Phone News Archives

AT&T; has announced an online sweepstakes program with the Atlanta Braves that gives fans the chance to win an opportunity to throw out the first pitch at an upcoming Braves home game. Fans can register by logging on to att.braves.com or by texting BRAVES to 36197 and submitting their best reason for why they should be selected to make the first pitch..

Fans can register for a chance to win now through Sept. 7. Upon registration, fans will be automatically entered to win the grand prize of throwing out the first pitch. Other winners will receive other prizes, including suite tickets, field visits, notebook computers, digital cameras and more. The top "pitches" submitted will be posted on att.braves.com. A random drawing will determine the winners.

"AT&T; is proud to be the official communications company for the Atlanta Braves," said Robert Bentley, vice president and general manager, AT&T; Georgia Market Area. "We look forward to expanding our online communications forum for fans to take part in activities involving the Braves."

You can read more about the sweepstakes here.

Ten aspiring comic book creators have moved one step closer in their bid to win a rare multi-media development and publishing deal as part of the second annual Platinum Studios' Comic Book Challenge, presented by AT&T;. The top 10 entrants were named on the AT&T; blue room (www.attblueroom.com) after judges deliberated over the top 50 entrants who convened in San Diego during the 2007 International Comic-Con convention to present their comic property concepts during the pitch phase of the competition.

Today through Aug. 25, fans can check out the comic creators and their entries, and cast their ballot for their favorite new comic book idea on the blue room site. Visitors can also view a video of each entrant's pitch. Votes through Aug. 13 will whittle the field from ten to three entrants, and subsequent votes through Aug. 25 for the three finalists will determine the winner who will ultimately receive a development and publishing contract with Platinum Studios. Fans can vote more than once for their top comic book picks.

AT&T; will make supplemental contest content available regularly on the blue room through the end of September, including video back-stories, judges' feedback, and additional commentary and interviews.

AT&T; will also distribute video-on-demand clips featuring the contest entrants across its wireless and TV screens through AT&T; U-verseSM TV, AT&T; HomezoneSM and MobiTV on Mobility services, brought to subscribers by AT&T; Universal Card. The content is being directed, written and produced by AT&T;'s expanding in-house creative group.

The panel of comic book experts and Hollywood insiders that moderated the pitches and selected the top 10 included John H. Williams, producer for the "Shrek" film series; actor Donald Faison of hit TV program "Scrubs"; and Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, chairman of Platinum Studios.

"The pitch phase of the competition was nothing short of absolutely amazing," said Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, chairman of Platinum Studios. "We knew the Comic Book Challenge would bring together some of the industry's best and brightest creators, but given the difficulty we had narrowing the field from the top 50 entrants to the top 10, I'm glad to now be putting the judging into the hands of the fans."

"This event highlights the unique capability AT&T; is developing to link entertainment and technology at every step of the process," said Michael Goldfine, head of development and production of AT&T; Entertainment Services. "We started with the concept of someone achieving his or her lifelong dream, brought it to life through content we developed in-house, and now are delivering it to consumers across the three screens that they use most ??? the PC, the TV, and the wireless screen."

The top 10 entries were submitted by Jorge Vega (Brockton, Mass.); Shawn Granger (La Verne, Calif.); Josiah Grahn (Richmond, Ky.); Mike Whittenberger (College Point, N.Y.); Kevin Buckley (San Francisco, Calif.); Melissa Diaz (Norristown, Pa.); Chris Rhodes (Westover, W.V.); David Davis (Hemet, Calif.); John Smallwood-Garcia (Brookfield, Conn.); and George Brawn (Alhambra, Calif.).

The winner of the 2007 Comic Book Challenge will be formally announced in late August, and the winner's comic book or graphic novel will be published and premiered at a major Wizard World convention in 2008.

Last year's Comic Book Challenge winner, D.J. Coffman, has earned fan accolades and winning reviews for the sold-out debut of his graphic novel "Hero By Night." The story centers on Jack King, a young man who discovers the secret lair of a 1950's superhero in his new apartment building and must decide whether to use the hero's source of power to become a superhero himself.

With the possibility of another summer of record-breaking electricity use, Verizon Wireless is assuring customers that the company prepared to keep its wireless network up and running during power outages that can result from summer storms and increased electricity usage due to high temperatures and humidity.

"Verizon Wireless is committed to providing reliable wireless communication for our customers during the dog days of summer and any type of summer weather emergency," said Dick Lynch, executive vice president and chief technical officer for Verizon Wireless. "Our year-round focus on improving and maintaining our network ensures that we are prepared to operate when our customers are most in need."

Verizon Wireless says its network is built for reliability in emergencies—such as power blackouts and extreme weather conditions—with redundancy capabilities in place to maintain services for customers.

The company says all facilities have battery back-up power and generators installed at all switching facilities, and many cell site locations. Verizon Wireless also a fleet of portable generators that can be deployed to provide emergency power during extended power outages to those cell sites without permanent generators. In addition, the company operates "Cell on Wheels" (COW), which are fully functional, generator-powered mobile cell sites that enhance coverage and capacity in a given area. A COW can accommodate both voice and CDMA data services.

Verizon Communications' national wireline network of central office switching systems also have back-up power in the form of batteries and back-up generators that automatically keep the switch running when commercial electrical power is lost. Verizon monitors traffic on the network around the clock, and says it can quickly manage calling and data traffic around problem areas. Much of Verizon's national inter-city network contains redundant and diverse routing so that customers can still make calls if one part of the network is damaged.

For more on how Verizon is preparing for the summer, check out the Verizon Wireless press release.

AT&T; announced recently that fans of celebrity cook and daytime host Rachael Ray are in for a new treat. Rachael Ray, along with AT&T; and LimeLife, a publisher of mobile content for women, announced have launched Rachael Ray Recipes on the Run—a new wireless application that allows subscribers to download recipes directly to their mobile phones. Subscribers to the service can access Rachael Ray recipes from anywhere along with cooking tips and shopping lists.

"I'm excited to bring my 30-minute recipes to mobile phones," said Rachael Ray. "With Recipes on the Run, I hope to make it easier for families and home cooks to know what ingredients to buy while actually at the food store—whether they are shopping for the entire week, or just grabbing a few things for a quick supper that night."

"In today's fast-paced society, consumers are turning to their wireless device to provide them with information and tools that help simplify their life," said Rob Hyatt, executive director of premium content for AT&T;'s wireless unit. "Rachael Ray Recipes on the Run provides AT&T; wireless customers with simple solutions and inspiration for balanced, easy-to-prepare meals and furthers our commitment to delivering rich content that is accessible anytime, anywhere."

For more information on the new service, check out the AT&T; press release.

Qwest Communications recently announced that it earned a Statement of Support from Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) as a "Five-Star Employer" in Utah. This is the highest honor ESGR awards to companies for their support of employees in the National Guard and Reserve.

In addition to keeping jobs available for returning employees, Qwest offers differential pay when military pay is lower than an employee's normal salary, and the company keeps most benefits in force during a leave of absence.

"We are gratified that Qwest employees know that while they are serving their country they do not have to worry about their civilian jobs," said James G. Martin, ESGR chairman for Utah.

Qwest also maintains contact with service members and their families and helps in other ways, including organizing drives to collect comfort items for shipment to U.S. personnel serving in the armed forces.

"Employees are the backbone of our company, and we go to great lengths to support them and their families as they serve their country," said Jerry Fenn, Qwest president for Utah.

For more information, check out the Qwest press release.

Wireless phone users can now help raise funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer by purchasing pink wireless phones from Qwest Communications and SANYO. Ten percent of all retail sales of the phones through October will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, with a minimum donation of $50,000 up to a maximum donation of $100,000. The Minneapolis Race for the Cure takes place on May 13.

These stylish and fun phones by Qwest and SANYO are available at approximately 100 Qwest retail locations in Qwest's 14-state service area. In addition to Qwest retail locations, the new phones will be sold through Qwest call centers and online.

"A key to our success at Komen for the Cure is that we collaborate with a variety of organizations to provide creative ways for people to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer," said Cindy Schneible, vice president of resource development at Susan G. Komen for the Cure. "We are proud to have the opportunity to partner with Qwest and SANYO to allow wireless phone users to make a bold statement about breast cancer awareness and a valuable contribution to breast cancer research and community outreach programs."

"This is the pink phone with a heart," said John Stanoch, Qwest's president for Minnesota. "We are proud to work with SANYO to advance this important cause, and we hope our pink phones become another symbol of Komen for the Cure's important work in our community."

With three different models to choose from, Qwest customers can choose the pink phone that fits their individual style. The sleek, ultra-slim SANYO Katana offers Bluetooth wireless technology, a built-in digital camera, and a high-resolution 2.2-inch color display. The SCP-2400 and SCP-3100 offer high-quality speakerphones and walkie-talkie-style communication for keeping in touch with family and friends.

"We are proud to partner with Qwest Wireless for the second year to support Komen for the Cure and the pink phone program," said Andy Kodera, senior vice president and general manager of SANYO Fisher Company's Wireless Communications Division. "Almost everyone carries their wireless phone with them on a daily basis; the pink phone with Qwest is a great way to get people talking about the program and to express support for breast cancer awareness wherever they go. Also, the funds raised by the sale of these pink phones will support Komen's research and outreach programs."

Qwest and SANYO will release two additional pink phones that will be part of this partnership later this summer.

For more information, check out the Qwest press release.

At a press conference last week on the National Mall, the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) joined with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters, the Federal Communications Commission, and representatives from national launch partners the Associated General Contractors of America, John Deere, The Travelers Companies, Inc., and Cox Communications, to ceremonially connect 811, the new national 'Call Before You Dig' number.

"Now that there is a single number to call, any time, there's no excuse for putting lives at risk by striking a utility line," said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters. "If 911 is the number you call to report emergencies, 811 is the number to call to prevent them."

The 811 number was designated by the FCC in 2005 at the direction of an Act of Congress in 2002. Its creation was supported by more than fifteen industry stakeholder groups who encouraged its development and creation and now promote its use nationwide.

To ensure that all Americans know and use 811, today's event on "America's Front Yard" also kicked off a national public education campaign, which will use an educational Web site, television and radio PSAs, industry and consumer outreach, and local events to raise awareness of the new number and demonstrate its relevance to consumers and professionals who conduct digging activities. Additionally, the campaign's national launch partners and promotional sponsors will promote the new number through a variety of tactics designed to leverage the grassroots power of their customers, clients and members, creating awareness and positive behavioral change among those most likely to dig.

"Knowing the approximate locations of where utility lines are buried before each digging project helps protect America's pipelines, industry and people," said CGA President Bob Kipp. "We believe the new 811 number will encourage more people to have their lines marked to protect themselves, their neighbors and their community."

Nationwide, risky assumptions about the location of underground utility lines, which are buried at various depths below the ground, lead to more than one unintentional hit per minute every day, every year. Even simple digging jobs can damage utility lines and disrupt vital services to an entire neighborhood, harm those who dig, and result in expensive fines and repair costs.

For more information about the 811 service, campaign, and a new national survey on consumer digging habits, visit www.call811.com.

The AT&T; Foundation—the philanthropic arm of AT&T;—and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) recently unveiled 32 locations that will house new community technology centers in low-income Hispanic communities through LULAC's Empower Hispanic America with Technology initiative. The centers, which are planned to be operational by the end of May, are being supported by a $1.5 million grant that builds upon the success of the AT&T; Foundation's $1 million grant to LULAC in 2004.

"In addition to creating 32 new technology centers, the funds will also enable us to maintain 23 current locations established under the previous grant," said LULAC National President Rosa Rosales. "More than 55,000 Latinos received access and instruction on computer technology through AT&T;'s support in 2004, and we expect this new grant to more than double the number of people we can help."

The grant to LULAC is a part of AT&T; AccessAll, a three-year $100 million philanthropic initiative to provide technology access to underserved communities. It will provide each new facility with computer equipment, personnel support, high-speed Internet service and videoconferencing. Eight of the new centers will be housed in LULAC National Educational Service Centers (LNESC), and 24 will be implemented at non-LNESC locations.

Clients served by the community technology centers are low-income and/or first-generation Hispanic-American youth and adults. While a higher percentage of Hispanics are employed compared with any other ethnic group (64 percent employment rate versus 63 percent for the next highest, Current Population Survey, April 2006), Hispanics are far more likely than the average American to be among the working poor. In addition, according to a new study by Pew Hispanic Center, 53 percent of Hispanics who are not online say this is because they do not have access. Empower Hispanic America with Technology is aimed at combating these inequities by giving Hispanics the necessary skills, and access, to compete in today's technology-driven workplaces.

"In today's digital world, the impact of connecting underserved communities with technology resources is immeasurable as we look at economic mobility," said Sonya Medina, director of the AT&T; Foundation. "Our support for the Empower Hispanic America with Technology initiative reflects AT&T;'s commitment to strengthening education and community development opportunities through technology."

The LULAC-affiliated centers provide access to and instruction on modern computer technology in addition to assistance with resumes, college application preparation, GED preparation, financial aid research, and online citizenship services and job-search programs. Program participants use high-speed Internet access, computer equipment and basic office applications software to develop job skills, research career options, educational opportunities and other resources.

AT&T;'s signature AccessAll initiative is a landmark three-year $100 million philanthropic initiative that connects families and communities with technology tools that can improve lives. The program will provide technology access, tools and training to low-income families, underserved communities and the organizations that work to strengthen communities.

AT&T; and the AT&T; Foundation support efforts that enrich and strengthen diverse communities nationwide, particularly initiatives with an emphasis on education and technology and those that benefit underserved populations. Since 1996, the AT&T; Foundation has contributed more than $40 million in grants to organizations serving Hispanic communities across the country.

For a complete list of locations receiving assistance, check out the AT&T; press release.

TiVo and Verizon Wireless recently announced the availability of TiVo® Mobile scheduling, a downloadable application available only through Verizon Wireless. TiVo Mobile scheduling allows subscribers to purchase the mobile service through select Verizon Wireless handsets and schedule recordings on their Series2™ or Series3™ TiVo boxes.

TiVo and Verizon Wireless say they are bringing consumers the convenience of scheduling television recordings while away from the living room. Whether you are away from home or discussing TV at the water cooler, all that is needed is a select Verizon Wireless Get It Now®-enabled handset to schedule recordings on your TiVo box.

"TiVo continues to transform and revolutionize the way people control and watch television," said Jim Denney, vice president of product marketing at TiVo. "TiVo Mobile scheduling gives Verizon Wireless customers unprecedented control of their television experience and provides that control wherever they are."

Ryan Hughes, vice president of digital media for Verizon noted, "TiVo built its reputation by making television relevant to its customers, while Verizon Wireless built and maintains the nation's most reliable wireless network. This innovative service adds a new layer of relevance and immediacy, so even when they're thousands of miles away from their televisions, TiVo subscribers can program their favorite shows."

TiVo Mobile scheduling uses the award-winning TiVo interface to give subscribers the ability to easily search for and browse through listings to find shows that they want to record. Subscribers to the TiVo Mobile scheduling service will also have access to premium entertainment content that is updated daily, including a customizable channel lineup, the most popular and most recorded shows and a current list of recommendations from TiVo.

TiVo Mobile scheduling is available for $1.99 monthly access on select Get It Now-enabled phones, including the Samsung SCH-a950, Chocolate by LG and LG VX8300.

For more information, see the TiVo press release.

The General Services Administration (GSA) today awarded Qwest Communications International Inc. a stake in Networx, the largest communications services contract in the world. Qwest will participate in the U.S. government program that is valued at approximately $20 billion over the next 10 years to provide leading-edge voice, data and video services, including managed and secure advanced data networks, to federal agencies nationwide.

Today, Qwest is a leading provider to more than 50 federal government agencies, including the Department of Energy, Department of Defense, Department of Justice and the Department of Treasury. The Networx Universal award enables Qwest to aggressively compete for billions of dollars of additional federal government communication business.

"This is a big win for Qwest that complements our progress over the last five years and is a testament to Qwest"s status as a leading, national, tier-one communications provider," said Qwest Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard C. Notebaert. "All Qwest customers across the nation will see benefits. Qwest already is offering to its business customers many of the advanced features that are required in Networx and customers will continue to benefit from Qwest"s investments in broadband technologies to support next-generation applications that are anticipated by GSA."

The Networx program will provide comprehensive, best-of-breed communications and networking services and technical solutions to all federal agencies. It will allow the agencies to focus resources on building a seamless and interoperable operating environment while GSA ensures agency access to the best technology industry has to offer.

"Although Qwest is already a leading supplier to the U.S. government, this award enables us to grow our federal business," said Diana Gowen, senior vice president and general manager of Qwest government services. "It"s also good for government customers because including Qwest in Networx provides federal agencies with more choices, which will enable creative solutions and excellent price performance for the U.S. government and the taxpayers."

"A Networx Universal spot is akin to a 'Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval' for data and voice product portfolios, customer service and national network capabilities," said analyst Mark Winther, vice president of worldwide telecommunications at IDC. "Networx Universal winners secured the endorsement of one of the most discriminating customers in the world, in one of the most complex and thorough communications proposals ever. Networx winners will attract additional business and residential customers that want to work only with the best."

In addition to Networx, Qwest recently has received other large awards from the U.S. government. In November, Qwest was the winner of a contract worth up to $100 million from the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) to provide bandwidth transmission services for connecting military installations located across the West to the Global Information Grid (GIG) over the next 10 years. And last month, Qwest announced it will be the sole provider of telecommunications services to federal agencies in nine Western states in a contract from the GSA worth at least $10 million.

Good news, golf fans! AT&T; announced this week that you can now enjoy more of the 2007 Masters Tournament as the company launches its first major content initiative across the three screens central to customers' lives: the wireless device, the TV and the PC.

Under an agreement with the Masters, AT&T; will provide golf fans with access to Masters previews and daily highlights, live tournament and practice range coverage, player interviews, live updates, links to real-time scoreboards and more. Masters coverage will be available through AT&T; blue room, AT&T; U-verse^SM TV, AT&T; Homezone^SM service, AT&T; U-verse OnTheGo, AT&T; Broadband TV, and Cingular, now AT&T;, wireless service. Live video, including Masters Extra and Amen Corner Live, real-time scoring and additional information is also available on the Masters official Web site, masters.org.

The deal furthers the company's commitment to deliver compelling content across the three screens. AT&T; offers customers a wide variety of content through a portfolio of advanced video, broadband and wireless services, bringing customers more of the entertainment they enjoy and strengthening programmers' and advertisers' connections with new and loyal audiences.

"By extending the excitement of the 2007 Masters Tournament across the three screens, AT&T; is giving golf fans more ways to enjoy one of the greatest traditions in all of sports," said Dan York, head of content and programming, AT&T; Entertainment Services. "As audiences look to get content on the range of digital devices, three-screen entertainment is the future. The Masters recognizes that successful programming translates to all three screens, which AT&T; can deliver to consumers, programmers and advertisers."

For more information, check out the AT&T; press release.

DiversityInc has named Verizon Communications to the number six position on the magazine's 2007 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list. Verizon has consistently been among the magazine's top ranked companies for diversity.

"Verizon Communications is much different from the average corporation; it is a true champion of diversity," said Luke Visconti, partner and cofounder of DiversityInc.

This is the first time Verizon Business was included in the application process, along with Verizon's wireline and wireless business groups. Verizon also ranked number three for the recruitment and retention of women and minorities and number eight in recruitment and retention of African-American employees.

The 50 companies, selected from among 317 submissions, were announced during a live video Webcast on March 21.

Verizon established its supplier diversity program more than 20 years ago to create mutually beneficial business relationships with a diverse body of suppliers, a process that strengthens communities and creates value for shareholders. Verizon's goal is to increase year-over-year spending with companies owned and managed by minorities, women, people with disabilities and Vietnam-era and service-disabled veterans. Verizon spent $2.6 billion last year with such businesses.

In March, the Women's Business Enterprise National Council again named Verizon one of the top American corporations for women's business enterprises. The winners were selected on the basis of their world-class supplier diversity programs, which offer equal access for women's business enterprises in competing for, and winning, corporate contracts for goods and services.

The council also named Verizon one of the top American corporations for women's business enterprises in 2006. Also this year, Verizon earned a Top 10 ranking on Black MBA magazine's list of Top 50 Companies for African-American MBAs to Work. In 2006, Verizon was recognized as a leader in workplace practices in numerous benchmarks including BusinessWeek, Working Mother magazine, LatinaStyle and Black Enterprise.

Verizon says that diversity is part of the company's culture and an integral part of its business strategy, which cuts across all business groups and functions—from human resources and supplier relations, to marketing and philanthropy.

Through its philanthropic arm, the Verizon Foundation, Verizon contributed more than $31 million in 2006 to charitable causes and organizations that serve minority communities across the country.

Verizon says depends on the unique talents, perspectives and experiences of all employees in an increasingly competitive marketplace to be a leader in the delivery of broadband and other communication innovations.

Minority employees account for nearly 34 percent of Verizon's work force and make up nearly 38 percent of Verizon's management team. The company's recruitment strategy depends on forming partnerships with colleges and universities as well as professional and community-based organizations. Employees can create their own road map for advancement through mentoring, training, education initiatives, and through development and leadership initiatives that target high-performing employees, with a special focus on identifying women and minorities for developmental opportunities.

For more information, check out the press release DiversityInc Magazine Ranks Verizon No. 6 on Publication's List of Top 50 Companies for Diversity.

A federal judge dealt a serious blow to Vonage last week that sent the company's stock plunging. U.S. District Court Judge Claude Hilton said he would issue a permanent injunction against the VoIP company that will bar it from using patented technology owned by Verizon Communications.

Hilton said the injunction, which followed a jury decision that Vonage had infringed on three Verizon patents, is required because monetary damages do nothing to "prevent continued erosion of the client base of the plaintiff." However, he won't formally enter the injunction for another two weeks, while he considers Vonage's request for a stay of either 120 days or until its appeal is heard at another hearing that was originally scheduled for Friday, April 6.

Vonage has seen its share price fall 80 percent since its initial public offering last year as a result of legal challenges and heightened competition. Vonage tried to reassure customers concerned by the judge's ruling, just as the company did following the jury decision earlier this month.

"We are confident Vonage customers will not experience service interruptions or other changes as a result of this litigation," Vonage Chief Executive Mike Snyder said in a statement released last week following the judges comments.

According to a recent Dow Jones report, Vonage has been vague in describing how an injunction would affect its services, other than it plans to use a technology "workaround" to avoid infringement of the Verizon patents. They also say that It's relatively common in these cases to keep the solutions under wraps until they are required to be used. Vonage filed a legal brief on the issue under seal.

For more information, check out the Smart Money article Judge Sides With Verizon Over Vonage.

AT&T; recently announced a $500,000 contribution to After-School All-Stars, which targets at-risk middle school children across the country. The contribution will specifically support after-school programs at the San Antonio, Texas and San Diego, Los Angeles and San Jose, California affiliates. The goal of the program is to offer children positive alternatives to drugs, gangs and violence by providing opportunities for them to focus on technology, education, sports and life skills.

Serving 60,000 youth annually through after-school and summer programs in 14 U.S. cities, After-School All-Stars improves the lives of children by providing a place where they can nurture their minds, bodies and spirits through programs that incorporate independent learning, academics and enrichment activities. The AT&T; contribution will support the organization's efforts to increase the capacity of the national office in order to provide value-added services to the San Antonio, Texas, and three California affiliates. The contribution will also help to implement a best-practices-sharing program to continually increase program quality and capacity. Since 2004, AT&T; has contributed $1,254,000 to the After-School All-Stars program.

In 1990, Arnold Schwarzenegger was appointed to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and traveled to schools all over the U.S. to promote physical fitness. The following year, Schwarzenegger was invited to serve as executive commissioner of the Inner-City Games (ICG), a project of the Hollenbeck Youth Center in Los Angeles bringing sports programs and events to at-risk kids. Seeing the potential to serve kids nationwide, Schwarzenegger founded the Inner-City Games Foundation (ICGF) and took the program to cities around the nation. In 2003, the ICGF expanded to include not just sports but also after-school and summer programs focusing on academics, homework assistance, community service and life skills. In 2003, the ICGF changed its name to After-School All-Stars.

More than 15 million children in the United States have no place to go after school. Law enforcement has labeled the hours between 3 and 6 p.m. as the "danger zone"—when kids are more likely to engage in activities that involve drugs, alcohol and gang activity, as well as become susceptible to crime and violence. In many instances, the only time children participate in extracurricular activities like physical education, music, drama and community service activities is in after-school programs.

"AT&T; is committed to providing educational opportunities for youth. Through this contribution, we hope to help strengthen the future for kids and position them for lifelong success," said Lora Watts, AT&T; senior vice president of Customer Events Management and ASAS board member. "We are thankful for the leadership of Governor Schwarzenegger and Governor Perry for supporting programs that build opportunities for our children."

"Education will always be a priority for Texas, and we welcome new ideas and programs that will help all of our youth succeed in the academic arena. We thank the After-School All-Stars organization for bringing this crucial investment to San Antonio and to the many students who will benefit from its after-school programs, tutoring and educational resources," said Texas Gov. Rick Perry. "It takes a community to make a difference in the lives of at-risk students, especially in the teenage years when they are most deeply influenced by the people around them. This program brings those community elements together to do just that."

For more information about the After-School All-Stars program, visit www.afterschoolallstars.org..

AT&T; Inc. announced today that the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation's leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America's corporations, has named AT&T; as one of America's Top Corporations for Women's Business Enterprises.

AT&T; and BellSouth, acquired by AT&T; in late 2006, were selected for this honor after successfully demonstrating that the companies had made a substantive commitment, both qualitatively and quantitatively, to enhance contracting opportunities for women business enterprises (WBEs). WBENC will recognize the company and other corporate leaders that demonstrate best practices for supporting women's business enterprises in the March 16 issue of Fortune Small Business magazine. AT&T; and the former BellSouth will also receive the Women's Business Enterprise Award on March 30 at a special awards presentation held in conjunction with WBENC's 2007 Salute to Women's Business Enterprises: The Enterprising Economy in Dallas, Texas.

In recognizing AT&T;, Linda Denny, interim president of WBENC, said, "AT&T; has 'raised the bar' with respect to implementing and innovating best practices in purchasing from women's business enterprises. We are recognizing AT&T; as one of America's Top Corporations for Women's Business Enterprises because the company has made a number of significant contributions that proactively integrate WBEs at all levels within its supply chain. AT&T; is also very consistent, year over year, in its ongoing commitment to this important group of vendors."

"We are honored to receive this award from WBENC. Supplier diversity is an integral part of AT&T;'s business strategy, and we pride ourselves on our world-class WBE initiatives," said Maureen Merkle, president-Procurement, AT&T.; "Like AT&T;, the former BellSouth has always had a strong commitment to supplier diversity. Now that we are AT&T;, we are in an even stronger position to cultivate valuable relationships with women-owned and diverse businesses in the communities we serve."

This is the eighth consecutive year that AT&T; has received this honor from WBENC. The company has been included among the Top Corporations since the list's inception. In 2005, AT&T; spent $2.4 billion with diverse suppliers, representing 15 percent of its procurement base, including more than $760 million with women-owned businesses. In fostering diversity and inclusion, AT&T; has created a better business environment, one that makes the company an employer of choice, a preferred business partner and an important contributor to the community.

For more information, check out the AT&T; press release.

The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) has named Verizon one of the top American corporations for women's business enterprises. The council says that the winners were selected on the basis of their world-class supplier diversity programs, which offer equal access for women's business enterprises in competing for, and winning, corporate contracts for goods and services.

"Verizon is a leader in enriching the value chain by working with innovative and highly competitive women's business enterprises," said WBENC interim President Linda Denny. "By leveling the playing field for women's businesses across their organization, Verizon is rewarded with outstanding products and services that benefit their customers and their shareholders."

Established more than 20 years ago, the Verizon Supplier Diversity Program works to create mutually beneficial business relationships with a diverse body of suppliers, a process that strengthens communities and creates value for shareholders. Verizon's goal is to increase year-over-year spending with companies owned and managed by minorities, women, people with disabilities and Vietnam-era and service-disabled veterans (MWDVBE).

The WBENC also named Verizon one of the top American corporations for women's business enterprises in 2006. Verizon spent $2.5 billion that year with such businesses. The WBENC is the only organization that brings together women business enterprises and corporations to work to improve marketing opportunities for women-owned businesses as vendors and suppliers to the nation's top corporations. Verizon is a sponsor and supporter of the WBENC's advocacy for maximizing the competitive edge of self-employed, entrepreneurial women.

Verizon and the 15 other winners will receive the Women's Business Enterprise Award on March 30 in Dallas.

Verizon is also a charter member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable, a group organized to promote research, education and best practices in supply-chain diversity. The company's approach includes operating a Web site that allows MWDVBE suppliers to participate in an online registration process that matches prospective suppliers' competencies with business needs. Verizon's Second Tier/Prime Supplier Program enhances opportunities for women-owned businesses by continually increasing the number of prime suppliers participating in the program and encouraging the use of women and minority suppliers as subcontractors.

A 2006 benchmarking study commissioned by WBENC and conducted by the Center for Women's Business Research found that women-owned businesses are beating the industry average of keeping and growing corporate contracts.

The results revealed that 40 percent of WBENC's corporate members increased their spending by at least 10 percent over the last three years with women-owned firms, compared with 24 percent of corporate members who increased their spending with suppliers overall.

There are 7.7 million majority-women-owned companies, or those with 51 percent ownership by women, employing 7.1 million people and generating $1.1 trillion in sales, according to the Center for Women's Business Research. Over the past two decades, majority-women-owned firms have continued to grow at around two times the rate of all companies.

For more information, check out the press release Women's Business Enterprise National Council Names Verizon a Top American Corporation for Second Consecutive Year.

CRO magazine recently named Motorola Inc. to its list of the "100 Best Corporate Citizens." The 2007 ranking marks the second year in a row that Motorola has earned the fourth spot on the list and the fourth time that Motorola has appeared in the top 10.

The annual ranking is based on the evaluation of more than 1,100 of the largest U.S. publicly traded companies in eight key categories: shareholders, community, governance, diversity, employees, environment, human rights and product.

"Corporate responsibility is inherent in everything we do - from our commitment to strong environmental, health and safety practices to our community support and efforts to foster a diverse and engaged workforce," said Maryann Clifford, corporate vice president, who leads Motorola's corporate responsibility efforts. "Being named as one of the country's top corporate citizens is a testament to the work of our employees around the world to uphold such strong standards that benefit both Motorola and our customers."

Analysis by KLD Research & Analytics to develop the ranking noted that Motorola is particularly effective in reporting on social, environmental and economic performance measures, and that the company has taken significant steps to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate contributions to global climate change and air pollution.

Recycling is another priority for the company. Motorola has developed a variety of reuse and recycling programs for mobile phones and accessories. The Race to Recycle program encourages U.S. K-12 students to collect used phones—Motorola or other brands—in exchange for a cash contribution to their schools.

The Motorola Foundation's global support for education-focused initiatives also was scored as a company strength in the list analysis. In 2006, Motorola and the Foundation's charitable giving increased to more than $21 million, with primary focus on math, science, technology and engineering educational programming for both teachers and students. Motorola also became a global partner of (RED), selling a range of phones from which a percentage of profits is donated to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in Africa. The company also continues to promote economic activity in developing countries through greater access to mobile telecommunications.

"The 100 Best distinguish themselves from their peers at other large public companies by embracing higher standards—combining strong financial performance with responsible practices on environmental and social issues," said Michael Connor, publisher and editor of CRO magazine. "We salute the 100 Best for their leadership roles in the field of corporate responsibility."

Motorola has been recognized repeatedly for its corporate responsibility efforts. In addition to being named as one of the country's "100 Best Corporate Citizens," several rating agencies and indices recognized Motorola as a socially responsible investment in 2006. The company also was named one of Fortune magazine's Most Admired companies in 2006 and has received numerous awards for its employment, environment and supplier diversity initiatives.

The 100 Best Corporate Citizens list was developed by Business Ethics magazine, which was incorporated last year into The CRO, a premier membership organization for corporate responsibility officers. CRO magazine will publish the full list in its January-February 2007 issue. More details regarding the 100 Best Corporate Citizens list are available on the CRO Web site.

Cartoon Network New Media announced today it has created CallToons, a new mobile application that integrates smart technology with entertainment, essentially allowing Cartoon Network characters to take over a mobile phone. Using patent pending technology, CallToons creates an unparalleled user experience that replaces ordinary mobile phone functions (such as ringtones and wallpapers) with an all-encompassing entertainment platform provided by the users' favorite character. At launch, CallToons will feature characters from Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, and will be offered as separate services for each brand. CallToons is targeted to be available to consumers in Q4 2007.

According to ZDNet News, one choice for adults could be the cynical next-door neighbor Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Carl first growls "Hey," but if the call is not answered, he gets more irate and ends with "Pick up your friggin' phone." If the same ignored caller phones again, Carl eventually yells, "You're lazy. That's nice. That's fine. Like you get paid by the government or something?"

The same concept will be applied to other characters, with milder messages for fans of children's cartoons.

"CallToons extends our fans' relationship with our characters in a personal and interactive way through a mobile phone," said Paul Condolora, senior vice president and general manager for Cartoon Network New Media. "With this application, we are developing a novel approach to the mobile experience. CallToons is a natural next step for the company and offers limitless cross-platform entertainment possibilities with cartoon characters, celebrities, sports figures and beyond."

