Don't forget to check out http://www.auda.org.au/domain-news/ for the archive of the last 3 months of the news. And see my website - http://GoldsteinReport.com/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** The domain name news is supported by auDA *************************************************** Control of internet will stifle innovation, says expert http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/article2854608.ece ICANN: We're improving Internet domain space by Rod Beckstrom http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/story/2012-02-01/ICANN-Rod-Beckstrom/52922786/1 Editorial: ICANN expanding websites to 1,000 dot-anythings http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/story/2012-02-01/ICANN-expanding-domain-names/52922824/1 .COM Passes 100 Million Registration Mark in January http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/02/03/com-passes-100-million-registration-mark-in-january/ WIPO: Trademark Rights Protection Mechanisms for New gTLDs http://wipo.int/amc/en/domains/rpm/ Demand for new internet domains strong [AAP] http://www.tradingroom.com.au/apps/view_breaking_news_article.ac?page=/data/news_research/published/2012/2/33/catf_120202_134000_6853.html Key Internet operator VeriSign hit by hackers http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/02/us-hacking-verisign-idUSTRE8110Z820120202 Verisign Clarifies Hacking Reports - DNS Not Compromised http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7698 Netfleet recovers from database breach http://www.zdnet.com.au/netfleet-recovers-from-database-breach-339330885.htm Netfleet Hacked http://www.esecurityplanet.com/hackers/netfleet-hacked.html US Authorities Seize Another 307 Domain Names In Counterfeit Goods Sweep http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7686 Sedo Study Shows $17m Drop In 2011 Sales http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/02/05/sedo-study-shows-17m-drop-in-2011-sales/ ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** Control of internet will stifle innovation, says expert No single country can dictate laws on the internet as control stifles innovation. The internet is a multi-stakeholder platform and not for any single government to control, Olivier Leblond, chair, At-large Advisory Committee (ALAC) of ICANN, the non-profit organisation responsible for management of domain name and IP address spaces, said here on Tuesday. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/article2854608.ece http://www.mynews.in/News/control_of_internet_will_stifle_innovation_says_expert_N427804.html US memo: ITU's Dubai meeting not likely to affect Internet Governance by Milton Mueller A memo from the US government dated January 23, 2012, makes it clear that the ITU World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12) to be held in Dubai this December poses little threat of a "takeover" of the Internet by intergovernmental institutions. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2012/1/30/4988735.html ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** Making IPv6 the New Normal - World IPv6 Launch on 6 June 2012 A year ago today ICANN allocated the last five IPv4 address blocks to the five Regional Internet Registries in a ceremony with leaders from the Internet Architecture Board and the Internet Society. The use of the next generation of Internet addressing ? IPv6 ? has been steadily growing in that year and that's a good thing, because IPv6 is how the Internet will continue to serve as a platform for innovation and economic development. http://www.icann.org/ Pre-Costa Rica ICANN Policy Update Webinar Invitation Whether you plan to participate in the upcoming ICANN meeting in Costa Rica remotely or in person, you're invited to a quick reminder of the background and current status of each major policy issue currently under discussion in ICANN. http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-03feb12-en.htm ICANN Seeks Evaluators for the Support Applicant Review Panel (SARP) - Request for Expressions of Interest (EOI) ICANN is seeking individuals to serve on the Support Applicant Review Panel (SARP), an important component of the New gTLD Applicant Support Program that seeks to serve the global public interest by ensuring worldwide accessibility to, and competition within, the New gTLD Program. Panelists will be responsible for evaluating and scoring applications for financial assistance. http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-3-03feb12-en.htm Interim Report Significantly Interested Parties Purpose (Brief): This Interim Report reflects the concensus position of the WG members on the issues and recommendations for interpreting current policy and guidelines pertaining to obtaining and documenting support for delegation and re-delegation requests from Significantly Interested Parties. http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-03feb12-en.htm Letter from Rod Beckstrom to Hon. Amy Klobuchar and Hon. Kelly Ayotte, U.S. Senate Letter regarding the New gTLD Program http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/beckstrom-to-klobuchar-02feb12-en.pdf Letter from Rod Beckstrom to Hon. Fred Upton, U.S. House of Representatives Letter regarding the New gTLD Program http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/beckstrom-to-klobuchar-02feb12-en.pdf Letter from Hon. Patrick Leahy, Hon. Charles E. Grassley, Hon.Lamar Smith, Hon. John Conyers, Jr., U.S. Congress, to Rod Beckstrom Letter regarding the New gTLD Program http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/beckstrom-to-leahy-02feb12-en.pdf ICANN: We're improving Internet domain space by Rod Beckstrom If Internet users understand only one thing about the new domain-name program, it should be this: It will create space on the Internet that is more secure than what exists today. http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/story/2012-02-01/ICANN-Rod-Beckstrom/52922786/1 Editorial: ICANN expanding websites to 1,000 dot-anythings Internet users are familiar with the handful of helpful names ? the dot-coms, the dot-orgs and dot-govs ? that proclaim a website's general category. There are just 22 such "gTLDs," as the suffixes to the right of the dot are known, and it took two decades to carefully develop them. http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/story/2012-02-01/ICANN-expanding-domain-names/52922824/1 ICANN loses the US media over new gTLD program It's official: ICANN has lost the US media over its flagship new gTLD program, with USA Today joining the New York Times and the Washington Post in publishing a damning editorial. http://news.dot-nxt.com/2012/02/03/icann-loses-us-media Comment Period for ICANN Board Seat 9 Election Consistent with the ASO Memorandum of Understanding and ICANN Bylaws, the Address Supporting Organization Address Council (ASO AC) is responsible for the appointment of a representative to serve on Seat Number 9 of the ICANN Board. http://www.nro.net/news/comment-period-icann-board-seat-9-2012 ICANN board seat up for reelection ICANN?s Address Supporting Organization has kicked off an election for one of its two official representatives on the ICANN board of directors. http://domainincite.com/icann-board-seat-up-for-reelection/ ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** .com passed 100 million mark in October Verisign?s .com registry passed the 100 million domains under management milestone in October, the company?s monthly ICANN registry report revealed today. http://domainincite.com/com-passed-100-million-mark-in-october/ .COM Passes 100 Million Registration Mark in January There are now more than 100 million .COM domain names according to separate statistics revealed by RegistrarStats and HosterStats. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=16881 http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/02/03/com-passes-100-million-registration-mark-in-january/ Registration of domains in Estonia reached the level of Finland At the beginning of 2012 the per capita number of registration of the .EE domains in Estonia reached the level of registration of the Finnish national domain .FI, i.e. per 1,000 residents both countries use 50 national domains. http://www.internet.ee/eng/news/registration-of-domains-in-estonia-reached-the-level-of-finland Ghana to run .gh domain namespace The National Information Technology Agency (NITA), the Information Technology Implementing Agency of the Ministry of Communications has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ghana Dot Com, a successor company of Network Computer Systems Limited. http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=229215 http://www.businessghana.com/portal/news/index.php?op=getNews&news_cat_id=&id=159711 http://vibeghana.com/2012/02/03/ghana-to-run-gh-domain-namespace/ no: Phasing out paper documents Starting on 1 February, declarations for domain deletion and change of holder, are being phased out. For you as a domain holder, this means a simpler and swifter processing of your transactions. http://www.norid.no/nytt/papirerklaringer-ut.en.html http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7720 http://www.domainnews.com/en/norid-phasing-out-paper-documents-for-no.html Link as you speak! rs/???: As of 27 January website owners in Serbia and the Diaspora can register the Cyrillic domain .??? as well. During the first six months, only the owners of existing or newly registered .RS domain names will be eligible to register .??? domain names at a special price. After this period, anyone will be able to register Cyrillic domain names, regardless of whether they have a specific .RS domain name or not. http://www.rnids.rs/en/what-s-new/link-as-you-speak!/id/3466 ru: The new issue of The CC?s Bulletin "The Runet Evolution Rating" "The Runet Evolution Rating", the new issue of the CC?s analytical Bulletin, has come out. This issue highlights main development trends and indices of the Internet in Russia in 2011. http://cctld.ru/en/news/news_detail.php?ID=3439 ********************** - NEW TLDS ********************** WIPO: Trademark Rights Protection Mechanisms for New gTLDs For ICANN?s New gTLD Program, a range of ?Rights Protection Mechanisms? (RPMs) has been established. Prior to any new gTLDs being approved and becoming operational, these new gTLD RPMs include pre-delegation objection procedures described in more detail on the Center?s dedicated portal: Legal Rights Objections under ICANN?s New gTLD Program ? Filing a Legal Rights Objection at WIPO: What You Need To Know. http://wipo.int/amc/en/domains/rpm/ WIPO: Legal Rights Objections under ICANN's New gTLD Program The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center has been appointed by ICANN as the exclusive provider of dispute resolution services for trademark based ?pre-delegation? Legal Rights Objections under ICANN?s New gTLD Program. This mechanism forms part of the available Trademark Rights Protection Mechanisms for New gTLDs. http://wipo.int/amc/en/domains/lro/ Webinar: Understanding .brand for your business ARI Registry Services, a leading global provider of technical services for new TLDs, will host a special free webinar this Tuesday 7 February highlighting the implications of .brand for the corporate world. http://www.ariservices.com/news-webinar_understanding_.brand_for_your_business.php http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/02/04/ari-webinar-understanding-brand-for-your-business/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/ari-webinar-understanding-brand-for-your-business.html WIPO Provides New Top-Level Domain Resources for Rights Holders Courtesy of Brian Beckham from the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center in Geneva, here are a few important links with information that may be helpful for rights holders with ICANN?s New gTLD program now launched and accepting applications: https://www.markmonitor.com/mmblog/wipo-provides-new-top-level-domain-resources-for-rights-holders/ ANA To ICANN: Offer "Do Not Sell" A coalition of 166 companies and industry groups notified ICANN of their strong support for a ?Do Not Sell? registry as part of ICANN?s TLD expansion program. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/167203/ana-to-icann-offer-do-not-sell.html .sas could be the first contested dot-brand gTLD Scandinavian Airlines System Group is to apply to ICANN for a gTLD, .sas, in what could turn out to be the first example of a contested dot-brand. http://domainincite.com/another-dot-brand-confirmed-sas/ Singapore's StarHub to Apply For .STARHUB TLD The Singaporean communications company StarHub has become the sixth company to publicly announce they will be applying to ICANN for their TLD, joining organisations such as Unicef, Deloitte, Neustar, Canon, Hitachi and possibly even IBM. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=16877 http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/02/02/singapores-starhub-to-apply-for-starhub-tld/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/singapores-starhub-to-apply-for-starhub-tld.html StarHub?s domain name purchase sparks TLD debate News that quad-play operator StarHub has splashed out the upfront US$185,000 on TLD .starhub has sparked debate about TLDs as a marketing tool. http://www.campaignasia.com/Article/289055,starhub8217s-domain-name-purchase-sparks-tld-debate.aspx 21 top level domains secured in first week ARI Registry Services, formerly AusRegistry International, has signed 21 contracts for new TLDs in the first week of applications opening, with .brand TLDs proving the most popular. http://www.cio.com.au/article/414149/21_top_level_domains_secured_first_week/ http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/414149/21_top_level_domains_secured_first_week/ Demand for new internet domains strong [AAP] Demand for new internet domain name suffixes is very strong, says one of the companies handling a flood of requests from firms eager for a change. http://www.tradingroom.com.au/apps/view_breaking_news_article.ac?page=/data/news_research/published/2012/2/33/catf_120202_134000_6853.html http://finance.ninemsn.com.au/newsbusiness/aap/8412844/demand-for-new-internet-domains-strong http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/business/a/-/tech/12791875/demand-for-new-domain-names-strong/ ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Key Internet operator VeriSign hit by hackers VeriSign Inc, the company in charge of delivering people safely to more than half the world's websites, has been hacked repeatedly by outsiders who stole undisclosed information from the leading Internet infrastructure company. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/02/us-hacking-verisign-idUSTRE8110Z820120202 Verisign Statement on 2010 Security Breach As disclosed in an SEC filing in October 2011, parts of Verisign's non-production corporate network were penetrated. After a thorough analysis of the attacks, Verisign stated in 2011, and reaffirms, that we do not believe that the operational integrity of the DNS was compromised. http://www.verisigninc.com/en_US/news-events/press-room/articles/index.xhtml?artLink=aHR0cHM6Ly9wcmVzcy52ZXJpc2lnbi5jb20vZWFzeWlyL2N1c3RvbXJlbC5kbz9lYXN5aXJpZD1BRkMwRkYwREI1QzU2MEQzJnZlcnNpb249bGl2ZSZwcmlkPTg0Nzg2OSZyZWxlYXNlanNwPWN1c3RvbV85Nw%3D%3D Verisign Clarifies Hacking Reports - DNS Not Compromised Verisign has sought to clarify recent reports that came to light following a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing that they were hacked back in 2010, saying that the Domain Name System was not compromised. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=16891 http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7698 Verisign: our DNS was not hacked Verisign today reiterated that the recently revealed 2010 security breaches on its corporate network did not affect its production domain name system services. http://domainincite.com/verisign-our-dns-was-not-hacked/ VeriSign Hit Repeatedly By Hackers...In 2010 The company responsible for delivering people safely to more than half the world?s websites turns out to have some pretty glaring security holes itself. VeriSign has been hacked repeatedly by hackers who made off with data that the internet infrastructure company has not disclosed. http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/02/02/verisign-hit-repeatedly-by-hackers-in-2010/ VeriSign admits multiple hacks in 2010, keeps details under wraps VeriSign, the company responsible for guiding most of the world's Internet users to the correct websites and once the largest encryption certificate issuing authority, has acknowledged that it was successfully hacked several times in 2010. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223936/VeriSign_admits_multiple_hacks_in_2010_keeps_details_under_wraps http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/414255/verisign_admits_multiple_hacks_2010_keeps_details_under_wraps/ http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/249232/verisign_admits_multiple_hacks_in_2010_keeps_details_under_wraps.html VeriSign, maintainer of net's DNS, warns it was repeatedly hacked VeriSign, the company that manages a key internet database for routing traffic to websites and email addresses, exposed private information after being hacked on multiple occasions in 2010, the company quietly disclosed late last year. http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2012/02/verisign-maintainter-of-nets-dns-was-repeatedly-hacked.ars VeriSign and Blacknight Hit By Hackers Two leading domain name companies have been subject to hacking. Verisign, responsible for the .COM and .NET TLDs and other internet infrastructure, has been hacked repeatedly by outsiders who stole undisclosed information Reuters reports. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=16889 http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7689 http://www.domainnews.com/en/verisign-and-blacknight-hit-by-hackers.html Hackers stole data from Verisign, Blacknight Hackers broke into Verisign?s corporate network and made out with sensitive data, it emerged today. http://domainincite.com/hackers-stole-data-from-verisign-blacknight/ Inquiry into security breach at Blacknight INTERNET HOSTING company Blacknight is investigating a security breach that could have put clients? personal details at risk. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2012/0203/1224311172018.html SWITCH offering an online check for DNS-Changer malware Internet users in Switzerland and Liechtenstein will do well to check their PC on the dnscheck.ch website before 8 March 2012. If a PC is infected with the "DNSChanger" malware, it will no longer be able to access the Internet as of 8 March 2012. http://www.switch.ch/about/news/2012/dnscheck.html Labs Publish Application for Security Teams The CZ.NIC Laboratories have published a new web application for managing threats related to the DNS system: the Malicious Domain Manager, released as open source software. http://www.nic.cz/page/1003/labs-publish-application-for-security-teams/ Netfleet recovers from database breach Domain name trading company Netfleet has been able to bring its website back up with minimal disruption following a security breach that occurred yesterday. http://www.zdnet.com.au/netfleet-recovers-from-database-breach-339330885.htm Netfleet Hacked The hackers may have accessed customers' names, e-mail addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers and encrypted credit card numbers. http://www.esecurityplanet.com/hackers/netfleet-hacked.html Internet security: Once more unto the breach Verisign is the Rolls-Royce of internet-security, a byword for integrity and assurance. Alongside its corporate domain-registry business, the internet-services firm offers protection against distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, in which zombie PC armies conscripted by malware clog up websites of corporations and other institutions. http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2012/02/internet-security INTERPOL Set To Open Global Cybercrime Center In 2014 One of the many challenges faced by law enforcement worldwide in investigating cybercrime cases is the ability to efficiently share intelligence among different nations and to disseminate it to the appropriate local police units. http://www.darkreading.com/advanced-threats/167901091/security/news/232600267/interpol-set-to-open-global-cybercrime-center-in-2014.html Disagreements on cyber risk East-West "Cold War" With worries growing over computer hacking, data theft and the risk of digital attacks destroying essential systems, western states and their allies are co-operating closer than ever on cyber security. