Showing posts with label broadband. Show all posts
Showing posts with label broadband. Show all posts

2019-04-03

Inmarsat Satellite Telecom, IoT & Security Services, Going Private (video)

Inmarsat Fleet Secure Endpoint for cyber resilience at sea

The maritime industry is at increasing risk of cyber security breaches every day but conventional antivirus cover is no longer enough to protect vessels again new forms of malware which use the network to attack your systems. Inmarsat’s Fleet Secure Endpoint has an advanced ransomware detection engine to continually inspect, detect, alert and respond to threats and is remotely monitored 24/7/365. Video above published Jan, 2019.
UK’s Inmarsat Satellite Group Going Private in $3.4 Billion Deal--bloomberg.com: Inmarsat has been in play since last year as it faces growing competition from traditional rivals such as ViaSat Inc. and new challengers including Richard Branson-backed OneWeb and Elon Musk’s SpaceX offering smaller, cheaper satellites.
Inmarsat received an all-cash offer from a private equity consortium for a total consideration of $3.4B. The deal is not expected to close before Q4 2019--until then, any other party can submit an offer. Strong Q4 2018 results for maritime and aviation broadband indicates bright prospects.--SeekingAlpha.com: Inmarsat: Latest Offer Undervalues The Company.
LON: ISAT
Inmarsat plc is a UK satellite telecommunications company. It offers global mobile services, telephone and data services, to users worldwide, via portable or mobile terminals which communicate with ground stations through thirteen geostationary telecommunications satellites. Inmarsat has been working on selling faster, more reliable internet services to the world’s airlines.
  • Domain: inmarsat.com
  • Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
  • Investor Relations: investors.inmarsat.com
  • CEO: Rupert Pearce (Jan 1, 2012–)
  • Revenue: 1.465 billion USD (2018)
  • Number of employees: 1,500 (2019)
  • Founded: 1979
  • Subsidiaries include Stratos Global Corporation, Inmarsat Global Limited.
  • Stock Exchange & Symbol: LON: ISAT


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DISCLAIMER

2018-04-17

Hearing April 17, From Core to Edge: Perspective on Internet Prioritization

From Core to Edge: Perspective on Internet Prioritization

Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
The Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing on Tuesday, April 17, 2018, starting at 10:15 a.m. EDT, entitled “From Core to Edge: Perspective on Internet Prioritization.” #netneutrality #fastlanes #internet #openinternet #SubCommTech

WITNESSES:

Mr. Richard Bennett
Founder, High Tech Forum
Witness Statement and Truth in Testimony and CV

Mr. Peter Rysavy
President, Rysavy Research, LLC
Witness Statement and Truth in Testimony and CV

Mr. Paul W. Schroeder
Director, Public Policy and Strategic Alliances, Aira Tech Corporation
Witness Statement and Truth in Testimony and CV

Mr. Matt Wood
Policy Director, Free Press
Witness Statement (embed below) and Truth in Testimony and CV

Committee Majority Staff Background Memo (embed below)

See also: Busting Two Myths About Paid Prioritization | Electronic Frontier Foundation | eff.org



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DISCLAIMER

2018-02-17

Tech Review | India Fines Google, China Fines Alibaba & Tencent (video)

graphic "Tech Review" ©2017 DomainMondo.com
Tech Review (TR 2018-02-17)--Domain Mondo's weekly review of tech news with commentary, analysis and opinion: Features • 1) India Fines Google, 2) China Fines Alibaba & Tencent, 3) Investing: The Week, Investing Notes: What's REALLY Going On? and more, 4) ICYMI Tech News: Elon Musk's Broadband-From-Space Plan, and more.

1) Google fined $21 million in India over competition abuse

Google has been fined $21 million by Indian competition authorities for abusing its market dominance, as global regulators continue to crack down on the US tech giant’s handling of online search queries. Financial Times (ft.com) video above published Feb 8, 2018:
Infographic: The Numbers Behind Google's Online Empire | Statista Statista.com May 18, 2017

2) China fines Alibaba and Tencent over payments systems

China tech groups Alibaba and Tencent have been caught up in Beijing’s war on capital flight, with both facing fines for breaches of cross-border foreign exchange payments. Financial Times (ft.com)  video above published Feb 9, 2018.