'"CallToons does more than set a character's voice to a ringtone. CallToons allows a character's personality to take over the mobile phone's functionality so that they actually interact with the user and incoming callers in a unique way," said Ross Cox, Senior Director of Entertainment Products, Cartoon Network New Media.

Cartoon Network New Media developed CallToons in conjunction with Turner Platform R&D;, and has been in discussions with Ericsson regarding concept refinement and content delivery options. The technology takes Cartoon Network New Media into mobile licensing as the product will be available to non-Turner companies in the future.

CallToons ties together popular mobile content such as ringtones, ringbacks, wallpapers, and audio and text alerts into a character-driven narrative experience unlike any mobile content offering available on the market today. Cartoon Network New Media will introduce additional functionality to the CallToons application in the coming months.

For more information, check out the Cartoon Network press release or the ZDNet News article.

DO U LIKE ME? TXT 1, 4 YES; 2, 4 NO

If you can decipher that message, you may have a better chance for romance this Valentine's Day. According to AT&T;'s new survey, short, to the point, and sometimes discreet love notes aren't just for candy hearts anymore. Now they're sweetening up wireless text messaging between cell phones. Thirty-three percent of people surveyed say they communicate with their date or mate via text messaging in 2007, an increase of six percentage points from last year. Twenty-eight percent of users also report using text messaging to flirt. Looks like Cupid has tapped into the text messaging craze.

For the fourth year, Cingular Wireless, part of the new AT&T;, has commissioned a survey of adult cell phone users to determine how cell phones have affected their romantic lives. The survey was conducted in January 2007 by ICR (International Communications Research) among 1,006 wireless users and reveals that SMS and MMS-based communication between partners is on the rise.

"Text messaging has become part of the social fabric of dating in America," said Jennifer Bowcock, director of consumer public relations for Cingular Wireless, the new AT&T.; "People can text one another to make plans or even say 'I love you' when they may not have the time or ability to make a voice call. It is definitely a discreet and simple way to stay connected."

Also significant in the survey results, 59 percent of active daters use text messaging to communicate with their dates, while only 30 percent of those who are married, in a committed relationship or not dating do the same with their partners.

Need a little help bringing the romance? AT&T; has some suggestions to help you out this Valentine's Day:

• Text messages allow you to let your loved one know you are thinking about them, even if you're at work or a public place where a voice call isn't appropriate. Say I LOVE U or HEY CU T whenever the mood strikes.
• Consider using your camera phone to snap a picture of a vase of fresh flowers or a hand-made heart drawn on paper and then use multimedia messaging to send the romantic image to your sweetheart. If you want to add a little heat to the fire, tap out a love note to include with the photo using text messaging. That's sure to make even Cupid smile.
• Ready to take your love to the next level? Show your favorite guy or girl that you've set their picture as your phone screen's background.
• If you are expecting a call during a date, let your date know in advance that you might have to take it, that way he or she won't take you out with the trash.
• Lastly, always be sensible and remember that a dinner or movie date is no place for a ringing phone if you want to live happily ever after.

If you need a little more help, check out the AT&T; press release for details on how to bring a little more heart to your cell phone use this month.

AT&T recently announced that Frost & Sullivan selected AT&T Homezone(SM) service as the 2007 North American Consumer Communication Services Product of the Year.

The Frost & Sullivan Award for Product of the Year recognizes the company that has demonstrated excellence in new products and technologies within its industry. In selecting AT&T for this award, Frost & Sullivan noted, "AT&T has incorporated a coherent product strategy to retain its competitive position in the consumer services space and to provide customers with an integrated home-entertainment experience."

"AT&T's Homezone services builds on the company's reputation as a reliable network provider and a consumer services innovator," said Jeff Weber, vice president, AT&T Product and Strategy. "This award from Frost & Sullivan recognizes the original thinking and careful planning that went into bringing this service to market and that our mission to connect with customers via the three screens they value most—the TV, the PC and the wireless phone—is working."

With AT&T Homezone services, the company became the first national telecommunications provider to offer seamlessly integrated video content and TV entertainment to the "digital living room," through both broadband and traditional satellite networks via a single set-top device.

AT&T Homezone integrates AT&T Yahoo!(R) High-Speed Internet, AT&T | DISH Network satellite television and AT&T Home Networking services. It features digital videorecording, movies on demand, photo and music sharing, storage for both, and remote Web-based access to the system. It will soon also include remote access to the system through wireless devices. The service is available across most of the company's traditional broadband footprint.

"With its Homezone service, AT&T has demonstrated a commitment to delivering consistent growth in the future as it has in the past," said Piyush Arora, Frost & Sullivan analyst. "This service builds on AT&T's existing infrastructure and video delivery strategy to combine satellite TV programming with new levels of integration and on-demand content via broadband. It's a real homerun for consumers and AT&T."

For more information, check out the AT&T press release.

Verizon is expanding its global reach through a new business unit called Verizon Business India. According to an article in today's Wall Street Journal, Verizon is filing for a long distance license in India that will make it a more powerful competitor, along with rival AT&T, in offering telecommunications and high-speed Internet services to multinational companies doing business in South Asia.

India's economy is growing at an astounding pace. With more educated English speakers than the entire U.S. population, Indian citizens enjoy a better than usual advantage in global trade. It's not just about outsourcing U.S. call center operations or off-shoring computer code writers: it's about India moving onto the world stage as both a marketplace and an economic power. With an economy that's already larger than Japan's, India's phone is about to start ringing.

AT&T Inc. and A&E Television Networks today announced a comprehensive multiyear distribution agreement to deliver AETN linear, High Definition (HD) and on-demand programming as part of the AT&T U-verse^SM TV channel lineup.

Under the agreement, AT&T will deliver the following AETN brands to AT&T U-verse customers: A&E Network, The History Channel, The History Channel En Español, The Biography Channel, History International, Crime & Investigation Network and The Military History Channel. AT&T U-verse will also carry A&E Network in HD. The AT&T U-verse video-on-demand (VOD) library will also feature several hours of AETN VOD popular programming each month, including "Dog The Bounty Hunter" and "Intervention" from A&E and "Digging for the Truth" and "Dogfights" from The History Channel.

"AT&T is thrilled to bring AETN's exceptional entertainment and educational programming to our U-verse channel lineup," said Dan York, head of programming, AT&T Operations, Inc. "Customers will experience history and connect with the some of the world's most fascinating people through AETN's compelling programming."

"AETN is pleased to deliver its entire portfolio of high-quality programming over AT&T's advanced video platform," said David Zagin, executive vice president, distribution, AETN. "By adding our innovative and widely viewed networks, including HD and VOD, AT&T is giving its U-verse customers access to some of today's most desirable content."

You can read more in this AT&T press release.

Qwest announced that the company and its employees and retirees have shown their Spirit of Service to the Denver, Colorado, community by pledging $1.3 million to Mile High United Way in 2007. Qwest's commitment is the largest corporate gift to Mile High United Way for the current 2006-2007 fundraising campaign.

"Qwest has a long history of giving generously to the communities it serves across the Western United States, but this year's gift to Mile High United Way is tremendous," said Brian Gallagher, president and chief executive officer of United Way of America.

Qwest says its priority in the community is to improve the quality of education for children and teens from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The company's $1.3 million gift will also help support Mile High United Way's School Readiness and Youth Success Initiatives.

"Investing in education is a core part of Qwest's commitment to communities," said Teresa Taylor, executive vice president and chief human resources officer for Qwest. "We believe in the power of education to change lives and communities, and we have confidence in Mile High United Way's ability to maximize our gift to make sure young children are ready to learn when they begin kindergarten and that all students can successfully graduate from high school."

Qwest's $1.3 million pledge is an increase of more than 40 percent over its gift to Mile High United Way last year. Nationally, Qwest's giving to local United Way organizations increased from $3 million last year to $4 million this year. In addition to its financial gift, Qwest employees and retirees volunteered more than one million hours of community service in 2006 with a primary focus on pre-K through 12th grade education.

For more information, read the Qwest press release.

Thanks to Verizon telephone customers who participated in Verizon's convenient Check Into Literacy Program, nonprofit organizations throughout 26 states and Washington, D.C., will receive more than $1.28 million to bolster local literacy efforts.

The Check Into Literacy Program enables Verizon landline telephone customers to support literacy by simply checking a box on their monthly phone bills to make a $1 tax-deductible donation. Verizon then distributes the donations to local literacy organizations that serve the individual states the customers live in.

"The generosity of our customers and the commitment of our Verizon employee volunteers go hand-in-hand in our grassroots campaign to continue the important work of improving literacy in our communities," said Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston.

Residents of Washington, D.C., and the following states took part in the program: Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Residents of the following states contributed the greatest amount to the program: Pennsylvania, $304,001; New Jersey, $186,386; Massachusetts, $126,763; California, $95,046; and Maryland, $78,477.

The Verizon Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications. Committed to improving literacy and K-12 education, fostering awareness and prevention of domestic violence and promoting the use of technology in health-care delivery, the foundation awarded more than $69 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the United States and abroad in 2006. The foundation also matched charitable donations from Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in $29 million in combined contributions. Under the foundation's Verizon Volunteer initiative, one of the nation's largest employee-volunteer programs, company employees and retirees have also contributed nearly 3 million hours of community service since Verizon's inception in 2000.

Fore more information, check out Verizon Customers Help Improve Literacy in Their Communities by Donating More Than $1.28 million To Nonprofit Organizations Through Monthly Program.

AT&T and Atlanta Classic Foundation officials announced last week that the new name of Atlanta's annual PGA TOUR stop is the AT&T Classic. The new name and logo for the May 14-20, 2007, tournament at TPC at Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia reflect the recently approved merger between AT&T and BellSouth.

"AT&T is honored to be associated with a longtime Atlanta event that gives back so much to local charities," said Rod Odom, president and CEO, AT&T Southeast. "AT&T has a long tradition of service in the community, and we're pleased that the AT&T Classic will continue its rich tradition of hospitality, charity, and world-class golf on an outstanding course for players and galleries alike."

"AT&T is one of the world's most recognized and respected brands," said Dave Kaplan, tournament director, AT&T Classic. "We're thrilled to be associated with a company that's well-known locally, around the world, and in the golfing community. We anticipate a seamless transition as we work with our new friends at AT&T. As always, our primary goals will be to host the greatest golfers in the world and to raise funds for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and other local and national charities."

In addition to the AT&T Classic, AT&T sponsors The Masters, the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and two CHAMPIONS TOUR events in San Antonio and Los Angeles. AT&T's sponsorship agreement with the AT&T Classic runs through the 2010 tournament.

The AT&T Classic, now in its 39th year, will offer a total purse of $5.4 million, up $100,000 from last year. In 2006, the tournament contributed a record $1.7 million to local charities. Since 1983, the tournament has donated more than $12.3 million to local charitable organizations.

Professionals who are expected to compete in May include two-time defending champion Phil Mickelson, two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, Chris DiMarco, Sugarloaf resident Stewart Cink and many more of the world's finest golfers.

For more information, check out the press release Introducing the AT&T Classic.

If you are an avid Smallville fan as I am, you will enjoy this news. The Warner Bros. Television Group and The CW Network are teaming up with Sprint on a new shortform animated wireless series based upon the hit network drama Smallville (airing Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. ET on The CW).

Smallville Legends: The Oliver Queen Chronicles, a six-episode animated wireless series created for the mobile and broadband environment, will premiere today, January 18, exclusively on the Sprint TV mobile video service. A new episode will launch on subsequent Thursdays and remain exclusive to Sprint for the six-week duration of the series.

Even if Sprint is not your wireless provider, do not lose hope. After Sprint's exclusive window, the entire wireless animated series will be available for streaming at www.CWTV.com, the online home of The CW Network, beginning February 22. The initiative marks the first time Warner Bros. and The CW have created original animated content as a marketing platform to help drive tune-in for the Smallville television series.

"Our goal at Warner Bros. Television is to look for unique, innovative ways to entertain and engage our fans, resulting in a deeper connection to our shows and providing value to our broadcast partners," said Gregorian. "This partnership with The CW and Sprint enables us to deliver exceptional wireless entertainment which provides a multi-layered experience for viewers."

"This is another example of how The CW is delivering on its promise to deliver original, new content to our young audience via multiple platforms," said Haskins. "We will continue to work with our studio and sales partners to whet the appetite of our passionate fans for more CW programming."

"Smallville's mix of young, tech savvy viewers want to learn more and interact more with their favorite show, and Sprint is in a perfect position to give them that access," said Newton. "We are always looking for new opportunities for Sprint TV to give our subscribers exclusive content related to the primetime television shows that they love."

The producers of the Smallville television series recently introduced the new character of Oliver Queen, who arrives in Smallville to continue his covert quest for justice in the guise of the super hero Green Arrow. Possessing phenomenal skills with a high-tech bow and arrow, Queen learns Clark has super powers and tries to recruit him in his current mission against Lex Luthor, Queen's former schoolmate. It is the fascinating back story to this new plotline that unfolds in the animated wireless series Smallville Legends: The Oliver Queen Chronicles. Viewers will go on a journey back in time to experience the pivotal events that led to a young Oliver Queen becoming Green Arrow.

You can read this Warner Bros. press release to find out how to view the series on your Sprint cell phone.

I never pass up an opportunity to talk about my home state of Michigan and sports, so I thought I would share this latest news. AT&T Inc. announced last week that it has signed a new contract to provide managed service s to the Detroit Tigers major league baseball team.

Under the terms of the three-year contract, AT&T delivered a robust Managed Internet Service (MIS) solution via a burstable DS3 connection in just one week after the contract was signed and just in time for the ALCS and World Series games.

The solution provides increased bandwidth across the Tigers converged Internet Protocol (IP)-based network. The MIS solution is intended to support advanced video and data communications, such as media connectivity, file transfers, Web-browsing and other business-critical corporate operations, for Comerica Park. The flexibility of the MIS allows the service to expand when the additional bandwidth is needed to accommodate high-volume traffic as media and corporate users take advantage of the Tigers network to stream live video and send and receive large media files, especially during the post-season when media attendance is at its highest.

As the Tigers moved into the post-season in 2006, an immediate need for a flexible network solution surfaced. To avoid network downtime, the Tigers enlisted the help of AT&T to provide a network capable of supporting the additional volume. In addition to expanded bandwidth, the network provides added redundancy and increased reliability for greater network efficiency and availability.

"We had a fantastic season this year, and as a result, we knew our network would need additional bandwidth to support the influx of data traffic," said Scott Wruble, manager of IT for the Detroit Tigers. "Thanks to AT&T, we were able to accommodate the spike in traffic we received rather quickly and without worrying over network outages or slower Internet speeds. AT&T provided a solution capable of meeting all of our networking needs."

EMBARQ has reached several key milestones since its separation from Sprint Nextel on May 17, 2006, and now says that it has emerged as an innovative provider of communications solutions.

During its first six months as a stand-alone company, EMBARQ introduced its residential and business customers to several solutions designed to help meet their daily telecommunications needs. The company says these solutions are part of the cits complete lineup of communications and entertainment services, including local and long distance, data, high-speed Internet, wireless and DISH Network television services.

"In just a few months, we have delivered many 'firsts' to the U.S. telecom market," said Dan Hesse, EMBARQ chairman and CEO. "Customers want their products and services to work together, and this is the kind ofpractical innovation we intend to bring them."

"EMBARQ has been actively reinventing itself since its split away from Sprint. It is the best of old and new telecom firms," said Jeff Kagan, telecommunications industry analyst. "They have introduced many innovative new ideas to the marketplace. They have been transforming the company and have been focused on implementing integrated products and services."

The company sited several innovations as important for its growth as a company, including new voicemail services and high-speed network enhancements.

"If we look at their first six months as a stand-alone company, I'd say the company looks very promising," Kagan added. "They are transforming themselves to provide an even wider range of services for business customers and for consumers."

For more information on the company's milestones, check out the EMBARQ press release.

CNET News recently posted an interesting article about the future of bundled services. Most cable providers currently offer phone, high-speed Internet and cable service packages, commonly referred to as triple-play bundles. However, many companies are bringing wireless in as part of these packages as well.

"If 2006 was the year of the triple play," the article states, "2007 may very well be the year of the quadruple bundle as cable operators and phone companies start to integrate mobile wireless services into their service packages."

According to CNET, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox and Advance/Newhouse Communications will all be launching and expanding their integrated mobile phone services in 2007, a direct result of the their joint venture with Sprint Nextel.

The article also goes on to say that adding wireless to their bundles means more to cable providers than just providing customers with a one bill and savings on buying more than one service. These companies see mobility as a way to add more convenience and value to services their customers already have. However, CNET cautions that companies admit that they are still in the early stages of developing these services, so you may have to wait for the perfect quadruple bundle to be available in your area.

To read more, check out the full CNET article.

In response to the merger of AT&T and BellSouth, Communications Workers of America released a statement saying that they believe the joining of the two companies will promote increased investment and build-out of high-speed networks that are critical to the region's economic growth and the nation's position in the global economy.

CWA President Larry Cohen said the merger agreement included real commitments by AT&T-BellSouth for an expanded build-out of both higher speed Internet services and DSL, an important step forward in bringing the full promise of the Internet to areas that have been passed by.

"Workers at BellSouth know that the future of communications and their own future is in the build-out of high-speed telecommunications services. This merger will help provide the resources to make this possible, and at the same time, should help create quality jobs," said Noah Savant, CWA's vice president for the Southeast and BellSouth territory. "Of course we remain concerned about the net effect on jobs within the region for frontline employees and the services we provide. We are pleased to see AT&T commitment to bringing thousands of support jobs back to the United States," Savant added.

CWA says that the United States has fallen to 16th in the world in terms of availability and access to high-speed Internet services. While most believe the availability and benefits of the Internet should be universal, residents in rural communities, low-income urban areas and other communities have less access to high-speed services. The union sees this as a growing disadvantage that needs to be addressed.

"High-tech innovation and job growth, advances in telemedicine and distance learning, and improving public safety and e-government all are possible and, in fact, are routine in much of the world. In the United States, however, current speed standards just aren't sufficient to support these kinds of services," Cohen said. "The build-out of true high-speed networks requires a huge investment of tens of billions of dollars and the AT&T-BellSouth merger will begin to provide the resources to do this," he added.

CWA is America's largest communications and media union, represents over 700,000 men and women in both private and public sectors, including over half a million workers who are building the Information Highway. Its members are employed in telecommunications, broadcasting, cable TV, journalism, publishing, electronics and general manufacturing, as well as airline customer service, government service, health care, education and other fields. The union includes some 1,200 chartered local unions across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Cohen stressed that CWA strongly supports an open Internet "where consumers can go where they want, when they want. Nothing should be done to degrade or block access to Web sites," he said. CWA also believes that reserving proprietary video bandwidth is essential in order to make such a build-out possible. The FCC recognized this in reserving the IPTV space as proprietary, much as cable controls the bandwidth on the set top box, Cohen noted.

For more on the CWA response to the merger, see the press release AT&T-BellSouth Merger Will Promote Critical Build-out of High-Speed Networks.

In this age of instant feedback online from consumers, smart companies are taking advantage of the situation by allowing their products to be reviewed by bloggers. While some companies have tried to outwit the public by creating fake personalities to tout the virtues of their products, the smarter ones are allowing bloggers to find their products at their own pace and to rate and review their offerings as they choose. One such provider is AT&T.

Alan Weinkrantz, a PR tech blogger, has taken it upon himself to chronicle his trial of the AT&T's new U-verse service. Because he lives in San Antonio, Alan was an early trial user of the AT&T U-verse service. Owner of his own PR firm and frequent blogger, he started documenting his experiences and observations on the service in May of this year. Things really heated up when he began to make daily posts at his blog, www.3screens.net, to document his experience of having AT&T's HD (High Definition) broadcast television service installed and deployed at his home.

Alan has not only writes about his experience as an AT&T trial user, but also makes suggestions and commentary about the company's strategy. He even spoke at the TelcoTV Conference in Dallas where he addressed his experiences and observations about being a U-verse customer.

"I can't recommend blogging and social media to clients unless I've done it and have been successful," he said in an interview with MidwestBusiness.com. "This is a fortuitous set of events because I'm in San Antonio and became a trial U-verse." Alan went on to say that "there are enough analysts and technical experts in the world. I don't think the world needs more "experts."

His commentary about the service is open and honest. No service is perfect and Alan isn't shy about noting drawbacks, including small things like no clock on the set-top box or overload of certain types of channels.

In addition, he makes it clear that he's only paying such close attention to one provider because he lives in the firm's service area. "If I lived in an area served by Verizon, I would be doing the same thing about them," he assured MidwestBusiness.com. "AT&T is really just my plumbing supplier."

Read more about Alan's experience with AT&T U-verse service at www.3screens.net. You can also check out his interview with MidwestBusiness.com.

Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission voted to make it easier for phone companies to get approval of local authorities to offer video in local markets by mandating a 90-day deadline for state and city authorities to review applications. This comes after pressure by the phone companies to get a federal ruling so they no longer have to lobby state by state.

AT&T is currently offering U-verse in selected test markets, a video-over-fiber optic service, and Verizon offers a competing service called FiOS. Prices are compatible with or slightly lower than cable or satellite and the channel selections are similar. Both also offer HDTV programming. Coverage areas are currently limited and that's why the telcos pushed so hard for this ruling.

Naturally, cable companies are fighting back to protect their turf and it's likely the ruling will be challenged but we support increased competition in the marketplace, since it offers more choice for consumers.

EMBARQ recently announced the opening of its first Technology and Innovation Center^SM in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club. In addition to modernizing the existing lab with new computers and educational software, the Center is now equipped with new furniture and EMBARQ products and services, including high-speed Internet as well as local and long-distance phone service, a value of more than $40,000.

EMBARQ says that the Center is the latest initiative in the company's ongoing commitment to education and to the communities where it provides communications services.

"It is rewarding to see the EMBARQ Technology and Innovation Center come to life," said Angela Quinn, president, Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas. "Thanks to EMBARQ's generous donation of advanced technology, our kids now have the world at their fingertips, which will help them improve their education and life skills."

As part of its efforts to further the success of the Technology Center and the local Boys & Girls Club, EMBARQ says employees will volunteer in a variety of capacities, including mentoring and after-school programs. Many of the volunteers have been involved with the Club for years and now have the opportunity to further their commitment to Las Vegas youth with the opening of the Technology Center.

"EMBARQ is honored to support the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club by offering financial, technological and volunteer resources," said Dan Hesse, EMBARQ Chairman and CEO and a member of the national board of governors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "We are pleased that the Center will provide Las Vegas youth with the technological resources necessary to further their education and explore the world around them."

EMBARQ has been a long time supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs and plans to open EMBARQ Technology and Innovation Centers at Boys & Girls Clubs in Franklin, Indiana; Ft. Myers, Florida; and Louisburg, North Carolina, in Jan. 2007, with several more at locations to be determined later in the year.

To learn more about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas, visit www.bgclv.org.

AT&T will be testing a new directory assistance service in Bakersfield, California; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Columbus, Ohio. With this new service, consumers will have free access to business listings and advertisers will be able to reach buyers at a critical moment in their purchasing decisions.

Through the service, callers will be able to request a listing for a specific business or for listings for a type or category of business from a landline or wireless phone. Callers will hear short audio ads relevant to their listing request before receiving the number or, possibly, being connected directly to the business they select. Residents of the three selected cities can access free listings beginning today by dialing 1-800-YellowPages (1-800-935-5697).

"Increasingly, our customers are calling directory assistance when they don't have a phone book handy or can't jump online," said David Huntley, senior vice president of AT&T Diversified Businesses. "We're developing AT&T 1-800-YellowPages to be the consumer's audio Yellow Pages that gives them free access to local and nationwide business listing information from any phone, 24/7. At the same time, we want to help businesses reach consumers at a key moment — when consumers are in need of a service and are ready to make a purchasing decision. This trial period will allow us to later roll out a service that best meets our consumer and business customer needs."

Holiday shoppers can depend on the power of Sprint's network, unique lineup of products and services, and value-added pricing for the ideal gift-giving opportunity. As part of its "Twelve Days of Power Shopping" campaign, Sprint has announced great deals on several mobile devices designed to match the lifestyle needs of friends and family members this holiday season.

Music Lovers
For those who can't get along without their tunes, Sprint offers the Sprint Power Vision FUSIC by LG - a trendsetting mobile phone with a progressive design and music and entertainment services delivered at broadband-like speeds via the Sprint Power Vision(SM) Network. This phone looks, feels, and plays like a portable music player with the convenience of instant access to the Sprint Music Store(SM) for downloading full songs over-the-air, an FM transmitter for playing music through a radio or car stereo, Bluetooth® Stereo support, and four changeable faceplates in blue, green, pink and black for personalization of the phone. The FUSIC is exclusive to Sprint and will be available for as low as $99.99 with a two-year subscription and $50 mail-in-rebate.

In addition to the capability to download songs over the air to their mobile phones, customers can now download songs and other content directly from their computer via the new Sprint Digital Lounge Web site www.sprint.com/digitallounge.

Mobile Professionals
Business people on the go can turn downtime into productive time using the Sprint Mobile Broadband USB Modem by Novatel Wireless Ovation U720 or one of Sprint's three mobile broadband cards: the Pantech PX-500, Sierra Wireless Aircard®595 and the Novatel Wireless S720. Used in conjunction with compatible notebooks and PCs, these devices will allow customers to connect to the Sprint Power Vision Network and wirelessly access audio, video and data applications at DSL-like speeds. These devices operate on the current Sprint Power Vision Network, the nation's largest mobile broadband network reaching over 180 million people, and also support faster average download and upload speeds (450-800 kbps and 300-400 kbps, respectively) of Sprint's upgraded network (EV-DO Revision A) where available.

The Novatel Wireless U720 is available for as low as $49.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement and $50 mail-in-rebate. The Sierra Wireless Aircard 595 and Novatel Wireless S720 are available for as low as $99.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement. The Pantech PX-500 is available for free with a two-year subscriber agreement and $49.99 mail-in-rebate.

Fashion Icons
Friends and family members committed to looking their best will appreciate the MOTOKRZR K1m by Motorola Featuring stunning good looks and a full suite of multimedia services, the MOTOKRZR K1m is the perfect balance of design and functionality. MOTOKRZR operates on Sprint's Power Vision(SM) Network enabling downloads of the latest news, music and entertainment content at broadband-like speeds.* Key features include access to the Sprint Music Store for quick over-the-air downloads*, Sprint TV with live programming*, 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth® wireless technology**, and a microSD??? card slot. The MOTOKRZR is available for as low as $199.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement.

Busy Professionals, Busy Parents
Ideal for those on your list who want to extend their workplace and stay connected for personal needs, the Sprint Power Vision(SM) Smart Device TreoTM 700P by Palm or Sprint Power Vision(SM) Smart Device Treo™ 700wx by Palm® offer life-simplifying capabilities and access to business and personal email, text messages, tasks, calendar, contacts, and the Web. Sprint enables both devices with flexible connectivity options like phone-as-modem that takes advantage of the device's capability to be used with a laptop to provide high-speed data access. The Treo 700p and Treo 700wx are now available for as low as $299.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement and $100 mail-in-rebate.

Socially Conscious Citizens
Support the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria with a purchase of a red MOTORAZR V3m from Sprint. A new wireless phones designed exclusively to support (PRODUCT) RED, the red MOTORAZR V3m is one of Motorola's thinnest multimedia phones for the CDMA network and features a refined metal housing and sculptured clamshell shape. Customers can enjoy innovative Power Vision applications like Sprint TV, Sprint Music Store, Sprint Movies, NFL Mobile and Sprint Power View. Packaged with a stylish headset, the red MOTORAZR costs $64.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement and $90 mail-in-rebate.

(RED) is an initiative founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver to raise awareness and money for the Global Fund, an innovative public-private partnership created to finance a dramatic turnaround in the fight against AIDS. The groundbreaking initiative engages the private sector to create (PRODUCT) RED-branded products from which a portion of profits are contributed directly to the Global Fund. Sprint and Motorola will contribute directly to The Global Fund with each red MOTORAZR sold at Sprint. See www.motorola.com/red or www.theglobalfund.org/en  for more details.

Consumers who love holiday classics, like "Christmas with the Kranks" or "I'll Be Home for Christmas," can now enjoy unlimited access to those and other yuletide favorites without having to brave mobs at the mall or the clinking of the cash register. In response to the growing demand for access to online video content, AT&T Inc. today announced that the company will offer unlimited access to a library of more than 2,200 movie and video selections and 24-hour access to live TV at no charge for one or more months.

Effective today, new residential AT&T Yahoo!^® High-Speed Internet customers can take advantage of a 30-day free trial of Vongo, the movie download service offering from Starz Entertainment, with more than 1,000 popular movies and 2,200 total video titles. Customers can also enjoy a 90-day free trial of AT&T Broadband TV, providing access to a wealth of live programming while at home, at work or on the go, using wired and wireless broadband technologies. Regular-service subscription charges apply at the end of the trial period. Current AT&T Yahoo! High-Speed Internet customers can also participate in the free trials by upgrading their existing service speed to Express (up to 1.5 Mbps), Pro (up to 3.0 Mbps) or Elite (up to 6.0 Mbps) service.

"From movies to live TV, AT&T understands that today's consumers want unlimited access to enhanced content at their convenience- with video leading the charge," said Rick Welday, chief marketing officer, AT&T Consumer.

"By trialing today's offer of free movie downloads and real-time access to live TV content, our customers can better experience the benefits, value and advantages unique to AT&T Yahoo! High-Speed Internet," said Welday.

The move to let consumers enjoy free trials of downloadable content for a period of time from Vongo and AT&T Broadband TV, in conjunction with MobiTV, comes on the heels of a series of related video announcements from AT&T. New AT&T Yahoo! High-Speed Internet customers can redeem offers for both Vongo movie downloads and AT&T Broadband TV, as outlined in the directions that are provided in the AT&T Yahoo! service kit. Current customers can upgrade their existing service speed online and will then receive information regarding the offers in subsequent customer notification.

AT&T Broadband TV delivers 20 channels of live and made-for-broadband television content spanning national news, sports, entertainment and full-length music videos from top artists. Among the channels included in the initial channel lineup are Bloomberg Television, The Oxygen Network, Comedy Time, Toonworld TV Classics, MAXX Sports and The Weather Channel.

Vongo subscribers have unlimited access to more than 2,200 movie and video selections as well as a live streaming Starz TV channel. Members may download movies and video selections onto three eligible devices of their choice for each account, allowing for multiple-viewing options and family enjoyment.

You can read more about the offer in this AT&T press release.

BellSouth has entered into a non-exclusive agreement with ICI Services Corporation, otherwise known as IntelliCommunities®, to jointly market a community Web portal service in planned communities in BellSouth's service area. Under this sales teaming agreement, IntelliCommunities will offer the NetShare® community Web portal service as part of BellSouth's comprehensive communications portfolio for planned communities that includes voice, video, high-speed data, security and Wi-Fi hotspot solutions.

IntelliCommunities' interactive NetShare® Portal Service is designed to help residents easily integrate into their surroundings and to encourage social connections that create vibrant, attractive communities. Homeowners' associations and property managers can create operational and communication efficiencies by using the portal and developers can offer a unique service for residents.

"Developers are seeking differentiating communications solutions to set their communities apart in a competitive market," said Phil Jacobs, president - Community Technologies, BellSouth. "The NetShare service complements BellSouth's comprehensive technology portfolio and becomes another premium amenity for residents in progressive communities."

BellSouth and IntelliCommunities will jointly market the NetShare service and coordinate deployment of services with developers and property managers. IntelliCommunities will provide ongoing customer service and technical user support.

"A community with a strong social fabric is very attractive to new home buyers," said Chuck Matthews, founder and president of IntelliCommunities. "The user-friendly design of the NetShare community Web portal service facilitates personal relationships, builds a connected lifestyle and ultimately helps increase real estate value for residents."

To find out more about the community Web portal service,  you can read this BellSouth press release.

As part of its ongoing efforts to help military families and loved ones stay connected around the world, Verizon Business is helping to hold a holiday party at Camp Pendleton for U.S. Marines based in Iraq. At the Dec. 9 event - hosted by Southern California's commuter rail system, Metrolink - Verizon Business will team with the Freedom Calls Foundation to facilitate an international videoconference for Marines in Camp Fallujah, Iraq, and their families at Camp Pendleton. The military base is the headquarters of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, which has more than 20,000 Marines in Iraq.

During the videoconference, the Marines in Iraq will be able to watch and listen as their families and friends at Camp Pendleton meet Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and other costumed characters as a part of a stop by the Metrolink Holiday Toy Express™ train - the first ever at Camp Pendleton. Verizon Business is making the overseas communication possible by providing communications links, large screens and technical support for the event. The Freedom Calls Foundation is providing the site-to-site satellite link to the Freedom Calls Center at Camp Fallujah. The Freedom Calls Foundation has built a satellite network dedicated to helping troops in Iraq and Afghanistan to keep in touch with their families and loved ones at home, free of charge.

