New Solution from Jungo Lets Broadband Operators Deploy a Nationwide Hotspot Service for Subscribers

Jungo Ltd., a leading provider of broadband service solutions, today announced the release of NationZone™, a gateway middleware-based solution that can transform every home gateway into an operator hotspot while fully maintaining the security and bandwidth assurance for the home.

As opposed to other hotspot services that require the rollout of new hardware, Jungo's NationZone enables Operators to “turn on” the wireless network through a simple remote upgrade of the CPE firmware, thereby leveraging their existing CPE infrastructure, and launching a new service that creates a true nationwide “zone” which provides value to subscribers from day one.

"Operators need to acquire new subscribers and expand revenues by offering new services, while minimizing infrastructure and operational costs involved with the rollout of the new service", said Eran Rom, Jungo's CEO. “With Jungo's NationZone™, Operators can introduce new services, create more revenues and increase customer loyalty by utilizing the excess bandwidth and processing the power of millions of CPEs already deployed in the field".

Companies 'not ready for disasters'

Many companies are not ready should the worst happen, the security software company Symantec has reported.

Though 91 percent of IT companies do carry out tests of their disaster-recovery abilities, more than half of those tests fail, a recent in-depth study found. Many IT professionals fear that a disaster could hurt their company's reputation, affect the loyalty of customers and result in company information being compromised, the research discovered.

Sean Derrington, director, storage management product marketing at Symantec, said: "IT executives are taking a fresh, hard look at their disaster recovery and business continuity strategies. "To protect against downtime, organizations must implement high availability and disaster recovery across their enterprise environments."

Companies also need to have procedures in place that allow for them to test their recovery abilities, Mr Derrington added. Meanwhile, Microsoft has found that phishing scams are successful approximately 0.4 percent of the time. For more information visit www.broadbandnational.com

Phishing 'dangerous to all sizes of business'

Phishing scams do not only target large businesses but are a danger for small to medium-sized enterprises as well, according to Equifax.

The credit reporting agency said that the cyber criminals behind phishing scams will target, individuals, big businesses and small businesses in the same way. External affairs director for Equifax Neil Munro said: "There's no doubt that corporates whether they be small businesses or large businesses are suffering from attempted stealing of identity the same way that individuals are. "Phishing can apply top those corporates the same way that it can apply to individuals."

Those running a small business may have more time constraints and therefore might not have as much time to practice safe internet practices, Mr Munro added. Also, figures from ClickZ.com show that many internet users are still not using the proper precautions when online. A full 44 per cent of those who bank online use the same password for all their online activities, ClickZ.com found.

Mobile search service unveiled by Microsoft

The software giant Microsoft has created a new mobile search service that allows users to use their voice when searching.

Dubbed Live Search Mobile, the service lets one access phone listings and maps, among other services. Users must download the search function to their Windows-based cell phone. Spurring the creation of the service is Microsoft's determination to capture a piece of the burgeoning mobile ad market.

Satya Nadella, corporate vice president of the search & advertising platform group at Microsoft, said: "Microsoft is building on several years of innovation in imagery and 3-D visualization, adding some of the most significant innovations to driving directions technology in the last several years." Now the company's 185 million customers can access "a wider variety of clients, platforms and devices", added Ms Nadella.

The maps and directions function of the service is the area that has been the most improved, according to the company.

Internet census taken

Researchers based in the US have taken a wide-ranging census of the internet's 2.8 billion addresses.

"Pings" were sent to each address by researchers at the Southern California Information Sciences Institute (ISI). The effort, which took 62 days, was the first of its kind to be carried out in the last two decades. John Heidemann, an ISI project leader, said: "An internet census is just that: every single assigned address in the entire internet was sent a probe."

"Internet census data is useful for several reasons. As the internet use becomes widespread, we are running out of internet addresses." By 2010 all internet addresses may already be taken up, Mr Heidemann added.

The Internet Engineering Task Force has seen the problem coming and has developed a protocol, dubbed IPv6, to solve it, however "deployment has been slow", Mr Heidemann continued. An internet census highlights the need to speed up the process, he said.

Asia domain launched

The .asia domain name has been officially made available today and is expected to be in high demand, it has been reported.

Both governments and large companies are expected to scramble to devise their own .asia names. And in February 2008 the domain name will be opened to the general public. During this period, if there is more than one application for the same domain name an auction will be held.

Lesley Cowley, chief executive of .uk registry Nominet, told the BBC: "There is going to be an ever-increasing number of suffixes. "Companies need to decide whether they are going to protect their registered marks in each and every one." Currently the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is looking into devising domain names in non-Latin characters.