See also: Facebook loses Belgian privacy case, faces fine of up to $125 million | Reuters.com

3) Investing
graphic: "INVESTING"  ©2017 DomainMondo.com
The Week: Dow & S&P 500, need I say more?
 DOW
 S&P 500

Wall Street's Charging Bull:
graphic of Charging Bull | DomainMondo.com
Investing Notes:
  • Shorting the Eurozone: The world's largest hedge fund, Bridgewater, has added another $9 billion worth of shorts against European public companies, totaling $22 billion overall. Source: ZeroHedge.com

4) ICYMI Tech News:
graphic: "ICYMI Tech News" ©2017 DomainMondo.com
From the Reuters.com feed:

-- John Poole, Editor, Domain Mondo  

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DISCLAIMER

2017-08-05

Tech Review: Why Radio Spectrum Is Worth US$ Billions (video)

Tech Review (TR 2017-08-05)--Domain Mondo's weekly review of tech news:
Features • 1) Why Radio Spectrum Is Worth Billions (US$), 2) Amazon 1492 health care tech, 3) FCC & Broadband, 4) Tech Firms Expand in UK, 5) ICYMI Tech News.

1) Why Radio Spectrum Is Worth Billions (US$)

Governments around the world have reaped billions of dollars from selling something we can’t see, taste or weigh: radio spectrum. These invisible electromagnetic waves carry radio, TV broadcasts and, increasingly, YouTube videos to our smartphones. With demand exploding, mobile capacity is being strained. TV stations will need be squeezed into a narrower swath of spectrum as mobile operators buy up the old airwaves to keep our smartphones online. (Video by Tom Gibson, published Jul 28, 2017, by Bloomberg.com.)

Other Tech News:

2)  Amazon has a secret skunkworks lab called 1492, dedicated to health care tech. Areas of exploration include a platform for electronic medical record data, telemedicine and health apps for existing devices like the Amazon Echo.--cnbc.com

3) The FCC now defines broadband internet as the ability to download information at 25 Mbps and to upload it at 3 Mbps--"For around $30 a month, New York City internet providers offer basic packages of 100 Mbps service. In Saguache County [Colorado], such a connection is rare; if a household wants a download speed of 12 Mbps with an upload speed of 2 Mbps, they can expect to pay a whopping $90."--The Worst Internet In America | FiveThirtyEight.com

4) What's Brexit? Tech Firms Expand Presence in U.K.

Amazon.com Inc. is expanding the size of its new U.K. headquarters to support the growth of its Prime Video service in Europe. Bloomberg's Caroline Hyde reports on "Bloomberg Technology" on Jul 25, 2017.

5) ICYMI Tech News:
  • Uber, Lyft Mangle Rental Cars & Taxis. Other Sectors Next | WolfStreet.com: "Overall car ownership might experience “negative growth,” as more people in densely populated urban areas might decide that it’s easier and cheaper to pay per ride when needed, and use mass transit at other times, or use a combination of both, rather than paying 24/7 for the overall expense and hassles of owning, driving, parking, and maintaining a car, including paying for tickets and taxes."
  • China's second-largest mobile search engine Sogou, controlled by Sohu.com [SOHU.O] and 45 percent owned by Tencent Holdings [0700.HK], will focus on artificial intelligence (AI) as it aims to build a next-generation search engine. It also plans an Sogou IPO in the U.S. "as early as market conditions permit"--Reuters.com
  • China's Problems Go Beyond Anbang Ins. Group Co. | Bloomberg.com: "... It is one thing to crack down on future transactions, as has been done with other prolific dealmakers such as Fosun International Ltd. Or even to intervene in local business, as with Dalian Wanda Group Co. It's quite another to inject the state into already-closed private deals abroad ..." 
  • The five largest market capitalization stocks today, Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon trade at premium valuation ratios. "When looking back to 1994, and 1990, concentration levels today are higher in the top-five, and top-ten, S&P 500 market capitalization equities."--SeekingAlpha.com