"This is a very special holiday event that touches the brave women and men and their families here at home," said Jerry Edgerton, group president for Verizon Federal, the sales organization within Verizon Business dedicated to serving federal government customers.   "For our troops stationed far away from home, seeing their loved ones celebrate the holidays can help lift the spirits. Verizon Business has made it a tradition to help the troops stay connected during the holiday season as a gesture of appreciation for the sacrifices they make daily."

As a leading communications provider to the federal government and the Department of Defense for more than a decade, Verizon Business leverages its leading-edge technology and global capabilities to support military personnel and their families around the world throughout the year.   The company has provided free telephone calls for Iraq-based U.S. Armed Forces personnel for major holidays including Mother's Day, Father's Day, U.S. Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Verizon Business provided the free phone calls from Nov. 22 through 28 and deployed to Iraq a state-of-the-art mobile communications facility outfitted with phones to allow military personnel to make calls.  More than 12,000 calls, totaling more than 120,000 minutes, were completed during the Thanksgiving calling promotion. In addition, Verizon Business will be providing free calling from Dec. 22 through Jan. 2.

Time Warner and Time Warner Cable recently announced they will host "Home to the Future," a three-week interactive home installation at Time Warner Center, Jan. 17 through Feb 6, 2007, curated by renown museum exhibit designer Edwin Schlossberg of ESI Design.

The exhibit will include two rooms on both the first floor and second floors of the Time Warner Center, each featuring innovative digital technologies from across the Time Warner Cable portfolio including, digital phone, vdeo On demand, DVR (digital video recorder), high-definition programming and RoadRunner High-Speed Online.

"Home to the Future" will also present videos on new Time Warner Cable digital entertainment functions Quick Clips and StartOver, as well as a sampling of other digital initiatives from across the Time Warner family of businesses—from Warner Bros. and New Line to Time Inc., Home Box Office, AOL and Turner Broadcasting. The exhibit will include a series of themed ancillary events—in cooperation with Time Warner partners in film, television and music.

Fore more information about the Home to the Future and associated events, check out www.hometothefuture.com.

Bright House Networks announced this week that it has introduced two new features to its digital phone service. Digital phone customers will now be able to add a second phone line to their service. The company is also adding Spanish prompts to the digital phone voice mail service.

"These two new features offer many benefits for customers," said John Rigsby, president of Bright House Networks Florida Group. "With two digital phone lines, customers can talk on one line while the other is tied up by another family member or by a fax machine. And customers who prefer to communicate in Spanish may now access their voice mail in their preferred language."

Bright House says that since its launch in 2004, digital phone service has enjoyed tremendous popularity. In less than three years, more than 300,000 customers have switched to the company's digital phone service, and the service has gained national recognition. I posted about their success back in July when they were recognized in a J.D. Power and Associates study as having the highest-rated customer service for telephone service providers in the Southeast region.

If you are interested in Bright House Networks digital phone for your home, enter your address here to see if the service is available in your area.

Holiday shoppers can now put broadband in their carts. The award-winning AT&T Yahoo!^® High-Speed Internet service will be available at 570 Wal-Mart stores in 13 states in November 2006. The deal offers consumers another convenient way to learn about, shop for and eventually purchase AT&T Yahoo! High-Speed Internet services. With more than 150 million customers shopping in its stores each week, Wal-Mart provides AT&T with the opportunity to reach more consumers.

"By offering information about AT&T Yahoo! High-Speed Internet services in a number of Wal-Mart Connection Center locations, millions of consumers will have the opportunity to conveniently learn about AT&T broadband services while shopping for their everyday necessities. This will open up a whole new world of online experiences for AT&T and Wal-Mart customers, from easily sharing photos and stories with distant family and friends to streaming music and video from their favorite performers in the comfort of their living room," said Rick Welday, chief marketing officer, AT&T Consumer. "We offer the fastest Internet speeds in the market for the price, which fits perfectly with the Wal-Mart everyday-low-price model."

With 8.2 million high-speed Internet lines, AT&T is the largest broadband provider among U.S. telecommunications providers. AT&T Yahoo! High-Speed Internet service offers consumers unmatched levels of personalization, customization and interactivity. Subscribers receive a leading combination of broadband access, powerful safety and security tools, and service and content that delivers a unique high-speed Internet experience.

If you would like to find out more details about AT&T Yahoo! High-Speed Internet service and order this service online, you can go to the AT&T page on WhiteFence.

The National Football League and Verizon Communications have agreed to deliver live NFL Network sports and entertainment programming via Verizon's consumer broadband services, beginning Dec. 7 with the matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns. Verizon already offers the NFL Network television channel to subscribers of its FiOS TV Service and is the only Internet service provider to deliver selected NFL Network programming over broadband.

The deal includes live, online broadcasts of NFL Network's Thursday and Saturday regular season games, certain college football bowl games telecast by the NFL Network, plus other programming for Verizon consumer broadband subscribers who also receive the NFL Network.

Additionally, all Verizon consumer broadband customers - including customers of both Verizon's FiOS Internet Service and Verizon Online's DSL service -- will be able to enjoy a variety of additional NFL-related and NFL Network programming, including weekly previews of NFL Network games, highlights of NFL Network games, off-season programming and links to an NFL.com fantasy football game.

"Customers who subscribe to video and broadband with Verizon can now enjoy live NFL action on their TVs, PCs and laptops, both at home and away from home," said Bob Ingalls, chief marketing officer of Verizon. "NFL Networks already is a premier part of our video offerings, and we're delighted to add it to our fast-growing roster of top-quality online entertainment programming.  This reflects our commitment to providing consumers more and better choices in video and online entertainment."

Through a separate agreement, Verizon provides the NFL Network TV channel to subscribers of its 200-channel all-digital FiOS TV Premier package.

To access the new, online NFL programming, customers will log onto their Verizon consumer broadband accounts and access the shows from the Verizon Surround online entertainment site (http://surround.verizon.net/).   They can enjoy live programs at home or use any broadband connection to log on remotely. 

Verizon FiOS TV subscribers -- or customers who subscribe to DIRECTV through Verizon -- who receive both the NFL Network and a Verizon consumer broadband service will have access to online broadcasts, including:

• Live NFL Network feed for NFL Network's Thursday and Saturday regular-season games, including alternative camera angles and audio feeds; real-time statistics; and in-progress highlights of NFL Network games and other college games.
• Special events, including college bowl games and college all-star games.

All of Verizon's consumer broadband subscribers will have access to:

• Weekly NFL preview videos, including a highlights package for each Thursday and Saturday game.
• Programming from NFL Network shows including NFL Total Access and NFL Point After.
• NFL off-season programming.
• Exclusive commentary from NFL analysts, including Rich Eisen, Vic Carucci and Pat Kirwan.
• NFLN Fan Challenge fantasy football game based on NFL Network's eight-game package.

AT&T Inc. and NBC Universal, Inc. have entered a distribution agreement to deliver NBC Universal linear, high-definition (HD) and on-demand programming as part of the AT&T U-verse^SM TV channel lineup.

Under the agreement, AT&T will distribute to U-verse customers the analog and digital signals of the NBC and Telemundo owned-and-operated broadcast stations, as well as NBCU's cable properties, including CNBC, CNBC World, MSNBC, Telemundo, mun2, Telemundo Puerto Rico, Bravo, the SCI FI Channel, Sleuth, ShopNBC, USA Network, Universal HD and the Olympics on Cable. The deal also includes video-on-demand (VOD) rights for Universal Pictures' movies.

"NBC Universal operates many of the most popular television services on the air today," said Dan York, head of programming, AT&T Entertainment. "We're thrilled to include the wide array of engaging and entertaining NBC Universal brands in our channel lineup and VOD offering."

"NBC Universal is proud to deliver diverse, quality programming; leading news coverage; and award-winning feature films to AT&T U-verse customers," said Henry Ahn, senior vice president, Affiliate Sales, NBCU Cable. "We appreciate AT&T's support of NBC Universal in the broad carriage of all of our cable properties, broadcast network, owned and operated stations, and VOD films."

AT&T U-verse TV is delivered by Project Lightspeed, the company's initiative to expand the fiber-optics network deeper into neighborhoods to deliver U-verse TV, AT&T Yahoo!^® High Speed Internet U-verse Enabled and, in the future, Voice over IP services. Through its subsidiaries, AT&T expects to reach nearly 19 million households by the end of 2008 as part of its initial deployment, using fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) and fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) technologies.

Verizon recently announced that, in a move similar to AT&T, the company will be helping U.S. troops and their families stay in touch during the holiday season. For the fourth consecutive year, Verizon Business will provide free phone calls for U.S. Armed Forces personnel stationed in Iraq. The calls will be provided from Nov. 22 through 28 and from Dec. 22 through Jan. 2.

"For our troops stationed far away from home, hearing the sound of a loved-one's voice can go a long way to lift the spirits during the holidays,'' said Jerry Edgerton, group president for Verizon Federal, the sales organization within Verizon Business dedicated to serving federal government customers. "Verizon Business has made it a tradition to help the troops stay connected during the holiday season as a gesture of appreciation for the sacrifices they make daily."

In addition to a mobile communications facility outfitted with phones to allow military personnel to make calls,  Verizon Business makes technology, resources and employee support available to military personnel and their families around the world.

Verizon Business also is supporting the USO of Metropolitan Washington on Dec. 17 at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, by hosting a Verizon Business Phone Home for the Holidays program in conjunction with the USO's holiday event.  Verizon Business will deploy one of its mobile emergency communications vehicles to allow troops and their families to make free local, long-distance and international calls as well as send e-mails.

AT&T recently announced that it is working with United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) to distribute an additional 10,000 free prepaid phone cards to U.S. military members overseas in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East this holiday season. This is the third batch contributing to more than 30,000 prepaid phone cards— valued at $270,000— that AT&T has donated to the U.S. military in 2006.

This holiday phone card donation follows military donations made in honor of the Father's Day and July Fourth holidays. It is the company's third and final wave of donated prepaid cards this year and will be distributed to troops this holiday season in two ways: AT&T will hand out roughly half of the cards to troops on military bases in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Spain, and the USO will assist with the rest through USO distribution centers in South Korea, Japan Germany and Italy.

Distribution of the phone cards is already under way so that troops will have them in time for Thanksgiving, a peak time for phoning home from military calling centers, according to AT&T. According to the USO, the number one item requested by military personnel is a prepaid calling card. The phone card donation follows the company's $250,000 sponsorship of the USO's celebrity entertainment program this year.

"Many military members will be away from their loved ones on Thanksgiving and through the December holiday season, a time typically focused on families spending time together here at home," said Cathy Martine, senior vice president-AT&T National Mass Markets. "We want to help connect these families as the holidays approach— and to honor the many men and women who sacrifice so much."

If you would like to donate phone cards to deployed service members, visit the USO's Operation Phone Home??.

Casting calls are familiar to many celebrities who participate in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, but a "caddie call" has an altogether different script. The "AT&T Caddie Call" is a program that will give fans a chance to show their golf knowledge and enter a sweepstakes for a chance to caddie for PGA Tour professional Camilo Villegas during a practice round the week of the 2007 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Fans enter by going online to participate in the AT&T Caddie Call—an interactive game where they must answer questions on the rules of golf. Questions will be presented as a computer simulation or video footage. Those who answer all nine multiple-choice questions correctly are entered into a sweepstakes to caddie for Camilo.

The grand prize includes airfare, hotel accommodations and passes to the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, as well as the opportunity to caddie for Camilo during a practice round. Other golf fans who enter can win AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am merchandise and autographed memorabilia from Camilo.

The 2007 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am will be held from Feb. 5 to 11, 2007. You can read this AT&T press release to find out how to play.

EMBARQ recently presented the Single Marine Center at Parris Island a technology donation of more than $6,000, including multi-media computers, other equipment, and EMBARQ high-speed Internet DSL service.

"EMBARQ and our predecessor companies always have made support of our military personnel a priority," Green said. "When we consider everything our military personnel do for our nation's security, we believe it is important to do what we can for them."

According to Linda Green, EMBARQ's public affairs manager, EMBARQ and its predecessor companies have provided educational scholarships to dependents of military personnel for many years at military installations in the Carolinas. Some 28 $1,000 scholarships were presented earlier this year at six bases, including Marine Corps Air Station-Beaufort. The company's investment in those scholarships totals more than $1.5 million over the last 20 years.

EMBARQ also provided computers and high-speed Internet access to Tri-Command Military Housing at Edisto Woods Community Center and Dotcom Café in December 2004 through the company's Internet Connection Program.

Sprint Nextel this past weekend by Marketing y Medios, a leading publication that covers Hispanic-targeted marketing, advertising and media, as "'Marketing y Medios' Marketer of the Year for 2006," an award given to an elite group of companies that have demonstrated exemplary marketing to the Hispanic community. Sprint received this award at a celebration event held in conjunction with the ANA Multicultural Marketing Conference in Los Angeles.

The editors of Adweek's Marketing y Medios looked at the outstanding individuals who have made inroads into the U.S. Hispanic marketplace on behalf of their respective companies, looking at current strategies, planning, grass-roots marketing and an entrepreneurial spirit that sets marketers apart from competitors. Isaac Mizrahi, director of multicultural marketing for Sprint, was presented the award on behalf of the company.

"What an honor it is to be recognized by Marketing y Medios for focusing on a growing and very important market, one that is not only important to Sprint but that is helping shape the very framework of our country," said Mizrahi. "Wireless services are changing the way we live, work and play, and Sprint is at the forefront of providing the Hispanic community with innovative products and services, giving customers the power to do more in more places."

In addition to being the first carrier to introduce a live Spanish TV service for wireless phones earlier this year with the launch of Sprint TV En Vivo, Sprint is actively demonstrating its commitment to the Hispanic community through two high-profile Latin music sponsorships that deliver Latin music fans with unique, Spanish-language wireless content, delivered via the high-speed Sprint Power Vision(SM) Network.

• Sprint is a title sponsor of the 2007 U.S. Tour of MANÁ, one of the hottest Mexican rock bands of all times. Exclusive content was made available via the Sprint Power Vision(SM) Network in August.
• Sprint is also a sponsor of a new venture with Bad Boy Latino, a music label created by Emilio Estefan and Sean "Diddy" Combs that showcases emerging Latino artists and is distributed by Warner Music Group. Sprint introduced ChristianDaniel, the first Bad Boy Latino artist, by making his single release, titled Dónde Quedarán, video and the self-titled album available on the Sprint Power Vision(SM) Network two weeks before wider commercial distribution - a first in the U.S. mobile space.

In September, Sprint was honored by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), the largest and most influential advocate for Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States. Sprint was named its 2006 "Corporation of the Year," receiving the President's Award, the highest award bestowed on any company by the USHCC.

Sprint has been widely recognized for its commitment to inclusion and diversity. In addition to the Marketing y Medios and USHCC awards, Sprint has received recognition from Black MBA Magazine, DiversityBusiness.com, DiversityInc., Hispanic Magazine, Hispanic Network Magazine, the Human Rights Campaign, the Kansas City Asian American Chamber of Commerce, the Minority Business and Professional Network, the Northern Virginia Urban League and PR News.

What would make your dad's Comcast high definition TV service look even better? That's right - a new high definition television set. Now that we are entering the holiday season, it is time to start making your gift list. From cell phones to televisions to computers - the hardware you have in your home can make a big difference in your home services. Check out the CNET Holiday Gift Guide to find the best buys on the market now. Who knows - you might find something for yourself.

AT&T Inc. announced today that G.I. Jobs magazine has included AT&T in its list of America's "Top 50 Most Military-Friendly Employers." This is the third consecutive year that AT&T has been selected for this prestigious honor by the magazine, a national monthly periodical that provides resources to help military members transition into a civilian career. AT&T has been consistently recognized by G.I. Jobs based on the company's exceptional military and veteran recruitment and support programs.

"For more than 85 years, AT&T has remained dedicated to supporting active military personnel, their families and veterans through the hiring of military veterans and maintaining policies that support reservists when they are called to active duty," said Karen Jennings, AT&T's senior executive vice president of human resources and communications. "In addition to our employment commitments, AT&T contributes to nonprofits and other sponsorships that support military personnel, and we make sure that disabled veteran-owned business enterprises are involved throughout our supply chain."

AT&T provides multiple benefits policies for its military employees, including differential pay for up to 30 months for those who report to active duty, and benefit options for employees and their families. AT&T also guarantees the same or like position upon an employee's return from service. Furthermore, AT&T pursues recruiting opportunities with active duty, reserve and retired U.S. armed services personnel by attending job fairs and hosting presentations at military transition centers or bases.

"We understand and appreciate the sacrifices that America's men and women in uniform make because more than 775 AT&T employees have been called to active duty since 9/11, and more than 220 are still serving with U.S. armed forces," Jennings said.

AT&T's recognition as one of the most military-friendly companies in the United States coincides with the establishment of a new internal employee resource group, the AT&T Veterans, which consists of interested employee volunteers who organize company-sponsored events in honor of Veterans Day and Memorial Day, as well as fundraising opportunities and partnerships with organizations that support active duty, reserve and retired U.S. armed services personnel.

In 2006, AT&T has partnered with the United Service Organizations (USO) to distribute a total of 30,000 prepaid phone cards to U.S. military members overseas in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. According to the USO, the top item requested by military personnel is a prepaid phone card. AT&T has donated 20,000 cards already in 2006 and will be making a final donation later this year, as part of an ongoing campaign to help keep military families connected via the best valued prepaid phone cards.

The company and the AT&T Pioneers, active and retired AT&T employee volunteers, have been working in conjunction with the Freedom Calls Foundation to support U.S. military and their families through Telecom Challenge award-winning "Answering the Call—Let Freedom Ring" projects. These ongoing projects have helped thousands of military personnel and their families to date. From a high-tech perspective, the Pioneers bring families of deployed military personnel into AT&T videoconferencing sites for Freedom Calls to link family members both audibly and visually with their deployed soldier overseas.

Read more about this in AT&T press release.

TIME Magazine's list of Best Inventions 2006, which hit newsstands this week, includes the fan-favorite NASCAR NEXTEL FanView, a hand-held scanner that includes video, audio and data capabilities. Sprint Nextel, NASCAR and Kangaroo.TV introduced the newest at-track wireless technology for spectators in February.

"To be included in TIME Magazine's Best Inventions is an honor and a privilege. More so, it's a testament to Sprint Nextel, NASCAR and Kangaroo.TV's dedication to advance the sport through innovative wireless technology," said Dean Kessel, director of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series marketing for Sprint Nextel. "We want our legacy to denote technological advancements that enhance the fan experience and by creating this revolutionary device, fans sitting in the stands can experience racing like never before."

The first device of its kind in any major sport, NASCAR NEXTEL FanView combines the race telecast and up to seven in-car camera channels, direct audio feeds allowing the user to listen to live driver and team conversations, as well as the radio broadcast and an exclusive audio-replay feature. NASCAR NEXTEL FanView also taps directly into NASCAR's timing and scoring system, providing fans with real-time race data and statistics at the touch of a button. The device is available for rent at NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events.

The Nov. 13 issue of TIME Magazine is on newsstands now. Inventions on the list range from YouTube to solar yachts. For more information on NASCAR NEXTEL FanView, visit www.sprint.com/nextelcup.

Last month, I posted about the AT&T-BellSouth merger being postponed. Officials were supposed to discuss the issue further, but the special meeting regarding the acquisition was never convened.  Now The Associated Press is reporting that the FCC vote has been delayed again, with no further discussion scheduled.

According to the AP, failure to attach conditions to the merger brought a sharp response from the two Democratic commissioners, Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein, who accused the Justice Department of failing to protect consumers. Their opposition meant that AT&T was facing a potential 2-2 tie vote, which would have required a fifth vote from Robert McDowell, a former lobbyist for a trade group that opposed the merger.

AT&T's did offer last minute concessions, including $10-per-month Internet access in its service area, free modems, promises to freeze prices temporarily for competitors that use the company's networks, and even a pledge to bring back some BellSouth jobs shipped overseas. However, consumer groups criticized the concessions as "short-term candy for a few instead of long-term lower prices and better choices for all consumers."

With its recent launch of telephone service in Santa Barbara and Palos Verdes, California, Cox Communications has officially launched telephone service in all Cox markets. Cox will continue to expand its telephone service footprint in the communities it serves in early 2007.

According to Cox, more than 1.9 million households and 150,000 businesses rely on the company's Digital Telephone for quality and reliable telephone service. Cox says it does not transport phone calls through the public Internet. Rather, in some markets, the company uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to transport phone calls over a private, managed IP-based data network. With this architecture, a broadband connection is not required for Cox telephone service. Recognizing the characteristics of cable telephony and its commitment to reliability, ADT Security Services recently announced that it recognizes Cox Digital Telephone as a primary method of alarm transmission.

"Cox's number one commitment is to its customers," said David Pugliese, Cox's vice president of product marketing. "Our customers rely on us to deliver a reliable connection every day—for every type of residence or place of business. ADT's announcement today further validates our collective commitment to customer safety."

Cox says that, as the pioneer of cable telephony, its long-term strategy has been to deliver the convenience, quality and value of Cox Digital Telephone to all Cox markets. The company's 2006 telephone launches included Santa Barbara and Palos Verdes, California, Northwest Arkansas, Sun Valley, Idaho and Cleveland, Ohio.

To see if Cox Digital Telephone is available through WhiteFence in your area, enter your address now.

AT&T has launched a new home monitoring service that the company says will help customers stay more connected to their homes and families while they are away. Available nationwide, the new service enables customers to use both personal computers and Cingular wireless devices to access streaming digital video and other real-time data and information from their homes—at virtually any time and from anywhere.

AT&T considers this new service an example of the company's continuing commitment to innovation, and its strategy for delivering converged, IP-based services that enable customers to access content, critical applications and information virtually anytime, anywhere, and using any device.

The AT&T home monitor service combines live and recorded video (non-audio) capabilities with a range of environmental sensor options to provide customers with a toolkit to help them stay connected to the people and things they value most. For example, the service allows users to remotely control lighting in their homes, and it can provide a range of alerts and reports on home conditions, such as motion, door and window activity, water leakage, and temperature changes.

"Keeping track of home activities is increasingly challenging today, as we spend more time on the road and on the run," said Susan Johnson, senior vice president of Business Development at AT&T. "The new AT&T home monitoring service will provide an affordable, easy-to-use solution for a variety of challenges in managing a household. This service is ideal for a wide range of potential applications, from keeping an eye on children, elderly parents or pets to monitoring a second home or vacation home."

The service allows users to customize alerts and actions based on their specific needs. For example, a user can program the service to send a text message alert to a cell phone when motion is detected in an area of the home, while at the same time automatically turning on lighting and recording video of the same area.

The service is available via AT&T to customers of Cingular Wireless services, and can be accessed via virtually any Cingular wireless phone or PDA capable of supporting Internet access and Java, as well as nearly any broadband-enabled PC. The service is optimized for residential customers who subscribe to AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet as well as Cingular services.

The company says the new home monitoring service is an example of the new generation of converged, IP-based services that AT&T is working to deliver for residential and business customers. To maximize these extensive networks, AT&T and Cingular are developing and deploying advanced technology to enable seamless sharing of information between wireless and wireline networks and devices. Ultimately, AT&T will use this unified network to enable virtually seamless connectivity anywhere, anytime, and on almost any device, giving consumers what they want, when they want it, wherever they are. Increasingly, services will be accessible from any of the "three screens" that many consumers value most: the TV, PC and cell phone.

"Our home monitoring service is an early yet powerful example of the potential of converged services," Johnson said. "As AT&T works to blend the lines between communications applications, customers will no longer be tied to a specific device to access a specific service. Voice, data, and video services will be accessible from a range of devices, allowing customers to communicate and access information how they prefer, wherever they happen to be."

For more details, check out the AT&T press release.

ADT Security Services has announced that it is joining forces with cable and telecommunications providers to help ensure its security systems will continue to be able to communicate with its monitoring centers if a customer switches to an IP-based telephone service. ADT outlined a set of characteristics that this next generation of phone services providers must meet in order to be a primary method of transmitting alarm signals to ADT's 24-hour a day monitoring centers.

IP-based telephone providers Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Charter, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks have confirmed that their networks meet the characteristics required by ADT to be a primary method of alarm transmission. Cable IP-based phone services provider's calls travel over privately managed networks, rather than the public Internet used by many other IP-based phone services.

"ADT recognizes the customer benefits associated with alternative phone services including VoIP, digital phone and other IP-based phone services," said ADT's Chief Operating Officer John Koch. "We also recognize that not all of these services are created equal. The safety and security of our nearly six million monitored customers across the United States and Canada continues to be our chief focus as we review these new communication technologies and the potential differences in their ability to transmit alarm signals reliably to our customer monitoring center network."

Koch said over the past several months, ADT has brought together numerous parties from both the cable and telecommunications industries to better understand the differences among IP-based phone providers in how they set up and maintain their networks. The result is a set of phone network characteristics that ADT has taken into consideration in determining how to best serve the interests of its customers. Traditional telephone services already have acceptable characteristics in place and therefore are not affected by this change.

The characteristics outlined by ADT include whether the provider has a managed and maintained physical facilities network with major and minor disaster recovery plans in place that include specific network power restoration procedures, whether the provider makes available professional installation of its IP-based phone service that preserves primary line seizure for alarm signal transmission, and whether the provider's physical facilities network provides real-time transmission of voice signals, carrying alarm formats unchanged. If an IP-based phone services provider has not informed ADT that it meets these characteristics, ADT will continue to require its customers using such phone services to either keep their traditional phone line or to install a cellular transmission system.

Regardless of the type of phone service used, ADT always recommends that customers use an additional back-up method of communication to connect their alarm system to ADT's monitoring centers, Koch said.

"One of the key findings is that technology has moved extremely quickly regarding these phone services and how they operate with alarm systems," Koch said. "As the industry leader, we took the initiative to outline these phone network characteristics so that we can continue to provide our customers with high quality alarm monitoring services regardless of their phone service type."

BellSouth recently announced that it has entered into a non-exclusive agreement with Resident Interactive, Inc. to jointly market a community Web portal service in planned communities in BellSouth's service area.

Under this sales teaming agreement, BellSouth, together with Resident Interactive, will offer a community Web portal service, known as Digital Village Service, as part of BellSouth's comprehensive communications portfolio for planned communities that includes voice, video, high-speed data, security and Wi-Fi hotspot solutions.

Resident Interactive's Digital Village Service allows homeowners associations and property managers in single family home, apartment and condominium developments to create a more connected community. The Web portal service is a virtual representation of a neighborhood where residents can meet, form groups, make plans and link with local businesses.

"Developers are increasingly identifying community web portals as a differentiating amenity for their residents," said Phil Jacobs, president - Community Technologies, BellSouth. "The Digital Village Service is a logical complement to BellSouth's comprehensive technology portfolio and provides additional solutions to communities through a trusted source."

BellSouth and Resident Interactive will jointly market the Digital Village Service and coordinate deployment of services with community managers. Resident Interactive will provide ongoing customer service and technical user support.

"Our mission is to establish outstanding, long-term relationships with our customers and strategic partners, while delivering software with unmatched reliability and customer service that exceeds expectations in every respect," said Dennis Papalois, president and CEO of Resident Interactive, Inc. "The teaming agreement with BellSouth will greatly expand our capabilities to meet this objective in more communities across the Southeast. It is truly a winning proposition for developers and residents."

For more information, check out the press release BellSouth and Resident Interactive, Inc. Sign Teaming Agreement to Deploy Web Portal Service in Planned Communities.

Verizon said today that it is continuing to aggressively work on restoration efforts in the Buffalo area, following the early season snowstorm that hit the region earlier this month. With nearly 600 technicians in the field, Verizon expects to have its network fully restored within two weeks.

"While most of our customers are already back in service, or never experienced phone service outages in the wake of the storm, there is remaining field work necessary in order to fully restore our network," explained Joseph DeMauro, regional vice president for Verizon operations.

To help with restoration efforts, Verizon has brought in more than 200 technicians from other parts of New York state to assist the local teams in repairs and other tasks, such as pole replacements, installing new drop wires and splicing new cables.

"The work needed now includes repairs to service-affecting issues like low-hanging or unattached wires," DeMauro said.  "Our employees are engaged in identifying these issues, making repairs and restoring service as quickly as possible."

DeMauro noted that damaged cabling and wires may not cause a customer's service to go out, but rather may cause static during a conversation, intermittent service, or similar conditions.  Since the start of the storm, the company has completed 68 percent of this type of weather-related repair work.

Verizon is also conducting engineering surveys of neighborhoods to identify downed wires and cables, and the company is working with local agencies and the power company to identify safe work areas as well as those areas needing telecom service.   Under standard safety procedure, Verizon employees are not permitted to enter neighborhoods until electricity is restored and all safety issues associated with power outages are cleared.

As of last Wednesday, less than one week after the storm hit, all of Verizon's 80 central offices that serve the affected areas were back on commercial power.  Following the storm, 30 of the company's central offices had continued to operate on battery or generator backup power.  All Verizon central offices, which perform the essential functions of supplying dial tone and routing calls and data transmissions for customers, are equipped with backup batteries and generators that kick in automatically if the electrical power supply is interrupted.  In addition, portable generators were used in locations where commercial power was interrupted for an extended period of time.

AT&T recently annouced that announced that it has received four 2006 Global Wholesale Carrier Excellence Awards from ATLANTIC-ACM, a Boston-based telecommunications industry research consultancy. The awards, which are based on customer feedback, were presented at the Competitive Telecommunications Association's (COMPTEL's) Fall 2006 Convention & Expo in Orlando. AT&T received more 2006 Global Wholesale Carrier Excellence awards than any other carrier.

The awards are based on the weighted results of the 2006 edition of ATLANTIC-ACM's Global Wholesale Report Card. The report card analyzes customer feedback in the traditional wholesale telecommunications market as well as in emerging technologies to evaluate the performance of wholesale carriers in key delivery areas.

"We are extremely pleased that the value of the offers we bring to market is being recognized, and as our customers' needs evolve, we will continue to seek ways to meet global requirements," said Sherry Charles, vice president of AT&T Wholesale Marketing, AT&T Enterprise Services, Inc. "These awards demonstrate the solid experience of AT&T's global sales and customer care teams in each segment of the wholesale marketplace that we serve. AT&T is committed to delivering a premier customer service experience through servicing tools, global care solutions and secure Web-based reporting backed by robust service-level agreements and efficient processes."

Now in its sixth year, the ATLANTIC-ACM Global Wholesale Report Card has become the most reliable source of comparable wholesale customer feedback in the telecom industry. The report card will be available in November 2006.

"AT&T had spectacular results this year, not only winning four categories but also improving on its 2005 scores dramatically," said Fedor Smith, vice president of ATLANTIC-ACM. "AT&T's service and quality continued to generate positive feedback from global customers throughout the first year of the completed merger of SBC and AT&T."

Read more in the press release AT&T Wins Four Global Wholesale Carrier Excellence Awards From ATLANTIC-ACM.

Want RED? Soon the RED MOTORAZR V3m will be available nationwide. The new wireless phone was designed exclusively to support (RED), an initiative founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund. The Global Fund is an innovative public-private partnership created to finance a dramatic turnaround in the fight against AIDS in Africa with an emphasis on women and children.

As the exclusive worldwide wireless partner for (RED), Motorola is developing unique products and partnering with leading wireless operators to enable consumers to help fight HIV/AIDS in Africa. The RED MOTORAZR is the first in a series of products in the U.S. to benefit The Global Fund. Both Motorola and Sprint will contribute directly to the fund with each RED MOTORAZR sold at Sprint.

"Motorola is honored to be associated with (RED), The Global Fund and now Sprint in the drive to help those in Africa affected by HIV/AIDS," said Ron Garriques, president of Motorola Mobile Devices. "Together, we are literally placing in people's hands the opportunity to get involved in a meaningful way."

"We are delighted to offer our customers RED MOTORAZR as a way to make a difference in this very important effort," said Mark Schweitzer, chief marketing officer for Sprint. "With the exclusive content available from Sprint, including live television, NFL Mobile and Sprint Music Store, purchasing the RED MOTORAZR is an easy way to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS."

To find out more about (RED) and the availability of the RED MOTORAZR, you can read this Sprint press release.

According to CNet News, the Federal Communications Commission has canceled its meeting in which it was supposed to vote on the proposed $80 billion merger of AT&T and BellSouth.

The FCC had planned to vote on the merger during its regular open meeting on Thursday, but removed it from the agenda and postponed the vote until Friday.

The apparent cause of the first postponement was the FCC split between Democrats and Republicans on the merger. Chairman Kevin Martin, a Republican, had been pushing for the deal to be approved without any restrictions, according to CNet sources. But the two Democratic commissioners, Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps, were upset over the Department of Justice unconditional approval of the merger earlier this week.

In an effort to sway the Democrats to their side, AT&T apparently submitted alternative proposals to the FCC on Thursday, according to a story first published by Reuters. Even though the Republicans control the commission with three of five seats, it's crucial for at least one of the two Democrats to approve the merger, since one of the Republicans, Robert McDowell, has said he will not vote on the merger, because he had worked for a group that represents competitors to AT&T and BellSouth before joining the FCC.

"We firmly believe, as do three foreign countries, 18 state commissions and the Department of Justice—every regulatory or legal entity that had an obligation to examine the benefits of this merger—that no conditions on this merger are necessary for this combination to be a public benefit," said Michael Balmoris, an AT&T spokesman. "However, we are open to discussing with the Democratic FCC commissioners reasonable conditions on the merger in order to obtain unanimous approval, so long as they do not affect our ability to deliver merger benefits to customers and shareowners."