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/02/03/oukin-uk-technology-cyber-idUKTRE8121E720120203 http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/02/03/technology-cyber-idINDEE8120GU20120203 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/03/cyber-security-risk_n_1252889.html uk: MPs call for media campaign to raise awareness of cybercrime MPs have urged the UK government to launch a major publicity campaign to help people protect themselves from online crime. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/feb/02/mps-media-campaign-awareness-cybercrime uk: MPs: Police need to learn about e-crime Official efforts to fight online crime are pitched at too high a level? at gangs and terrorists ? to help people with the everyday e-crimes that affect them, a Commons committee has said, urging more investment in education http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/security-threats/2012/02/02/mps-police-need-to-learn-about-e-crime-40094966/ us: Half of Fortune 500 firms infected with DNS Changer Half of all Fortune 500 companies and major U.S. government agencies own computers infected with the "DNS Changer" malware that redirects users to fake websites and puts organizations at risk of information theft, a security company said today. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223941/Half_of_Fortune_500_firms_infected_with_DNS_Changer us: Feds not authorized to deal with electric grid disruptions The federal government does not have the legal authority to contain computer network meltdowns capable of roiling society and will not obtain that power until at least 2013, said a cybersecurity researcher who advises Congress and the Obama administration. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20120202_9123.php F.B.I. Admits Hacker Group?s Eavesdropping The international hackers group known as Anonymous turned the tables on the F.B.I. by listening in on a conference call last month between the bureau, Scotland Yard and other foreign police agencies about their joint investigation of the group and its allies. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/04/us/fbi-admits-hacker-groups-eavesdropping.html ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Special agents and officers seize more than $4.8 million in fake NFL merchandise and seize 307 websites during 'Operation Fake Sweep' [news release] Speaking at a National Football League (NFL) news conference on Thursday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Director of Field Operations in Chicago David Murphy and NFL Vice President for Legal Affairs Anastasia Danias announced the record-breaking results of a nationwide enforcement operation targeting stores, flea markets and street vendors selling counterfeit game-related sportswear throughout the country. ... Website seizures: Furthering HSI efforts to combat counterfeiting and piracy online, special agents seized a total of 307 websites. Sixteen of the sites illegally streamed live sporting telecasts over the Internet, including NFL games. Two hundred ninety-one website domain names were illegally selling and distributing counterfeit merchandise. http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1202/120202indianapolis.htm US Authorities Seize Another 307 Domain Names In Counterfeit Goods Sweep A nationwide enforcement operation called Operation Fake Sweep that targeted stores, flea markets and street vendors selling counterfeit game-related sportswear throughout the country and also targeted illegal counterfeit imports into the United States, saw hundreds of websites seized that were engaged in counterfeiting and piracy online. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=16888 http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7686 http://www.domainnews.com/en/us-authorities-seize-another-307-domain-names-in-counterfeit-goods-sweep.html us: Feds seize 307 sports-related domains in advance of Super Bowl Federal authorities said Thursday they had seized and shuttered 307 domains, 16 allegedly engaged in unauthorized live sports streaming and the remainder accused of selling fake professional sports merchandise, including National Football League paraphernalia. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/02/feds-seize-307-sports-related-domains-in-advance-of-super-bowl.ars Feds Seize Sports Streaming Domains in New Super Bowl Crackdown In a new round of seizures the US authorities have taken control of domain names belonging to several popular sports streaming sites including Firstrowsports.tv, Firstrowsports.com and Soccertvlive.net. All affected sites now redirect to a notice from DOJ/ICE. In common with last year?s campaign, the new round of seizures appears to be part of another ?Super Bowl Crackdown? targeting sites that link to unauthorized sports streams. http://torrentfreak.com/feds-seize-sports-streaming-domains-in-new-super-bowl-crackdown-120202/ Is MySace.com Worth Twelve Years in Prison? Things could be about to get real for Filipino cybersquatters. The Filipino Senate recently passed the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. While still awaiting passage in the Filipino House of Representatives, the proposed legislation criminalizes cybersquatting, making it a "punishable act." Those found guilty could face six to twelve years in prison, a fine of up to 500,000 Philippine pesos (the equivalent of about $11,600), or both. http://www.domainnamestrategy.com/2012/01/31/mysacecom-worth-twelve-years-prison Police revoke demand to block domain name ex.ua The Pechersk district office of the main department of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry has revoked its demand to freeze the domain name ex.ua, reads a statement posted on the ex.ua page on Facebook. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/121700/ Registrar Of .Ua Domain Name Unblocks Ex.Ua File-Sharing Website?s Domain Name The Internet-Invest company, which is the registrar of .ua domain names, has unblocked the domain name of the ex.ua file-sharing website. http://un.ua/eng/article/373414.html .RU: From Russia Without Love The Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI) is reporting that the Russian Ninth Commercial Court of Appeals will hear an appeal from Tissot, the luxury Swiss watchmaker and member of the Swatch Group, over Holmrook Limited's use of the ?Tissot? trademark and the domain name Tissot.ru. http://www.domainnamestrategy.com/2012/02/03/ru-russia-without-love au:Stardoll AB v. Domain Folio 1 Pty Ltd - Case No. DAU2011-0038 1. The Parties: The Complainant is Stardoll AB of Stromsund, Sweden, represented by Domain and Intellectual Property Consultants, DIPCON AB, Sweden. The Respondent is Domain Folio 1 Pty Ltd of Camberwell Victoria, Australia. 