Based in Marina Del Rey, California, ICANN is the body in charge of regulating domain names and IP addresses.

Move with the Changing Times by Switching To VoIP

VoIP has become a rage world over due to the numerous advantages it has over the traditional public switch telephony network. With the rising popularity the demand for VoIP service has increased tremendously in the past few years and continues to rise at a high rate.

VoIP termination can help the industry and residentials alike in following ways-

1. Cheaper rates - Now it is possible to make local calls at a cheaper rate. No need to pay around $30 just for dial tone anymore!
2. Cheaper long distance and ISD calls - VoIP offers long distance and international calls at a much reduced rate. There are some resellers who offer free unlimited calling to USA and maybe other destinations like Canada.
3. Ease of operations - It is very convenient to use VoIP termination service. One can make VoIP calls through their laptops, IP phone http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifor even their old fixed line phone.
4. Mobility - You can take your VoIP phone with you on a holiday or a business trip without having to worry about missing important calls while you are away.
5. Reduced operating cost - VoIP Telephony service needs lesser equipments to route the call thereby reducing the cost of operations. It uses minimum equipments as opposed to other modes of communication.
6. Flexibility - VoIP termination business plan assists mobile workers or contact center employees to work from their home or while on the move at much cheaper rates and in some cases free of cost too.

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Record labels triumph in music-sharing case

A Minnesota woman has been ordered to pay $222,000 in damages after courts ruled in the favor of the recording industry in a copyright infringement case.

Jammie Thomas, 30, shared 24 songs that she downloaded using the online service Kazaa. Though the single mother of two claimed she had not used her Kazaa account to share music, the court was showed overwhelming evidence that she had offered 1,700 songs to other users. The case is being seen as a landmark victory for the record industry in their ongoing fight against people sharing songs online.

A statement from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) said: "We welcome the jury's decision. "The law here is clear, as are the consequences for breaking it." This case marks the first time a lawsuit by the RIAA has gone to trial, as in the past defendants have chosen to settle out of court. Brian Toder, Ms Thomas' attorney, told the Associated Press: "She was in tears. She's devastated.

"This is a girl that lives from paycheck to paycheck and now all of a sudden she could get a quarter of her paycheck garnished for the rest of her life."

Target website lawsuit made class action

A lawsuit being filed against Target for not ensuring that its website is usable by the blind has been made into a class-action by a federal judge in San Francisco.

This means that all the blind people in America who have tried to use the Target website can automatically become plaintiffs in the case. The lawsuit is alleging that by not using the technology available to help make websites more user-friendly for the blind, Target is violating the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Dr Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind, told the Associated Press: "This is a tremendous step forward for blind people throughout the country who for too long have been denied equal access to the internet economy. "All e-commerce businesses should take note of this decision and immediately take steps to open their doors to the blind." Target has outlets in every state in America excepting Vermont, Hawaii Alaska.

eBay Rethinks Skype Purchase

The Internet auction giant eBay has acknowledged that it paid too much for the Internet phone service Skype, which it acquired in 2005 for $2.6 billion.

Now Skype is to take a charge of $1.43 billion, as projected earnings have not matched up to reality. Though the popular calling service is expanding its membership, it is not doing nearly as good a job of actually making money.

Niklas Zennstrom, the co-founder and chief executive of Skype, has now resigned, though he will remain as a non-executive chairman of the board. He told InternetNews.com: "My plan was to leave the company when I thought it was ready for the change and when the earn-out had been paid.

"The company now has a solid plan and I'm pleased with the earn-out settlement." Mr Zennstrom and the co-founder of Skype, Janus Friis, are also the duo behind the new internet TV service Joost.

Qwest Boosts Security

Qwest, has released a program to help its customers protect themselves from viruses and malware on the internet.

Dubbed the Customer Internet Protection Program (CIPP), it also aids customers whose computers have already been infected with damaging malware. When a virus or malware is detected by CIPP, it notifies the user and tells them how to combat the infection as well as giving advice on how to avoid falling victim to new hazards.

Melodi Gates, Qwest director of risk management and chief information security officer, said: "Internet security is a top priority for internet users and for Qwest. "Most people don't even know when their computers become infected, so Qwest's goal is not only to help customers get rid of the infections, but also to make sure customers are armed with information to maintain strong levels of internet security going forward."

All PC owners should make sure that their machine runs a supported operating system, Qwest advised. For information on other digital products and services visit www.dsldance.com

Verizon celebrates FiOS anniversary

Earlier this week the communications giant Verizon recognized the second anniversary of its revolutionary FiOS TV product.