For more information, check out the article FCC vote on AT&T/BellSouth merger postponed.

Small-business owners with a diversity background can learn how to make technology work for them in a series of free workshops next month sponsored by SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" and Verizon Communications. 

The goal of the workshops is to increase small-business owners' understanding of technology and how it can improve their business' competitive edge. 

The workshops, entitled Building Your Small Business with Telecom Innovations, will be held Nov. 14 in Huntington Beach, Nov. 15 in Santa Monica and Nov. 16 in Ontario. The workshops are free but pre-registration is required through SCORE chapter Web sites.

The half-day events will feature presentations on small-business technology use, including trends, strategies and implications for growth; demonstrations of computer-based phone systems, network security, data recovery and business continuity protection; and vendor and supplier diversity programs for small businesses. 

In addition, there will be a question-and-answer session on small business and supplier diversity programs featuring representatives from local corporations and public entities. Each workshop will conclude with a roundtable discussion and an opportunity for one-on-one conversations with representatives from large businesses located in the communities where each workshop will be held. 

Funded by a $250,000 grant from Verizon, these are the first of a series of workshops that SCORE plans to offer to local minority-owned small businesses. 

A new survey, sponsored by Embarq Corporation in conjunction with the nonprofit Home Safety Council® (HSC), revealed that despite recent emphasis on the need for families to prepare for emergencies, many households in the Carolinas lack key components of good emergency planning. The survey of mothers and their third-or fourth- grade children in EMBARQ service areas found that 40 percent of mothers said their family does not have a family emergency communication plan and nearly half do not carry an ID card with essential contact information.

To help people prepare and have crucial information available at all times, HSC and EMBARQ have created wallet-sized emergency communication cards. The free cards include space to list important phone numbers and medical information. Each card comes in a small, sealable plastic bag to help protect it from water damage. The cards are available at EMBARQ™ Retail Stores and online at the EMBARQ Web site.

"When an emergency occurs, the first thing people often reach for is a phone to call their loved ones. As a communication company we can help people prepare, especially when staying connected by phone may be an individual's lifeline," said Harry Campbell, president of consumer markets, EMBARQ. "This is why EMBARQ and the Home Safety Council have developed these free wallet-sized cards."

Fr more information, check out the Carolina Newswire article EMBARQ, Home Safety Council help people stay connected during emergencies.

Market Watch is reporting that the AT&T-BellSouth merger delay will end soon. According to the business news site, the Federal Communications Commission has scheduled a vote for Oct. 12 at the behest of Chairman Kevin Martin, who has insisted on trying to meet the agency's informal 180-day deadline on reviewing proposed mergers.

However, the deal also has to win approval from the Justice Department's antitrust division. While the two agencies tend to consult each other through the review process and Justice typically issues its ruling several days or weeks before the FCC, there have been exceptions. The most notable occuring when the FCC was the first agency to block the DIRECTV-Dish Network merger a few years ago.

According to Market Watch, regulatory analysts have long predicted that the AT&T-BellSouth merger would pass regulatory muster with few conditions attached because the companies do not compete in many markets and they co-own Cingular Wireless, the nation's biggest mobile company. The merger has already won approval in all U.S. states in which the two companies have a large presences, as well as the foreign countries in which AT&T operates.

For more information, check out the article AT&T-BellSouth merger set for vote.

EMBARQ recently announced that Jessica Velasquez has been chosen as EMBARQ's National Service Hero.

During National Customer Service Week Oct. 2-6, EMBARQ recognizes eleven Service Heroes from among 3,000 customer service representatives for going the extra mile to provide outstanding care to local residential customers. From the ten finalists, a team of executives chose Velasquez as the overall EMBARQ National Service Hero.

Velasquez, an Embarq associate for three years, has received many unsolicited customer commendations on her service skills while serving in the Altamonte Springs call center. According to customer surveys, Velasquez has successfully resolved customer issues on the first call on nearly 96 percent of her calls this year.

"EMBARQ is fortunate to have hundreds of representatives whose work with our customers qualifies them as 'service heroes,' so the selection process was difficult," said Gerald Piper, director of EMBARQ call centers - east region. "Jessica is a shining example of what EMBARQ looks for in a representative. She is committed to providing exceptional customer service on every call and has a consistently positive, upbeat attitude that permeates throughout the Altamonte Springs call center."

Bob Sloboda, vice president of sales and service for Sprint's Consumer Markets Group, announced Velasquez's selection today at the EMBARQ Call Center, 850 East Altamonte Drive, Altamonte Springs, Fla. Velasquez received a $500 gift certificate, a trophy and a bouquet of flowers for being named the National Service Hero and other prizes for being one of the ten Service Heroes. The call center managers took all customer service representatives to lunch as a "thank you" for their commitment to EMBARQ customers.

"Jessica's efforts stand out from a hard-working group of associates who go the extra mile to provide the best customer service possible," Sloboda said. "The results she delivers everyday are based on attitude, patience, communication and confidence. Her commitment to friendly service is appreciated all year long, but especially during National Customer Service Week."

Read more about the award in the EMBARQ press release.

AT&T Inc. recently entered a new contract with the state of Indiana for a suite of voice, data and networking services worth approximately $22 million over four years.

Under the terms of the contract, AT&T will expand its existing relationship with the state of Indiana by delivering a Dedicated Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) ring, which is an optical-fiber network backbone; GigaMAN® service, which is a dedicated fiber-optic Ethernet service; Managed Internet Service (MIS); AT&T Frame Relay service; and AT&T Managed Care, which provides Lifecycle Management of the entire solution.

Together, these services will provide a statewide, cost-efficient and managed communications network that encompasses the secure transport of voice, video and data. This contract will enable the state of Indiana to coordinate and manage the deployment of services to all state branch locations through a single, integrated network.

The unified network, which aligns with AT&T's convergence strategy, will also help improve state agency and employee communications. In addition, AT&T will support the management and maintenance of the services for improved customer service and cost control.

"We needed a single, cost-effective solution to support our voice- and data-networking needs and to help us operate more efficiently," said Gerry Weaver, chief technology officer, state of Indiana. "We're confident that AT&T is capable of delivering the right solution to meet all of our communications and networking needs here and across the state."

BellSouth and Protection One, Inc. have announced an agreement to deliver security services to planned residential communities in the BellSouth region. The joint sales and marketing arrangement is an expansion of the existing relationship between BellSouth and Protection One formed in 2001 to market security systems to residents and business owners in the southeastern United States. BellSouth® Security Systems from Protection One® currently provides intrusion, heat, smoke and carbon monoxide detection equipment and related services to customers in 18 cities.

"Security is a critical element in new and existing communities, and BellSouth can now deliver a package of voice, video, data and security that is attractive to developers and residents," said Phil Jacobs, president, BellSouth Community Technologies. "BellSouth continues to pursue relationships with industry leaders to develop broad solutions that meet the needs of its customers."

BellSouth Community Technologies is BellSouth's most recently formed business unit, established last year. The new organization focuses on alliances with developers and owners of single family planned communities, apartments, and condos to develop technology deployment plans and to promote and offer one-stop shopping for BellSouth's full range of communications and entertainment services. This agreement provides for the inclusion of BellSouth Security Systems from Protection One in BellSouth's portfolio of services designed for planned communities.

Protection One is the leading provider of security amenities to the multifamily housing market and will market BellSouth Security Systems from Protection One through Protection One's Network Multifamily division as part of this new arrangement.

"We believe adding our expertise as the leading provider of multihousing security to the comprehensive services already offered by BellSouth will be a tremendous benefit to builders and developers, greatly assisting in streamlining the completion of their jobs," said Richard Ginsburg, president and chief executive officer, Protection One. "We continue to look for ways to further expand our relationship with BellSouth, combining both companies' ingenuity in services and marketing to offer high quality products to broader audiences."

Verizon Business announced today the expansion of its information technology support services to provide large-business and government customers with Managed Desktop Service, a comprehensive round-the-clock management and maintenance of desktop computers, printers, mobile devices and other equipment.

Managed Desktop Service is provided via the Verizon Business IT Service Desk, which is staffed by skilled consultants who can provide help by phone in English and Spanish. In addition, more than 4,000 field technicians, dispatched from locations throughout the United States, are available to provide in-person assistance when necessary. This support enables companies to refocus their technology resources and expertise on core business activities and improve workforce productivity.

"We already provide managed services for our customers' networks and computer operating systems," said Jim DeMerlis, vice president, managed services marketing, Verizon Business. "This expansion enables us to now deliver support for everything from the server, to the network, all the way down to the desktop.

"By working with Verizon Business, a recognized industry leader in the delivery of managed services, enterprises no longer have to leave desktop maintenance, management and, most importantly, security to chance," DeMerlis added.

According to industry experts, the growing complexity of technology tools used by today's on-the-go employees, who often work off-site, has significantly increased the information technology workloads within businesses. Companies that cannot manage this increased workload in-house, leave themselves more vulnerable to system malfunctions and security breaches.

Headquartered in Little Rock, Ark., Windstream Communications offers phone, broadband and digital TV services. Windstream was formed through the spin-off of Alltel's landline business and merger with VALOR Telecom. Windstream has approximately 3.3 million access lines in 16 states. Currently, local phone, long distance, and broadband service categories are available through WhiteFence: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas. We are looking to launch bundled offers in the coming weeks.

Unveiling an online hub designed to host tailgaters, music fans, gaming junkies and even the celebrity-obsessed, AT&T Inc. announced today the joining of AT&T's exclusive music, sports and other entertainment content — including a new Internet gaming portal—through a single online gate, an updated AT&T blue room.

The new AT&T blue room builds on the success of several content-driven properties developed by AT&T over the past two years, including AT&T blue room music, AT&T Home Turf and AT&T Project D.U. These groundbreaking online portals feature exclusive content—such as live performances, candid interviews and celebrity athlete home tours, as well as unedited commentary on everything from music to politics to celebrities as part of a strategic initiative to link the AT&T brand to premier communications and entertainment experiences. Since January 2006, these sites have fueled the sale of key products and services, such as AT&T Yahoo!^® High-Speed Internet and Cingular Wireless.

"As we've executed and expanded this strategy, we've been able to turn an interesting and innovative concept into an online phenomena, attracting enthusiasts of all stripes who are now regularly visiting these AT&T sites looking for content they can't get elsewhere," said Mikal Harn, vice president, AT&T Consumer. "Aggregating the properties instead of hosting them in silos will enable us to deliver a richer experience to current visitors while attracting new ones. For example, users with multiple interests can more easily toggle from one topic to the next, and music fans who have gaming friends can help build word-of-mouth buzz for blue room content."

Recognizing that Halloween is one of the most popular days of the year for taking pictures, Sprint and Fuji Photo Film, U.S.A., Inc., are adding to the fun by sponsoring the Picture Perfect Halloween Photo Contest.

Now through Nov. 12, consumers can submit photos in a variety of Halloween-themed categories for a chance to win a grand-prize trip for four to HERSHEYPARK in Pennsylvania for the Hershey Trick or Treat Adventure in 2007. The first-, second- and third-place prizes in each category, respectively, are a Fujifilm FinePix F30 digital camera, a FUSIC™ by LG® camera phone and 100 YourStamps, personalized postage made with customers' own photos.

"Halloween is a festive holiday that presents many opportunities to snap colorful and fun photos that will be cherished forever," said Joellyn Gray, director of consumer print marketing, Fujifilm USA. "For years, Fujifilm and Sprint have offered great products and services that enable people to capture, share and print their pictures, no matter where they are. This contest affords a creative environment for people to share these images online as well as the opportunity to win terrific prizes."

To enter, Halloween lovers can go to http://www.HalloweenPhotoContest.com to register and submit photos and vote on other entries. The Web site is also full of information for creating a spook-tacular Halloween, including great recipes, decorating ideas, collectible famous monster portraits, photo-taking tips from the New York Institute of Photography, scary stories and a map of haunted places across the United States.

Sprint customers can also enter photos, view others' entries and vote on them right from their Sprint phones. Customers can also register for the contest at Sprint stores.

Two months after the integration of Southern California's Adelphia and Comcast operations, Time Warner Cable announced a series of product and customer service improvements to its acquired systems. Starting next month, Time Warner Cable Los Angeles Region will roll out a regionwide standardized digital channel line-up, new genre-based programming blocks, additional high-definition channels and ethnic-language networks, 100 percent digital picture and sound, the launch of new High-Speed Online packages, the start of e-mail domain name changes, and the beginning of Digital Phone launches.

To assist customers during this major transition, Time Warner Cable has launched a comprehensive customer communication campaign consisting of television, radio, outdoor and print advertising. Customers also will receive direct mail, bill inserts and e-mail messages to ensure each customer is aware of the myriad changes.

"Today's announcement is a first step in Time Warner Cable's commitment to offer consumers the best in cable products and services," said Roger Keating, Executive Vice President, Time Warner Cable. "We know from customer feedback and proven successes in other parts of the county that customers want more quality programming that's value driven and rich with choice. These enhancements are designed to address these customer needs."

To see if service is available in your area, visit the Time Warner Cable information page.

The Arthur W. Page Society has named AT&T Inc. as the winner of the 2006 Page Principles Award by for the company's massive communications response in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The annual award recognizes an outstanding demonstration of effective corporate communications and the application of the Page Principles, which are the seven communications management concepts upheld by the Page Society. The award will be formally presented to AT&T during the Arthur W. Page Society's 23rd Annual Conference in October.

Roger Bolton, president of the Arthur W. Page Society, said the competition's panel of judges was most impressed by the AT&T entry. "I salute AT&T and everyone who was involved in the unprecedented relief effort to reunite families after Hurricane Katrina. The company demonstrated that its operating principles, which are very much aligned with the Page Principles, are more than just words—the company acted on its values and delivered on its promise to do the right thing for the communities it services. The Page Society congratulates AT&T for the technology, leadership and compassion demonstrated in the wake of the storm."

"Our mission at AT&T is to keep people connected in good times and bad," said Selim Bingol, senior vice president, Corporate Communications, AT&T. "Given the unprecedented scale of the disaster, helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina was especially gratifying and humbling work. We are guided by the Page Principles so this recognition from the Page Society means a great deal to AT&T."

For more on the award, check out the San Antonio Business Journal article AT&T honored by communications management group for Katrina efforts.

The Georgia Tech Information Security Center recently announced it is creating a partnership with BellSouth and Internet Security Systems to explore security surrounding the emerging Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. As communication services migrate to Internet-based platforms, it is important that the security and dependability users expect in the current public switched networks be maintained with these new converged technologies. At the GTISC VoIP Security Summit held in April 2005, GTISC initiated a dialogue with security and telecommunications industry leaders, including ISS and BellSouth, to proactively address security associated with this emerging technology.

Internet Security Systems and BellSouth have committed to a two-year research program totaling $300,000. This funding will enable GTISC faculty and graduate students to work with ISS and BellSouth technologists to develop and evaluate solutions that address VoIP security. In return, BellSouth and ISS will have access to the resulting intellectual property.

"BellSouth is committed to ensuring security is an integral component in all our products and services and working with GTISC and ISS is one way to continue that focus with next generation products such as VoIP," said John Heveran, VP-Chief Information Security Officer, BellSouth.

Read more in the TelecomWeb article BellSouth, ISS Back VoIP Security Effort.

The Associate Press is reporting that the chairman and a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee have asked the Justice Department to delay approval of the merger of AT&T Inc. and BellSouth Corp. until a federal court decides whether two previous mergers were in the public interest.

Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., and ranking member John Conyers, D-Mich., sent a letter earlier this week to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales asking the department delay its decision until a federal judge rules on the merger of SBC Communications Inc. and the old AT&T Corp., as well as the merger of Verizon Communications Inc. and MCI Inc.

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sens. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, wrote a similar letter questioning whether Justice has been approving mergers too hastily, counter to the intent of federal law.

For more information, check out the article Lawmakers call for delay in AT&T/BellSouth merger.

StarTek, a provider of Business Process Outsourcing and Optimization (BPO) services for outsourced customer interactions, recently announced that Comcast has selected them to support Comcast Digital Voice® IP-enabled phone service,  StarTek will provide provisioning services and additional back-office operations activities to support Comcast Digital Voice® service.

"Comcast has selected StarTek because of the company's demonstrated leadership in managing a variety of back-office solutions for voice service products," said Cathy Avgiris, SVP and GM, Voice Services, Comcast Cable. "Their proven provisioning expertise and national presence will help support the continued rollout of Comcast Digital Voice® service."

"StarTek is committed to supporting Comcast's voice services with the additional efficiencies that our StarTek Intelligent Enterprise suite of services delivers," said Steve Butler, CEO of StarTek. "Our process management solutions—which consist of telephony services and local number portability—will provide additional back-office support for Comcast's rapid rollout of Comcast Digital Voice®."

Check out the Comcast page for more information on Comcast Digital Voice®.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Mobile ESPN, a start-up cellphone company backed by Walt Disney Co., will announce as soon as today that it is closing down operations.

Launched at this year's Super Bowl, the company developed cellphones that feature a variety of sports-centric content and features. According to the WSJ, however, it has struggled to build a customer base in a fiercely competitive cellular industry.

Mobile ESPN operates through an agreement with Sprint Nextel Corp., paying for wholesale access to the carrier's network and then reselling service to its own subscribers. THe WSJ says that the company is now expected to shift its strategy significantly, getting out of the phone business to focus on its content.

For more information, check out the WSJ.com article Mobile ESPN Is to End Venture, Seek New Strategy.

According to a new economic study commissioned by the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) and conducted by Microeconomic Consulting and Research Associates (MiCRA), consumers and small businesses could save a total of $101.5 billion on their phone bills over the next five years as a result of competition from facilities-based providers of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service. Residential cable telephony consumers could save an average of $135 each year or more by using a cable provider's telephone service, the study finds.

"Robust facilities-based phone competition is a huge win for American consumers," said Dr. Michael Pelcovits, Principal at MiCRA and lead author of the study. "This study shows that preventing a phone company lock on the market provides residential and small business customers innovative new services at enormous savings.  The economic impact of $100 billion of phone savings is truly dramatic."

The study found that by 2011, nearly 24 million Americans are likely to purchase phone service from their cable companies. The study concludes that the traditional phone companies are compelled to respond to competition by cutting prices—creating yet additional savings for the customers that the incumbent phone companies retain.

Other findings include:

• Comprehensive cable telephony services are priced as low as $34.95 per month, plus approximately $6.00 in taxes and other fees.  Comparable services from AT&T and BellSouth cost approximately $50.00 per month, plus fees and taxes.
• Residential users of cable telephone services are estimated to grow from 10.0 million in 2007 to 23.7 million by 2011.
• Residential customers of incumbent telephone companies could save $70 billion over five years if incumbent telephone companies are forced to respond to the competitive challenge by facilities-based VoIP providers.

For more details on the survey's findings, check out the NCTA press release New economic study shows substantial economic benefit of facilities-based phone competition.

BellSouth recently announced that it has earned a perfect score of 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) 2006 Corporate Equality Index.

The nation's largest lesbian and gay political organization, the HRC conducted its 2006 Equality Index that rated 446 companies on a scale of 0 percent to 100 percent on several factors, including whether they have a written non-discrimination policy covering sexual orientation; support transgender employees with written non-discrimination policies and benefits; offer inclusive health insurance, bereavement and family leave policies to employees with same-sex partners; offer diversity training; have Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) employee groups; engage in appropriate and respectful advertising to the GLBT community; contribute to GLBT community organizations; and decline to engage in any activities that would undermine the goal of equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

"At an ever increasing pace, corporate executives understand that supporting their gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees is not only the right thing to do but it is also good for business," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

BellSouth has participated in all of the HRC's five annual surveys. This is the highest score the company has received surpassing previous years' scores in the mid-80s. "We are very pleased to receive a perfect score for our efforts in this area," said BellSouth Chief Diversity Officer Valencia Adams. "The GLBT market is one that continues to contribute to the success of our bottom line, and it is our plan to continue to build relationships that benefit our company and our customer."

New insights into the performance of leading VoIP providers were recently released by Keynote Systems, a company that specializes in Internet and mobile test and measurement services. Keynote's third VoIP competitive intelligence study revealed that overall VoIP quality has improved across the board since Keynote's last study in December 2005 and that the leading VoIP providers have actually surpassed PSTN (traditional phone service) in overall audio quality, but still lag behind PSTN in audio delay.

Twelve leading VoIP providers were part of the benchmark study, including AT&T, Comcast Time Warner Cable, and Verizon. Keynote measured the relative performance of the leading VoIP providers in the New York and San Francisco markets, including digital cable, adapter-based VoIP (hard phone) and PC-based software (soft phone) services, as well as the performance of leading VoIP providers against PSTN service in those cities. Keynote then rated the leading VoIP service providers on critical performance factors that influence the end-user experience using Keynote Voice Perspective®, which is Keynote's VoIP quality test and measurement product.

The company found that overall reliability among the various competing VoIP providers had improved across the board and that the leading digital cable providers had in fact outperformed PSTN in overall reliability. Overall reliability is a computed index score based on performance measurements in three performance factors: service availability, average number of dial attempts and dropped calls.

Leading digital cable VoIP providers were also found to deliver better audio quality than the competition, with the leading cable providers achieving excellent audio responsiveness (a measure of audio delay) and audio clarity (measured by Mean Opinion Score, or MOS), two key contributors to overall audio quality.

Improved VoIP quality is more important than ever, as analysts estimate that residential adoption of VoIP service will grow to more than 26 million homes in 2008 in the United States, up from 6.5 Million in 2004. "As VoIP continues to move into the mainstream and challenge the incumbent carriers in major markets nationwide, consumers have started focusing on two important differentiators, audio quality and pricing," said Vik Chaudhary, vice president of marketing and product management at Keynote. "As the results of the Keynote study indicate, VoIP providers have overcome a major hurdle in the past seven months by addressing concerns about overall audio quality, but they still have work to do to improve the consistency of their service levels during peak versus non-peak hours and to decrease the variation in performance levels between the top performers and the rest of the pack."

Read more about the study in the press release Leading VoIP Providers Outperform Regular Phone Carriers in Overall Audio Quality, Keynote Reports.

Verizon celebrates the first anniversary of its fiber-optic FiOS TV service this week. Citing Verizon research that shows the majority of FiOS TV subscribers were previously cable subscribers, Marilyn O'Connell, Verizon's senior vice president - video solutions, said, "Customers have spoken loudly about the quality and value of FiOS TV as they've moved from cable to Verizon.  We think 2007 will be an even bigger year for FiOS TV and our subscribers as we add advanced services and new markets."

Verizon launched the fiber-optic FiOS TV service in Keller, Texas, on Sept. 22, 2005, and now serves more than 80 communities in North Texas, California, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts and New York.  Verizon is making FiOS TV available to more customers weekly, as it continues to build its industry-leading fiber-to-the-home network and open new video-serving facilities. Verizon expects to begin providing FiOS TV service in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey in the coming months, and it will expand deployment in the states where FiOS TV already is available.

AT&T Inc. has entered a new contract with Sur La Table, a premium-quality culinary tools supplier with 56 stores throughout the United States. Under the terms of the contract, AT&T will be the primary voice and data services provider, delivering Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Private Network Transport (PNT) services to the company's headquarters in Seattle.

The solution provided by AT&T is designed to improve communication between Sur La Table's retail locations and the company's headquarters and distribution centers. Sur La Table's network will rely on AT&T's advanced call-processing capabilities to instantly route inventory information, customer information, and billing information to the appropriate distribution channels, speeding up the fulfillment of customer orders and improving customer satisfaction.

AT&T MPLS PNT will replace Sur La Table's current wide area network (WAN) structure with a cost-effective, consolidated network infrastructure with greater reliability and increased flexibility to support high-bandwidth store-level applications. Specifically, store inventory, online gift registry and transaction information will all move seamlessly across the converged network.

AT&T will also deliver local access services and advanced toll-free services for reliable communications that easily integrate with the company's internal processes. The toll-free services will allow Sur La Table to seamlessly transfer calls for reduced customer wait time and improved customer service and satisfaction.

Sur La Table needed a service provider with a broad national footprint, such as the AT&T local services footprint, according to Vince Barriero, chief information officer of Sur La Table.

Finding your Blackberry to be a bit outdated? Then maybe the new Blackberry 8703e is for you. Sprint and Research In Motion (RIM) recently introduced the BlackBerry® 8703e from Sprint with updated features, including EV-DO support and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) capability in a sleek and light design.

The BlackBerry 8703e is the latest BlackBerry handset offered by Sprint that is capable of taking advantage of broadband-like speeds provided by the Sprint Power Vision(SM) Network(1) - the nation's largest mobile broadband network covering more than 157 million people in 216 major metropolitan areas as well as 486 airports across the nation. The BlackBerry 8703e enhances productivity, extends the workplace, and provides Sprint customers flexibility for managing life on the go.The BlackBerry 8703e provides complete BlackBerry functionality at broadband-like speeds (average download speeds of 400-700kpbs and up to 2Mbps peak speeds(2)) to deliver a dynamic, highly responsive experience when downloading attachments and graphics, browsing the Web and running wireless applications. It can also be used as a tethered modem in conjunction with a laptop for high-speed Internet and data application access anywhere Sprint has Power Vision Network coverage.

The BlackBerry 8703e includes integrated GPS (assisted-GPS) enabled through Sprint to deliver support for popular location-based services to mobile users, such as turn-by-turn driving directions to any address, anywhere on the Nationwide Sprint PCS Network.

With additional key features like email, phone, browser, organizer, Bluetooth® wireless technology, speakerphone, high-resolution color display and full QWERTY keyboard the BlackBerry 8703e is designed to provide customers with a rich phone and messaging experience in an all-in-one, stylish device.

Key features include:

• Sprint Mobile Broadband enabled on the Sprint Power Vision Network, the nation's largest mobile broadband network
• Fast Web browsing, application performance and attachment viewing
• GPS-enabled to support location-based services
• BlackBerry "push" technology
• Phone-as-modem capability
• Bluetooth® wireless technology headset and car kit support
• High-resolution color LCD screen, automatically adjusts lighting for indoor and outdoor viewing
• Complete, high-end phone features including speakerphone, dedicated "send," "end" and "mute" keys, plus user-definable "convenience" keys
• Bluetooth® 2.0 to support wireless headsets and car kits
• 64MB of flash memory to store and run powerful enterprise, personal productivity and game applications
• Integrated attachment viewing for popular file formats

Suddenlink, formerly Cebridge and Cox Mid America, is now offering digital phone service through WhiteFence in Arkansas and Missouri. You can choose to include long distance with your phone service as well as many popular phone features. All packages include unlimited local calling, call waiting, three-way calling, voice mail, auto redial, call return, standard call forwarding, remote access to call forwarding, caller ID, incoming call block and caller ID block. Additionally, Suddenlink offers a 30-day money back guarantee.

AT&T Inc. and TVG Network, a leading interactive horse-racing network owned by Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc., recently announced a distribution agreement to deliver TVG's horse-racing programming as part of the AT&T U-verse (SM) TV channel lineup.

Under the agreement, AT&T U-verse TV customers will have access to TVG's full programming lineup, including up to eight live races an hour from more than 60 of America's premier thoroughbred race tracks, as well as TVG's expert race analysis, interviews and original programming.

"AT&T U-verse is dedicated to delivering a variety of original sports entertainment to our diversified customer base," said Chris Lauricella, vice president of programming, AT&T Operations, Inc. "The TVG Network will be a wonderful addition to our robust channel lineup and sports programming, offering horse-racing aficionados an excellent source of live race coverage."

"TVG offers horse-racing fans the excitement of live races and the convenience of at-home wagering," said David Nathanson, president of TVG. "We are thrilled to make TVG part of AT&T's comprehensive sports programming lineup."

To read more about U-Verse, you can read this AT&T press release.

For more than five years, Sprint has helped towPartners, an industry association that provides a variety of value-added services for tow companies, and its more than 11,000 member companies and state associations realize the power of mobility solutions. The towing industry has benefited from using rugged devices that operate on the Nextel National Network with GPS services to efficiently manage fleets and walkie-talkie solutions for easy communications between drivers and dispatch. Now more advanced technology allows them to wirelessly process credit card payments, track inventory and reroute trucks as needed to help towing companies further experience increased revenue and productivity.

Building on this long-term relationship, towPartners recently signed a contract with Sprint to allow its member companies to take advantage of Sprint Custom Network Solutions (CNS). Depending upon the location of a tow company or the way in which their facility is constructed, they may need enhanced in-building coverage so employees can easily access wireless voice and data services within the facility. This contract provides a turnkey process for tow companies to easily request and receive in-building solutions, which is critical since their primary means of communication is through wireless devices.

towPartners offers members discounts on the best products and services used by towing and road services. "The walkie-talkie, ruggedized handsets are popular with our members," said Jeffrey Godwin, vice president, towPartners. "In our field, data accuracy and bar coding (for automobile identification and storage-yard inventory control) in real time is crucial. Credit card swiping is gaining acceptance as towing companies are trying to make it easier for their customers to pay, as well as method to reduce bad debt."

Sprint also helped towPartners arrange a new discount program for members for Xora GPS applications. Xora and other GPS solutions enable towing companies to manage their fleets more efficiently through dispatching, asset tracking and routing a truck to a particular location. Tow companies also benefit from SMS/2way messaging which is often utilized for electronic dispatching through an application developed by towPartners parent company, towXchange. The TOPS dispatch and towing company management product from towXchange includes several data offerings designed for the Sprint Nextel network.

Several news organizations are speculating that cable, telephone and Internet service provider RCN has hired The Blackstone Group to look into a possible sale of the company. According to a Bloomberg.com source, the Herndon, Virginia-based company is struggling to compete against rivals such as Comcast and Time Warner, the two largest U.S. cable companies, in part because they have more leverage with cable networks.

Representatives from The Blackstone Group and RCN declined to comment to the media about the rumors.

For more information, check out the article Struggling RCN Considers Putting Itself Up for Sale.

BellSouth recently announced that it is trialing an enhanced business category search service as part of its Operator Services portfolio. BellSouth® EasyBusinessFinder(SM) service allows landline callers to initiate detailed, keyword searches for local businesses with the convenience of dialing 411.

The trial will run in the Atlanta 678 area code for 90 days and will allow detailed searches similar to the yellow pages via a live operator. For example, a customer who is looking for a pizza parlor that delivers, a tire dealer that sells a certain brand of tires or a florist that specializes in orchids can now search over the phone using these specific criteria. BellSouth EasyBusinessFinder service will deliver the business phone number to the customer based on his or her request.

"BellSouth EasyBusinessFinder takes directory assistance to the next level by combining the power of an Internet-type search with the clarity of a live operator," said Gloria Reese, president - Operator Services, BellSouth. "Customers can now search by business category over the phone, providing a fast, easy and convenient way to connect with the businesses they seek."

When customers dial 411 for Directory Assistance, BellSouth EasyBusinessFinder service will be listed as an optional feature on the system. After selecting BellSouth EasyBusinessFinder service, a live operator will greet the caller and assist in finding the name and phone number of the specific business type requested.

The service will be available 24/7 during the trial. BellSouth will evaluate customer feedback and statistics collected during the trial to determine future deployment plans for BellSouth EasyBusinessFinder service.

Last week, Sprint launched Sprint Movies, the first "pay-per-view" service for mobile phones in the United States. The service streams full-length movies, including recent box-office hits and timeless favorites from Buena Vista VOD, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Universal Pictures. Sprint Movies offers a growing list of more than 45 titles, including National Treasure, Spider-Man 2 and Scarface. Sprint Movies is powered by mSpot, which is responsible for video production and ongoing operations of the service.

Sprint Movies features many of the same conveniences as a DVD player. A movie can be seen in its entirety all at once, or it can be divided into chapters and watched over time. Customers can play, pause and skip forward or backward to different chapters. They can also resume a movie at the exact point where it was last shut down.

"Sprint Movies allows our customers to be entertained on the one device that they always carry with them and during times when watching a movie at a theater or on a home entertainment system isn't possible," said Alana Muller, director, entertainment product marketing, Sprint. "For example, customers can take their mind off a busy day during a lunch break, breeze through a few minutes while waiting in the parking lot for a child's soccer practice to end, or make a two-hour delay at the airport much more bearable. And with child-friendly titles such as 'Herbie: Fully Loaded' and 'Babe,' Sprint Movies are also great to keep the kids busy in the backseat."

In December 2005, Sprint became the first carrier in the United States to offer any type of full-length movies on mobile phones with mSpot Movies. This service will continue to be available as another option to Sprint customers. Compared to Sprint Movies, which are pay-per-view by each title, mSpot Movies allow customers to watch a unique selection of unlimited movies, TV shows and concerts for a monthly subscription fee of $6.95. You can read more about Sprint Movies here.

Today, on the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center Towers, AT&T Inc. announced that a recent study finds that 75 percent of Washington, D.C., organizations that were surveyed have business-continuity plans in place, preparing them to face a man-made or natural disaster.

In several areas of business-continuity planning that were explored through a survey that AT&T conducted of businesses in the private sector, Washington, D.C., ranked in line with or above its municipal peers. However, several findings indicate that business leaders in our nation's capital can do more to prepare.

