Search

The article focuses on the usage of the JackBe Presto Enterprise Server software by the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) to bring together strategic information from geographic and mapping data. It notes that mashup is generally understood to be a Web application that combines information from multiple sources to create a single new information. It was said that the initial development of JackBe software at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) project inspired DISA to deploy it across the Department of Defense. Furthermore, with the help of JackBe enterprise mashup tools, DISA's strategic Watch brings together data from the variety of sources to enable the military to respond should a domestic crisis occurs.

The article focuses on the issue concerning the speed of the Internet connections of Comcast Corp., where some users have discovered that their connections were not that fast particularly when running certain applications the U.S. It appears that Comcast is intentionally applying technology to slow down services as diverse as BitTorrent and Lotus Notes over its networks. On the other hand, it notes that the company has provided network-neutrality advocates with a perfect argument for their cause.

The article discusses the impact of integrating advanced and unified communications systems on business operations in the U.S. According to the author, the advancement of communication technology provides bigger problem and challenges on how to manage the overflowing of information as well as the burden it creates on customers wherein some information are wasted. Unified communication (UM) provide a real-time communication process as well as how it will be delivered to the proper receiver, while unified messaging involves messages collection from different sources in a consistent retrieval approach. In addition, UC/UM provides benefits to customers, including streamlining of data deliver, higher investment return and improved comfort in the utilization of the systems.

The article focuses on the Indiana State Lottery, the Indianapolis-based agency struck a deal with Cole Systems Associates Inc., a systems integrator in New York, to install a real-time data distribution system and outfit sales staff with tablet PCs to access the data. Cole Systems designed a straightforward system: a Microsoft Corp. SQL server housed at lottery headquarters that pulls sales data as needed from the agency's main computer, an IBM AS/400. The Microsoft SQL server runs Cole's Order-Pad Enterprise application, which manages queries from sales agents and supplies them with the data they need in real time. Sales agents make their queries through an OrderPad client application on their tablet or a desktop PC if they happen to be at a lottery office. According to Adam Perlow, Cole's vice president for technology, the linchpin of the system was the ability to achieve timely downloads even with low bandwidth or poor connections. Lottery agents might tap into the database under all sorts of conditions: from a cellular phone while sitting in a car, via dial-up while eating breakfast or from a broadband connection at the office.

With this month’s approval by the federal communications commission of an Ultra-Wideband chip set, device designers and users can enjoy new options for robust, high-bandwidth wireless connections with minimal power consumption. Freescale’s announcement calls the XS110 the first FCC-approved UWB chip set. This is not strictly correct--a chip set from Time Domain Corp., of Huntsville, Alaska, was certified in September 2002. However, Time Domain’s offerings have so far focused on data rates of less than 10M bps, with applications in high-reliability communications and high-resolution radar and other somewhat-exotic realms. UBD Radio Technology is so different from prevailing radio practice that it almost seems like an entirely new engineering discipline. Conventional radio techniques treat bands of radio frequencies as almost the equivalent of real estate. To put this in terms of nightscapes and flashlights, every UWB user has the same kind of whitelight flashlight, but each is assigned a different distinctive timing pattern to use with a blinker switch--and is given a pair of glasses whose lenses can switch between being opaque or transparent, controlled by the same coded pattern.

Reports on the status of the bandwidth industry in the U.S. in 2001. Plan of WorldCom to acquire Digex that require selling of Intermedia Communications' network assets; Recommendation for vendors that sell hardware to optimize bandwidth use; Reasons for financial risks in the bandwidth business.

Details the deployment of asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) by telephone companies in the United States. GTE Telephone and US West as the first two companies to offer ADSL; Two distinct camps of ADSL deployment; Corporations as the first customers of this service; Estimates on how many existing lines can be served by ADSL; Challenges in the ADSL-based data service. INSET: ISPs beating telcos to high-speed punch, by C.W..

The author reflects on the implementation of municipal wireless communication systems in the U.S. He observes that municipalities that are starting to implement the system has been doing it for the wrong reasons. Moreover, he claims that many municipal projects end up costing taxpayers but providing few services. He also cites the cities that have successfully implemented the system.

The article offers information on several worldwide solution companies in the U.S. Intel Corp., world's largest chip maker and a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products, announces that its ramp desktop performance chip Core 2 Duo will be experiencing operational crisis due to brand confusion and tight chip inventories. On the other hand, Sprint Nextel, global provider of voice, data and Internet services, will build a new technology platform called WiMax network with the help of Intel Corp., Samsung and Motorola.

The article reports on the position of the U.S. in the global Internet excellence standings. Sadly, the U.S. position in the standings is not good, with statistics showing that it ranks staggeringly distant 25th in broadband coverage, far below South Korea and Japan at the top. Seventy-five percent of South Korean homes have access to broadband, compared with only 20 percent of the U.S. homes. Further, the average South Korean bandwidth is 20M bps, compared with 2M bps in the U.S. Another standard of Internet excellence, IPvG, is lagging behind in the U.S., the subject of incremental, piecemeal adoption. Maybe it is time to consider some serious incentives for ISPs that deliver higher bandwidth to customers, as well as for customers that purchase it. There is a stern need to wake up to the realization that the consequences of becoming an Internet also-ran are also grave in terms of the ability of the country's businesses to compete and its citizens to prosper. The consequences of staying behind could be stark.

