Free Republic

The technological and economical development of Scandinavia (including Finland) is today more groundbreking than anywhere else in the world. The investments being made in relation to population size is mind-boggling. Despite a mere population of 25 million inhabitants, the combined GDP of the Scandinavian countries today ridicules that of a Russia often viewed to be a "reborn" super power "on the go" (combined Scandinavian GDP is actually 125% that of of Russia - and the gap is widening!!) But, let's focus on telecommunications here; Five bidders have paid €226 million ($346 million) for fourth generation (4G), super-fast mobile telephony licences,...

WASHINGTON -- A group of 24 conservative organizations have announced the formation of the Internet Freedom Coalition (IFC, www.internetfreedomcoalition.org) to oppose "net neutrality" regulations, which the groups say mark the first major attempt by Washington to regulate the Internet. "We're proud to join with other leading free market and faith-based organizations to ensure that the Internet remains driven by the free market, not by Washington bureaucrats and politicians," said Jason Wright, president of the Institute for Liberty and IFC co-director. At issue is a brewing battle that pits cable and telephone companies that provide Internet service – including AT&T and...

Lockheed Martin Corp. won a $168 million contract from the Vietnamese government to build and launch the country's first telecommunications satellite, state media reported on Friday. The U.S. firm, which beat Alcatel of France and Japan's Sumitomo Corp. in a tender this week, is scheduled to sign the contract with the state-run Vietnam Posts and Telecommunication Corp on Friday, the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported. The government has ordered the satellite to be launched on May 23, 2008, three years later than originally planned following extended negotiations on orbital slots. Industry experts said the satellite, named Vinasat, would help Vietnam save...

An expert on electronic media says that restricting a youngster's communication options is a modern version of child abuse. Children in Norway begin mobile phone use early. "If you deny a 14-year-old girl her mobile phone and MSN (Internet chat) access, it is just like child abuse," Elisabeth Staksrud told financial daily Dagens Næringsliv. Staksrud is the European Commission's expert on attitudes to electronic media, and she is convinced that children's use of the Internet is far more advanced than parents and employers believe. Next week the SAFT - Safety, Awareness, Facts and Tools - project, the world's biggest questionnaire...

SMS Revolution Shahram Rafizadeh Oct. 19, 2005 Blocking SMS (Short Message Service) is a new communications instrument that is taken very seriously by the new Iranian government and those in the Ministry of Communications. In order to confront and control SMS messaging and the relevant communications technology, president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his hard-line government ministers have seriously decided to take the necessary measures to limit the use of a technology that at critical junctures can be used by the government's critics and opposition groups. Iranian authorities believe that they have successfully completed their efforts to block internet access and have...

Violence in Iraq continues and the survival of the recently elected government remains shaky, but some companies are forging ahead, looking to help build the country's wireless telecommunications sector, UPI reported. The U.S invasion of Iraq in March 2003 destroyed much of the nation's telecom infrastructure. Now, analysts see profit potential not in rebuilding the system, but in replacing it with a thoroughly modern network driven largely by the private sector. According to the senior vice president of EMW in Herndon, a US consultancy group, like other developing countries, Iraq's immediate telecom needs would be better served by a mobile...

The Spanish-American War may have ended over a century ago, but anyone in the U.S. with a telephone line is paying a 3 percent "luxury" tax created to fund the conflict in 1898. That's a situation that a number of Republican senators would like to change. This week, they introduced a bill to repeal the Spanish-American War levy. "Common sense dictates that repeal of the telephone excise tax is long overdue," said Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa. "Communication is not a luxury. It has become part of the basic fabric of our social and economic life." Other sponsors of the Senate...

Apple Macintosh and iSight Video Conferencing technology . . . There's a lot of junk in technology, a lot of hassle and frustration, a lot of disappointment. But this moment was like a TV commercial. It was an emotional, powerful, simple, perfect example of how technology can change a moment, solve a problem, and despite the gulf of time and distance, bring you face to face with the people you love.

<p>Texas Instruments breaks new ground with its bundling of three technologies into a single chipset.</p> <p>Back in September, I wrote a column lauding Texas Instruments for its breakthrough designs that reduced from four to one the number of chips needed to operate a cell phone. Looks like the company is at it again.</p>