-- John Poole, Editor, Domain Mondo  

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DISCLAIMER

2017-07-15

Tech Review: How Google Cloud Plans to Overtake Amazon's AWS

Tech Review (TR 2017-07-15)--Domain Mondo's weekly review of tech news:

Features • 1) How Google Cloud Plans to Overtake Amazon's AWS: TensorFlow, 2) FCC Net Neutrality | Nomination Hearing, 3) Mars Rover 2020 and Europa Clipper, 4) Q2 2017 earnings T-Mobile $TMUS & Qualcomm $QCOM, 5) BlackHat and DefCon, 6) Rural Broadband Internet, 7) ICYMI Tech News.

1) How Google Cloud Plans to Overcome Amazon's AWS Lead in Cloud Computing: TensorFlow

TensorFlow: Machine Learning for Everyone
"TensorFlow [domain: tensorflow.org] is becoming the clear leader among programmers building new things with machine learning. “We have significant usage today, and it’s accelerating,” says Jeff Dean, who led TensorFlow’s design and heads Google’s core artificial-­intelligence research group. Once you’ve built something with TensorFlow, you can run it anywhere—but it’s especially easy to transfer it to Google’s cloud platform." --MIT TechnologyReview.com (link added).
Other Tech News:

2)  FCC Net Neutrality | Nomination Hearing FCC - U.S. Senate Committee On Commerce, Science, & Transportation: "Ajit Varadaraj Pai, of Kansas, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission (Reappointment) - Jessica Rosenworcel, of Connecticut, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission (Reappointment) - Brendan Carr, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission," Wednesday, July 19, 2017 10:00 a.m. EDT. See also Poll of Republican voters shows that a majority of President Trump's supporters are in favor of net neutrality rules and also oppose the pending AT&T-Time Warner merger | TheHill.com.


4) Q2 2017 earnings webcasts this coming week: 
5)  BlackHat and DefCon: BlackHat.com: Black Hat USA 2017 July 22-27, 2017--Late registration pricing discounts on Briefings & Trainings end at 23:59 PT on July 21. DEF CON® 25 Hacking Conference: DEF CON 25 July 27-30, 2017, Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas.

6) Rural Broadband Internet Public Hearing RE: The State of Infrastructure in Rural America | US House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture: Wednesday, July 19, 2017 @ 10:00 am EDT.

7) ICYMI Tech News Quick Takes:

-- John Poole, Editor, Domain Mondo  

feedback & comments via twitter @DomainMondo


DISCLAIMER

2017-06-21

Net Neutrality and the Economy: Investment, Jobs, Consumer Protection

Net Neutrality and the Economy:

LIVE at 2:00pm EDT, June 21, 2017. Presented by NewAmerica.org and InternetAssociation.org.

Net Neutrality and the Economy: How the FCC’s Net Neutrality Rules Promote Investment, Create Jobs, and Protect Consumers.

The Federal Communications Commission’s 2015 net neutrality rules were a landmark achievement for consumer rights online and the United States economy. Whether it’s large internet companies, up-and-coming digital platforms, or small businesses that rely on online services to reach customers, nearly every company in some way uses the power of the internet. The net neutrality rules, which prohibit broadband companies from blocking, throttling, and creating online “slow lanes,” are crucial for economic development, job creation, and serve as a democratizing force for communication.

The FCC’s recent decision to move forward on a proposal to repeal the net neutrality rules brings an urgent need for civil society, consumer advocates, and companies large and small to fight to retain the rules that were secured two years ago.

Without the net neutrality rules, a small number of broadband companies would become gatekeepers of the internet economy and control how every American uses the internet.

FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn will give opening remarks. Panelists include representatives from the business and public interest communities who will discuss the economic benefits that stem from the net neutrality rules. New America’s Open Technology Institute and the Internet Association present this two panel discussion about the importance of net neutrality for consumers and small businesses.