Since being introduced in September 2005 FiOS has proved a smash-hit with Verizon customers, the company claims. FiOS was first introduced in Texas and so far over a quarter of Verizon customers in the state have signed ohttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifn to the service. Kurt Scherf, vice president and principal analyst for Parks Associates, said: "Verizon is leveraging its infrastructure and technology advantages - its fiber-optic network, the in-home network and the FiOS TV platform - to maximum effect.

"At this point, FiOS TV is 18 months to two years ahead of where the rest of the industry needs to be." Last year Verizon introduced the Home Media DVR service for FiOS, as well as the interactive media guide. Using DVR, customers can watch different previously-recorded shows on as many as three TVs in different rooms. The name Verizon is a combination of the words veritas and horizon. For more information on digital products and services visit www.dsldance.com

D-Link Adds More Than 200 'Channels' of Internet Video to the TV

D-Link(R) Media Player (DSM-520) Now Provides TV Access to YouTube, Google Video, BBC News and Hundreds More Online Video Providers

D-Link, the end-to-end networking solutions provider for business and consumers, keeps changing the way we watch television.

Today D-Link announced it has expanded the capabilities of digital
media adapters (DMAs) by adding more than 200 channels of Internet TV to
its best-selling MediaLounge(TM) Wireless HD Media Player (DSM-520), a
wireless device that allows users to enjoy videos, music, photos and more
from a PC on a TV using a simple remote control.

More than 200 online channels serving millions of Internet videos are
brought to the TV by the D-Link HD MediaLounge Player using active-TV
technology, a new service that allows easy access to Internet video and
entertainment sites with a remote control.

In contrast to competing DMA products, the D-Link DSM-520 with
active-TV technology makes it possible for consumers to play video files
saved in a wide range of formats and allows users to add additional
Internet video sites to the active-TV channel selection themselves.
Active-TV technology utilizes a content aggregator developed by MediaMall
Technologies, a company that regularly adds additional channels to its
lineup of Internet content.

The active-TV line-up includes programming from 36 U.S. channels,
offering movies and music videos, radio stations, sports, news
entertainment and shopping. In addition to YouTube, some of the notable
channels include: Comedy Central, AOL Video, CinemaNow, Google Video,
Movielink, ROOtv Music Videos, Akimbo, MTV, Musicmatch, Napster, VH1, ESPN,
FOX Sports, MSN TV Today, Reuters News, Yahoo! Sports and eBay.

The new Internet TV lineup also includes international programming from
14 countries, including the BBC and other networks from the United Kingdom,
along with digital entertainment from Australia, Denmark, Sweden, the
Netherlands, Spain, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Norway, Poland and Taiwan.

The D-Link DSM-520 can also access videos, music and photos stored on
PCs across a home network, a shared network storage device, as well as
files stored on a USB flash drive, or external hard drive via a USB 2.0
port.

The D-Link MediaLounge with expanded Internet programming is now
shipping. Existing DSM-520 customers will receive a free upgrade to their
products that will allow them to access the new channels. The upgrade is
available now for Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP and Windows Vista(TM)
operating systems.

"Our MediaLounge Player has revolutionized the way people receive and
watch digital entertainment. Now you can expand your viewing beyond the PC
and bring a vast amount of Internet TV directly to your living room," said
Steven Joe, President and CEO of D-Link Systems, Inc. "There are other
media players out there, but they only provide limited programming. With
D-Link's MediaLounge player, the channel line up is already far-reaching
and continually expanding."

The DSM-520 ensures HD picture and digital audio quality with the
built-in High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port. The HDMI
connection provides the purest digital audio and video signals in a single
cable that maximizes the potential of your HD home entertainment center.
Other video connectors include component, S-video, and composite output,
ensuring compatibility with virtually all television sets. The DSM-520 also
supports coax and optical digital audio output for delivering high fidelity
digital surround sound.

To learn more about the D-Link DSM-520 MediaLounge Player and for a
complete list of programming, please visit http://www.dlink.com/activetv.

AT&T scraps parental controls

Communications giant AT&T has announced that it has been forced to at least temporarily abandon its parental control service for children's cell phones.

Dubbed Smart Limits, the service could potentially interfere with the children's access to the 911 emergency number, AT&T admitted. The company said that though user's who had cell phones with Smart Service could call 911, they were often cut off and the operator would be incapable of calling them back. AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel said: "The service was very well received by customers in the first few weeks it was available.

"But the safety and security of our customers comes first. We plan to reintroduce the service as quickly as we possibly can." Smart Limits allows parents to block calls from certain numbers, as well as block any calls coming in from numbers that are not recognized. Additionally, if there is a web browsing service on the phone, the service can block access to certain websites.

