broadband at home fall into four categories:
Digitally Distant: 10% of the general population. Median age is 63. Half say that the internet is not relevant to their lives or they lack the digital literacy to adopt broadband.
Digital Hopefuls: 8% of the general population. Low-income, heavily Hispanic and African American. Likely to say they want to go online, but lack the resources.
Digitally Uncomfortable: 7% of the general population. Likely to own a computer, but lack skills and interest in taking advantage of all the internet has to offer.
Near Converts: 10% of the general population. Median age is 45. Cost is the biggest barrier to having broadband at home.
Zambia – Zain blames ZICTA for 3G rollout delay
The company’s managing director, David Holliday, argued that Zain Zambia was ready to introduce 3G services in the country once it had a license issued by ZICTA, writes Zambia’s publication The Post.
“We would have expected 3G and other licences under to have been issued by now. So, we are patiently waiting for the licence to be issued. Once this licence is issued, we’ll be ready to rollout 3G for the benefit of Zambian consumers”, told Holliday.
Zain Zambia is currently awaiting the Statutory Instrument for 3G to be released by the authority.
The mobile operator has invested over US $10 million in 3G infrastructure.
Also, Zain Zambia had made an announcement at the Lusaka Stock Exchange (LuSE), regarding the sale of its parent company. In the statement, the Zambian operator denies disposal of any shares, saying that it would remain 78,9% owned by Celtel Zambia Holding BV. The proposed sale of Zain’s African operations to India’s Bharti Airtel would also exclude Zain Sudan and Morocco.
Kuwaiti telecom operator Zain and Bharti Airtel are expected to sign a letter of intent for the US $9 billion African assets deal this week.
Zambia – Foreigners responsible for expensive telecom services
“ZICTA acknowledges that the cost of using ICT services in the country has continued to be high and needs to be regulated. The tariffs being implemented are still unreasonable”, told Richard Mwanza, acting executive director for ZITCA, to the parliamentary committee on communications, transport, works and supply.
He proposed that a cost service survey is needed in order to address the issue, which would cost around US $1 million.
He also specified that the dominance of foreign players in Zambia’s telecom sector, due to sound financial support from their countries of origin, is affecting the telecoms industry, resulting in high telecom costs and less prospects for local players.
Mwanza added that local telecom and Internet providers lack financial support from the Government and should be given incentives to support them and benefit consumers.
Member of Zambian parliament, Ng’andu Magande, who chaired the meeting, confirmed that the high number of foreign telecom companies in the country was an issue that must be addressed.
“The problem is that in this area, we have too many foreigners and there is a likelihood that money is not staying in the country. There is need to monitor just how much of the money being made is circulating within our economy,” he said, adding that local players need strong capital to compete with foreigners.
Unfortunately, not many Zambian companies are interested in investing in ICT sector, even being given incentives, he concluded.
Thailand – Poll: Thaksin should accept the verdict
They said the ex-premier should accept it because the court had justly made the verdict. Thaksin should also accept if in order to help restore peace and order in the country.
However, 32.6 per cent of the respondents disagreed with the court’s ruling, saying Thaksin should continue fighting for justice.
In addition, 81.5 per cent of them said Thaksin should use his remaining 30 billion baht money for the development of the country’s education system.
Meanwhile, 75.1 per cent wanted the ousted premier to give away the remaining wealth to poor people.
As many as 69.3 per cent of the respondents believed the court’s verdict would help curb politicians from using state authority for self-interest.