• Only 44 percent of the companies that were surveyed in Washington, D.C., implement specific protective actions when the state or federal government issues an alert for an impending disaster. Compared with the other markets in the U.S. that were surveyed, this percentage is one of the lowest.
• Forty-five percent of the companies in Washington, D.C., have updated their business-continuity plan; this is slightly lower than the national average of 48 percent. Only 32 percent of executives tested their plan in the past six months, slightly lower than the national average of 34 percent.
• One-third (31 percent) of IT executives in Washington, D.C., say that business-continuity planning is NOT a priority, slightly higher than the national average of 28 percent.
• Of those IT executives who don't consider continuity planning to be a priority, 55 percent cite that "the probability of a disaster causing a business disruption is small." 

"It's evident that for some companies, various events have been a real wake-up call," said Mark Keiffer, chief marketing officer-Business, AT&T Operations Inc. "That's the good news. But it's surprising how many companies are still putting their businesses and future at risk by not adequately planning for a possible disaster."

AT&T offers services encompassing disaster planning, risk management, recovery preparedness and communications readiness to a wide array of Washington, D.C., businesses. The company also conducts Network Disaster Recovery (NDR) exercises several times a year. These exercises test, refine, and strengthen AT&T's business- continuity and disaster-response services in order to minimize network downtime. By simulating large-scale disasters and network service disruptions, AT&T can apply and refine best practices for rapidly restoring communications to government and business customers.

Throughout the past 10 years, AT&T has invested more than $300 million in its NDR program, which includes specially trained managers, engineers and technicians across the United States; and a fleet of more than 150 self-contained equipment trailers and support vehicles, which house the same equipment and components as an AT&T data-routing or voice-switching center.

Verizon recently released a checklist on how consumers prepare their home telecommunications for the hurricane and winter storm season, as well as the whirlwind of activities that autumn brings to family life. Verizon developed the checklist to showcase some of the ways Verizon can help families be prepared for any eventuality. Verizon's checklist includes:

• Corded Phone: Purchase an inexpensive phone with a cord that plugs into a wall jack. It's hurricane season, and winter storms are not far behind. Verizon's network is self-powered, so service stays on even during a power failure, provided the phone line itself is not down. Cordless phones won't work when the lights are out and neither will Internet calling services because the hardware requires power. Having a traditional corded phone available or always hooked up to an extension helps consumers stay in touch.
• Call Forwarding: Among the calling services Verizon offers is one that can be a lifesaver: Ultra Forward/Call Ability. The service, available in some areas, lets customers forward calls from their home line to any number, anyplace, and remotely change the destination. This service was a huge help for some Virginia customers when the state was pounded by Hurricane Isabel in 2003. Since Verizon's central offices were self-powered, the switches and the forwarding worked fine, and customers could have their calls come to them, wherever they went. Standard Call Forwarding, more widely available, must be programmed from home; so storm evacuees would need to set up the forwarding number before leaving the house.
• Good Calling Plan: Consumers sending someone off to college should be sure they have a good any-distance calling plan so they can communicate as often and as long as they like. Verizon Freedom Essentials provides unlimited domestic calling, including calls to Puerto Rico, and the top three calling features - Caller ID, Call Waiting and Home Voice Mail. Consider Verizon's Away From Home services as well; Personal Toll Free calling or calling cards can save money.
• Relocating: Moving season is almost over, but for customers who are moving into a new home now, Verizon can work with them to stop service at their old address and set up new services at their new home. Customers can duplicate what they have now or explore new options for calling plans, high-speed Internet and all-digital TV and music entertainment. Customers can call the service number on their bill or go online to their My Account page to work both ends of the move at once. Ordering online is easy and accurate. Customers can also temporarily suspend service in their vacation homes if they won't be there for a while. All they need to do is to make one call to get service turned back on.
• Communicating: Verizon's Home Voice mail is built into the company's switching systems, which run on multiple power supplies. As a result, the service works even when the lights go out, letting customers continue to send and receive messages during or after storms. Customers should get more than one password-protected mailbox to enable their families to easily sort messages. Home Voice Mail can be used to broadcast messages to lists of people, like pee wee football team parents. Customers can also use the service to communicate with family members in case of disaster by leaving and retrieving messages to each other. By activating wireless notification, customers can get a text message on their wireless phones each time a new message is left.

While some of these items only apply to consumers in Verizon's coverage area, the checklist does bring up several good points that consumers across the nation can check into to make sure they are prepared for the fall.

AT&T Inc. announced last week its season-long Game Day. Delivered. program enabling fans to create their own college football videos of their favorite team and enter for a chance to win tickets to upcoming games. In conjunction with the new program, the company also unveiled plans for its 2006 AT&T College Football Experience Tour.

Beginning this week through Dec. 1, 2006, fans can visit the Game Day. Delivered. Web site, www.attblueroom.com/sports, and enter for a chance to win prizes that include tickets to college football games, team jerseys and hats, MP3 players and tailgating gear.

While at the site, fans can share their passion for the game online by creating a customized video MASHup using exclusive team footage, school fight songs, team graphics and personal photos. Users become producers by dragging and dropping elements to create a video. Fans also can upload their own photos to personalize their videos. Cingular Wireless customers can text message their favorite team names to a short code using their Cingular phones and receive a password to "unlock" bonus team footage for their videos. Each week, AT&T will showcase new videos and recognize their "producers" on the Game Day. Delivered. Web site.

"College football Saturdays in America are unique for their tradition, pageantry and excitement," said Eric Fernandez, executive director, AT&T sponsorships and events. "Game Day. Delivered. and the AT&T College Football Experience Tour provide fans a fun way to support their favorite college teams while showcasing AT&T's comprehensive set of entertainment products and services."

College football programs involved in Game Day. Delivered. Include: 

• Arkansas
• California-Berkeley
• Connecticut
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Michigan
• Ohio State
• Oklahoma
• Oklahoma State
• Texas
• Texas Tech
• UCLA

According to Minacom's Standards-Based, North American and Global VoIP Testing Study, VoIP phone service is improving, and in many cases, sounds better and connects faster than public-switched phone network (PSTN). Results show that VoIP service quality increased steadily over the last year, with an average Mean Opinion Score (MOS) of 4.2, compared to 3.9 for the PSTN. MOS is a scale commonly used to describe speech quality, ranging from 1 (worst) to 5 (best).

Based on a MOS threshold of 3.6, only 1 out of 50 calls in North America were considered to be unacceptable–1 in 10 worldwide–while greater than 85 percent of VoIP calls exceeded average PSTN quality over the same period. Detailed results show that VoIP service bettered PSTN quality worldwide, and improved in all regions over the course of the survey. In addition to superior sound quality, calls over VoIP connected quicker overall–8.2 seconds on average, compared to 8.9 seconds for those placed over the PSTN. Regionally, the PSTN was faster to connect for calls placed to North America (4.3 seconds vs. 5.7 for VoIP), while international calls connected faster with VoIP (8.7 vs. 10.4 seconds for PSTN).

Minacom's tests were conducted over PSTN, managed broadband and cable VoIP lines, the same services offered to residential and enterprise customers by phone, cable and hosted VoIP providers. Each month, Minacom's PowerProbe® 6000 service level test probe places hundreds of calls from Minacom's QoS labs in Montreal, Canada, to public destinations worldwide over PSTN, broadband VoIP, cable VoIP, DSL, FTTP and wireless networks, publishing the results in the Minacom QoS Benchmark Reports, a free email newsletter now in its fourth year of circulation.

To find out more about the study, you can read Minacom's press release.

According to a new Palm Beach Post article, BellSouth has asked Florida utility regulators for permission to recover about $32 million in storm costs it incurred during the hurricanes of 2005.

If approved, BellSouth would be able to charge its customers 50 cents a month per telephone line for a year. The company said it wants to collect $32.3 million, or 16 percent, of the $202.4 million it spent on Tropical Storm Arlene and five hurricanes that hit the state in 2005.

Florida state law allows telephone companies to recover storm expenses but places several restrictions on what they can collect. Large phone companies such as BellSouth have to exhaust their storm funds as well as spend an additional $5 million before going to state regulators. Once there, they are allowed to charge only up to 50 cents a month per line for a year.

State officials say they are making sure the telecom company is complying with the law. But some consumer advocates find the charges troubling. "A competitive company should have to make do in a competitive market because none of their so-called competitors have a statutory right to charge their customers for damage," said Mike Twomey, a Tallahassee-based consumer attorney and head of Florida Utility Watch Inc. "They are asking to have its customers pay for damaged lines and poles without any regard for what its profit levels are."

Read more in the Palm Beach Post article BellSouth files for $32 million in storm relief.

Last week, Illinois state regulators approved a deal that will allow AT&T to increase residential phone rates in northern Illinois. The Illinois Commerce Commission agreed to reclassify local phone service in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs as "competitive," which exempts AT&T from complying with certain rate restrictions, said ICC spokeswoman Beth Bosch.

In exchange, AT&T voluntarily agreed to limit annual rate increases for four years. Monthly usage fees would not increase by more than a dollar each year and per-call fee increases would be capped at a half-cent, she said.

"This compromise provides AT&T with enough regulatory certainty and flexibility to compete with our unregulated rivals," Carrie Hightman, president of AT&T Illinois, said in a statement.

New rates can take effect beginning Jan. 1.

California's legislature passed an amended bill this week, by a vote of 64 to 5, that aims to increase competition among cable television providers and make it easier for telephone companies to enter the market. The bill eliminates city-by-city franchises, which proponents said made it nearly impossible for rivals with new technologies to enter California's market for TV entertainment services.

The bill comes at an opportune time for the telephone and cable companies that are fighting to sign up as many customers as possible for a bundle of services including telephone, cable television and high-speed Internet access. AT&T and other telecom giants have been lobbing to eliminate similar laws requiring franchise deals with municipalities before they are allowed offer TV service.

"California has led the way in the evolution of new technology, and with this bill, our state's policy toward contemporary TV and entertainment technology is catching up to the times," said Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, a vocal supporter of the legislation.

In an analyses by the state Senate's Rules Committee, researchers found that more than 60 percent of the state's TV-watching households have cable reception, while 27 percent subscribe to satellite service and the rest use conventional antennae.

Read more about the bill in the CNET News.com article California passes bill easing cable rules.

Logitech recently announced the introduction the Logitech® EasyCall™ Desktop—the world's first combination of a mouse, keyboard, headset and speakerphone—to its family of Cordless Desktops®. The device includes advanced audio technology, integrated controls for placing and accepting calls, and easy-to-use software.

"For many years, Logitech has reduced the complexity of the PC by delivering controls on our peripherals that make the digital experience more intuitive and natural," said Denis Pavillard, Logitech's vice president of product marketing for keyboards and desktops. "The introduction of voice-over-IP services and the growth of broadband mark a revolutionary change in how people can communicate using the PC. Our new EasyCall Desktop combines the right features with advanced software that works invisibly to make the process of making, accepting and controlling Internet calls on the PC more like using a mobile or traditional phone."

Logitech is billing the EasyCall Desktop as a complete solution for Internet calling and navigating the PC. The device includes a full-duplex speakerphone with Logitech® RightSound™ Technology, said to eliminate echoes during headset-free Internet phone calls. The speakerphone acts as the control center, with volume up and down, mute, call pick-up, and call hang-up buttons. The product also comes with a stereo headset that can be plugged into a convenient port on the speakerphone for more privacy.

The cordless keyboard allows users to launch Internet communications applications, change their online status, and make and accept calls. The speed-dialing controls have one-touch calling buttons that can be used to store and dial either telephone numbers or IP addresses associated with user names.

Optimized for use with Internet calling applications, such as Yahoo!® Messenger with Voice and AOL's AIM® service in the U.S, the keyboard also offers one-touch access to applications such as e-mail and a Web browser. A media panel is included to control digital music in applications such as iTunes® and Windows Media® Player.

The Logitech EasyCall Desktop will be available in the United States and Europe beginning in mid-September, with a suggested $129.99 U.S. price tag.

For more information, see the Logitech press release On Call: New Logitech Desktop Makes Internet Calling Easy.

Verizon recently announced that its Verizon One high-tech phone, which integrates multiple functions, now has several new features at no additional cost to its users. These enhancements include e-mail access, enriched weather maps, the latest entertainment news, sneak peaks at upcoming movies, wireless home networking, the latest lottery results and the ability to transfer cell-phone photos to the Verizon One phone.

"These newest features enrich the Verizon One experience for our DSL customers," said Christopher Pizzirani, Verizon's vice president of broadband management and development, "and increase the value of this state-of-the-art information tool for the home."

The system is available to Verizon Online DSL customers nationwide and integrates a DSL modem, 802.11g wireless router, 5.8 Ghz cordless phone, wide color-touch screen, Verizon SuperPages features, family-event planner and reminder, and a one-touch access point for weather, news, sports, stocks and entertainment information. Up to four additional handsets can be added to each Verizon One phone at an additional cost. The device allows consumers to set up a wireless broadband network connecting computers within the home with straight-forward setup screens, and also features customized information services and a touch-screen display personalized with photos, including those downloaded from cell phones.

"Verizon One eliminates the need for multiple, costly devices," Pizzirani said, "including separate modems, phones and electronic organizers. The value of Verizon broadband is made even better with this communications command center."

Read more in the article Verizon to Sell Verizon One Wi-Fi Hotspot Phone Manufactured by Westell.

Vistula Communications Services, a VoIP supplier for major telecommunications carriers and Internet service providers, recently announced the selection of its V-Cube™ platform by DirecPath to run a pilot program for the delivery of DirecPath's consumer VoIP service offerings. DirecPath is a new partnership between The DIRECTV Group and Hicks Holdings LLC that was formed to provide bundled DIRECTV programming, broadband voice and data and security services to multiple dwelling unit (MDU) and gated-community owners across the United States.

Vistula will allow DirecPath to manage the communications needs of a diverse range of MDU and gated-community properties, and to add to its suite of bundled services the benefits of a secure, simplified, scalable and highly resilient VoIP infrastructure.

"We are committed to meeting the needs of owners and residents in MDU and gated communities nationwide and providing them with a unique and compelling value proposition," said Paul Savoldelli, chief executive officer of DirecPath. "Vistula's hosted VoIP service will be an important part of that value proposition, enhancing our ability to include VoIP as part of our seamless, cost-effective suite of bundled services."

Read more about this new venture in the CNET.com article DIRECTV test IP telephony.

BellSouth is prepared for the arrival of Ernesto, as either a hurricane or tropical storm, on the Florida coast. Through its work with the Federal Communications Commission and government agencies, the company has addressed issues related to first responder status and access to impacted areas.

BellSouth is maintaining active dialogue with its partners and suppliers to ensure they meet the company's supply needs before, during and after the storm hits. Through these preparedness efforts, BellSouth will be able to maintain power, provide continuous connectivity and avoid widespread outages.

"BellSouth has a tremendous amount of hurricane experience; however, the unprecedented damage during last year's hurricane season taught us a great deal about our network and what we needed to do to make it even stronger," said Bill Smith, BellSouth's Chief Technology Officer. "We are confident in our readiness and ability to keep our customers connected or, at a minimum, reconnect them quickly."

Since last year, the company has done a number of things to prepare for the 2006 hurricane season. Those preparations included increasing its supply of emergency generators to provide power to its network in the event commercial power is lost. Currently, many of BellSouth's switching facilities include permanent generators, some of which are fueled by natural gas and do not require re-fueling. Several additional steps have been taken to prepare for this hurricane season.

"Just as important as our preparedness efforts, we want residents and businesses in Florida to be equally prepared," continued Smith. BellSouth offers customers several tips to stay safe, smart and connected before, during, and after a hurricane or other natural disaster.

In an update of another story from last week, after the FCC said it would investigate a new fee Verizon and BellSouth planned on charging their high-speed Internet customers, BellSouth announced that it would immediately drop the fee.

BellSouth had been following Verizon's lead by planning to impose the "regulatory cost recovery fee" at exactly the same amount as the old Universal Service Fund (USF) fee which the companies had recently won the right to stop paying into. However, the FCC was skeptical about the new fee and promptly sent "letter of inquiry" to both BellSouth and Verizon asking whether the new fees complied with the FCC's "Truth-In-Billing" requirements for clearly explained and understandable customer charges.

While the FCC is generally lenient toward big telephone companies, the Commission felt this new fee went a bit too far. "The commission takes its obligation to protect consumers very seriously," said FCC spokesman David Fiske. "Consumers must be provided with clear and non-misleading information so they may accurately access the services for which they are being charged and the costs associated with those services."

After receiving the letter and reviewing the FCC's concerns, BellSouth promptly backed down and stated that it would cancel the fee. They also plan to credit any customer charged, with the credit taking anywhere from one to six weeks to appear on customer bills. Verizon, on the other hand, said it plans to publicly respond to the FCC inquiry, noting that it had provided reasons for its own fare hike on its Web site.

Read more about this issue in the ConsumerAffairs.com article FCC Nudges BellSouth Into Giving Up New DSL Fees.

California regulators voted last week to relax restrictions on how much the state's landline telephone companies, including AT&T and Verizon Communications, may charge customers.

The California Public Utilities Commission's vote stems from the state's first major review of telephone regulation in 18 years and the new policy is meant to allow phone companies to compete better in the voice-service market against unregulated wireless, broadband, cable and Internet companies.

"Regulation needs to recognize there is a competitive voice communications marketplace," said Michael Peevey, the commission's president. "The changes we order today will enhance competition by allowing new services to be provided sooner and eliminating unnecessary government regulation."

Tim McCallion, president for Verizon's west region, applauded the unanimous vote by the commission. "When the old regulations were introduced, the wireless industry was in its infancy and few people had heard of the Internet, let alone imagined the promise it held," McCallion said in a statement. "Much has changed in the past two decades, and these new rules reflect that reality."

The commission's decision eliminates required state approval of price changes for all other business and residential rates and services. While landline and competitive local exchange carriers will be required to provide 30-day notice to customers of proposed price increases, they may go into effect the day after notices are filed with the commission. Under the new policy, prices for basic residential telephone service will be in place until Jan. 1, 2009.

AT&T recently announced the selection of HomePNA 3 technology for in-home distribution of AT&T U-verse^SM services including AT&T U-verse TV, AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet, U-verse Enabled and, in the future, consumer VoIP services.

HomePNA 3 technology will be integrated into IP set-top boxes supplied by Motorola Inc. and Scientific Atlanta and Residential Gateways supplied by 2Wire as key components of AT&T's U-verse deployment. AT&T chose the technology following extensive testing in AT&T Laboratories and other test environments.

"Based on our research, we believe HomePNA 3 technology is the best option for distributing IP-based video services inside customers' homes," said David Deas, vice president--networks & services, AT&T Laboratories Inc. "The ability to work over both coaxial cable and traditional phone lines is a key advantage and we look forward to working with the industry to enhance and standardize the technology."

"This represents an opportunity for HomePNA technology to be part of one of the largest deployments of true Internet-protocol television services in the world," said Rich Nesin, President of HomePNA alliance. "This selection is the culmination of a lot of work with AT&T and its strategic partners to develop and refine the technology for the delivery of IP-based services over the existing wiring in the home."

Check out the AT&T press release for more information.

Football season is almost here - and today, Sprint and Electronic Arts primed the pump for die-hard fans. The highly anticipated EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL 07 is now available for purchase and download to select* Sprint phones. Madden NFL 07 costs $3.49 per month or $6.99 for a lifetime license to Sprint customers.

Now, Sprint customers can enjoy hard-hitting, authentic Madden NFL 07 action anywhere at any time.  Long acknowledged as the definitive gridiron video game experience, Madden NFL 07 features over 50 plays from the real Madden playbook. Players will experience 11 on 11 play with NFL licensed players, rosters and all 32 NFL teams. And, on some Sprint mobile phones, John Madden and Al Michaels provide commentary along the way.

Sprint customers also enjoy exclusive access to the Game Lobby, which allows players to post and compare their scores via daily and all-time "leaderboards" with fellow Madden NFL 07 enthusiasts from around the United States. In addition, the Sprint Game Lobby also allows players to recommend Madden NFL 07 to friends and family members using Sprint phones.

Sprint customers who can't get enough Madden action will want to register for the Fifth Annual EA SPORTS Madden Challenge. The competition, sponsored by Sprint, begins Sept. 1; it is the only official EA tournament to crown the best player of Madden NFL 07. Winners will come from 31 regional competitions as well as an online qualifying spot.

More about Sprint and Madden NFL 07 can be found in this Sprint press release.

BellSouth and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) have partnered with Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC), based in Macon, Ga., to offer BellSouth employees across the Southeast Cisco® Certified Network Associate (CCNA®) training.

The Cisco Certified Network Associate training program provides participants with a basic understanding of networking. Upon completion of the training, CCNA certified professionals can install, configure and operate LAN, WAN and dial access services for small networks (100 nodes or fewer), including but not limited to use of these protocols: IP, IGRP, Serial, Frame Relay, IP RIP, VLANs, RIP, Ethernet, Access Lists.

"BellSouth is excited to offer CCNA training to employees across our nine states," said Dick Sibbernsen, vice president, human resources for BellSouth. "With the ever-changing architecture of our network, this training will provide BellSouth employees with the technical knowledge they need to effectively maintain and upgrade BellSouth's network."

"CWA recognizes the importance of keeping members trained on evolving technology," said Noah Savant, vice president, CWA, District 3. "This training will provide members an opportunity to learn skills that will help prepare them for future jobs."

CCNA Courses one through four of the program, equivalent to 320 hours of instruction, provide students with a basic foundation in networking. Students who successfully complete this portion of the program are eligible to earn Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification. CGTC offers this curriculum in three program options, including Networking Specialist AAS, Networking Specialist Diploma and Cisco CCNA Specialist. Employees unable to attend classes at Central Georgia Technical College are able to complete courses online anytime, anyplace within the class schedule.

To read more about the program, you can read this BellSouth press release.

AT&T Inc. recently announced a Letter of Intent with Vistana, Ltd. to build a fiber network to deliver the AT&T U-verse^SM suite of services, which includes Internet Protocol television, high-speed Internet access service and, eventually, voice services, to a new, mixed-use high-rise structure in historic downtown San Antonio.

To date, the AT&T Smart Moves program has signed more than 9,000 contracts with leased properties for AT&T communications and entertainment services, reaching 1.8 million units across the country for these types of bundled services. At The Vistana, AT&T will provide its first fiber deployment for U-verse to a multifamily and retail property.

AT&T will make Internet Protocol-based communications and entertainment services available to residents who will move in to The Vistana. Officials held unveiling ceremonies this week at nearby Milam Park in San Antonio. AT&T U-verse TV and high-speed Internet services are currently available in San Antonio, and the company plans to make U-verse services available in Houston and additional markets later this year.

"We know that the demand for the next generation of entertainment and communications services doesn't distinguish between suburban and urban living," said Brooks McCorcle, AT&T vice president and general manager for the San Antonio market area. "We look forward to working with The Vistana to serve the hundreds who will reside here, and we consider this new agreement a real turning point for our Smart Moves program. It's another strategic way that we are connecting customers with our next generation of services—while providing property owners with added value that helps differentiate their properties in a growing, fiercely competitive marketplace."

Construction on The Vistana will begin in late 2006 and will be complete in late spring 2008. The Vistana will be a 14-floor, 530,000-square-foot art deco building that will include a four-floor parking garage with more than 450 spaces and 246 market rate rental apartments above, including the top two floors of two-story penthouses. The sixth-floor amenity deck will include a theater, among other features. The building is expected to open in late spring 2008.

In addition to the millions of rental units served through the Smart Moves program, since 2005, the total number of single-family homes under AT&T Smart Moves contracts has increased from about 460,000 to more than 930,000—including those that are fiber-enabled and others that involve bundled services and other types of networking.

To learn more about this new development, check out the AT&T press release.

I posted about Qwest calling for data retention laws yesterday, but the company is now saying that the comments were a mistake and it is actually skeptical of the mandates by Congress.

In an interview with CNET News.com, Jennifer Mardosz, Qwest's corporate counsel and chief privacy officer, said that she misspoke during a panel discussion organized by the Progress and Freedom Foundation in Aspen, Colo. "I just completely misspoke there," Mardosz said. During the panel discussion, she said Qwest "absolutely" supports House of Representatives legislation sponsored by Rep. Diana DeGette mandating data retention—a requirement that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said will aid in terrorism and child exploitation investigations. "I associated (DeGette's) name with the female Colorado legislator that introduced the state legislation," Mardosz said. "That was just a pure and honest mistake that I made."

Qwest's revised position is more in sync with other telecommunications companies, which say they are already required by law to cooperate with criminal investigations and have been generally skeptical of broad, new mandates.

For more information on Qwest's turnabout, read the CNET News.com article Qwest on data retention laws: Oops.

Embarq announced this week that they have completed the migration of the company's one millionth customer from a circuit network to a packet network. This technological evolution facilitates Embarq's development and delivery of innovative common sense products and services.

"The platform allows us to provide converged voice and data services," said Jim Hansen, senior vice president of Network Services for Embarq. "Products like an integrated voicemail platform serving both wireline and wireless devices, or Smart Connect where customers' phones switch seamlessly between a wireline and wireless network aren't as practical on a circuit-based network, and much more difficult to make available. The packet network makes it easier for us to make innovative products available to our customers much more quickly than in the past."

Also, packet technology handles voice and data messages more efficiently than the existing circuit network, allowing Embarq to reduce future expenditures on network upgrades.The company began its packet conversion with Nortel in May of 2003 serving customers in Gardner, Kansas. Since that time, Embarq has steadily progressed moving customers to the new network technology, outpacing others in the industry.

"Nortel's Carrier VoIP and multimedia solutions allow Embarq to more easily offer its customers next-generation communication services," said Alf Decardenas, general manager, Converged Multimedia Networks, Nortel. "We're thrilled to work with Embarq as they migrate towards an even more superior network that delivers integrated voice, video and data services. This is further proof they are truly dedicated to offering their customers common sense products and services."

Read more about this milestone in the news release Embarq Reaches Packet Network Milestone

In an effort to combat unauthorized data brokers obtaining and selling its customers' calling records, AT&T's services division filed a lawsuit in U.S district court in San Antonio, Texas, this week to block 25 unnamed defendants who have allegedly pretended to be customers to gain access to account information.

AT&T said that the so-called data brokers had fraudulently obtained records for some 2,500 customers. The company believes the lawsuit will help it identify the perpetrators through e-mail addresses and Internet Protocol addresses. Once it identifies the data brokers, the company plans to seek an injunction as well as a return of profits earned from selling customer information. In addition, AT&T customers affected by the data breach have been notified and access to their online accounts has been frozen.

Earlier this year, wireless phone companies Cingular, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless each filed lawsuits against companies that own Web sites that allegedly sell customer information. T-Mobile and Cingular have each won temporary restraining orders against perpetrators.

AT&T said it has taken additional steps to prevent this type of activity in the future. "Regrettably, there are always people looking for ways to circumvent the system," Priscilla Hill-Ardoin, chief privacy officer for AT&T, said in a statement. "But we intend to remain vigilant in order to keep our customers' information secure."

Read more about what the company is doing to protect its customers' privacy in the AT&T press release AT&T Services Inc. Files Suit to Bar Data Brokers from Unauthorized Access to Customer Data.

As the fall school semester approaches, the AT&T Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AT&T Inc., renewed its commitment to providing attainable higher education for college students and their families by awarding more than $5 million in college scholarships to more than 2,000 children of AT&T employees and retirees. Since the AT&T Foundation began its scholarship program in 1993, it has invested $45 million in student scholarships, providing financial assistance to more than 15,000 students. For the upcoming 2006 — 2007 school year, 630 students will receive AT&T Foundation scholarships for the first time, and 1,434 students will renew their scholarships.

"According to The College Board's 2005 'Trends in College Pricing' report, tuition and fees continue to rise at two- and four-year colleges and universities," said Jim Ciccone, chairman of the AT&T Foundation. "Our scholarship program is an extension of the AT&T Foundation's commitment to making higher education more attainable for all students."

AT&T Foundation scholarships are awarded to students pursuing undergraduate study at accredited four-year and two-year colleges and universities as well as military academies in the United States. Students who maintain specified academic guidelines can renew their scholarships annually. The competitive scholarship selection process is based on an individual's overall merit, including academics, leadership skills and work experience.

Students attending two-year colleges will each receive a $1,500 scholarship; those attending four-year colleges or universities will each receive a $2,500 scholarship; and those attending military academies will receive a one-time honorarium of $2,000 from the AT&T Foundation.

Sprint and Rave Wireless have partnered to offer a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive suite of mobile solutions that deliver instant communications, enhance student safety and generate a greater sense of community at higher–education campuses across the country. Beginning in the fall semester of 2006, students at Allen University in South Carolina and University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), will have greater access to features such as group text messaging and polling, campus directories, university events calendar and class schedules thanks to customized handset data applications created by Rave Wireless. Sprint's state-of-the-art network and unique location-based services, combined with Rave Wireless' mobile applications and program management create a complete solution for higher education institutions. 

A big issue for many universities is the safety and security of students on campus. Allen University, located in Columbia, S.C., is working with Sprint and Rave Wireless to provide all full-time students with GPS-capable handsets, preloaded with data applications including the award-winning Rave Guardian application that provides a greater level of security by allowing the school's public safety officials to identify a student's location, if requested by the student, by integrating GPS- location into the school's public safety system. In addition, the mobile phones, referred to as an 'e-learning tool' by the school administration, will foster strong student-faculty relationships by facilitating real-time communication, course information and in-class assessments.

"Allen University is pleased to integrate leading technologies into the fabric of our university that will both enhance academics and create a safer environment for students to learn," said Anthony Spearman, vice president of operations and professor of physics, Allen University. "We are dedicated to providing an easy and cost-effective way to communicate with students, professors and campus safety officials. Sprint and Rave Wireless are delivering a solution that not only meets our needs but also gives our students instant access to critical content and peer groups that keep them connected to the university family."

Starting this fall, UMES will also offer the Sprint solution with Rave applications to all incoming students. Through a state-of-the-art dual-network Custom Network Solution (CNS) designed for this campus, Sprint has created a unified messaging platform for students and faculty to communicate, especially helpful during an emergency or national catastrophe.

"Mobile phones, the preferred way to communicate for today's youth, are now a part of the education curriculum at UMES," said Ron Forsythe, vice president of planning, assessment and technology at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. "Innovation-driven companies like Sprint and Rave Wireless provide us with the tools and solutions to keep our students informed, secure and always connected. We expect instant communication to be a big hit amongst our students."

Rave Wireless' applications, available on both the Nationwide Sprint PCS Network and the Nextel National Network, provide students with the flexibility to access campus-specific content and services through mobile phones from just about anywhere and at any time. The solution deployed at UMES also includes Rave Guardian, which provides students with a greater level of security and added peace-of-mind.

According to a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article, the bundling of cable TV with phone and Internet services has helped Comcast pick up new voice customers and increase retention of its existing subscribers.

On average, Comcast's triple-play customers spend about $120 monthly with the company because many buy extra products and services such as digital video recorders and premium channels such as HBO.

Competitors like DirecTV and Verizon are having a difficult time keeping up. Satellite packages often start at about $30 a month, almost eliminating the advantage that existed when cable companies offered only video for $50 and up monthly. While phone companies are slowly starting to offer television, they are years away from making it available to most customers.

According to Merrill Lynch analyst Jessica Reif Cohen, telephone companies are blaming their slower growth on cable competition. She recently told clients that, "AT&T's chief financial officer acknowledged on the company's second-quarter earnings call that the introduction of the triple play by cable operators into AT&T markets was negatively impacting subscriber growth."

Triple play also helps Comcast boost customer loyalty. Comcast has been offering triple play to Boston customers longer than in any other market. The company gained about 1,000 subscribers in the second quarter, where last year it lost 16,000. For most customers, the competitive pricing of triple play and complicated process involved in switching back to their old phone-service provider keeps them with Comcast longer.

Read more about how Comcast is growing with triple play bundles in the Philadelphia Inquirer article Comcast's 'triple play' wins fans on Wall St.

According to a new press release by Cox Communications, satellite customers are switching  from their current service to Cox triple-play bundles in record numbers. The company states that among new connections, the percentage of basic cable customers who are former satellite customers has nearly doubled in two years.

"In 2004, 6 percent of our basic connects were former satellite customers; in 2006, we've driven that number to 11 percent," said Esser. "The convenience and value of buying video, telephone and Internet services from one provider and our superior customer care experience are bringing more and more DBS customers to Cox."

Cox's success in attracting satellite customers helped the company gain approximately 84,000 basic cable customers since July 2005. Advanced video services such as cable-only On DEMAND, high-definition and DVR also contributed to new customer acquisitions and a reduction in churn, Esser commented.

"Former satellite customers are great cable customers; over 40 percent buy the full three-product bundle," Esser said. "We're retaining and winning back the best video customers in the marketplace with bundled services that are individually compelling and a good value. In markets where we've offered the three-product bundle the longest, more than 70% of our customers choose two or more services and approximately 40 percent take all three—video, Internet and telephone."

Cox is touts itself as America's leading bundler, noting the company's nearly 10 years of experience in offering video, telephone and Internet services and the fact that its bundled customers are 41 percent less likely to leave for another provider.  "Today, Cox is better at bundling than anyone else in the business," Esser said. "This is proven by the customers we're winning away from both DBS and telephone company competitors and by our customer satisfaction which continues to increase."

