Compiled by Anne Lindner
AOL Asks Permission for High-Speed Internet Services
AOL Time Warner requested regulatory approval from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission last week to offer high-speed Internet service from Juno Online Services and High Speed Access. AOL's US$106.2 billion purchase of Time Warner required it to offer services from two non-affiliated Internet service providers before offering its own high-speed services. Reuters reported that the company is ready to sell
high-speed service from Earthlink, with whom it struck a deal in November 2000, as well as from AOL, to Time Warner cable subscribers. The company said it plans to offer Earthlink's high-speed Internet service in the second half of this year while Juno, which was bought by its rival NetZero last month, intends to begin high-speed services over cable at about the same time. AOL made deals with High Speed Access in May and with Juno in late April.
M-Commerce Wallets on Horizon in Europe
Europe-based Mobey Forum recently announced the introduction of a mobile payment architecture that transforms wireless phones to m-commerce wallets. Mobey Forum is a group of cell phone manufacturers Ericsson, Nokia and Siemens and financial institutions including ABN AMRO Bank of The Netherlands, Banco Santander Central Hispano of Spain, UK-based Barclays Bank and Germany's Deutche Bank. It was founded in May 2000. M-banking is expected to see growth in Europe, said the consulting firm IDC, which recently reported that European mobile customers could number 270 million by 2003. Pilot systems for the m-commerce wallets are expected
within the year.
New Business Internet DSL from Sprint Canada
Sprint Canada Inc. has temporarily stepped up to the plate as Canada's only SDSL provider, although it acknowledges that won't be the case for long. Sprint Canada Inc. began its Business Internet DSL service in March and recently decided on a more aggressive product rollout. Paul D. Engels, vice president for enterprise marketing, confirmed that due to several companies going out of business, the product makes Sprint Canada the country's lone SDSL provider--for the moment. "At the moment we have a temporary advantage of being the only national provider," he said. "I'm certain that won't be the case for long."
Business Internet DSL is available in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary and gives companies the ability to quickly and securely exchange data via the Internet. The SDSL service available delivers speeds of up to 1.5 megabits per second each way, as opposed to ADSL service that offers high download speeds but slower uploads. It's designed for companies that frequently transfer large files or use sophisticated multimedia applications.
Engels said Sprint Canada plans to offer other flavors of DSL in the future and is also looking to expand to residential DSL service. The cost varies by the amount of bandwidth the user needs. Entry-level packages start at US$150 per month and average US$300 to $450 per month.
In Other High-Speed Internet Access News
Nokia has revealed its first high-speed Internet phone for North America. Called the Nokia 8390, the phone will be available later this year. The 8390 features a wireless application protocol micro browser for mobile Internet surfing. The new phone is single-band and will likely be priced as a standard mobile, as opposed to another high-speed Internet phone about to hit stores in the United States, the tri-band Motorola Timeport 260. That phone is expected to sell at a premium price. The plan is for Nokia to formally unveil the 8390 at the Comdex Fall IT show, which opens in Las Vegas on Nov. 12.
Auckland to Host Conference on Implications of Gambling
"Gambling: Understanding & Minimizing Harm - an International Overview" will take place in Auckland, New Zealand July 25 to July 28. The conference is the first major attempt at an international overview of the regulation and consumption of gambling and the implications for those involved in research, clinical practice, health promotion, education, public policy regulation and licensing. For details, contact the Compulsive Gambling Society of New Zealand at cgs@cgs.co.nz. The postal address is P.O. Box 26533, Epsom, Auckland, New Zealand.