Agenda:
2:00 pm: Introduction
Sarah Morris, @sarmorris
Senior Counsel & Director of Open Internet Policy, New America’s Open Technology Institute

2:05: Opening Remarks
Mignon Clyburn
, @MClyburnFCC
Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission

Michael Beckerman
President and Chief Executive Officer, Internet Association

Kevin Bankston
, @KevinBankston
Director, New America’s Open Technology Institute

2:30 pm: Presentations and Discussion: Unpacking the economics of net neutrality and broadband investment

Dr. Christopher Hooto
n, @Hooton_Chris
Chief Economist, Internet Association

Matt Wood
, @mattfwood
Policy Director, Free Press

Libby Watson
, @libbycwatson
Tech Policy Writer, Gizmodo

Moderator: 
Noah Theran, @NoahTheran
Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications, Internet Association

3:15 pm: Panel Discussion
: Understanding the full range of net neutrality benefits

Michael Cheah

General Counsel, Vimeo

Julie Stitzl
, @julie_stitzel
Senior Manager, Federal Advocacy and Policy at Etsy

Anika Navaroli, @AnikaNavaroli
Senior Campaign Manager, Media and Economic Justice at Color of Change

Rachel Wolbers
, @rachelwolbers
Policy Director, Engine Advocacy

Moderator:
Sarah Morris, @sarmorris
Senior Counsel & Director of Open Internet Policy, New America’s Open Technology Institute

4:00 pm: Open Mic Session and Q&A
4:45 pm: Reception and close

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DISCLAIMER

American Technology Council Roundtable & Broadband Hearing (video)

President Trump Participates in the American Technology Council Roundtable June 19, 2017:

Video above published Jun 19, 2017, by WhiteHouse.gov. See Presidential Executive Order on the Establishment of the American Technology Council.  See also: White House wants to create new surge of tech startups | FoxBusiness.com: “We will foster a new set of startups focused on [government] tech and be the new global leader in the field, making government more transparent and responsive to citizens’ needs,” said Kushner, who serves as senior advisor to the president and leads the Office of American Innovation.

Defining and Mapping Broadband Coverage in America

U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee | Communications and Technology Subcommittee Hearing Wednesday, June 21, 2017, at 10:00am EDT on “Defining and Mapping Broadband Coverage in America.”  For background: https://www.broadbandmap.gov/technology


Witnesses:

Mr. Doug Brake
Senior Telecommunications Policy Analyst, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation
Witness Statement  and  Truth in Testimony and CV

Mr. Bryan Darr
CEO, Mosaik

Mr. Brent Legg
Vice President of Government Affairs, Connected Nation
Witness Statement  and  Truth in Testimony and CV

Ms. Carol Mattey
Principal, Mattey Consulting LLC
Witness Statement  and  Truth in Testimony and CV

Dr. Robert Wack
President, Westminster City Council, Westminster, MD
Witness Statement  and  Truth in Testimony and CV

Documents: Hearing Notice  and  Background Memo

Related Content:
#SubCommTech to Examine Challenges and Opportunities to Achieve Nationwide Broadband Coverage  Jun 14, 2017 Press Release


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DISCLAIMER

2017-06-08

Tech Hearings Thursday: FinTech, Virtual Currency, Comey, NTIA Nominee

Disrupter Series: Improving Consumer's Financial Options With FinTech

Scheduled for Thursday, June 8, 2017, at 10am EDT #SubDCCP -- The U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on financial technology (FinTech), part of its Disruptors Series on how emerging technologies are disrupting various industries.