The article presents information on mesh networking system that aims to improve bandwidth over traditional mesh networks by up to 50 times. MeshDynamics MD-300 family of software and hardware uses multiple radios and channels to reduce network latency and congestion, which can be a problem with voice traffic, said officials at the Santa Clara, California, company. Mesh networks dynamically route packets from node to node. Only one access point needs to be connected to the wired network, with the rest sharing a connection over the air. If there is only one radio on a node, as is the case with many traditional mesh networks, the node can't send and receive data at the same time, which can slow down traffic. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is working on a wireless mesh networking protocol, designated 802.11s. Government agencies have deployed mesh networks primarily for public safety communications; MeshDynamics has a system deployed at a U.S. Air Force base, which is evaluating the use of mesh for battlefield communications.

The article reports on the proposal of the U.S. Joint Committee on Taxation that rather than getting rid of the tax, the U.S. Congress should expand it to cover a broader range of services, including potentially all voice and data communications. While conceding that there is no compelling policy argument for imposing taxes on communications services, the committee said that it raises a lot of money, approximately $5.8 billion in 2003.

Two year old Wan Optlmization startup Peribit Networks this Fall will turn its attention to application response time and larger networks, with new software and hardware for each. The Santa Clara, California, company next month will add new PFA (Packet Flow Acceleration) technology to its Sequence Reducer hardware, which employs proprietary Molecular Sequence Reduction technology to compress redundant data flows crossing expensive WAN links. With wait times fairly lengthy over long distances, the PFA technology promises to bring LAN-like performance to users accessing remote ERP (enterprise resource planning) applications from one continent to the next, according to Peribit user Chip Greel, architect at Finisar Corp., in Sunnyvale, California.

Presents an update on satellite-based networking companies in the U.S. as of October 2001. Workforce reduction effort of Cidera, distributor of cached content; Closure of distribution network Edgix; Experimentation on the use of caller identification card in telephony.

Focuses on the introduction of second-generation Fiber Channel computer network products at the 2000 Comdex Computer Show in California. QLogic's bus adapter and switch; Emulex's LightPulse 9002 hosts bus adapter.

Provides information declining financial gains in the data competitive local exchange carriers and Internet services providers in the United States. introduction of telecommunication equipment for data-only service providers; Partnership of Accelerated with IPCell Technologies; Information on the Class 5 switches.

Interviews Greg Rohde, administrator at the United States Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, regarding the digital divide issue. Explanation regarding closing of the digital divide; His view on the role of advancements in technology in closing the divide; His view on the importance of working with the private sector on digital divide issues.

Discusses the dependability of a landline telephone service in the United States. Comparison to a cordless telephone; Concerns regarding the phaseout of landline telephone service; Plans of offering multiple voice lines over a digital subscriber line connection.

Reports on the promotion of digital subscriber line services in rural areas as demonstrated by Pioneer Communications' high-bandwidth services in Ulysses, Kansas. Types of communities served by the company; Services provided by Pioneer; Significance of bandwidth in rural communities.

Highlights a survey conducted by TeleChoice Inc. showing that the number of customers using Digital Subscriber Line technology in the United States, more than doubled in the first three months of 1999. Comparison of figures with cable modem users; Strategies needed by companies to promote DSL to customers; DSL service providers.

Presents trends in digital electronics in the United States as of May 26, 1997. Bundling of Spyglass Inc.'s Surfwatch software with NetChannel Inc.'s TV-based information and entertainment service; Efforts to establish the Secure Electronic Transaction standard by MasterCard International; Study on Americans' use of the Internet.

Reports on Metropolitan Fiber Systems Inc.'s announcement of its plan to use Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technology to provide faster Internet access service to its business customers and Internet service providers. Implication of the announcement on xDSL deployment; Implementation of a low-speed version of DSL as the first step in the company's plan.

Reports on the alignment of telephone companies in the United States with vendors to develop core Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line technology. Alignment of Amati with Motorola Semiconductor; Constant motion in the ADSL vendor community due to high demand from firms; Agreement of Amati Communications Corp. with Texas Instruments Inc.

Discusses the United States federal regulations increasing digital subscriber line (DSL) competition. Increase competition among DSL providers; Possibility for cheaper DSL; Low DSL manageability and service quality levels; Benefits for telecommuters, home-based businesses and small and medium-sized businesses. INSET: Local carriers prepare to share the phone lines..

States that Ascend Communications Inc. had partnered with corporate Internet service provider Lighthouse Communications Inc. to offer commercial digital subscriber line service (DSL) in Iowa. Where the services will be available; Contact information.

Provides information on personal communication service (PCS) digital networks for telecommunication in the United States as of September of 1997. The sound quality of PCS services; Mixing voice and data; Digital phones supporting the Internet Protocol (IP) protocol; PCS products; Areas they are available; Costs; Features.

Analyzes whether Rockwell International is monopolizing the two digital simultaneous voice and data technologies. Rockwell's DigiTalk speech-coding technology; Licensing of the speech-coding technology by the DSP Group; DigiTalk as the de facto standard.