Over the last four years, Cox has topped nine national and regional J.D. Power and Associates' studies of customer satisfaction, including highest honors in residential telephone and high-speed Internet, and commercial data.

Cox also remains the nation's leading provider of cable telephony with more than 1.8 million residential subscribers. Cox has the highest telephony market penetration to basic subscribers of any cable company, at nearly 35 percent. "Cox's early entrance into the telephone business is key to the company's ongoing success," said Esser. "Today, 70 percent of our telephone customers subscribe to our triple play."

At the close of the second quarter, Cox had more than 3.2 million bundled customers, 5.4 million basic video subscribers, and 3.1 million high-speed Internet customers.

Alltel Wireless recently announced an agreement with XM Satellite Radio that will make Alltel customers the first in the United States to have access XM Satellite Radio programming via their wireless phones. The application was developed by MobiTV, the global leader in television and digital radio services for cellular, Wi-Fi and broadband enabled devices.

Alltel Wireless customers will receive audio streams of 20 popular commercial-free XM music channels and be able to select channels by genre. XM will deliver data to make it possible to view the song title, artist and album while listening on a variety of compatible handsets. Alltel Wireless customers can gain unlimited access to select XM radio channels on the XM Radio Mobile service for $7.99 a month.

"Consumers are increasingly eager to access great, commercial-free music on their mobile phones," said Adam Reyer, senior vice president of Business Development for XM Satellite Radio. "XM Satellite Radio will launch its new mobile service to Alltel customers, providing them with access to an assortment of XM's acclaimed music programming on their mobile phones virtually anywhere they go."

The New York Times technology writer Ken Belson recently wrote an interesting article about what Verizon is doing with its fiber-optic network in New York City. Part of an extensive project to replace Verizon's older copper network with the more durable fiber lines, the company will spend about $20 million by the end of 2010 to reach millions of homes from Florida to California. However, New York is their primary focus because residents there are the biggest buyers of video, Internet and phone services. Verizon plans to spend about $3 billion dollars to reach that market of customers.

Ken writes, "With such a high concentration of potential customers, competition is fierce—and Verizon has been losing ground. Time Warner Cable, Cablevision and others are stealing about 1,000 Verizon phone customers a day, and their discounted services are making it hard for Verizon to win them back—another reason to get the fiber network up quickly."

The article goes into detail about the hurdles Verizon faces during the project and what it could mean to New York City residents in the future.  You can read more about the project in the full article Verizon Is Rewiring New York, Block by Block, in a Race for Survival.

I posted last month about a Yankee Group research study that showed tremendous growth in voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calling. I recently found a new report by Light Reading's Cable Industry Insider that showed similar results. The report, Cable VoIP: Prospects for Sustainable Growth, found that in 2005 alone, North American cable operators signed up approximately 2.2 million VoIP customers, climbing from 500,000 subscribers at the end of 2004 to more than 2.7 million.

The report also speculates that cable operators, led by Cablevision, Cox Communications and Time Warner Cable in the United States, are increasingly taking control of the VoIP market as a result of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that freed phone and cable companies to compete against each other for voice customers.

For more on this trend, check out Lightreading's Cable Industry Insider.

Sprint Nextel announced an expansion of its relationship with Time Warner Cable, the second-largest cable operator in the United States. They have been selected to help provision Time Warner Cable's digital phone service in an additional 14 service areas. Time Warner Cable will utilize Sprint Nextel's IP network to offer VoIP-based telephone service across most the 28 million homes it currently services.

Sprint Nextel currently serves cable companies with a total of more than 1.2 million VoIP subscribers across more than 1,100 rate centers. Over a one-year period, Sprint Nextel is expected to provide cable telephony wireline services to cable companies serving over 2.5 million subscribers. The new five year agreement marks Sprint Nextel's continued expansion into the cable market.

"Sprint Nextel has proven to be an excellent partner and we look forward to expanding our relationship with them," said Glenn Britt, president and chief executive officer of Time Warner Cable. "Time Warner Cable now serves 1.6 million Digital Phone customers, and telephone has become one of the fastest growing segments of our video, high-speed data and voice bundle."

As part of the agreement, Sprint Nextel will carry long-distance traffic for Time Warner Cable residential customers and provide 911 services, relay systems and operator services. Digital phone calls begin on the Time Warner Cable network and travel to its regional data centers. Calls are completed over the Sprint Nextel nationwide network. From the customer's perspective, their inbound and outbound calls will continue to be seamless.

Read more about this new agreement in Sprint Nextel's press release.

BellSouth has launched two Web sites to provide consumers with innovative ways to relate new technologies to their everyday lives. BellSouth Home of the Future Today (www.bellsouth.com/homeofthefuture) and BellSouth Gear(TM) Store (www.bellsouth.com/gearstore) will incorporate interactive features to engage visitors and educate them about new and upcoming products.

BellSouth Home of the Future Today allows visitors to virtually tour a home that is fully-equipped with high-speed Internet service, home networking, broadband and wireless applications, as well as digital satellite television service through DIRECTV. Visitors can tour various rooms of the house, including the living room, kitchen and home and remote offices, where the featured products and services are most used.

BellSouth Gear(TM) Store helps consumers match their lifestyles with an array of available products and services from BellSouth, like cordless telephones, consumer electronics, broadband service and home networking.

"Many consumers who shop online are looking for some help with their technology purchase decisions," said Randy Roberts, vice president of wireless and consumer devices for BellSouth. "BellSouth Home of the Future Today and BellSouth Gear(TM) Store offer unique ways for consumers to explore and weigh the benefits of various BellSouth products as well as apply the usefulness of those products to their individual lifestyles."

According to a new report from market research firm IDC, Cox Communications is the best-positioned provider of the full triple-play of video, Internet and phone services with more than 50 percent of Cox customers choosing to bundle two or more services. Cox pioneered the three-product bundle in 1997 and remains the nation's leading bundler with more than 1.1 million three-product bundled customers today.

"In the last decade, Cox has successfully evolved from a single-service cable television company into a multi-service broadband communications provider," said David Pugliese, Cox's vice president of product marketing and management. "In doing so, we amassed 10 years of proven experience that is successfully differentiating us from others in the marketplace today. Our bundled customers count on Cox to deliver all of their communications solutions every day, backed by convenient billing and superior customer care."

The IDC study examines penetration rates, product and service breadth, technology choices, partnerships and scale of the top 10 U.S. service providers in the field of bundled service delivery. The study is part of an ongoing ranking program of U.S. communications service providers published on a quarterly basis.

"The attractive price and convenience of a triple-play bundle greatly influence consumers' decisions to bundle their video, Internet and phone services with one provider," said Matt Davis, director of IDC's Consumer Multiplay Services. "Cox has a long history of providing video, Internet and phone services and has proven to be well-received in the marketplace."

According to a new survey, a majority of consumers polled (57 percent) continue to be interested in bundling all telecommunications services under a single provider.

"The trend is clear. Consumers like the idea of one company delivering all of their entertainment, information and communications services—and they're seeing their cable companies as the source," said Char Beales, President and CEO of the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing. "They realize that by bundling video, phone and Internet products, they can eliminate the inconvenience of dealing with multiple providers and reduce costs."

Cable customers are considerably more interested in getting phone service from their cable company than from other, non-cable VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service providers. Nearly one-third of digital (29 percent) and premium cable customers (32 percent) are interested in leaving their current telephone service provider to receive phone service from their cable company. In addition, basic cable subscribers (23 pecent) are more interested in phone service from their cable company than from non-cable VoIP providers (11 percent).

The study also shows a growing interest in receiving additional services from local cable companies, such as high-speed Internet, and local, long distance and mobile phone services, when compared to 2004 data.

Alltel Wireless, America's largest network, announced today that the innovative Fastap™ keypad, created by Digit Wireless, is now available exclusively for its customers on the LG AX490 phone. Available beginning Aug. 3, the LG AX490 is the only phone in the United States to feature this cutting-edge technology.

The Fastap keypad allows for dual levels of functionality by integrating the traditional 12-number keypad with raised buttons for each letter of the alphabet. The keyboard simplifies virtually every phone function and provides easier and faster access to mobile phone-based applications including text messaging, instant messaging, picture and Web browsing.

Fastap meets the growing needs of Alltel Wireless' customers by providing a groundbreaking technology that allows for quicker and easier data entry and retrieval, while keeping with the traditional phone design. For example, customers who download Alltel's Axcess Instant Messaging application to their LG AX490 now have an affordable, easy, seamless and always-on mobile messaging experience.

Read more about this new phone in Alltel's press release.

The U.S. Treasury Department announced that it will no longer collect a 3 percent federal excise tax on long-distance calls and would refund approximately $15 billion to taxpayers. Imposed in 1898 to help pay for the Spanish-American War, the tax applied to wealthy Americans during a time when phone service was considered a luxury.

The Treasury said it was conceding its efforts to uphold the tax after five appeals courts declared it illegal because of changes in the way long-distance calls are billed. Phone companies and cellular carriers must stop billing for the tax Aug. 1. Individuals and businesses can file for refunds next year on their 2006 tax returns for excise taxes paid on long-distance calls since March 1, 2003. Individuals who don't have phone bill records can seek a standard refund that has yet to be determined.

Elimination of the tax will cost the Treasury about $46 billion in refunds, lost revenue and administrative expenses in the next five years. Callers will still pay a 3 percent excise tax on local phone calls. But that tax will no longer be levied on services that don't distinguish local calls, such as cellular, all-distance landline plans and Internet-based offerings. Consumers with those services can seek refunds on their full excise-tax payments.

The AT&T Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AT&T Inc., recently announced a $1.6 million AT&T AccessAll grant to the National Urban League to support opportunities for technology-career development for African Americans. Announced at the Urban League's national conference today in Atlanta, the AT&T Foundation grant will launch five new Digital Career Academies, as well as expand offerings at 11 existing academies located across the country. The grant is part of the three-year $100 million AT&T AccessAll initiative to provide technology access to underserved communities.

The Digital Career Academies program builds on the success of a 2004 AT&T Foundation grant initiative, which provided $1,070,000 to the National Urban League to launch the initial 11 technology career academies. Through the program, the Urban League provided information-technology career training in computer and video-game programming, 3-D animation, digital radio and IT administration.

EMBARQ recently announced that Visage Mobile, the leading enabler of private-label wireless services, will provide the wireless operations platform for EMBARQ's wireless product offer that launched in June. The deal allows EMBARQ, the fifth largest local exchange carrier in the United States, to deliver integrated telecom bundles that include wireless service enabled by Visage Mobile.

Stephanie posted in May about AT&T phasing out the Cingular brand, and it looks like AT&T plans to continue the trend when its purchase of BellSouth is approved. AT&T is banking its future on the fact that, despite problems in the past, it is still the most recognizable name in the phone business. Like Verizon and other telecommunications companies, AT&T is also selling bundles of services and wants to have a single brand for all its products.

"The BellSouth and Cingular names are not just at the iconic level globally," said Wendy Clark, vice president for advertising at AT&T, in a recent New York Times article. "When you have an integrated solution, the nomenclature of wireless and wireline will become blurred to the point where you need a single brand. It's about one-stop shopping." The rebranding effort will be a large undertaking, and not without risks. BellSouth and Cingular don't have the history of the AT&T brand, but the companies currently have a more than 70 million customers between them.

AT&T also plans to organize a national campaign to reintroduce its brand. The company declined to provide specifics about the campaign, but said the scale and message would be in line with their current efforts to rename SBC, which has included a redesigned blue globe and the catchphrase "Your World. Delivered."

You can read more about AT&T's plan in the New York Times article AT&T Bets Its Brand Is More Than Nostalgia.

AT&T announced that CapTel products are now available to customers in Michigan. A new technology, developed by Ultratec Inc. that allows individuals with hearing loss to view word-for-word captions of their telephone conversations, CapTel is designed for individuals who have good speech but do not hear well over the phone.

To learn more about this service, read the AT&T press release.

BellSouth shareholders voted to approve its merger with AT&T. BellSouth and AT&T jointly own Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless voice and data provider. The purchase of BellSouth will bring Cingular Wireless under one company, allowing AT&T to offer a wider variety of services to combat wireless rivals and cable television companies. In an effort to reduce costs and be more competitive in the increasingly crowded telecommunications sector, the company has said it expects to cut around 10,000 jobs following the acquisition.

Verizon Wireless struck a blow to cell phone telemarketing this week when it was granted a permanent injunction blocking a Miami telemarketer from making automated calls to Verizon customers.

Verizon began its fight against the calls in February when it sued All Star Vacations and Marketing Group Inc., along with another Florida travel company, for illegally soliciting wireless phone customers. The cell phone provider said more than 500,000 of its customers received telephone calls from All Star on behalf of the two travel companies. Verizon and All Star eventually agreed on the injunction on May 24, which was later entered into the New Jersey Superior Court. All Star agreed to pay $5,000 in damages to Verizon, which will donate the money to Casa de Esperenza, an organization working to prevent violence in Latino communities.

Motorola and Yahoo! announced that they will sell new Motorola devices preloaded with Yahoo! services starting in 2007. The phones will come with Yahoo! Go for Mobile, a Web application that includes Yahoo's mail, search, address book and local information programs, and be available on millions of handsets in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Motorola and Yahoo! plan to jointly market the new handsets.

Read more about this new partnership in Motorola's press release.

With more workers objecting to the noisy beeps and ring tones from personal calls, cell phone use at work is being limited by many companies, USA Today recently reported   

They quoted a recent survey by staffing company Ranstad USA and the Society for Human Resource Management that reported 30 percent of employees cited cell phones ringing at work as their number one pet peeve at the office. The survey also found that that more than a third of companies contacted have put in place policies to address the issue.

Noise and distraction were listed as the most important reasons for the limits. More than half of workers surveyed said they get impatient or angry when a coworker stops a conversation because of an incoming wireless call, according to a Sprint survey quoted in the article. In addition, cell phones with the ability to take pictures or watch video clips are in danger of being banned or limited because of their effect on productivity.

USA Today also reported that lack of productivity and annoyance aren't the only reasons for a cell phone ban. Safety is can be a factor, as employers may be liable in an accident even if an employee is using his or her own phone and doing business outside normal working hours.

Don't forget that July is National Cell Phone Etiquette Month. Now is a great time to brush up on your cell phone do's and don'ts.

Services that let consumers make phone calls over the Internet are building momentum. According to Yankee Group research, the consumer market for voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calling grew by more than 250 percent, with approximately 3 million people subscribing to a VoIP service last year. The trend should continue, with subscriber numbers expected to jump this year to a projected 8.4 million. By 2009, the Yankee Group predicts that there will be 28.5 million VoIP users in the United States.

VoIP pioneers such as Vonage and Skype have accounted for the majority of Internet telephony services in the past, but now other companies are entering the market. Time Warner signed up 270,000 digital phone subscribers in the first quarter of 2006, its biggest gain ever. Comcast, the largest cable provider in the United States, added 211,000 new phone customers during the same quarter, more than it had signed up during all of 2005. Even Internet companies such as AOL, Google, EarthLink and Yahoo are getting into the game with services that let PC users make calls not only between PCs but also from their computers to regular phones.

If you are thinking about trying VoIP, click here to see if WhiteFence has offers available in your area.

With the completion of the spin-off of Alltel Corporation's landline business merger with VALOR Communications Group Inc., Windstream Corp. today announced its formation as a public company, creating the largest telecommunications and entertainment services company focused on serving rural America. Windstream common stock begins trading July 18, 2006, on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WIN.

Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Windstream has 8,000 employees and offers voice, broadband and digital TV services in 16 states. The company has 55 retail stores and operates a directory publishing and communications product supply business. Windstream broadband service is expected to be available to approximately 80 percent of the company's customers by the end of the year, featuring speeds of up to 6.0 Mb.

Jeffery Gardner, former executive vice president and chief financial officer of Alltel, is president and CEO of the new company. "VALOR is a very good fit with the Alltel wireline business and the combined companies will add value for our shareholders and provide quality service for our customers," Gardner said.

Are you interested in all the new communication technologies but are worried they will be too complicated? AT&T Inc. has announced a new Web site designed to help consumers get the most out of the "Digital Lifestyle." New online tutorials, available at www.att.com/choice, invite consumers to a hands-on experience with communications and entertainment products and services offered by AT&T, including AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet, AT&T| DISH Network and Cingular Wireless.

The site will launch with demos focused around AT&T's most popular services and features. The company will add additional tutorials every few weeks. The tutorials, through 60-second live action video vignettes, will demonstrate how easy AT&T products and services are to use. Initially, consumers will learn easy tips and tricks for:

• Storing and sharing photos online
• Recording and viewing digital content on a digital video recorder
• Setting up and managing a wireless home network

WhiteFence now offers Cebridge Digital Cable and High-Speed Internet services for most of Louisiana and rural parts of Texas. Cebridge Connections serves more than 1.3 million customers across hundred of communities in more than 15 states. Cebridge's full line of TV and high-speed Internet services, created especially for residential customers, offers tons of features that can turn your home into entertainment central.

Last week, EMBARQ launched EMBARQ Together Phone PaQ(SM), a service bundle that includes a new integrated voicemail service making it easier for customers to use their home and wireless phones to stay connected and keep informed.

A key feature this new bundle is EMBARQ(TM) One Voicemail. This allows customers who have both a home phone and wireless phone to retrieve all of their voicemail messages from one mailbox, eliminating the need to check multiple voicemail boxes. Customers are notified on both devices when they have a message and can listen to their messages on either.

In addition to EMBARQ(TM) One Voicemail, the EMBARQ Together Phone PaQ(SM) has several other distinctive features including free calling to the home phone from your wireless phone, a combined home phone and wireless bill and a single customer service number for both services. The most popular calling features currently on the market are also part of the bundle, including Caller ID, Call Waiting and Call Forwarding with the option to add picture mail, more text messaging and Internet access for an additional monthly charge.

Bright House Networks Digital Cable, Digital Phone, and High-Speed Internet are now available in bundles through WhiteFence in Orlando, Florida.  Bright House currently serves more than 2 million customers in several large markets including Bakersfield, California; Birmingham, Alabama; Detroit, Michigan; Indianapolis, Indiana; Orlando, Florida and Tampa Bay, Florida. 

Cox Communications Inc., the largest cable telephone service provider in the nation, officially announced its launch of Cox Digital Telephone. Cox will begin offering the service in several markets soon, with availability in all their markets by the end of year. They also plan to continue to add telephone service in the communities they serve in early 2007. To learn more about this product launch, check out Cox's official news release.

For the first time, phone service offered by cable companies drew the highest customer-service ratings in five out of six U.S. regions in a J.D. Power and Associates study.

Cox Communications Inc., the only cable company to take top honors in just one region in last year's study, ranked highest the Northeast, West and Southwest, half of the six regions defined by J.D. Powers. Other top cable companies include Time Warner Inc., who lead the North Central region, and Bright House Networks, with the top spot in the Southeast. This year, Verizon Communications Inc. was the only traditional phone company ranked highest in one of its territories, leading the Mid-Atlantic region. Attributes used to rank the carriers included reliability, billing, customer service and promotions.

To see all the results of this survey, visit the J.D. Power Consumer Center.

Founded in 1989, Talk America is a communications provider offering local and long distance telephone services to residential and small business customers in the United States.  They currently service up to 1.5 million customers nationwide.  You can order their local and long distance telephone service in Georgia, Michigan and Ohio as well as bundle packages (including local phone service, long distance phone service and high-speed Internet) throughout Georgia and Michigan.

Cebridge Connections, soon to be Suddenlink Communications, is one of the 10 largest cable operators in the United States. Recently, Cebridge announced that it will be using a VoIP system from Nortel to provide a suite of telephone and multimedia services to its customers. The system is comprised of network design, as well as integration, management and maintenance services from the Nortel Global Services portfolio. Slated to begin later this year, the project should be completed by the end of 2007. For more information, you can read the article Suddenlink, Nortel to Provide Cable VoIP Service.

With RCN as your local phone service, you'll pay rates competitive with, or less than, your current provider. You can save up to 50 percent a month on your bill. RCN has great signal quality, affordable prices, a wide range of selections and a 24-hr customer service ready to assist you. RCN phone service is available in

• Philadelphia
• Chicago
• Lehigh Valley Area
• and more...

To order service from RCN or to compare their offer to your current provider, you can go to WhiteFence and enter your address.

AT&T announced today an agreement to carry all of Discovery Communications U.S linear TV network as part of the AT&T U-verse^sm TV channel lineup. Also, AT&T will provide Discovery Communications high-definition and on demand services.

The Discovery networks now available as part of AT&T U-verse TV include several channels, including:

• Discovery Channel
• TLC
• Animal Planet
• Travel Channel
• Discovery Health Channel
• Discovery Kids
• Discovery Times Channel
• The Science Channel
• Military Channel
• Discovery Home Channel
• BBC America
• FitTV

The agreement also includes distribution of Discovery's three U.S. Spanish-language networks — Discovery en Español, Discovery Kids en Español, Discovery Travel & Living (Viajar y Vivir) — as well as Discovery HD Theater, Discovery's 24-hour high-definition service and Discovery's on demand content.

The best way to save money on long distance service may be to enroll in a calling plan that fits your habits. Consider the following:

• How many calls you make a month
• How long you talk
• The time of day you usually make calls
• Where the calls are placed (local, domestic long distance or international)
• The rate per minute or per month
• Any monthly fee or minimum spending limit

A close look at your monthly bill will provide you with the information needed when choosing the right calling plan. You should request written material from companies and compare their rates to your calling patterns and make sure you fully review the details of a plan before you sign on.

If you order BellSouth services now, you can have your choice of a cash back offer, gift card or gas card. The amount that you get back corresponds to what service(s) you offer. You can get:

• $25 back on a BellSouth unlimited long distance phone service order
• $75 back on a Cingular service order
• $75 back on a BellSouth DSL high speed Internet service order
• $125 back on a DIRECTV service order

To find out if you qualify for these deals or if they are available in your area, you can go to WhiteFence and enter your address. BellSouth services are available across the gulf coast, namely in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

In AT&T's continued effort to give back to the communities it serves, AT&T Michigan will be sponsoring the Concert of Colors, Metro-Detroit's 14^th Annual Diversity Festival. This will be the sixth year that AT&T sponsors this important Detroit community event.

Concert of Colors is a free three-day festival on July 14 to July 16 that is dedicated to bringing diverse communities and ethnic groups together through music. In addition, an outdoor street fair will feature food, arts and crafts and children's activities. Nearly 30 acts from India, France, New Orleans, and Detroit will take the stage, including Latin jazz superstar, Pancho Sanchez; Grammy-winning Alison Brown Quartet; the legendary Indigo Girls; and Detroit-based Amp Fiddler. You can read more about the festival in this AT&T press release.

Today's homebuyers and apartment/condominium dwellers continue to look for a digital lifestyle and leading-edge communications and entertainment connections. Through the AT&T Smart Moves program, AT&T drives value to builders, developers, property owners and residents through fiber-based services and marketing support for bundled communications.

AT&T Smart Moves is a strategic marketing initiative between AT&T and single-family residential developers, regional or national single-family builders, real estate investment trusts, apartment ownership groups and apartment management groups. These programs help to deliver the full range of AT&T services to single family homes and apartments. You can go to AT&T site to find out more.

BellSouth Foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to TECH CORPS Georgia, Inc. to support high school students and their families in getting access to the technology they need to succeed. TECH CORPS Georgia (TCGA) is a nonprofit organization, based in Atlanta, that provides computers and training to children and families in lower-income communities and to the nonprofits that serve those communities.

According to the St. Louis Business Journal, AT&T Inc. said Monday that it will work with the United Service Organizations (USO) to distribute an additional 10,000 free prepaid phone cards to U.S. military members overseas. This is the second batch of more than 30,000 phone cards, valued at $270,000, which AT&T will donate to U.S. service members just this year. The cards will be given to military personnel in Germany, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Japan and South Korea.

If you are looking into getting communication services for your business, you might want to look into Verizon. Verizon Business has earned top honors among six major providers in the large-business category in J.D. Power and Associates' annual survey of small, mid-size and large-business customers. The J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Major Provider Business Telecommunications Services Study determined that Verizon Business received the "Highest Customer Satisfaction With Large Enterprise Business Data Service Providers."

Verizon Business scored highest in six of the seven key performance factors used to measure satisfaction: performance and reliability; billing; cost of service; company image; sales representatives/account executives; offerings and promotions; and customer service. Moreover, in five of the seven factors, Verizon Business scored 15 index points above the second-ranked carrier in each factor.

Aiming to rev the engines of both NASCAR and Will Ferrell fans alike, Sprint is releasing a series of original commercials featuring Will Ferrell, popular comedian and star of this summer's NASCAR-themed film "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," promoting Sprint's exclusive mobile content from the movie.

As the title sponsor of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, Sprint is a leading promotional sponsor of the movie and the only sponsor creating original television ads and mobile content starring Ferrell. The first commercial debuted at the Pepsi 400, the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, July 1, on Fox.

Wireless customers have grown increasingly dependent on their cell phones to stay connected on the go, but often they aren't aware that their conversations can disturb others. While most of us can attest to having witnessed rude wireless behavior first-hand, few will readily admit to having been a culprit. That's why, in recognition of National Cell Phone Courtesy Month in July, Sprint is releasing a wireless etiquette podcast at http://podcast.sprint.com and encouraging cell phone users to tune in and brush up on their manners.

According to the marketing research firm In-Stat, Wi-Fi/Cellular handsets will make a big splash. By 2010, shipments of cellular handsets containing Wi-Fi will exceed 132 million devices, the high-tech market research firm says. Carriers have been reluctant to offer Wi-Fi-capable handsets for several reasons, but Wi-Fi has spread so fast that carriers will not be able to resist much longer.

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

• More than 20 cellular handset models now have, or will soon be, released with embedded Wi-Fi access.
• A few cellular carriers are planning to offer services that support voice calls over both cellular and Wi-Fi, and some Wi-Fi/Cellular handsets are incorporating VoIP clients for services like Skype.
• It had been assumed that business customers would be first to adopt Wi-Fi/Cellular handsets, but in fact consumers are likely to be more receptive to early adoption of the technology.

Verizon will be discontinuing their Airphone service by the end of the year, according to the article Verizon to End Airline Telephone Service. Verizon has opted to end the phone service on commercial airliners to focus instead on their faster growing broadband, cellular phone and FiOS TV service. Industry analysts have said that the phone service was rarely used. In addition, Verizon executives said they would have had to invest a great deal of money to have brought more compelling technology to the phone service.

Comcast Digital Voice is now available through WhiteFence in several areas. Comcast Digital Voice® gives you unlimited local and long-distance calling, 12 popular calling features you expect, plus cool new features you'll love, all this over our advanced broadband network. To find out if Comcast Digital Voice is available in your area, you can go to WhiteFence and enter you address.

More San Antonio consumers can now enjoy a new universe of communications and entertainment through the AT&T U-verse experience.

Today, AT&T Inc. announced  the initial expansion of AT&T U-verse services — the company's next-generation television and high speed Internet offerings — in San Antonio. The services use AT&T's fiber-rich network, which extends optical connections deeper into customer neighborhoods.

During this initial expansion in San Antonio, AT&T U-verse TV will offer:

• A compelling variety of TV packages with more than 200 channels, including digital music, local, and premium movie and sports programming.
• A premium Spanish-language package featuring novellas, movies, news, sports, children's programming, talk shows and more for an additional $5 per month (regularly $10 per month) for the first three months.
• A growing video-on-demand library with hundreds of hours of diverse content.
• An innovative easy-to-use program guide.
• Fast channel changing, eliminating the delay experienced with other digital broadcast services.
• The ability to search for programs using title or actor's name.
• Picture-in-picture functionality that allows subscribers to "channel surf" without leaving the program they're watching.
• Three TV receivers — one with a digital video recorder (DVR), which allows customers to pause, rewind, replay and record live TV — at no extra charge (Customers may add an additional receiver for $5 per month).

100 Black Men of America Inc.—a nonprofit organization committed to the intellectual development of youth and the economic empowerment of the African-American community—announced yesterday that it has received a $75,000 grant from the AT&T Foundation to support the organization's nationwide youth mentorship program.

100 Black Men of America will use AT&T Foundation grant funds to support training forums and national outreach of the organization's Mentoring the 100 Way program, which certifies volunteers to provide leadership-development training for low-income, African-American youth.

This summer, only Sprint customers hold the ultimate "tickets" and "backstage passes" to the music world's hottest new virtual "club." On Wednesday, Sprint and Interscope Records today announced the premiere of the Sprint Music Series – the first-of-its-kind, made-for-mobile studio sessions available exclusively on Sprint TV, Channel 33. The Sprint Music Series features a mix of established and up-and-coming artists including Busta Rhymes, Dashboard Confessional, Keane, Mobb Deep, Olivia, Robin Thicke and Wolfmother, with additional artists to be announced soon.

Each session from the Sprint Music Series will include exclusive audio and video of an artist or group in an up-close unfiltered performance of three to four songs and an intimate one-on-one interview.

Delivering the first comprehensive mobile phone service specifically developed to meet the needs of parents and their kids, The Walt Disney Company launched Disney Mobile in the United States last week. Disney Mobile has innovative features that allow parents to directly manage their family's wireless experience.

At the core of Disney Mobile's family plans are the Family Center features, which allow parents to:

• Set spending allowances and track usage for voice minutes, text messaging, picture messaging and downloadable content, receiving alerts when allowances have been reached.
• Determine the hours of the day and days of the week when kids can use their phones.
• Program restricted and always-on phone numbers to manage with whom kids may communicate.
• Prioritize important family messages.
• Locate kids' phones with GPS capabilities.

AT&T Inc. today announced an agreement with General Growth Properties to build a fiber-to-the-premises network to deliver the AT&T U-verse suite of services, which includes integrated digital TV, high-speed Internet and voice services, to a 20,000-home master-planned community near Houston.

The agreement, AT&T's largest such contract to date, underscores one of the company's key strategic initiatives for connecting customers to its Project Lightspeed fiber footprint. It will enable AT&T to make Internet Protocol-based communications and entertainment services available to the estimated 65,000 residents who will move into Bridgeland, a 10,000-acre residential development currently under construction.

The Bridgeland agreement, while unique in size, scope and approach, is one of hundreds of agreements AT&T has completed for fiber-based developments. These agreements represent more than 270,000 homes in newly planned communities across the country that have become part of the AT&T Smart Moves program.

Subscribers to Verizon's fiber-optic FiOS TV service will be able to enjoy the rich diversity of high-definition, educational and children's programming provided by PBS and the nation's local public television stations under a major agreement announced today by the Association of Public Television Stations (APTS), PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and Verizon. The agreement ensures that Verizon will carry local public television stations' digital programming.

Under the multiyear agreement, every Verizon FiOS TV system will carry the full digital signal of up to three public television stations within the system's service area, as well as any additional noncommercial station that does not duplicate programming of another station in the market. The agreement also includes PBS and local public television stations' HDTV programming and local stations' digital multicasts.

AT&T Inc. and its philanthropic arm, the AT&T Foundation, yesterday announced that they will launch a landmark three-year $100 million signature program called AT&T AccessAll — the nation's largest program designed to provide in-home Internet and technology access to benefit low-income families and underserved communities across the country. The inaugural and most significant AT&T AccessAll initiative is a three-year program that will provide technology packages, including Internet access, to 50,000 low-income families through a unique collaboration with One Economy Corporation, Habitat for Humanity affiliates and other low-income housing providers.

In response to an increase in reports about telephone equipment hacking throughout the industry, Verizon issued an advisory yesterday in an effort to prevent customers from becoming victims. Verizon cautioned residential customers to change their answering machine default passwords and urged its business customers who use internal switching equipment commonly known as PBXs to take steps to secure their systems against unauthorized remote use.

Frequently changing voice-mail passwords, never using a factory-set password on an answering machine, and monitoring remote access on business telephone equipment can help businesses and consumers protect themselves from persons who try to hack into their systems and run up large bills.

To read more of Verizon's suggestions, you can read this press release.

A recent article published in BusinessWeek,  Is Your VoIP Phone Vulnerable?, reexamines the issue of VoIP security. Author Sara Lacy warns "that attacks on Internet-based calling systems—though rare now—may be just around the corner." Dan Ingevaldson, director of technology strategy for ISS, gives a reason for this. "There's no regulator, no control, no one person to validate what's on your network, so there's the opportunity for abuse," he says in the article. To read about some of the potential abuses of VoIP, you can read the article.

Qwest Wireless customers won't need to scramble for a pen and paper any more when calling 411. Now, when Qwest Wireless customers call directory assistance, an operator will verbally give them the number requested and also will ask if they would like the number sent to their phone via text message. The text message appears within minutes on the customer's wireless handset. Standard text messaging and directory assistance rates apply to this service. You can find out more details in this Qwest press release.

Today, Verizon Wireless launched a chaperone service much like the Sprint Nextel service launched earlier this year. With Verizon's service, parents can easily check on their children's location. Parents can also limit their children's cell phone's services if they travel out of a predetermined geographic area. You can read more about the service in the article Verizon to launch mobile chaperone service.

BellSouth was presented the 21st Century Achievement Award by the prestigious IDG Computerworld Honors Program. The company received the award for its AMBER Alert Field Notification program that includes partnerships with state law enforcement agencies throughout the Southeast.