Witnesses:

Ms. Jeanne Hogarth
Vice President, Center for Financial Services Innovation
Witness Statement and Truth in Testimony and CV

Mr. Javier Saade
Managing Director, Fenway Summer Ventures
Witness Statement and Truth in Testimony and CV

Ms. Christina Tetreault
Staff Attorney, Consumer Union
Witness Statement

Mr. Peter Van Valkenburgh
Research Director, Coin Center
Witness Statement and Truth in Testimony and CV

Documents: Hearing Notice and Hearing Memo

Also on Thursday, June 8, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. EDT:

• Hearing entitled “Virtual Currency: Financial Innovation and National Security Implications” | House Committee on Financial Services. This will be a one-panel hearing with the following witnesses: • Jerry Brito, Executive Director, Coin Center • Scott Dueweke, President, The Identity and Payments Association • Kathryn Haun, Lecturer, Stanford Law School • Jonathan Levin, Co-Founder, Chainalysis • Luke Wilson, Vice President, Business Development-Investigations, Elliptic. This hearing will explore terrorists and illicit use of financial technology (FinTech), the national security implications of virtual currencies such as Bitcoin, and the use of “blockchain” technologies to record transactions and uncover illicit activities. Witnesses will provide testimony about the exploitation of virtual currency by terrorists and transnational criminal groups, as well as provide risk assessments and policy considerations to mitigate illicit financing but not to impede the development of FinTech innovations.

• US Senate Intelligence Committee hearing
UPDATE June 8, 2017, video--President Trump's lawyer Marc Kasowitz (kasowitz.com) responds to Comey testimony:

Streamed live June 8, 2017: President Trump's lawyer Marc Kasowitz holds a press conference following the testimony of former FBI Director James Comey before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

US Senate Intelligence Committee hearing: Former FBI Director James Comey testifying:

WATCH LIVE: Fired FBI Director James Comey testifies about alleged Russian hacking and interference in the U.S. election--this is the media circus extravaganza upon which all of Washington, D.C. and most of  "liberal media" (e.g.,Washington Post, New York Times, et al) has been obsessed--Comey is a real prima donna with a grudge against President Donald Trump who fired Comey after receiving a recommendation from the U.S. Attorney General that Comey be terminated due to his violations of U.S. Department of Justice protocols and policies in the course of the investigation of Hillary Clinton last year. Expect fireworks! But be prepared for a complete lack of actual evidence on "Russia interfering with the 2016 election" that would stand up in a court of law--actual facts supporting the hysteria, innuendo, anonymous source "leaks," rumors, and other #FakeNews published by the Washington Post, New York Times, et al. [Editor's tip: If you're not obsessed with the "Washington D.C. media circus over Russia and Trump," you might want to skip this and catch the highlights via Twitter]. Here's Comey's opening statement (pdf)(no 'smoking gun' there either).

• Senate Commerce Committee hearing on nominee David Redl to be Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information at the Department of Commerce. If confirmed, Redl will be in charge of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and serve as President Trump's top telecom adviser, including how to expand the nation's broadband infrastructure. Trump has mentioned broadband buildout in his fiscal 2018 budget proposal, as part of infrastructure spending. Redl is currently chief counsel at House Committee on Energy and Commerce, advisor to Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and panel Republicans on communications and technology matters, and previously was a registered lobbyist and director of regulatory affairs at CTIA, a trade association representing wireless companies such as AT&T, Dish and Verizon. Redl sees the top three challenges facing the NTIA as maximizing how agencies effectively use spectrum, improving broadband reliability – particularly in rural places, and better addressing the needs of the U.S. digital economy.

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DISCLAIMER

2017-05-16

Net Neutrality: What Steve Wozniak Thinks (video) & FCC Meets May 18

Here’s what Steve Wozniak thinks of the net neutrality battle

Video above published Apr 30, 2017: There have only been two occasions when Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak felt he needed to fly to Washington, DC for an important ruling and they both involved decisions on net neutrality. If you're not familiar with the concept — net neutrality is the idea that all information moving across the internet should be treated equally. On the other hand, internet service providers like Verizon and AT&T believe that if a video streaming site wants to ensure speedy delivery of their content, they should have to pay more for access to a high-speed internet fast lane. We spoke with Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak to find out why he believes net neutrality is so important. Following is a transcript of the video.
I twice in my life flew to Washington, DC to be at a meeting where an important decision was coming down and it was two rulings on net neutrality, and I was present in the audience. And that probably says enough about my own feelings. I'm also one of the founders of the EFF. And I always favor those who don't have money, the people who are attending our comic-con, I favor them over the people who have money and power and wealth.Like big companies — be it Google, be it even Apple, I always favor the small one and net neutrality kind of ensures the big guys will have a route in. Look who our President is going to look to for advice and the advice he's going to get is “let us rule, let us rule the internet and let us have lower taxes” and that just fights against the little guy.
May 18, 2017 Open Commission Meeting | Federal Communications Commission | fcc.gov:
10:30 am - 12:30 pm EDT, Room TW-C305, 445 12th Street S.W., Washington, DC.
Watch the LIVE Video.