AT&T Announces $750 Million Investment to Bring Florida Consumers New Video Services, Choice and Competition

As a direct result of a new state law that encourages statewide video competition, AT&T Inc. has announced plans to invest approximately $750 million during the next several years in fiber network upgrades, further broadband deployment and Internet-based technologies to bring new services, including cutting-edge television, to Florida consumers.

These upgrades are a direct result of House Bill 529 being passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law in May by Gov. Charlie Crist. "We look forward to bringing Florida consumers not only choice and competition but also advanced video, voice and Internet service technology," said Marshall Criser, president, AT&T Florida. "We especially commend Governor Crist, Representathttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifive Trey Traviesa, state Senator Mike Bennett and all of the members of the Florida Legislature for their
vision."

The Consumer Choice Act of 2007, HB 529, brings a new world of communications and entertainment for consumers. HB 529 will also encourage investment in next-generation broadband network infrastructure and will help bring new technology and jobs to Florida. According to the Internet Innovation Alliance, increased competition in the video market would result in increased investment across the industry and spur new entrants, contractors, equipment- makers, manufacturers and service-providers to
create nearly 7,000 jobs in Florida.

The Consumer Choice Act was vigorously supported by consumer groups, business groups and tens of thousands of citizens throughout the state.

AT&T's infrastructure and investment will include a new world of communications and entertainment through AT&T U-verse(SM) service. AT&T is the only major U.S. provider to offer a 100 percent Internet Protocol (IP)-based television service, and that makes AT&T U-verse TV one of the most robust and feature-rich services available today. The planned network investment in Florida by AT&T companies does not change AT&T's capital expenditure guidance for 2007 and 2008. AT&T is in the process of updating its U-verse deployment plans for the Southeast region and expects to provide an update later this year.

Comcast Shuts Down Prolific Downloaders

The internet provider Comcast has denied service to several of its customers because they download excessively, it has been reported.

Those that download large amounts of content use up more bandwidth than their fair share and make the internet slower for others, the company has stated. However, Comcast has refrained from specifying what the limits on downloading are for its customers.

Comcast spokeswoman Lorena Hernandez told the San Mateo County Times: "Comcast has a responsibility to give [our customers] a good experience and address any issues that may impact that experience." "It shouldn't be a problem if they are using the residential high-speed internet as intended."

The company has refused to say exactly how many customers were cut off. Comcast, which was founded in 1963, is currently the second-largest internet provider in the US. It has an estimated 24 million cable customers and 14 million subscribers to digital cable. Click here for information on other digital products and services.

Nokia Offers Enhanced Security

The Finnish cell phone manufacturer Nokia has announced that it has allied with the companies Check Point and Intel to boost its security capabilities.

Resulting from the collaboration between the companies is the Nokia IP2450 security platform just released by Nokia. The product represents the cutting-edge in security and utilizes the latest innovations in chipsets, the company claims.

Tom Furlong, vice president, security and mobile connectivity at Nokia, said: "As threats become more sophisticated and as network traffic patterns change, security solutions must perform deeper inspections of more sizes and types of packets faster than ever before." "As a result, large businesses and service providers are demanding higher performance from their security appliances."

Nokia IP2450 also lets businesses "control costs and maximize investments", Mr Furlong added. If a business is growing, the Nokia IP 2450 gives it the option of increasing the capacity of the platform to 20 Gigabits. Nokia is currently the world's largest manufacturer of cell phones.

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National Lampoon Returns to Live Comedy Production

America’s Favorite Comedy Brand Brings All New Re-Imagined Hit Lemmings Back to the Stage

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Lampoon, Inc. (AMEX:NLN), the most widely recognized brand in comedy, today announced that it will return to producing live entertainment, with a reconceived re-imagined version of the Broadway show, NATIONAL LAMPOON LEMMINGS Comedy Troupe Presents America 2.0.

With the creation of the new 90-minute interactive show, National Lampoon is re-entering the live production arena and will roll-out NATIONAL LAMPOON LEMMINGS Comedy Troupe: America 2.0 as a franchise. NATIONAL LAMPOON LEMMINGS will go on tour this fall, with performances at colleges, theatres, casinos, and corporate events across the country with plans to establish permanent play dates in major entertainment cities.

A satire on today’s blown out tabloid world, National Lampoon’s Lemmings: America 2.0 will skewer the madness of modern American life from left to right and from the ridiculous to the sublime. Characters include the Gangsta Rap Wizards and Michael Vick touting his new dog food, “Big Ass Chucks of Little Dog.” Between the sketches, the hilarity stays at a fever pitch with the Lemmings' award-winning short films. In the best traditions of National Lampoon, the Lemmings show unleashes a whole new pantheon of unforgettable sketch routines in one evening of live, multi-media, cutting-edge comedy.