Through BellSouth's own field dispatch system and the state law agencies, AMBER alerts from the nine-state region are distributed to more than 13,000 technicians in the field. BellSouth, through its employee intranet and the public Internet, also distributes the alerts to its more than 60,000 employees, 100,000 Pioneers and millions of customers through its BellSouth Internet services home page.

A group of small telecom companies as well as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed protests with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) concerning the AT&T-BellSouth merger. W. David Gardner, author of the article Groups Protest Proposed AT&T-BellSouth Merger, wrote that "the ACLU on Tuesday urged the FCC to review the proposed merger with an eye to NSA spying complaints." The telecom companies, led by XO Communications, asked the FCC to deny the merger, citing "irreparable harms to competition and the public interest." 

According to an AT&T executive speaking at GlobalComm, AT&T is planning on launching their IPTV service in 15 to 20 cities by the end of this year. The executive, AT&T Senior Executive Vice President and CTO John Stankey, did not name the cities, but said the service will be coupled with broadband services. You can read the article AT&T Eyes 15-20 Cities for IPTV to find out more about AT&T's plans. 

Tempted to try Skype services? Now's the time. In addition to being able to call any Skype user around the world for free, Skype is letting people call all phones in the United States and Canada for free through December. To find out more about this offer, you can go to Skype's Web site. If you are still unsure if Skype's for you, you can check out WhiteFence for great deals on other inexpensive phone providers.

Did you ever think you could win a car just because you didn't know the phone number to your local Walmart? Well, now you can do just that, if you dial 411 with your BellSouth service to find out the number.

BellSouth has launched a sweepstakes that gives customers who dial 411 for Directory Assistance the opportunity to win a grand prize of a Pontiac Solstice sports car. Five other lucky dialers will win 12-month subscriptions of BellSouth(R) FastAccess(R) DSL Ultra. BellSouth's 411 sweepstakes will run June 1 - Aug. 31, 2006, so start dialing if you want to win. 

On Wednesday, SupportSoft, a leading provider of Real-Time Service Management software, reported results of an independent survey among voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) users in the United States. They conducted their survey among VoIP subscribers representing both specialized VoIP providers and cable companies. They found that customers of cable companies were the happiest with their service, with 61 percent expressing satisfaction.

But the news wasn't all good. On the negative side, they found that 34 percent of cable VoIP users said that a technician had to visit their home within 90 days of the initial service installation due to a problem. A full 16 percent had a technician visit their home two or more times.

Jeff Halpern  from Bernstein Research has estimated that 5.5 million people will subscribe to IPTV by 2010. Although this may seem like a high number, Berstein Research has actually lowered its estimations. It had previously projected that IPTV subscriptions would reach the lofty number of 5.5 million by 2009, an entire year earlier than now estimated. Halpurn attributes the lowering in subscription projections to "slower franchise approval process, greater technological challenges and slower deployment into residential MDUs than originally forecast," according to the article Analyst: 5.5 Million Telco Video Subs in 2010.

Atlanta-based Cox Communications, Inc. is among the nation's largest broadband communications companies, serving six million customers in more than 20 states. Digital video, local and long-distance telephone and high-speed Internet access services are currently offered through WhiteFence. Local Telephone is now available in Oklahoma City along with all the other great services from Cox that are offered through WhiteFence.

With the upcoming release of Nintendo's Wii, gamers worldwide have been spreading the rumor that the gaming console will support VoIP. Though the rumors have not been confirmed nor denied by Nintendo, Nintendo officials did say that the Wii has "additional capabilities" that will be announced upon its release. To read more about Wii's possible VoIP capabilities, you can read Will Wii Do VoIP?

Today, Verizon Wireless announced that more than 95 percent of the handsets being used by Verizon customers are able to be located by 911 operators, once those local emergency systems have upgraded their technology to receive the location information transmitted by phones, PDAs, smartphones and other wireless devices. Verizon Wireless is the first national service provider to meet the Federal Communications Commission's requirement for wireless Enhanced 911 handsets.

"To reach this milestone, Verizon Wireless employees remained focused over a period of several years on the 95 percent goal established by the Federal Communications Commission," said Steve Zipperstein, Verizon Wireless General Counsel, in a recent Verizon press release.

BellSouth released this week that they have made great strides to be prepared for the upcoming hurricane season. One of the most critical issues to BellSouth after a storm is providing power to its network in the event that commercial power is lost. This year, BellSouth has further increased its supply of generators to power the network immediately after a storm hits. In addition, many of BellSouth local digital loop carrier and switching facilities now house permanent generators, some of which are fueled by natural gas and do not require re-fueling.

"Over the past nine months, BellSouth has remained intently focused on restoration efforts in New Orleans and preparations for the 2006 hurricane season. We are enhancing our already robust storm-preparedness activities to ensure that communications services can be maintained, or restored quickly, after any weather-related events," said Bill Smith, BellSouth's chief technology officer.

If you're interested in what other phone providers are doing to prepare for Hurricane Season 2006, you can read these posts on Verizon and Sprint.

If you are nervous that your VoIP phone conversations are being overheard, Phil Zimmermann, an Internet security expert, has developed an encryption program that could put your mind at ease. David Louie's article Concerns Raised Over Security Of VoIP discusses the securtiy dangers that might exist with VoIP and how Zimmermann's program can prevent those security breaches. Zimmermann's program, Zfone, narrows the odds to one in a million that a hacker can intercept VoIP conversations. Check out the article to find out more.

BellSouth demanded last week that USA Today retract the newspaper's claims that BellSouth provided phone records of its customers to the National Security Agency (NSA). Lawyers for BellSouth sent a letter to USA Today requesting that the newspaper to retract "false and unsubstantiated statements" made in a May 11 story. To find out more about this story, you can read the article BellSouth pressing for a retraction.

As you know, using VoIP can save lots of money for people who make international calls. Mino Wireless sees the opportunity for the same money savings for cell phone users. They have begun a service that allows people to make VoIP calls using their cell phones. Mino Wireless requires their users to have a service plan from Cingular, T-Mobile or Nextel, a data plan and a phone that can run Java. With Mino Wireless, you can make international calls for 2.2 cents a minute to 40 countries. Since launching the company in January, they have gotten 20,000 users. To read more about this new VoIP venture, you can read the article Why VOIP is headed for your cell phone.

Verizon Wireless is ready for whatever this hurricane season might bring its way, according to a recent Verizon Wireless press release. Verizon Wireless has insured that their customers in hurricane prone areas will have service in the case of a hurricane through investments in network cell sites, switches and infrastructure throughout the years. Additionally, about 90 percent of Verizon Wireless' cell sites in hurricane prone regions have on-site back-up generators, which are routinely tested to ensure they are ready in the event the local electrical power source is knocked out.

To illustrate Verizon Wireless' readiness for the hurricane season, the Verizon Wireless drive tests done following Hurricane Katrina found the company's network averaged an impressive 90 percent call completion rate in impacted areas after the storm, compared to rates of 79 percent and lower among competitors. You can read the press release to find out more about what Verizon Wireless has done to make sure their gulf coast customers can keep in contact with their loved ones in the case of a hurricane.

If you want to get a trial user's opinion on AT&T's venture into the world of IPTV, you can check out the SAtechBlog. Blogger Alan Weinkrantz, president of a high tech PR firm in San Antonio, volunteered to test out AT&T's U-Verse IPTV service. He chose to chronicle his experience in the blog. It should be interesting to see how someone who is very familiar with technology enjoys the U-Verse service.

Now, more than 40,000 households in Tampa can now get Verizon FiOS TV. After a unanimous decision on May 11 of the Tampa City Council that allowed Verizon a franchise to provide video service in the city, Verizon began taking orders Wednesday for the Verizon FiOS TV service in the Tampa area. You can find out more about the Verizon FiOS TV service in Tampa here.

Sprint Nextel is preparing for the 2006 hurricane season by expanding the scope of the Sprint Nextel Emergency Response Team (ERT). The ERT works with public safety agencies and other customers to coordinate communications during emergencies and other large-scale events and provide customers with three key resources - personnel, equipment and infrastructure - during disaster response and recovery efforts. To find out more about Sprint Nextel's hurricane preparedness efforts, you should read this press release.

Although a recent report from USA Today claims that BellSouth gave customer data to the NSA, BellSouth denied this claim on Monday. According to the article BellSouth says it gave NSA no call records, author Walter Putnam quotes a BellSouth statement saying that BellSouth has "not provided bulk customer calling records to the NSA." This revelation is part of an ongoing inquiry into wiretapping allegations made public in recent months. To find out more about the situation, you can read Putnam's article.

BellSouth and Samsung announced a partnership to explore opportunities to work together and co-brand broadband-enabled devices in consumer and business markets. According to the aricle BellSouth, Samsung partner, BellSouth and Samsung will "work throughout the year to identify opportunities to combine BellSouth's broadband services and Samsung's devices, and extend broadband usage to BellSouth customers."

According to report from the FCC, traditional phone use is on a decline. The telephone subscriber penetration rate was recorded at 92.9 percent, which is down from the 94 percent recorded in July 2005. You can read some of the additional statistics found in the report in the article FCC: Traditional Phone Use on Decline.

AT&T has put together a group of engineers and technicians whose sole focus will be to better the experience of online gamers who use AT&T services. They will be charged with investigating new technologies to improve online gaming as well as helping with customer service inquiries involving online gaming. AT&T will provide 24/7 customer service to AT&T online gaming customers, which include Sony Online Entertainment LLC, and SOE's multiplayer online games, including "EverQuest," "Star Wars Galaxies" and "PlanetSide."

"Our online gaming clients have a critical demand for not only the bandwidth and network capacity on demand but also the special operations center for gaming customers," said Chris Costello, director of hosting and utility computing at AT&T. "This group has a multilayered level of networking expertise and offers exceptional managed services and monitoring."

You can read this AT&T press release to find out more about AT&T's online gaming support.

According to a Sprint Nextel press release, Sprint Nextel will complete the spin-off of its local communication business as of May 17. The company, to be called Embarq Corporation, is expected to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "EQ." To read more about the spin-off, you can read the press release about Embarq.

As I mentioned in a post Lifeline can help out low-income families on Tuesday, the government has set up programs to help low-income families afford quality phone service. However, an article written last week, several of the families who qualify for the program do not make use of it. According to the article Low-income families can get phone bill aid through federal program, "only one in nine eligible Florida households take advantage of the discounts, according to the study by the University of Florida Public Utility Research Center. Hundreds of thousands in South Florida who qualify for the program never apply for it." If you believe you might qualify for the program, you should go to the Web site for Lifeline Support to find out more information.

Right now, if you order a Verizon Freedom phone package from WhiteFence, you will get a $20 American Express gift card. If you add Verizon Online DSL to your Freedom phone package order, you will get a $50 gift card.

According to the article AT&T Eyes Fiber, Alternatives for Delivering Services,  AT&T CEO Ed Whitacre said in a speech before the Detroit Economic Club that AT&T will use their new fiber network as well as wireless and satellite technologies to get advanced communication into their territories. These new technologies will help bring advance communication to rural and low-income populations.

"The technologies hold strong promise for delivering broadband services in remote, rural and hard-to-serve areas, many of which have no DSL or cable broadband services today," said an AT&T representative in the article. To find out more details about AT&T's plans, you can check out the article.

Are you worried you cannot afford to connect or maintain your phone line? You may qualify for aid on your telephone bill through the Low Income Program of the Universal Service Fund, which can help you pay for your local telephone costs.

If you qualify for the program, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), you will be able to get quality telecommunications for fair, affordable rates. The Low Income Program is comprised of the Lifeline, Link Up and Toll Limitation Service (TLS) programs. Rules for program support were established in 1997 by the Federal Communications Commission.       

Lifeline support reduces the cost of local telephone service. It can apply to either a wireline or a wireless service (though only one line per family can qualify). Non-tribal customers can get up to $10 off of their bills, while those who live on reservations or tribal lands can get up to $25 off. Lifeline support does not cover any taxes, surcharges or mileage charges that you can incur through your phone service.

Link Up support lowers the price of the one-time costs of connecting your phone service. Also, with Link Up support, customers qualify for a deferment program in which customers can defer up to $200 of the costs of connecting your phone line. You only can qualify for Link Up support one time per residence. Non-tribal customers can qualify for up to 50 percent of their installation charges or up to $30. Tribal customers can qualify for up to 100 percent of their installation charges. TLS allows customers to block all or some toll calls from their number.

All three of these services work together to insure that everyone can get fair prices on their phone service, even if they maintain a low-income household. If you are interested in finding out if you qualify for assistance for your phone service or to find out more details about the programs, go to the Web site for Lifeline Support.

Helio, a joint venture between SK Telecom and EarthLink, was release in the United States last week. The hip phone service designed with the 20-something in mind has been talked about ever since the partnership between SK Telecom and EarthLink began. You can read more about the Helio U.S. launch in this press release from Helio.

Verizon is expanding even further. According to the article, Verizon Buys Stake in Gaming Company, Verizon has acquired an equity stake in a privately held provider of online gaming technology, Super Computer International, Inc. Verizon bought the stake in "an effort to expand its presence in the online video gaming market. Verizon and SCI will work to create an online game browsing and messaging platform called PlayLinc, which will give gamers more control over their multiplayer gaming interactions."

As I mentioned in a post last week, AT&T together with WhiteFence has established the AT&T Mover's Advantage program. Through this site, consumers can connect all their utilities on one site. I have found this article, AT&T forms new partnership to help take the sting out of moving, so you can read more about this service from AT&T and WhiteFence. Also, you can check out the AT&T Mover's Advantage FAQ section to find out all about the new service.

Last week, Skype hit the million-user mark. Skype, as you may know, is a VoIP service where you can call other Skype users for free - meaning the more people who have Skype, the better the benefit that Skype offers. You can also call people without Skype from your Skype service, but it costs a fee. To read more about Skype's growth, you can go to this article about Skype.

When you choose RCN, you connect to more than just a premier cable TV, phone and internet service provider. You connect to people committed to helping you get the most out of your communication, information and entertainment experiences. Not only can you get all these services through WhiteFence, but you can also get them bundled and save. If you want to see if you can get RCN in your area, go to WhiteFence and enter your address.

Walt Disney announced yesterday that its cell phone service set to be released in the United States in June, will also be available in Britain some time this year. Disney Mobile, as the service is to be called, is intended for children and will allow parents to moniter their childrens cell phone usage. To read more about Disney Mobile, you can check out this article.

Many advertising industry executives have voiced their concern about the proposed name change of Cingular Wireless to AT&T Wireless. In an article in AdWeek, author Richard Williamson quoted Judy Neer of consulting company Pile and Co. in Boston, that ""what's happening [with the mergers] is blurring the lines of the business and that causes confusion for the consumer. To the real techies, they get it and they understand it. But to the average consumer, it's very confusing."

Only time will tell if AT&T will be able to successfully communicate their new brand message for AT&T Wireless. Considering the time and money put into the Cingular brand, it will be hard to erase the brand from consumers' minds. To read more about the name change, you can read the article Cingular Brand Set to Vanish.

On Monday, AT&T announced that it is launching its AT&T Mover's Advantage program through a business partnership with WhiteFence. As you may know, WhiteFence is the nation's leading one-stop comparison shopping marketplace for essential home and move-related services.

AT&T Mover's Advantage will provide a one-stop moving solution to millions of AT&T customers, who can now easily create their own AT&T bundles for voice services, high-speed internet, satellite TV and Cingular wireless, as well as set up their other utilities and other home services in one simple stop. You can read AT&T's press release or WhiteFence's press release to find out more about the AT&T Mover's Advantage program and its services. If you would like what you find out and would like to use the services provided by the AT&T Mover's Advantage program, you can go to www.att.com/move or call 1-800-MOVE-ATT.

I found a good article in PC World about VoIP providers. If you are interested in the benefits of VoIP, you should check out James A. Martin's article VoIP Alternatives. In this weeks article Martin focuses on Skype, but next week he will continue his look into VoIP by writing about services that offer unified messaging - as in voice, e-mail, and fax in all one place.

According to Richard Parsons, Time Warner's CEO, consumers are liking Time Warner bundles. In a recent conference call about Time Warner's first quarter results, Parsons said that Time Warner's cable revenue increased 15 percent during the quarter to $2.6 billion. He attributed this growth to Time Warner's marketing of bundles. In the article CEO: Consumers liking bundled telecom services, Parsons is quoted as saying that "the obvious conclusion is that the triple-play bundle is working. This ability to offer a bundled package gives us the opportunity to go back and resell services to customers who didn't buy from us the first time." Parsons' statements support the research by Leichtman Research Group that I wrote about in the post Bundles growing in popularity.

According to an article recently published in Advertising Age, AT&T plans to do away with the Cingular brand by 2007. Although $4 billion was spent to make Cingular a household name, AT&T plans to rename its wireless brand AT&T Wireless. Several advertising agency executives believes that the name change is a bad move, as the name AT&T wireless does not communicate the youthfulness of the Cingular brand. To read more comments from advertising execs on the Cingular name change, you can read AT&T Plans to Kill Cingular Brand.

On Monday, Ted Stevens, the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, released a draft telecom bill that touches on several hot topics of today. According to the article Net neutrality missing from sweeping telecom bill, Stevens said in a statement that the bill "attempts to strike a balance between competing industries, consumer groups and local government."

Some of the important points made in the new bill include:

• Video and Audio Flag
  • An Audio Broadcast Flag that will ban digital over-the-air radio and digital satellite devices that can record broadcasts.
  • Also, under the Video Broadcast Flag, some receivers that allow users to record broadcasts may be banned.
• New Taxes - Imposes taxes on broadband and VoIP services.
• Municipal Broadband - Cities and states would set up their own municipal broadband networks.
• Internet Neutrality - The FCC would have to publish a yearly report on any problems with net neutrality.

These and other changes will be enacted by this bill if it is passed into law as is. According to the article Senate Telecom Reform Bill Surfaces, the senate committee will hold two public hearings about the bill as well as an executive session after Memorial Day to mark up the bill.

Have you heard about VoIP, but aren't quite sure what it is or how it works? If you are interested in finding out answers, you should check out the Howstuffworks.com article "How VoIP Works." In it, you will find topics like: an introduction to How VoIP Works, the Standard Phone System vs. VoIP and the pros and cons of VoIP.

A new article in Money Magazine highlights several actions you can take to lessen your monthly phone bill. The author Janet Paskin suggests that you take a hard look at your phone bills and check for these four signs that you are paying too much:

• You Pay More Than New Customers Do
• You Pay for Too Many Minutes
• You Have Features You Don't Use
• You're Too Tightly Bundled

You can check out the article Pay (a Lot) Less for Phone Calls to find out how you can spot these signs and what you can do about them to lessen your phone bill.

A recent survey conducted by J.D. Power and Associates shows that BellSouth ranks number 1 in customer satisfaction for business local and long distance phone service consumers. The J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Major Provider Business Telecommunications Voice Services Study(SM) measures satisfaction among small, midsize and large business customers in the United States with both local and long distance service. Companies were judged in several categories, including performance and reliability; billing; cost of service; sales representatives/account executives; offerings and promotions; company image; and customer service.

Now, people who fraudulently obtain phone records would be subject to up to 20 years in prison, according to new legislation passed Tuesday. According to the article, House Bill Cracks Down on Phone Crimes, the legislation doles out the harshest penalties to those who deceptively acquire phone records to commit violent crimes, like stalking or domestic violence. The bill protects VoIP, landline and cellular providers.

After much deliberation, the new telecommunications bill was passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday. The bill contains important provisions regarding regulation for pay-TV services. According to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, "if the legislation becomes law, AT&T and Verizon will be allowed to gain a statewide license to offer television service, bypassing the current regulation for cable operators that requires them to obtain such access by negotiating with individual cities and counties."

Although the bill itself passed, an amendment to the bill that would have helped cement net neutrality was rejected. To read more about the amendment, you can read House Committee Rejects Net Neutrality Amendment.

According to a study from the Leichtman Research Group, Inc. (LRG), 43 percent of consumers say that they live in a household that currently receives a "bundle" of TV, phone or Internet services from a single company. This is up 10% from a study conducted last year.

The report also found that cable subscribers that receive their service in a bundle are about 5 percent less likely to switch from their cable provider than subscribers who do not have their cable service in a bundle. You can view the LRG press release Consumers are Increasingly Likely to be in "Bundles" to find out more about the study.

I'm sure you've heard that VoIP can save you lots of money in telecommunication cost, but did you know that VoIP inadvertently helps out phishers? In a current scam, phishers are sending emails to individuals asking them to dial a number and enter in personal information to get to their financial information
In the article Phishing Attacks Cast Shadow over VoIP, Cloudmark, a provider of messaging security solutions, warns that "VoIP services can reduce the costs associated with conducting such attacks, providing the perpetrators with less risk of discovery." By using new technologies, Cloudmark has been able to identify and block these "spoofed-number attacks."

The lengths that these phishers are willing to go to deceive individuals is amazing. Adam J. O'Donnell, Ph.D., senior research scientist at Cloudmark, is quoted in the article as saying:

"We've seen two separate VoIP attacks hit our network this week, the first we've been able to analyze in detail. In these attacks, the target receives an email, ostensibly from their bank, telling them there is an issue with their account and to dial a number to resolve the problem." Callers are then connected over VoIP to a PBX (private branch exchange) running an IVR system that sounds exactly like their own bank's phone tree, directing them to specific extensions. In a VoIP phishing attack, the phone system identifies itself to the target as the financial institution and prompts them to enter account number and PIN. The result can be personally financially devastating."

In accordance with Chinese regulations, Skype in China is being censored. Skype chief executive Niklas Zennstrom confirmed that conversations about the Dalai Lama, the banned Falun Gong spiritual group and other sensitive topics have been censored by Tom Online, Skype's Chinese partner. Rick Tehrani, the author of the article China Censors Skype, writes that this censorship brings up a larger issue, that of how far will the Chinese government go to censor communication as new technologies allows for increased ways for people across the world to communicate. For more information about this subject, you can read Tehrani's article or the article Internet phone firm Skype says Chinese partner filtering text messages; defends censorship.

Cramming is when you are charged for services on your monthly telephone bill that you did not actually incur. Some terms for charges on your phone bill that might indicate that you are being crammed include:

• "service fee"
  
• "service charge"
• "other fees"
• "voicemail"
• "calling plan"
• "psychic"
• "membership"

Other generic terms also may indicate cramming; however, if you have authorized such services, these terms might indicate legitimate charges.

To avoid being crammed, you should:

• Carefully review your bill every month.
• If you see a charge on your bill that you don't recognize, ask whoever charged you the fee to explain the fee. You should check even for small charges, as most crammers try to stay unnoticed by only charging small fees.
• You should keep a list of all services you authorized, as well as any numbers that you have called that incur a fee, so that you will be able to check your list against your phone bill.

For more information on deceptive charges, you can view the FCC's Web page on cramming.

In BellSouth's first quarter earnings release, it was announced that the BellSouth/DIRECTV package added 105,000 customers during the first quarter. BellSouth has been the most successful telecom venture for DIRECTV as they have contributed 628,000 new subscribers to DIRECTV via its service that bundles the satellite TV offering along with DSL and voice.

As Stephanie mentioned in a previous post, most people are assuming that DIRECTV will be replaced by Echostar's Dish Network once the AT&T acquisition of BellSouth is complete, which is expected to occur in 2007.  Echostar has been a longtime partner of SBC, the predecessor company of AT&T.  By the close of the acquisition, BellSouth will likely have over one million DIRECTV customers. Those one million households will be a huge "swing vote" in the initial primaries of the latest reincarnation of the video wars. Dish Network is best positioned to capture those one million subscribers.

Just because you want to change your cell phone provider doesn't mean your number has to change. According to the FCC's "local number portability" (LNP) rules, you can keep your cell phone number as long as you are switching to another provider in the same geographic area as your current provider. If you want to keep your old number, there is a simple process to follow:

• Do not cancel your service with your current provider before initiating service with your prospective cell phone provider.
• Contact the provider you want to switch to and tell them that you would like to switch to their service. They will begin to port your number.

Before changing your wireless provider, you should check your contract to see if you will be required to pay an early termination fee. You may also have to pay a porting fee. If you want more information, you can check out this FCC Web site on how to keep your wireless phone number.

Can you imagine not having electricity, telephones or road access? The residents of Navajo Nation, a settlement of 250,000 people 160 miles south of Albuquerque, N.M., lived just like that for years. But thanks to an initiative by Cisco Systems Inc., residents of the settlement will no longer have to walk six miles to the nearest pay telephone in order to call someone. Cisco Systems is in the process of establishing an IP network that will include 660 phones and will serve 110 chapter houses of the 27,000 square mile three-state nation. According to an article on TMC.net, author Vijayalakshmi Sridhar writes that this project "highlights the benefits IP can deliver to such a remote community.

In an effort to be more competitive in the IPTV market, AT&T is incorporating Akimbo Systems into its AT&T Homezone service. Akimbo Systems offers Internet-based video-on-demand services, with over 10,000 television programs and movies in its catalog. AT&T Homezone is being tested in several markets across the United States. You can read more about AT&T Homezone, which offers AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet as well as AT&T DISH Network programming, in this article: AT&T wants its Internet TV.

Sprint is offering an innovative new service to their cellular customers. With a new Sprint service, the Family Locator, family members can keep track of other family members through GPS tracking. Consumers with Sprint cellular service can subscribe to the Family Locator for only $9.99. Parents can request the service send text messages when their child arrives at school or any other location. To read more about the service, check out this article about the Sprint Family Locator service.

Notify! is a new service offered though BellSouth and The Weather Channel.  For $49.95 a year, subscribers to Notify! will be alerted to all forms of severe weather, including tornadoes, hurricanes and thunderstorms. Customers can get a 30-day free trial of the service. A recent article in Telephony Online gives several details about the new service from BellSouth.

According to CMP Media's VARBusiness, Skype service may drive down the price of all phone service. Skype has begun to market services to small to medium business. In a press release written by CMP Media LLC, it is stated that 300 million people are now using Skype to make calls around the world. Because of this, Skype could have a huge impact in driving down the price of phone service worldwide.

According to the article Looking in the Eye of the IPTV Threat, author Michael Gibb says the threat of IPTV is not significant currently. Although IPTV will eventually "shake up" the cable industry, cable executives still have time to figure out how to combat the threat. As it stands now, cable providers can offer all the same services IPTV can offer with just some simple changes to the cable providers' infrastructure. But as time goes by, writes Gibb, IPTV will evolve into a real threat if the telecommunication companies can successfully get through technical problems and franchising issues.

Consumers can get OPEX Internet Voice for as low as $14.99 a month through WhiteFence. OPEX Internet Voice provides access to unprecedented cost savings with unlimited service. All consumers have to do once they subscribe to OPEX is combine their current high speed internet access with OPEX's phone adapter to use OPEX VoIP service. Conveniently, WhiteFence offers high speed Internet from several well-known, trusted Internet providers, such as AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, Time Warner, EarthLink, BellSouth, Charter, Cox and Qwest.

The U.S. National Science Foundation recently gave the University of North Texas $600,000 to research VoIP security. The research will involve multiple universities, including Columbia University, Purdue University and the University of California-Davis. The research project will span three years, and will involve research into multiple security issues that are currently a problem with VoIP, including denials of service, 911 services, VoIP spam and quality of service. Research like this will hopefully end problems like the one I wrote about yesterday in the post VoIP Security Problems.

An unscientific survey conducted by CableWorld should perhaps serve as a wake-up call to cable providers who don't believe Verizon's FiOS TV service is a threat. In the article A Wake-up Call from Verizon, author Catherine Applefeld Olson finds out that at least among those FiOS customer she spoke to, all the good news about FiOS TV is not just hype.

Specifically, customers loved easy-to-use program guide, DVR and, of course, the price. Olson suggests that cable providers should take note of these rave reviews. Cable providers are beginning to make some changes to their service in response to the threat from Verizon and AT&T, as can be seen be my post from yesterday: Cable providers discuss IPTV.

Although a great deal of progess has been made to correct security problems with VoIP and digital phone service, some of the issues still remain. Case in point, a women in Durham, North Carolina, who called 911 recently to report gun shots fired near her home was routed to a 911 dispatcher in another city. Thankfully, the woman was not hurt due to the mistake; nevertheless, the woman chose to pursue the problem to see why it had occurred.

She discovered that her digital phone carrier, Time Warner Cable, had entered her address incorrectly. According to the article Digital phone service cited in 911 mix-up, author Rachael Bernstein said that Brad Phillips from Time Warner Durham apologized for the mistake and said it was an isolated incident. Phillips acknowledged that this was a very serious issue and that they are "just glad the situation wasn't more serious than it was."

Due to BellSouth's management job cuts in the first quarter, BellSouth took a charge of $30 million. According to the article BellSouth to take job cuts charge, BellSouth expects to be charged a total of $100 million in 2006 or planned job cuts. BellSouth actually reduced the number of job cuts planned from 1500 to 1300 after BellSouth's merger with AT&T was announced last month.

Interested whose going to merger next among telecom companies? Several industry insiders definitely are, and they are trying their best to guess who will be next.

According to the article Telecom's Merger Fever in BusinessWeek, Todd Rosenbluth, with Standard & Poor's Equity Research, said that they "believe the next wave of consolidation is likely to be focused more on the smaller rural properties and see the large independent rural providers such as CenturyTel as being among the acquirers."

If you are looking for a cheap local phone deal, you should look at the current offers on WhiteFence from OPEX Internet Voice. OPEX Internet Voice offers VoIP phone service for as low as $14.99 a month. OPEX Internet Voice provides access to unprecedented cost savings and unlimited service with their cheap local telephone service rates. OPEX Internet Voice includes unlimited local calls, voicemail, call waiting, caller ID, caller ID block, call transfer and three-way conference calling.

Once you subscribe to OPEX, you will have to combine your current high speed Internet access with OPEX's phone adapter to use OPEX VoIP service. If you don't currently have high speed Internet and are still interested in getting OPEX, you can look at offers from high speed Internet providers available through WhiteFence. Conveniently, along with cheap local telephone rates, WhiteFence offers high speed Internet from several providers, including AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, Time Warner Cable, EarthLink, BellSouth, Charter, Cox and Qwest.

IOGEAR recently introduced a new product meant to enhance Skype: the USB Voice Skype Calling Kit. The kit includes a microphone, dial pad, headset and two audio ports, creating a landline calling environment.

The dial pad can be plugged into any USB port and it incorporates the functionality of a landline phone, including mute and volume control capability. According to an IOGEAR press release, the USB Voice Skype Calling Kit's "audio ports enable audio switching, allowing users to direct the sound that is coming from the computer to either the headphones or external speakers, creating a robust conference call environment."

Cox and Verizon got top marks in J.D. Power and Associates recently released "2006 Major Provider Business  Telecommunications Data Services Study." Cox rated number one among providers for small and mid-size businesses, while Verizon got top honors in the large enterprise business category.

The study was created to measure customer satisfaction of data services, which include services such as T1, cable modems and DSL. To read more about the study, you can check out the article Cox, Verizon Tops in J.D. Power Biz Survey.

Lucent and Alcatel announced on Sunday that they plan to merge the two telecommunications companies within the next year. Alcatel is buying out Lucent for $13.4 billion. According to Alcatel's Web site on the merger, the Alcatel/Lucent merger "creates [a] global convergence leader with most comprehensive wireless, wireline and services portfolio in the industry."

The new company will be headquartered in Paris, which will leave a whole in New Jersey, where Lucent is currently located. You can read more about the merger in the article, Alcatel stock up on Lucent agreement, to find out more details about how the merger might affect the telecommunications industry.

In a recent article published by CNET, communications attorney Mark Del Bianco writes that there might be some trouble ahead for the AT&T/BellSouth merger. You can read Perspective:Bumps in the road for AT&T-BellSouth merger? to find out more on why Del Bianco thinks the AT&T/BellSouth merger may be a bad idea for the telecommunications industry.

According to the article Slim buys Verizon's Latin America assets for $3.7bn, Verizon is selling all of its Latin American properties, including 100 percent of Verizon Dominica, 52 percent  in Telecomunicaciones de Puerto Rico, and 28.5 percent in Compania Anonima Nacional Telefonos de Venezuela, to Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helu. This follows Verizon's plan to shed non-core markets so that Verizon can focus on growing areas of the telecommunications industry, like building out their fiber-optic network for Verizon's FiOS TV.

EarthLink is bringing back the MindSpring brand as a PC VoIP and instant messaging program. MindSpring was bought out by EarthLink in 2000 for $4 billion. With the new MindSpring, consumers will be able to have the same identity for VoIP, e-mail and instant messaging. PC-to-PC calls are free, while calling to a telephone number costs only 2 cents a minute. You can read the article, MindSpring returns as a free VoIP product, for more information.

On Friday, March 31, AT&T and BellSouth filed paperwork with Justice Department and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeking permission to go ahead with their proposed merger.

The companies cited the fact that if the merger was allowed to go through, the new company would be able to manage Cingular Wireless, currently owned by both AT&T and BellSouth, much more efficiently. The companies hope to complete the proposed merger by March 2007. You can read more about the BellSouth/AT&T merger approval process by reading AT&T, BellSouth Seek U.S. Approval on Deal.