FCC Meeting Agenda Item 6: "Restoring Internet Freedom: The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would propose to restore the Internet to a light-touch regulatory framework by classifying broadband Internet access service as an information service and by seeking comment on the existing rules governing Internet service providers' practices. (WC Docket No. 17-108)."

Current FCC Chairman: Ajit Pai serves with Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and Commissioner Michael O'Rielly. There are two vacancies on the FCC, who will be appointed by President Trump and confirmed by the United States Senate for five-year terms. The U.S. President also designates one of the commissioners to serve as chairman (in this case President Trump has already so designated Ajit Pai).


Public Notice: Sunshine Period in the Restoring Internet Freedom Proceeding Begins

Circulation Document (pdf)

To file a comment go to: https://dearfcc.org/  (Note: dearFCC.org will hold your comments, and submit them when the record opens.)

 

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DISCLAIMER

2017-04-17

Qorvo $QRVO Solving RF Complexity: Eric Creviston at MWC 2017 (video)

Solving RF Complexity™: Eric Creviston Explains How at MWC 2017

Video above published Mar 29, 2017: Eric Creviston, President of Mobile Products, Qorvo, Inc.--domain: qorvo.com-- speaks to GSMA at MWC 2017 about the RF challenges facing handset OEMs, Qorvo’s broad product portfolio that solves the toughest RF problems and defining what’s possible for 5G.  Note: RF = radio frequency

$QRVO up 45.21% since Apr 18, 2016
Stock exchange & symbol  |  NASDAQ: QRVO
Headquarters: Greensboro, NC
Founded: 2015
Subsidiaries: TriQuint Semiconductor, GreenPeak Technologies, More

Qorvo is a US-based semiconductor company that designs, manufactures, and supplies radio-frequency systems and solutions for applications that drive wireless and broadband communications, as well as foundry services.

ref. Marketwatch.com, infra
Stock-picking fund managers double down on economic growth | MarketWatch.com 29 Mar 2017: "Compared with the 5% gain in the S&P 500 index SPX, +0.16%  over the past three months, the tech sector has gained 11%."


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DISCLAIMER

2017-04-05

LIVE Hearing Replay: Facilitating the 21st Century Wireless Economy

Facilitating the 21st Century Wireless Economy Hearing:

US Congressional Subcommittee Hearing Scheduled for Apr 5, 2017, 10:00 AM EDT
(Editor's note: several subcommittee members spent the first part of the hearing disagreeing about the recent repeal of internet privacy protections for consumers.)

Facilitating the 21st Century Wireless Economy | Energy and Commerce Committee

Subcommittee: Communications and Technology (115th Congress) (members)

Subcommittee Leadership:

Witnesses:

Mr. Scott Bergmann

Mr. Jared Carlson

Ms. Jennifer Manner


Mr. Dave Wright


Text of Legislation
S.19, To provide opportunities for broadband investment, and for other purposes.

Hearing Notice (pdf)

Hearing Memo (pdf) (embed below)

5G spectrum

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DISCLAIMER

2015-07-20

Internet Broadband Affordability Map, A Global Digital Divide

Global Map of Internet Broadband Affordabiity
Internet Broadband Affordabiity Map, A Global Digital Divide - source: Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford
This work is licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0.
The above Oxford Internet Institute (OII) map presents an overview of broadband Internet affordability, as the relationship between average yearly income per capita and the cost of a broadband subscription.