Similarly to its 1970s counterpart, which launched the careers of John Belushi, Christopher Guest and Chevy Chase, NATIONAL LAMPOON LEMMINGS Comedy Troupe will showcase the very best young sketch comedians working today. “We have created a stable of talented actors, writers and filmmakers we look to grow within our family in our many television, film and Internet projects. Not unlike the original magazine,” states LEMMINGS Producer Amber J. Lawson. Individual cast credits already include appearances on MTV, Comedy Central, The Aspen and Montreal Comedy Festivals and every major broadcast network.

The LEMMINGS show was created by director/producer Jay Leggett (In Living Color, Without A Paddle), producer Amber J. Lawson and executive-producer Scott Rubin, who also serves as National Lampoon’s Editor-in-Chief, the cast: Adam Devine (Mama’s Boy), Anders Holms, Annie Savage, Blake Anderson, Jen Cain, Jillian Bell, John Moody, Mark Gagliardi (According to Jim, How I Met Your Mother) and Sitara Falcon (Club Fiji) and writers: Haley Mancini (Palisades, Prom Queen), Mike Rosolio, Andy Goldenberg, Pip Lilly and Beth Dover (The Ten). Video creations by Kyle Newacheck.

The official world premiere of LEMMINGS will be held at the ACME Comedy Theater in Los Angeles September 19, 2007 and will be followed by an extended Wednesday night 8 p.m. run at the Hollywood Improv starting early October.

“This is a frenetically fast-paced show that parodies everything wrong and right about America today,” said Jay Leggett, director and co-producer of LEMMINGS: America 2.0. “In the tradition of National Lampoon nothing is sacred and no corner stone of contemporary society is left untouched. With short film, interactive elements, stand-up humor, impressions and more, there is something here for everyone.”

“The Original Lemmings was a groundbreaking event in comedy and National Lampoon’s 37 year history,” said Scott Rubin, editor-in-chief of National Lampoon. “With the new Lemmings show we are making a bold statement that National Lampoon is committed to developing the next generation of brilliant writers and performers. We know the shoulders we're standing on, our own glorious past, and we are determined, with the Lemmings show, to deliver National Lampoon’s next golden age. Get ready, the dawn of the new National Lampoon is upon us!”

For more information about the Lemmings show, please visit www.nationallampoon.com/lemmings.

Yahoo Acquires BlueLithium

Yahoo has acquired the ad company BlueLithium for $300 million in cash, it has been announced.

The move is the latest in a scramble between the internet goliaths for control of the lucrative online advertising market. BlueLithium, which is based in San Jose, is capable of reaching 66 percent of Internet users, making it the fifth largest ad network in the US.

Todd Teresi, senior vice president of Yahoo Publisher Network, said: "Yahoo has been very strong on the branding side of the business, but has struggled in recent months on the direct marketing side. "This absolutely is right in line with our strategy to get that business back on track and accelerate our growth." In April Google came to an agreement with the ad company DoubleClick to acquire it for $3.1 billion in cash. However, the acquisition has been delayed to allow US regulators to examine the deal, as it may break antitrust laws.


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UK Catches Up in Broadband

SEPTEMBER 5, 2007
Britons get a choice of providers and speeds.

In May 2007, 15.23 million UK households had Internet access, according to the UK Office of National Statistics' "2007 Omnibus Survey." That represents 61% of UK households, up nearly 7% since the previous year's study. "The UK government has managed to successfully create a regulatory environment that has fostered competition in the sector," said eMarketer senior analyst Ben Macklin.

"Separating the wholesale and retail arms of British Telecom has given smaller ISPs and access providers an opportunity to compete with their bigger rivals," he said. Just over one-half of UK households had Internet access in 2007, up 40% from 2006. More than eight in 10 UK households with Internet now have broadband connections. In March 2007, eMarketer put UK household broadband penetration at 47.1%. eMarketer projected that the UK's broadband penetration rate would increase to nearly 76.8% by 2011. The ONS itself does not make projections.

"Earlier this decade the UK was lagging badly behind many of its Western European and international counterparts in terms of broadband penetration," Mr. Macklin said. "But the UK is now one of the most competitive broadband markets in the world. "UK consumers now have a healthy choice of broadband in terms of price, service provider and technology," he said. The UK leads Europe's five largest markets in broadband uptake, both in the number of broadband households and penetration.

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