As of March 31, 70 percent of Vonage customers have access to E911 features through the Vonage service. Vonage E911 service automatically associates a physical address with a Vonage number, which allows  emergency personnel to know where there is an emergency even if the person calling is for some reason unable to speak.

According to a press release from Vonage, Vonage president Jeffrey A. Citron said that "Vonage is leading the fastest nomadic E911 deployment in telecommunications history. Our goal is to get every Vonage customer help when they need it and we will not stop working with the FCC, regulators, Congress and PSAPs until there is equal access to E911 for Vonage's customers."

AT&T has committed to spending $1 billion to upgrade its plant to fiber in California. The spending is part of Project Lightspeed, for which AT&T has earmarked $4.4 billion . The upgrades will allow AT&T to offer next generation IPTV services along with their current phone and high speed Internet services. Read AT&T Commits $1 Billion to California Upgrade to find out more information about AT&T's upgrade.

At the TelecomNEXT conference last week, Yahoo! launched its Yahoo! Messenger with Voice client in the United States. The beta version of the product has been available in other countries since December.

With the program, clients can get up to 5 inbound numbers at $2.99/month per number. The service only cost 2 cents a minute, which actually is less than Skype (at 2.3 cents a minute). More about the new service can be found in the article TELECOMNEXT: Yahoo! launches new VoIP client.

As the days run out on the license agreement that allows Time Warner Telecom to use the name of its major shareholder, Time Warner Telecom is considering a name change. They are considering the name change so they can avoid any future confusion between Time Warner Telecom and Time Warner Cable, since the companies compete in some markets. You can read more about the possible name change in the article Time Warner Telecom may change name.

On Wednesday, AT&T's COO Randall Stephenson ended weeks of speculation by saying that AT&T is not planning to buy Qwest any time soon. He said currently AT&T is busy with their planned merger with BellSouth. But don't think that a Qwest merger with AT&T or Verizon is out of the realm of possibility, as he did go on to say that further consolidation in the telecommunications industry is inevitable.

BellSouth's Chairman and CEO Duane Ackerman spoke recently about the announced merger between BellSouth and AT&T, saying that the merger is critical in the continued development of the telecommunications industry. He was quoted in the article BellSouth chief discusses merger benefits as saying, "The combination of AT&T and BellSouth creates economies of scale that will enable us to invest in new technology and benefit from the substantial cost-efficiencies the merger creates." Ackerman made these comments at the TELECOMNEXT conference in Las Vegas.

Fortune Magazine recently published a good article that gives a run-down of what is going down currently in the "broadband war." With the phrase "net neutrality" gaining importance in the industry, it is important for us to understand exactly what is at stake. Justin Fox, the author of the article The broadband war of 2006, writes that it would probably be better for consumers if neither the telecommunications companies nor the Web companies win completely. If you are interested in the subject, you should read the article.

At the TelecomNEXT conference in Las Vegas, AT&T CEO Ed Whitacre, Jr. dismissed critics of the AT&T/BellSouth merger. Whitacre also spoke about the issue of net neutrality. This issue stems from the fact that AT&T, like other major Internet providers, is pushing for a tiered Internet pricing system, in which consumers would pay for different levels of service.

According to the article AT&T dismisses BellSouth merger critics in BusinessWeek Online, Whitacre said that, "There's been a lot of talk about this in order to scare people into thinking that access to the Internet is somehow at risk, or that the Internet as we know it is a thing of the past. AT&T will not block anyone's access to the public Internet, nor will we degrade anyone's quality of service."

Are you wondering if your cable VoIP phone will work if the electricity goes out? The answer is - it depends.  Several cable companies offer battery back-ups for their phones to help out with this issue. Cox and Comcast Corp. include a battery with their voice adapters that will provide power to the phone for four to eight hours. Time Warner has a battery backup for their service, but only includes it with their service if the customer asks for it. Cablevision charges $5 to its customers for a backup battery.

Though the backup batteries do offer a small sense of security, a "landline phone system remains the most reliable option during a power outage," according to the article Will my phone work if the power goes? "The central offices, or switching stations, have backup power, and supply enough power through the lines to power corded phones."

The penetration of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services in U.S. homes has proliferated in recent years. According to a study by Telephia:

"Penetration for VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) increased to 3.5 percent or nearly 3.9 million households in January 2006, up from 2.9 percent in June 2005. Vonage led the VoIP market, which includes all pure-play VoIP companies and providers who actively promote their VoIP service as Internet telephony. Vonage secured a 47.5 percent market share or nearly 1.9 million households in January 2006, up from a 40 percent share in June 2005."

Additional details of their finding can be found in Telephia's press release about their VoIP study.

Verizon is trying to speed cable decisions in the state of Massachusetts. Verizon says that municipalities are taking overlong to decide whether to allow Verizon the right to sell their FiOS TV. Verizon hopes that state officials will okay a proposal that requires the municipalities to decide on Verizon's application within 90 days. You can read more about the situation by reading this article, Verizon: Speed cable decisions.

On March 16, Microsoft revealed their new VoIP offerings for Microsoft Windows Live. Although Microsoft already offers free video communications through Logitech and PC-to-PC VoIP capabilities through MSN Messenger, Microsoft plans to expand their VoIP offerings. Microsoft plans to integrate VoIP services with Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Search and Windows Live Messenger. To find out more details about the services, you can read Microsoft bares VoIP ambitions.

I mentioned in a post on Friday that EarthLink is offering phone service through a deal that they have made with Covad. If you are interested in EarthLink's partnership with Covad or in the phone service offered by EarthLink, you can read this article EarthLink pumps cash into Covad to find out more.

With the merger of AT&T and BellSouth on the horizon, some Verizon investors are worried that Verizon may spend too much to compete in the wireless market. If the merger takes place, Cingular Wireless, which is Verizon Wireless' chief competitor, will be owned by the merged AT&T.

To compete with Cingular Wireless, investors believe that Verizon may pay big money to get full ownership of Verizon Wireless, which is currently part-owned by Vodaphone. To read more about the situation, check out the article Investors fear Verizon may overpay to battle AT&T.

On Thursday, EarthLink said that it will be expanding EarthLink's DSL and VoIP services to eight additional markets. Its VoIP service will give the people in the area an alternative to local phone companies. Through a partnership with COVAD, EarthLink offers a VoIP service that is unlike other VoIP services because it does not go out during power outages.

Verizon's FiOS TV is spreading across the nation. The telecommunications giant said on Wednesday that Verizon's FiOS TV is available to about 11,000 households in Maryland. Comcast is the cable provider in the area and has been fighting with Verizon since construction on Verizon's network last summer disrupted service for Comcast customers. To read more about Verizon FiOS TV in Maryland, read this article.

As of Monday, BellSouth has successfully returned service to 85 percent of New Orleans. In the article BellSouth restoration at 85 percent in N.O, BellSouth's regional director said that about 165,000 lines were damaged in metro New Orleans.

Currently BellSouth has 1,500 technicians working in the New Orleans area, which is triple the amount that is normally assigned. The technicians have been working in 13 day on, one day off shifts. Because of their hard work, Bellsouth's regional manager said that BellSouth technicians have replaced over 1.2 million feet of cable.

According to an article on MSNBC, AT&T will likely avoid the megamerger curse that has hit several other large companies. Many other mergers of the magnitude of the BellSouth and AT&T merger have failed horribly due to problems with integration between the companies involved. However, the merger between AT&T and BellSouth has a higher chance of successful integration since the companies have a shared history. Also, the companies already know how to work together as they share ownership of Cingular Wireless.

Before you decide that VoIP is right for you, you should know you need high speed Internet to make your VoIP service work, making the price for high speed Internet a hidden cost when considering VoIP.

Although you can get VoIP service from a provider like OPEX for as low as $14.99/month, you need to have a DSL, Cable or T1 Internet connection which regularly costs about $30/month to $80/month depending on the high speed Internet provider.

If you are planning on having high speed Internet anyway, this price should not be a problem for you; however, if you do not want or need high speed Internet, the savings you get from having VoIP will just be spent on your high speed Internet connection.

As I mentioned in an earlier post AT&T/BellSouth merger's impact on satellite, satellite providers have a lot at stake in the possible merger of AT&T and BellSouth. According to the article EchoStar seen as a winner in AT&T's BellSouth deal, it looks like EchoStar will benefit more from the deal than its competitor DIRECTV. Although BellSouth has a multi-year contract with DIRECTV, it is expected that after the merger AT&T will not continue that partnership with DIRECTV. Instead, analyst expect that AT&T will bundle its services with its existing satellite partner, EchoStar - making EchoStar the satellite winner of this deal if all goes through as expected.

As AT&T tries to enter the video market across the country, Anaheim City Council okayed AT&T request to enter the video market in the city of Anaheim, California. AT&T will be providing the services as part of Project Lightspeed, which is AT&T's national fiber roll out plan. You can read about AT&T's video services that will be offered in Anaheim by reading this article.

From March 31 to April 2, Verizon is sponsoring a free weekend of the XBOX 360 premium service for XBOX 360 users. During the XBOX Live Gold Weekend, XBOX 360 gamers will have free access to the XBOX Live Gold platform. Gamers will be able to participate in multiplayer game sessions as well as have the opportunity to win great prizes from Verizon. You can find out more about this promotion from Verizon in the article Verizon Sponsors Microsoft Xbox Online Event.

As merger talk sweeps the telecommunication world, analysts are wondering what is going to happen to one of the last independent baby bells, Qwest. If the looming merger of AT&T and BellSouth goes through, four of the seven "Baby Bells" that were split apart from the original AT&T, namely Ameritech, Southwestern Bell, Pacific Telesis and BellSouth, will be reunited with AT&T.

Qwest attempted to buy MCI a year ago, but lost out on that deal to Verizon. Whether Qwest should remain on its own, be acquired or acquire other companies is in question. No matter which of these avenues Qwest executives decide to pursue, Qwest's fate will affect the telecommunications landscape. To find out more about Qwest's possible future, read the article AT&T deal raises query for Qwest.

With the AT&T/BellSouth merger on the horizon, many consumer groups have expressed concern that the merger will lessen competition, as you can read about in my post, Opposition to AT&T/BellSouth deal. But some people actually believe the opposite, that the merger between BellSouth and AT&T might spur competition, especially between cable providers  and phone providers that are entering the video market. They also believe that eventually it might spur a price war in broadband prices, which you can read about in this article.

According to the article Net phone providers describe E911 obstacles by Anne Broche, insiders say that VoIP providers are improving enhanced 911 (E911) services, but it is still not perfect. There are several obstacles to improving E911. Maintenance of the Master Street Address Guide, which is where 911 callers' address information is stored, is a primary obstacle because in many cases it is up to VoIP consumers to update their information. Also, getting all those involved in VoIP to work together to solve the problem is an issue, since so many people are involved in the process. Read the article in ZDNet to find out more information on the topic.

On Monday, several U.S. consumer groups, including the Consumers Union and the Consumer Federation of America, said that they would oppose the AT&T and BellSouth merger. The consumer groups believe the AT&T/BellSouth merger will reduce competition and urged their members to contact the FCC and congress to ask them to prevent the deal from going through.

Members of the consumer groups believe that the consolidation of phone service providers will cause prices for local phone service, long distance phone service and cell phone service to rise. They are also nervous that the AT&T buyout of BellSouth might allow the companies to break Internet non-discrimination principles, as can be read about in the article AT&T Deal Puts Focus on Net Fees.

Verizon Wireless has teamed up with TiVo to let you control your TiVo by phone. With this new service, called TiVo Mobile, Verizon Wireless customers can download an application onto their cell phones that allows them schedule their recording on their TiVo. TiVo Mobile will be available through Verizon Wireless starting summer 2006.

As I mentioned in a post yesterday, several BellSouth and AT&T workers are concerned about their jobs as the merger between the two companies looms. According to a statement made by AT&T, their fears seem to be well founded. AT&T expects to see 10,000 jobs cut as a result of the AT&T and BellSouth merger. But before you get too worried, this won't happen immediately. According to an article recently updated on MSNBC about the AT&T/BellSouth merger, representatives from AT&T say that most of the cuts will be spread over the next three years and will be a result of normal turnover.

Within the past few weeks, there have been threads on unofficial Vonage member forums that claimed Comcast had begun to block Vonage VoIP services. Representatives from both Vonage and Comcast have recently come forward to say that Comcast has not been blocking Vonage services.

Although representatives from Vonage said they had not noticed any problems with Comcast, Comcast and Vonage worked together to investigate if there was any issues with Vonage calls that were transmitted over Comcast's high speed Internet. Comcast said that Vonage indicated that the problem that had intiated the complaint had been an isolated issue and had nothing to do with Comcast high speed Internet service.

Carolyn Shapiro with the Virginian-Pilot is currently doing a series of articles on helping consumers understand their utility bills. The first in the series, titled What's in a bill? The price of phone bill jargon, explains some of the terms you will commonly find on your phone bill. As the article was written in Virginia, some of the details are state-specific, but the article still contains good information on understanding telephone bills for phone customers nationwide.

If the AT&T and BellSouth's merger is successful, satellite providers may be affected a great deal. You might not know this, but DISH Network services are offered by AT&T while BellSouth offers bundles that include DIRECTV. With the merger, who knows which of the rival satellite companies, if either, will be included in deals from the new AT&T. This and several other matters will have to be settled for the AT&T/BellSouth merger to occur smoothly.

Last fall, when Verizon entered the Texas video market, many hoped that Verizon's FiOS network would drive down prices for cable consumers as well as those who chose to subscribe to Verizon's service. According to a survey conducted by a new consumer group, that is just what happened. In a synopsis of their study, the American Consumer Institute writes that their findings indicate "that consumers in the survey area were saving millions of dollars due to competition. If benefits could be replicated across the U.S., this study finds that consumers would receive $23 billion in benefits per year, or approximately $19 per month per household." You can find out more about the study by reading the article Consumer group: Video competition working in Texas.

Though AT&T's merger with BellSouth has yet to be approved, several workers of both telephone providers are already concerned about their jobs. AT&T expects the merger to save the company $2 billion annually, which will likely result in part from job cuts caused by the combining of AT&T and BellSouth's work forces. Read more about the topic on MSNBC - Job cuts feared after AT&T-BellSouth deal.

As you may have heard this weekend, AT&T announced it has placed a bid for BellSouth for $67 billion. The joint telecommunications provider would have nationwide long distance and data services and would provide residential phone service in 22 states. At the close of the deal, all landline and wireless businesses would be under the AT&T brand, which if everything goes according to AT&T's plan should be completed within the next year. Also, if this merger goes through, four of the seven "Baby Bells" that were split apart from the original AT&T, namely Ameritech, Southwestern Bell, Pacific Telesis and BellSouth, will be reunited with AT&T.

The possible buyout answers the question of what to do with Cingular Wireless, the largest wireless telephone provider, which had been jointly owned by both AT&T and BellSouth. Cingular will finally be under one parent company, which undoubtedly will streamline its management and processes. As this situation is developing, I will keep you updated. Read this article to find out more about AT&T's BellSouth buyout.

When the Washington Wizards play their next game on Sunday, they will no longer be paying in the MCI Center, but instead they will be playing in the now renamed Verizon Center. The name change is a result of  Verizon's recent buyout of MCI, which became official in December.

This isn't the only popular sports arena that has been renamed in recent months due to a telecom buyout; SBC Park in San Francisco was renamed AT&T Park on Wednesday.

US Airways has picked AT&T as its voice and data services provider. US Airways Group Inc. will be paying AT&T Inc. $44 million to provide their airline's 276 locations with voice and data services for the next 3 years.

Looking for a cordless phone that has Internet access? Well look no further than the new LAN Cordless DUALphone from RTX. The phone was revealed at CeBIT, the world's largest telecommunications and digital information technology trade fair, which is currently underway in Hannover, Germany. This is how the press release from RTX describes the phone:

"The new LAN Cordless DUALphone is a session initiation protocol (SIP) device that combines a standard phone connection, Internet telephony and storage for Web content. The base station is connected both to the conventional telephone system and to the broadband Internet link, thereby allowing calls from both channels. The LAN Cordless DUALphone offers customers on-screen information such as the latest news, e-mail, stock market data, weather forecasts, traffic queues or sports results – all displayed in real time on a brilliant color display. Availability depends on the services provided by the carrier concerned."

Unfortunately, the phone will only be available in Europe, at least at first. To read the full press release about the RTX's LAN Cordless DUALphone, go here.

In an effort by Verizon to become more accessible to their Chinese-speaking consumers, Verizon has developed an all Chinese Verizon DSL Web site. The site will offer information on all of Verizon's broadband products.

Claire Fang, the group manager for Verizon's Asian marketing, said that Verizon understands "the cultural differences of [their] diverse customers. By communicating in-language, [Verizon] can make sure the benefits of high-speed access to the Internet are easily understood and readily available to [Verizon's] Chinese-speaking customers." Follow this link to go to Verizon's Chinese DSL Web site.

The name change of SBC Park to AT&T Park that I mentioned in the post SBC Park to be renamed AT&T Park has taken effect as of yesterday. This is a result of SBC's buyout of AT&T. The new company, under the name AT&T, has been integrating the companies and their services as smoothly as possible to minimize any confusion created by the merger and name change.

Federal Communications Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate said Tuesday that cable providers new cable options still do not give consumers enough choice.  Reacting to pressure from the FCC and lawmakers, several cable providers, including Time Warner and Comcast, have recently released plans to offer family friendly packages; however, they have held back on any plans to provide cable a la carte.

Members of the cable industry insist that offering cable a la carte will ultimately cut down on options because channels that do not have much of an audience will not have enough support to continue broadcasting.

Even so, Tate admitted that whether or not to offer a la carte cable may not be an issue in upcoming years, due to competition from phone companies Verizon and AT&T entering the cable market as well as other developing technologies that might make the subject moot. Read US FCC's Tate says new cable TV options not enough to find out more information about the subject.

According to a new report from Telegeography, VoIP subscribers grew by 900,000 in the last quarter of 2005, bringing the total users to 4.5 million. Vonage and Time Warner led the pack, ending the year with 1.2 and 1.1 million customers, respectively.

Coming in third and fourth were Cablevision, with 713,000 customers, and Comcast, with 202,000 subscribers. More information on this topic can be found in the article Time Warner Cable Again Leads U.S. VoIP Explosion.

Through a deal with MTV Networks, Sprint will be offering new Sprint TV programming from CMT, VH1 and MTV to their Sprint mobile customers. Some programs that will be available include 'CMT Insider,' 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,' 'Laguna Beach' and 'Best Week Ever.' Sprint will also be the first wireless carrier to offer streaming radio from CMT, VH1 and MTV.

If you are wondering how the FiOS roll out is going for Verizon, Verizon's CFO Doreen Toben said that the  customer take rates for FiOS (Fiber Optic Services) are "well on plan." She made these comments at an investor conference in Florida, saying that deployment costs are actually declining.

Ted Turner, media mogul and founder of CNN, will be leaving the board of Time Warner this year. This announcement has come after months of turmoil involving Time Warner and its board. You can read this article to find out more about Ted Turner's resignation.

EarthLink executives outlined some initiatives at an investors' conference yesterday. According to Telephony Online, these initiatives include:

"Helio, the announced MVNO EarthLink is launching with Korean mobile provider SK Telecom. As CEO Sky Dayton, EarthLink's founder, explained to analysts, the spring launch of this venture will focus on post-paid customers, targeting the 18- to 34-year-old market and Korean-Americans.

New Edge Networks, the data CLEC EarthLink is acquiring. When the deal closes in April, EarthLink will provide new funding for marketing and sales to enable the company to post double-digit growth in the SMB market, and add EarthLink's Web hosting and security products to its successful VPN sales.

TrueVoice and Home Phone, EarthLink's two VoIP offerings. The company is actually offering free PC-to-PC calling, a la Skype, then hoping to move those customers up market to trueVoice, which is more Vonage-like and requires an ATA, and then to Home Phone, the line-powered ADSL 2+-based service EarthLink is trialing with Covad Communications in four cities and will be rolling out across its markets later this year.

Satellite video resale. The company earlier this week announced distribution deals with both DirecTV and EchoStar, owner of Dish Networks, to resell their video services, and it could add content of its own, such as video-on-demand, going forward."

If you want to read more about EarthLink's current direction, read EarthLink to telecom world: Watch us now.

After the recent truce was reached between Time Warner and stockholder Carl Icahn last week, some Time Warner bondholders have voiced their worry over Icahn's now close position with the Time Warner's board. These bondholders are worried that if Time Warner is too interested in the rights of the shareholders, the bondholders' interests might be forgotten. Read this article to find out more about Time Warner's bondholders' fears.

If you have tried VoIP in the past and weren't satisfied, you are not the only one; however, the quality of VoIP phone calls have increased significantly since just two years ago. Now, people are switching to VoIP without even realizing it.

"It's being marketed as digital telephone service and priced at what traditional VoIP is," explained Keith Nissen, senior analyst with research firm In-Stat, in the article VoIP getting better all the time. "It's a case where the customers are being asked to leave their telephone service and go to the cable company. It's totally transparent to the customer."

And it's not only the quality of VoIP that has improved, but also the perks that VoIP includes. So, if you've tried VoIP before and weren't satisfied, or if you've never tried VoIP before, you might want to look into it and see if it is right for you.

Fortune Magazine recently announced the most admired companies of 2006, naming AT&T number one among telecommunications companies. AT&T has reached this position more times than any other telecommunications company since Fortune began ranking the most admired companies.

"The best name in the business, once again, has the best reputation. The new AT&T is leading the way into a new era of integrated communications and entertainment services," said Chairman and CEO of AT&T Inc. Edward E. Whitacre Jr., according to the article AT&T Inc. Named America's Most Admired Telecommunications Company for 2006. AT&T is a leader in several telecommunications categories, including DSL broadband services, business communication services and wireless services (through Cingular).

Well, you shouldn't be, according to at least one analyst. Several blogs and news outlets bemoaned the fate of traditional cell phone operators after Microsoft announced a Microsoft mobile VoIP client that will be released soon. Microsoft still needs to release more information about this VoIP service before we will even know how much competition it will prove to be to established providers. Read this article to find out reasons why you should be wary of any dire warnings about the Microsoft mobile VoIP client.

AT&T and Cingular announced AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile today, a phone service that integrates Yahoo! services with your cell phone. With the AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile service, users will be able to access their Yahoo! mail and other services, as well as save their numbers, pictures, etc. on the Internet rather than in their phone's memory. To find out more about this service or when you will be able to get it, read this article about the AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile service.

In an earlier post, I wrote about the agreement that was finally reached between Carl Icahn and Time Warner. If you want to find out more about the settlement, read the article Cease-fire in effect for Icahn, Time Warner that appeared yesterday in the Washington Post.

Microsoft announced last week that they plan to enter the VoIP world with a product that might change the face of the cell phone market. Their product will be a Skype-style free VoIP service for mobile phones. The program will be released as a part of Microsoft Office Communicator before the end of this year. Office users will be able to use the service through wi-fi enabled phones that are equipped with Windows mobile software. This announcement has got some mobile providers worried that the free VoIP service might severely cut into the business of established mobile service providers.

Verizon and MySpace are calling for unsigned bands to enter a contest sponsored by the two companies. The band who wins will have its song, music video and ring tones released by Verizon Wireless. Read this to find out more about the Verizon and MySpace competition, or go to MySpace to enter the competition.

With VoIP, you can save big bucks. According to the FCC, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) simply is a "technology that allows you to make telephone calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line." Depending on your calling habits, you can save hundreds of dollars in phone bills just by switching to VoIP. When talking over phone lines, you are subject to several taxes, most of which you do not have to pay with VoIP. But not all VoIP providers are the same. You should look into what services they provide (like e911) to decide which VoIP provider is for you.

After months of talks, Carl Icahn and Time Warner have finally reached an agreement, one in which Time Warner will remain one company. In August 2005, Icahn, a significant stakeholder of Time Warner, tried to take control of the company, saying the company was undervalued and mismanaged. Icahn had pledged that after he took control of the company, he would break up Time Warner to boost the company's value.

Some of the concessions Time Warner gave Icahn in the agreement include increasing its stock buy back program as well as Time Warner promising to look into ways to cut costs. Read this article to find out more about Time Warner's agreement with Icahn.

EarthLink is helping you to feed your MySpace.com obsession. Soon the Web site and all its capabilities could be available on your cell phone. Well, at least cell phones released by Helio LLC, a joint venture SK Telecom and EarthLink Inc. Go here to find out more about this new possibility from EarthLink and MySpace.

As Verizon and AT&T try to get Congress to relax rules on local franchises, they are receiving pretty tough opposition from cable operators and local governments. If you're interested in finding out what's going on currently, check out Verizon, AT&T face local video franchising opposition.

BellSouth has opted not to follow the trend of other large telecommunications companies, like AT&T and Verizon, and create fiber-optic networks to deliver video content. Instead, BellSouth has decided to continue its bundling relationship with DIRECTV for at least five more years. BellSouth has indicated that they will wait and see how AT&T and Verizon's efforts go in the arena of fiber optics before they dive into it as well. For more information on the deal between BellSouth and DIRECTV, see Expanded Alliance Makes BellSouth DSL Service Available to DIRECTV Subscribers.

According to an article from the San Antonio Business Journal, AT&T plans to equip all AT&T switching locations throughout Texas with the ability to transmit AT&T high speed Internet. AT&T begun work on this project due a mandate set by Senate Bill 5, which Texas Gov. Rick Perry and other members of the government say will guarantee broadband services to rural areas of Texas. The AT&T high speed rollout is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2006.

Yesterday, Verizon filed lawsuits charging All Star Vacations and Marketing Group of Miami, Fla., Travel and Tours Marketing of Orlando, Fla. and Cambridge Marketing and Financial Services of Deland, Fla. of illegal solicitation.

Verizon says these companies used auto dialers and prerecorded messages to contact Verizon customers. It is against federal rules for telemarketers to use these methods to call any phone where it costs the phone subscriber money to receive the phone call; cell phones fall into this category. ZDnet has more information about Verizon's lawsuits on their Web site.

Soon, you will be able to have VoIP conversations through your Nintendo DS. According to a report by TNI securities, the new headset port for the Nintendo DS will allow gamers to make wireless calls with their DS through the built-in wireless 802.11b. To find out more about this new VoIP innovation, read Analyst note: Nintendo DS invites free voice-over-IP chat.

To help out in the search for missing children, BellSouth will post AMBER alerts for the nine southeast states in its coverage area on its Web site. The AMBER alerts will appear 24/7 in the "Today's Guide" section on the homepage. They are hoping this highly visible spot will help make people aware of AMBER alerts as soon as they occur.

Missing children experts say that programs such as this one established by BellSouth may even "serve as deterrents to abductions because of the heightened awareness and community involvement in response to the alerts." Read Southeast AMBER Alerts Now Posted on BellSouth's Internet Homepage to find out more about the new program and BellSouth's history of cooperation with the AMBER alert system.

AT&T recently accused Apple Inc. and several other companies of patent infringement. AT&T owns several patents to elements AT&T representatives say are vital to MPEG-4 technology, which is used by products produced by these companies.

To correct the situation, AT&T is offering that the companies buy licenses from AT&T for the technology. In response, Apple representatives say that they believe they "have all necessary rights and licenses with respect to all of [their] products." For more information on this developing story, read AT&T Warns Apple, Others, of Patent Infringement.

One of consumers' main complaints about VoIP service is that when your electricity is out, your phone is out. Well, according to the article Time Warner seeks to retain phone customers, Time Warner is trying to fix that, or at least give you a couple extra hours of phone power while your electricity is out. Time Warner has been giving out phones with battery back-up for the past year, which gives the phone additional power for about four hours. But this isn't a fix-all. If an amplifier mounted on a telephone pole is knocked out, the phone will not be able to transmit phone calls even if it has a battery back-up.

DIRECTV Group, Inc. said DIRECTV and EchoStar are in talks to develop a U.S. wireless high speed network. The rivals are considering working together so that they can become more competitive with cable providers that are able to offer multiple services to their customers. The article DIRECTV Talks Up Wireless Network With Rival EchoStar gives more details on the subject.

Varsity Media Group, Inc., a large media company which markets to teens and young adults, will be launching Varsity TV on the Verizon FiOS network. The Verizon FiOS network is currently available in areas of Texas, Virginia, Florida, Massachusetts and New York. Varsity TV's programming will be totally user created, and include a wide range of genres. You can read this article to find out more about Varsity TV or the Verizon FiOS network.

EarthLink and BellSouth have decided to continue their DSL partnership. EarthLink will continue to provide DSL to BellSouth's customers through 2008. Representatives from both companies said the deal is a good situation for both BellSouth and EarthLink, and will aid them in growing their DSL client base. More about the deal can be found at Web Hosting Provider EarthLink Extends Agreement With BellSouth and BellSouth extends EarthLink DSL deal.

It appears that Google is going to be offering VoIP services in the near future. An SEC filing on January 31st shows that Google, Inc. has entered an agreement to use VoIP Inc.'s VoiceOne Communications to make their way into the VoIP industry. To find out more about Google's venture into the world of VoIP, click here to view the filing.

Although AT&T and Verizon are trying to get into the cable TV market, the phone giants might have some hurdles to jump before it can become viable competition for cable TV. In the article Congress unlikely to ease TV rules for US telcos soon, MSN gives more details on the situation.

Real Simple has posted a great article with cost-cutting tips you can use right now to trim your monthly expenses! Some of the most common "leaks" you can plug that apply to utility-related issues include:

• Subscribing for cable TV, Internet access and phone service from three different providers. Savings: $10 to $20 a month.
• A cell-phone plan that doesn't match your needs. Savings: An average of $16.50 a month, according to J.D. Power & Associates.
• Too much insurance. Savings: 15 to 30 percent on home and auto bills.

AT&T recently released its fourth quarter earnings, revealing that it is doing quite well after its merger with SBC. This report was the first the company had released since SBC bought AT&T to create one of the largest telecommunication companies in the world. Click here to find out more about AT&T's fourth quarter earnings.

BellSouth recently had a job shadowing day, where high school students were allowed to shadow individuals who work in all facets of the company, from technicians to company executives. Read BellSouth kicks off job shadowing program to find out more about the program.

AT&T Park has a nice ring to it, and hopefully the name will stick. Since the park opened in 2000, it has been under three names, the latest being AT&T Park. It began as Pacific Bell Park, and became SBC Park when SBC bought out that company. Now, the name will be changed again to reflect the recent SBC buyout of AT&T. The name change will take effect as of March 2006. To read more about the name change, go to San Francisco Giants Ballpark to be renamed AT&T Park.

Did you go to the bathroom when the funniest commercial came on? Well, if you are a Sprint customer, you are in luck. Sprint customers have the opportunity to watch the commercials they missed, or just want to see again, using their Sprint cell phone. Tune in to Sprint TV^SM channels 1 or 50 to watch the commercials on a continuous loop. But act quickly; the channels will only be active today through one week from now. An article on TMC.net gives more details on the Superbowl commercials available to see through Sprint.

Sprint Nextel is fighting back. The telecommunications company is suing First Source Information Specialists Inc. and All Star Investigations Inc. for allegedly illegally obtaining Sprint customers cell phone records. Both of the companies being sued run private investigation Web sites. To find out more about the lawsuits, read the article Sprint Nextel Sues Firm For Obtaining, Selling Customer Data.

Have you been wanting to get some concrete facts on VoIP customer satisfaction so that you can make your decision if VoIP is right for you? Consumer Reports conducted a survey and discovered that overall, customers are satisfied with their VoIP service; however, there were some common complaints. To find out more about the survey, you can read Consumer Reports: Is Internet Phone Service Right For You? You can also find out details about VoIP plans on the Consumer Reports Web site.

Sprint Nextel has announced that it will name its local phone spin-off Embarq. Embarq will separate from Sprint in the early spring, with 7.4 million access lines in 18 states. David Hesse, the new company's CEO, says that Embarq will offer service bundles that include wireless service, but he has not confirmed if it will offer these services through Sprint's network. For more information on Embarq, read Sprint Nextel names spin off 'Embarq'.

The Communications Research Network (CRN) reported recently that it had found a weakness in VoIP, saying that the sheer amount of packets used by VoIP to transmit information provides perfect cover to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. As described by Jon Crowcroft, a principal investigator with CRN, DDoS attacks are when "large amounts of low-level traffic are targeted at a particular organization, rendering its servers unable to cope and shutting the company off from the Internet."

To lessen the severity of the danger, Crowcroft suggest that VoIP providers that use proprietary protocols should publish their specifications or switch to open standards, which would allow the tracking of DDoS attacks. For more information, see VoIP gives attackers perfect cover, written by Crowcroft.

Despite the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina, BellSouth ended the year better than Wall Street had predicted. Although the company experienced a 54 percent drop in fourth-quarter profits, it still did better than many experts had expected it to, resulting in BellSouth's stock going up 2 percent. To find out more about this story, go to the article BellSouth hurt by hurricane, but holds own in quarter or BellSouth's press release.

From February 8-15, AT&T Inc. will be conducting their largest-ever Network Disaster Recovery Exercise at the INFOMART in Dallas. In this test, self-contained equipment trucks will test how successfully AT&T Inc. can support its enterprise customers in the event of an emergency. Though NDR exercises are conducted multiple times each year, this is the largest test yet conducted by the company, with 43 trailers participating. For more information on the exercise, you can go to AT&T's News Room.