Data: The map uses the “Fixed (wired)-broadband monthly subscription charge, in USD” indicator published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in the 17th edition of the World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, using 2011 data--the most recent information available for this indicator in the dataset. The ITU defines the indicator as the following: “Fixed (wired)-broadband monthly subscription charge refers to the monthly subscription charge for fixed (wired)-broadband Internet service. Fixed (wired) broadband is considered to be any dedicated connection to the Internet at downstream speeds equal to, or greater than, 256 kbit/s. If several offers are available, preference should be given to the 256 kbit/s connection.”

The data also refers to the monthly cost of the cheapest entry-level subscription in any place. These values have been multiplied by twelve to obtain a yearly cost, and weighted over the gross national income per capita (Atlas method, current USD) data available from the World Bank, referring to the same year (2011). The graph on the lower-left corner illustrates the evolution of the cost of broadband over time.

Findings: This visualization speaks to one of the core themes of the global digital divide: the relative cost of being connected to the Internet. The price of a broadband connection in most parts of Africa is out of reach for people on average incomes. Africans need to pay ten times as much of their salary (if looking at the ratio of income to connectivity costs) for broadband as people in the rest of the world.

A monthly broadband subscription costs about 60 USD both in Australia and Mozambique. However, while the average yearly gross income in Australia is around 50,000 USD, the same figure in Mozambique is less than 500 USD. This means that while an average worker in Australia could pay for a year’s worth of connectivity with one week’s salary, a Mozambican worker would need over one and a half year’s salary. The average cost of an African Internet connection is now half of what it was four years ago, thanks to a series of cables laid around the African continent in 2009. Kenya and Nigeria, for instance, have 2011 broadband costs that are respectively 21% and 8% of what they were in 2008. These changes have undoubtedly contributed to the significant growth in the number of Internet users seen by both countries. The most striking drop in broadband cost has been observed in Burkina Faso, which has gone from over 1,700 USD a month to a most reasonable 55 USD (which still, however, represents 100% of the salary of an average worker).

Eritrea is the country where the Internet is least affordable. A yearly subscription there is the equivalent of almost fifty year’s worth of an average salary: an entire life of work! Over 18 countries still face costs of Internet subscriptions higher than the average income, including 14 Sub-Saharan African countries, the landlocked countries of Afghanistan and Tajikistan, and the islands of Kiribati and Solomon Islands. A broadband Internet connection cost over 500 USD a month in the Central African Republic, Guinea, Malawi, and Swaziland, as well as in Cuba, where, according to the ITU, 1,700 USD was still not enough to buy a subscription.

India and Sri Lanka have the cheapest broadband access prices, where access can be obtained for as little as 6 USD a month. Europe and North America have higher absolute costs, ranging between about 10 and 40 USD a month, but have some of the lowest relative costs in the world: with a couple of hours of work a month being sufficient for an average worker to afford the cost of connectivity.

Without the ability and means to connect, opportunities, information, and communication made possible by the Internet remain "out of reach."(Source: Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford under CC BY-NC 3.0)

Conclusion: if you are trying to establish a viable market for domain names in an area where internet is not affordable--examples: Africa, Cuba, and areas of the developing world--good luck! 

See also:

2015-04-09

Europe, Digital Single Market, Geo-Blocking, Geo-gating

UPDATE: see Domain Mondo | European Commission Unveils Digital Single Market Strategy

"Geo-Blocking (Geographically Blocked), is a term which refers to "the practice of preventing users from viewing Web sites and downloading applications and media based on location. Used by national governments to block foreign material as well as by movie and TV studios to restrict viewing to specific regions, geo-blocking is accomplished by excluding targeted, IP addresses ... Geo-blocking or geo-gating is a boundary protection practice to secure online data from unauthorized geographic regions. To geo-block, network administrators use devices such as firewalls and intrusion prevention systems to filter Internet Protocol (IP addresses) from blacklisted areas and deny the IPs request to data...." (source: Wikipedia)

UPDATE April 21, 2015: Leaked digital single market’s ‘evidence file’ reveals Commission’s ambitions – POLITICO: Leaked copies of the upcoming Digital Single Market Strategy and its supporting Evidence file show the European Commission is ready to propose vast regulatory reforms that could affect everything from sales taxes and e-privacy to Internet searches and big data.... (read more at Politico link above, including the leaked Digital Single Market Evidence and the leaked Digital Single Market Strategy.)

Digital Single Market | Digital Agenda for Europe | European Commission: "With the internet revolution, the global economy is becoming more and more digital. This means that the freedoms of the European single market have to also go digital. Our vision is to create a Digital Single Market. This will be an area where the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is ensured; where citizens and businesses can easily access and exercise online activities under conditions of fair competition, regardless of their nationality or place of residence. And what do we need to make this vision true?
  • We need to be able to enjoy the same online content and services regardless of which EU country we are in,
  • we need the opportunity to set up a business (virtually) and offer services in any EU country easily,
  • we need simple, clear rules for copyright, so we know where we - and our businesses - stand,
  • we need assurance that our personal data is protected at all times,
  • we need reliable, high speed broadband, including in rural areas."
The European Commission 2007 antitrust investigation of Apple’s iTunes music service over geo-blocking ended quietly when Brussels had to admit that European national (territorial) copyright laws make it difficult for Apple to offer the same songs to consumers in every market. (source Wall Street Journal, infra)
The Digital Market in Europe today is made up of by national online services (39%) and US-based online services (57%) -- EU cross-border online services represent only 4%.

Europe’s Digital Single Mistake - WSJ: "Brussels has long used antitrust cases to achieve policy outcomes it can’t achieve otherwise, and so it is with the European Commission’s new plan to create a “digital single market,” or DSM. Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager announced last week that she will conduct a wide-ranging inquiry into why cross-border e-commerce isn’t more common in the single market. In her telling, around half of Europeans shopped online last year but only 15% bought something online from a seller in another EU state. The supposed culprit is the practice of “geo-blocking,” in which firms set different prices, or make products unavailable entirely, for consumers in different countries or regions. Likely targets of the inquiry include Netflix and Amazon...."

Pillar I: Digital Single Market | Digital Agenda for Europe | European Commission: "Too many barriers still block the free flow of online services and entertainment across national borders. The Digital Agenda will update EU Single Market rules for the digital era. The aims are to boost the music download business, establish a single area for online payments, and further protect EU consumers in cyberspace. Creating a connected digital single market is one of the ten priorities from the President-elect Jean-Claude Juncker. Its completion could generate up to EUR 250 billion of additional growth in Europe in the course of the mandate of the new Commission (2014-2019), thereby creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs, notably for young job-seekers, and a vibrant knowledge-based society. Andrus Ansip is the Vice-President for the Digital Single Market: read his mission letter. (More on the background analysis and data) ..."

see also:
Digital Single Market - European Commission


EU Commission priority – digital single market - European Commission 25/03/2015 - Press release
Digital Single Market Strategy: European Commission agrees areas for action 25/03/2015 - Factsheet: Why we need a Digital Single Market(519 kB) The borderless nature of digital technologies means it no longer makes sense for each EU country to have its own rules for telecommunications services, copyright, data protection, or the management of radio spectrum. More importantly, we now face a golden opportunity. By fostering a Digital Single Market, we can create up to €340 billion in additional growth, hundreds of thousands of new jobs, and a vibrant knowledge-based society. Our vision is of a Digital Single Market: making the EU's single market freedoms "go digital", and boosting growth and jobs on our continent. Objectives Rapidly concluding negotiations on common EU data protection rules. Giving more ambition to the ongoing reform of telecoms rules. Modifying copyright rules to reflect new technologies, and to make them simpler and clearer. Simplifying consumer rules for online purchases. Making it easier for innovators to start their own company. Boosting digital skills and learning. Enjoying the same online content and services regardless of the EU country we are in. More information Digital Single Market - Digital Agenda for Europe Full text from President Juncker's Political Guidelines(2 MB)


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