2. The Domain Name and Registrar: The disputed domain name <stardoll.com.au> is registered with Drop.com.au Pty Ltd. ... 7. Decision: For the foregoing reasons, in accordance with Paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the disputed domain name <stardoll.com.au> be transferred to the Complainant. http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/text.jsp?case=DAU2011-0038 ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** No Big Run on IPv4 in 2011 by Daniel Karrenberg 2011 was an interesting year for IPv4: in February 2011, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) handed out their last free IPv4 address blocks to the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs). In April 2011, the APNIC (the Regional Internet Registry for the Asia Pacific region) started allocating from its last /8. At the RIPE NCC we did not see a big jump in IPv4 address allocations in 2011, as anticipated by some observers. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20120203_no_big_run_on_ipv4_in_2011/ ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Censorship, fundamental rights and the DNS (part 1) It seems clear to me that the next field of engagement over fundamental rights is going to involve the Domain Name System. The recent skirmishes over SOPA (the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act, recently holed below the waterline by Pres. Obama) seems to confirm this. http://nigel.je/2012/02/censorship-fundamental-rights-and-the-dns-part-1/ Legal Perspective on Transfers and Bankruptcy Court Proceedings in the ARIN Region Please see the following article for a legal perspective on transfers within the ARIN region related to bankruptcy court proceedings: https://www.arin.net/announcements/2012/20120203_legal.html KeyDrive Acquires Moniker and SnapNames from Oversee.net KeyDrive, a Luxembourg- and German-based company providing domain registration, monetisation and aftermarket services has acquired the Moniker and SnapNames business units of Oversee.net. http://www.domainpulse.com/?p=7692 http://www.domainnews.com/en/keydrive-acquires-moniker-and-snapnames-from-overseenet.html I Wouldn?t Want To Be in The Domain Registrar Business Serving Domain Investors I was going to write this long comment/rant in response to a couple of the comments left in the Moniker sale post, but I believe it merits its own post. I can only imagine the domain registrar business would suck if the primary target audience is domain investors. http://www.elliotsblog.com/i-wouldnt-want-to-be-in-the-domain-registrar-business-serving-domain-investors-4593 ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Sedo Study Shows $17m Drop In 2011 Sales Domain name sales totalled $84,431,965 through Sedo in 2011, the company's 2011 Annual Domain Market Study that includes a review of the fourth quarter. However this was a significant drop on the 2010 calendar year when there was $101,438,953 in sales, a drop of $17,006,988. However it should also be noted that the $13 million sale of sex.com was included in 2010 figures. http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=16908 http://www.domainpulse.com/2012/02/05/sedo-study-shows-17m-drop-in-2011-sales/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/sedo-study-shows-17m-drop-in-2011-sales.html Sedo?s Annual Market Study Finds a Thriving Marketplace & Rise in Alternative TLDs Sedo ... announced the results of its 2011 Annual Domain Market Study with Q4 2011 review, which reveals domain industry trends and changes based on transactions in its marketplace. Sales volume in 2011 totaled $84,431,965, with .co and .me entering the top ten sold TLDs for the very first time, supporting the case for new gTLDs and their potential for success. https://sedo.com/presse/presse.php?tracked=&partnerid=&language=us&id=435 Diversity Reigns on This Week's Domain Sale Chart as 6 ccTLDS and 2 Non .Com gTLDs Join a Dozen .Coms on the Leader Board Diversity was the keyword for week two of the 2012 domain sales season. As usual, the .coms did dominate with a dozen entries on our latest weekly all extension Top 20 Sales Chart, however a half dozen ccTLDs and a pair of non .com gTLDs also elbowed their way onto the elite list. http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2012/20120125.htm Day 2 Photos & Highlights From DOMAINFest Global - Oversee.Net Sells Moniker & SnapNames to KeyDrive The DOMAINFest Global conference continued today at the oceanfront Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, California. In my opening day highlights post yesterday I left off just before a late afternoon panel discussion on Affiliate Lead Generation Best Practices got underway. http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2012/dailyposts/20120201.htm Closing Day Photos & Highlights from DOMAINfest Global in Santa Monica DOMAINfest Global 2012 is now history. The 6th annual show concluded at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, California with a farewell breakfast this morning (Friday, Feb. 3) that followed last night's grand finale at the House of Blues in Hollywood. Before we get to Thursday's closing day photos and highlights, let's pick up where we left off in my last post - near the end of day 2 Wednesday. http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2012/dailyposts/20120203.htm Sedo and Pop.it Helps Customers Access Millions of Previously Registered Domains Sedo ... announced a new partnership with Italian registrar Pop.it that will help business owners and domain investors to search for and purchase already registered domain names directly at Pop.it?s website. https://sedo.com/presse/presse.php?tracked=&partnerid=&language=us&id=438 ********************** REPORTS & RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** An Economic Map of Cybercrime by Jens Grossklags, John Chuang, Chris Jay Hoofnagle, Alfredo Alvarez Cardenas & Svetlana Radosavac [TPRC 2009] Abstract: The rise of cybercrime in the last decade is an economic case of individuals responding to monetary and psychological incentives. Two main drivers for cybercrime can be identified: the potential gains from cyberattacks are increasing with the growth of importance of the Internet, and malefactors' expected costs (e.g., the penalties and the likelihood of being apprehended and prosecuted) are frequently lower compared with traditional crimes. In short, computer-mediated crimes are more convenient, and protable, and less expensive and risky than crimes not mediated by the Internet. The increase in cybercriminal activities, coupled with ineffective legislation and ineffective law enforcement pose critical challenges for maintaining the trust and security of our computer infrastructures. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1997795 Catching Digital Pirates: The Witch Hunt of the 21st Century by Colin Fowler, University of Tulsa Abstract: This article discusses how innocent people can become embroiled in lawsuits brought by copyright holders, often porn producers, ostensibly aimed at stopping piracy but which really seem intended to extract quick settlements. This trend of case filings occur where copyright owners have attempted to identify large quantities of unknown users of file sharing software that pirate the copyrighted works over the Internet. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1989268 Blocking Web Sites ? Experiences from Finland by Marcus Norrg?rd, Hanken School of Economics Abstract: The article presents and discusses 'injunctions to discontinue,' i.e. injunctions against Internet Access Providers blocking access to websites in cases of alleged copyright infringements, from the point of view of Finnish legislation and case law (for example IFPI v. Elisa (concerning blocking access to The Pirate Bay). http://ssrn.com/abstract=1997103 ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** London Olympics could crash the internet, Cabinet Office warns British businesses are being warned that they could lose their internet connections during the Olympics due to a surge in the number of people going online at key times. The demand could be such that internet companies might be forced to ration access, according to official advice. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/feb/05/london-olympics-crash-internet ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Social media aids diplomacy, disaster response U.S. embassies used to pass important security alerts to Americans abroad through word of mouth, Janice Jacobs, assistant secretary of State for consular affairs, said Friday. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20120203_7754.php Facebook Members Get More Than They Give Most Facebook users get more from their "friends" on the social network than they give to their friends, according to a first-of-its-kind study released Friday by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. http://www.pcworld.com/article/249262/facebook_members_get_more_than_they_give.html Why most Facebook users get more than they give Overview: Most Facebook users receive more from their Facebook friends than they give, according to a new study that for the first time combines server logs of Facebook activity with survey data to explore the structure of Facebook friendship networks and measures of social well-being. http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Facebook-users.aspx A Love-Hate Relationship With Facebook As Facebook reportedly prepared to head to Wall Street on Wednesday, a new survey has revealed the extent of young people?s emotional dependency on social networking and the Internet. http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/01/a-love-hate-relationship-with-facebook/ Analysis: Facebook's daunting Asian challenge Facebook aims to connect all two billion Internet users. So far it has captured 845 million of them. Of the rest, nearly 60 percent live in Asia and hooking them is going to be a daunting challenge. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/02/02/us-facebook-asia-idUKTRE8110YC20120202 Race to win cyber world [The Times] Until recently, life in cyberspace was neat and simple. Each of the "fab four" US tech firms played a distinct role. Google first helped us to find stuff and then communicate with its Gmail services. Amazon sold us stuff, first books and then pretty much everything. Facebook let us find out whether our friends were :-) or :-(. Apple sold pretty devices for listening to songs and watching films. Each of these companies was happy doing its own thing and left the others alone. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/race-to-win-cyber-world/story-e6frg6z6-1226263165917 Bing - Which Has Deals With Facebook and Twitter - Finally Speaks on Social Search Controversy While Google has endured criticism for biasing Google+ content in its new ?Search Plus Your World? features, Bing has been surprisingly shy about pressing its social search advantage. Especially considering how much Microsoft usually likes to publicly poke Google. http://allthingsd.com/20120203/bing-which-has-deals-with-facebook-and-twitter-finally-speaks-on-social-search-controversy/ Austrian Law Student Faces Down Facebook As Wall Street prepares for a record, multibillion-dollar initial stock sale from Facebook, the social networking site, a meeting with the potential to shape the economics of the deal was set to take place Monday in Vienna. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/06/technology/06iht-rawdata06.html Facebook malware scam takes hold [IDG] A "worrying number" of Facebook users are sharing a link to a malware-laden fake CNN news page reporting the U.S. has attacked Iran and Saudi Arabia, security firm Sophos said Friday. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223976/Facebook_malware_scam_takes_hold Hitwise: 1 in 5 U.S. pageviews belong to Facebook Yesterday Facebook gave the world its biggest inside peek into the company's inner workings, and the number crunching is far from over. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57370786-93/hitwise-1-in-5-u.s-pageviews-belong-to-facebook/ nz: Facebook shares its big secrets ... But the Facebook story, brought to the screen in the Oscar-nominated film The Social Network, showed how much money could be made from a successful online enterprise, said Vikram Kumar, head of internetNZ. "Facebook is about the best story you can get." http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10783073 ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Netbooks plummet while tablets and smartphones soar, says Canalys Stick a fork in it: the netbook is done, with sales falling by 25% in the past year while smartphones and tablets are invading the computing space, according to new figures from the research company Canalys. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2012/feb/03/netbooks-pc-canalys-tablet ********************************* CHILD PROTECTION & ONLINE SAFETY ********************************* Girlhood threatened by terrors of the web LOG OFF your daughters. Keeping teenage girls off the internet is the basic premise of the latest parenting book to whip up controversy, Girl Land by American essayist Caitlin Flanagan, which will be out in Australia in April. http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/books/girlhood-threatened-by-terrors-of-the-web-20120203-1qxum.html Saferinternet.at goes to Parliament on SID 2012 To discover the digital world together and safely, Saferinternet.at, along with partners, has prepared a handful of events and resources for all generations. Online safety activities with a focus on intergenerational dialogue will continue all through the month of February. That?s why it's called the ?Safer Internet Month of Activity?! http://www.saferinternet.org/web/guest/blog?p_p_id=homeBlog_WAR_insafeportlet&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_pos=2&p_p_col_count=4&_homeBlog_WAR_insafeportlet_action=detail&_homeBlog_WAR_insafeportlet_articleId=312390 INHOPE mobile App launched - Illegal content reporting App for mobile devices The vast majority of new connections to the internet are via mobile devices (approx 300 million in 2010). INHOPE has created 'INHOPE mobile' to enable these users to report illegal content (including Child Sexual Abuse Material) via their mobile devices while online. http://www.saferinternet.org/web/guest/blog?p_p_id=homeBlog_WAR_insafeportlet&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_pos=2&p_p_col_count=4&_homeBlog_WAR_insafeportlet_action=detail&_homeBlog_WAR_insafeportlet_articleId=312564 ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** AOL to transform Huffington Post into an Internet TV network AOL is planning to launch a new streaming video network branded under its Huffington Post web news site, the company announced Thursday. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/aol-to-transform-huffington-post-into-an-internet-tv-network/2012/02/02/gIQAhTA3mQ_story.html ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** au: Apple widens patent claims against Samsung Apple has widened its claims against Samsung in its ongoing patent battle with the company it was revealed in the NSW Federal Court today. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/apple-widens-patent-claims-against-samsung/story-e6frgakx-1226262152748 de: Apple overturns Motorola's iPad and iPhone sales bans Apple has been granted a temporary suspension of a sales ban imposed on some of its products in Germany. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16877438 Samsung wins round in Apple patent battle A court in Munich has rejected a request by the computer maker Apple to impose a ban on sales of Samsung's latest tablets and smartphones. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15714278,00.html Apple pulls iPhones from German web store after Motorola patent ruling Apple briefly pulled several models of the iPhone and iPad from its online store in Germany after Android handset maker Motorola Mobility (MMI) won a court injunction over the phones in Germany. A separate ruling over its "iCloud" service means it might be forced to turn off "push" email for users in the country. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/feb/03/apple-iphone-germany-motorola-patent nz: Smartphone users warned Rotorua residents are being warned to ensure they have anti-virus and security software on their smartphones to prevent them from being hacked. http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/news/smartphone-users-warned/1259616/ ********************** ONLINE CRIME & LEGAL ********************** Megaupload's Innocent Users Deserve Their Data Back The Electronic Frontier Foundation formally requested the preservation of the data seized when the U.S. government shut down Megaupload.com and related sites, notifying the court and attorneys involved in the case that Megaupload's innocent users deserve a fair process to control and retrieve their lawful material. https://www.eff.org/press/releases/megauploads-innocent-users-deserve-their-data-back nz: Spies in the bedroom - someone's watching you Home camera systems on the New Zealand market are being hacked and watched by creeps and voyeurs around the world. ... Executive director of Netsafe Martin Cocker said many security systems could be breached via the internet. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10783527 ********************** SECURITY ********************** Internet security: Once more unto the breach Verisign is the Rolls-Royce of internet-security, a byword for integrity and assurance. Alongside its corporate domain-registry business, the internet-services firm offers protection against distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, in which zombie PC armies conscripted by malware clog up websites of corporations and other institutions. http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2012/02/internet-security INTERPOL Set To Open Global Cybercrime Center In 2014 One of the many challenges faced by law enforcement worldwide in investigating cybercrime cases is the ability to efficiently share intelligence among different nations and to disseminate it to the appropriate local police units. http://www.darkreading.com/advanced-threats/167901091/security/news/232600267/interpol-set-to-open-global-cybercrime-center-in-2014.html Disagreements on cyber risk East-West "Cold War" With worries growing over computer hacking, data theft and the risk of digital attacks destroying essential systems, western states and their allies are co-operating closer than ever on cyber security. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/02/03/oukin-uk-technology-cyber-idUKTRE8121E720120203 http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/02/03/technology-cyber-idINDEE8120GU20120203 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/03/cyber-security-risk_n_1252889.html uk: MPs call for media campaign to raise awareness of cybercrime MPs have urged the UK government to launch a major publicity campaign to help people protect themselves from online crime. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/feb/02/mps-media-campaign-awareness-cybercrime uk: MPs: Police need to learn about e-crime Official efforts to fight online crime are pitched at too high a level? at gangs and terrorists ? to help people with the everyday e-crimes that affect them, a Commons committee has said, urging more investment in education http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/security-threats/2012/02/02/mps-police-need-to-learn-about-e-crime-40094966/ us: Half of Fortune 500 firms infected with DNS Changer Half of all Fortune 500 companies and major U.S. government agencies own computers infected with the "DNS Changer" malware that redirects users to fake websites and puts organizations at risk of information theft, a security company said today. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223941/Half_of_Fortune_500_firms_infected_with_DNS_Changer us: Feds not authorized to deal with electric grid disruptions The federal government does not have the legal authority to contain computer network meltdowns capable of roiling society and will not obtain that power until at least 2013, said a cybersecurity researcher who advises Congress and the Obama administration. http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20120202_9123.php F.B.I. Admits Hacker Group?s Eavesdropping The international hackers group known as Anonymous turned the tables on the F.B.I. by listening in on a conference call last month between the bureau, Scotland Yard and other foreign police agencies about their joint investigation of the group and its allies. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/04/us/fbi-admits-hacker-groups-eavesdropping.html ********************** PRIVACY ********************** EU regulators want Google to halt new privacy policy A group of European regulators has written to Google Inc calling on it to halt the introduction of its new privacy policy, saying it needs to investigate whether the proposals sufficiently protect users' data. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/02/03/uk-eu-google-idUKTRE81215220120203 http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/02/03/eu-google-idINDEE8120D120120203 Will Europe Upend Google's New Privacy Plan? European data protection authorities are asking Google to delay its roll out of a new consolidated privacy policy that will further integrate your personal information across all of Google's services. The European Union's Article 29 Working Party, a European umbrella organization that includes 27 data protection authorities in the EU, sent a letter to Google CEO Larry Page Thursday asking for more time to study the company's policy update. http://www.pcworld.com/article/249265/will_europe_upend_googles_new_privacy_plan.html Microsoft researchers say anonymized data isn't so anonymous Data routinely gathered in Web logs - IP address, cookie ID, operating system, browser type, user-agent strings - can threaten online privacy because they can be used to identify the activity of individual machines, Microsoft researchers say. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/020212-microsoft-anonymous-255667.html http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/414254/microsoft_researchers_say_anonymized_data_isn_t_anonymous/ http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/249234/microsoft_researchers_say_anonymized_data_isnt_so_anonymous.html us: Google's Congress Problem No matter how hard it tries, it appears Google has yet to convince members of Congress that its proposed privacy changes are not as troubling as they appear to some on the surface. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2012/02/googles-congress-problem.php ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Google changes enable 'per country' blog takedowns Blogger sites can now be blocked on a "per country" basis after a change to its web address system. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16852920 Google to censor Blogger entries [NewsCore] Google has followed Twitter's lead by making it possible to censor content on its Blogger platform in different countries. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/google-to-censor-blogger-entries/story-e6frgakx-1226261441483 U.S. Press Freedom Fell 27 Places Last Year to 47th in the World Here are a few of the countries that, according to watchdog Reporters Without Borders, currently enjoy greater press freedom than the United States: Ghana, South Africa, El Salvador, Niger, Mali, Jamaica, Slovakia, Uruguay, and virtually all of the developed world, from Western Europe to East Asia. Out of 179 countries, the U.S., which found independence and democracy on the back of the printing press, is now the 47th most free. Fortunately, we are still ranked ahead of Latvia and Haiti, though just barely. http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/02/us-press-freedom-fell-27-places-last-year-to-47th-in-the-world/252391/ Press Freedom Index 2011-2012: Syria, Bahrain and Yemen get worst ever rankings ?This year?s index sees many changes in the rankings, changes that reflect a year that was incredibly rich in developments, especially in the Arab world,? Reporters Without Borders said today as it released its 10th annual press freedom index. ?Many media paid dearly for their coverage of democratic aspirations or opposition movements. Control of news and information continued to tempt governments and to be a question of survival for totalitarian and repressive regimes. The past year also highlighted the leading role played by netizens in producing and disseminating news. http://en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2011-2012,1043.html China cut off internet in area of Tibetan unrest Chinese officials cut off mobile phone and internet connections to areas where Tibetans were shot dead amid unrest last month, state media has reported. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/03/china-internet-links-tibetan-unrest South Korean Indicted Over Twitter Posts From North South Korean prosecutors indicted a social media and freedom-of-speech activist this week for reposting messages from the North Korean government?s Twitter account. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/03/world/asia/south-korean-indicted-for-twitter-posts-from-north-korea.html Internet filtering ? danger of return to past in Tunisia The January 2011 revolution in Tunisia brought an end to Internet filtering and control of online content but old habits seem to be resurfacing and Reporters Without Borders urges the Tunisian courts not to take any decision that could lead to the restoration of filtering. http://en.rsf.org/tunisia-internet-filtering-danger-of-03-02-2012,41805.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** eu: A New Question of Internet Freedom - ACTA European activists who participated in American Internet protests last month learned that there was political power to be harnessed on the Web. Now they are putting that knowledge to use in an effort to defeat new global rules for intellectual property. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/06/technology/06iht-acta06.html us: SOPA 2.0? Progressive Group Targets Data Retention Bill The controversial advocacy group Demand Progress can't get enough of Lamar Smith. After working to torpedo the Texas Republican's Stop Online Piracy Act, Demand Progress is taking aim at another of Smith's bills. http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2012/02/sopa-20-progressive-group-targ.php us: Anti-SOPA forces have ISP snooping bill in their crosshairs It took an Internet-wide outcry from millions of voters to prompt Rep. Lamar Smith, author of the Stop Online Piracy Act, to postpone a vote on the controversial Hollywood-backed bill. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57371426-281/anti-sopa-forces-have-isp-snooping-bill-in-their-crosshairs/ Business Community Urges European Parliament to Pass ACTA [news release] European and national business associations (listed below) commend the European Union (EU) and Member States as they moved to join their global allies in the battle against counterfeiting and piracy. http://www.inta.org/Press/Pages/EUsignsACTA.aspx ********************** MISCELLANEOUS ********************** Apple the target of playwright's ire over Chinese worker abuse These days Mike Daisey is run off his feet. "I don't even have time to listen to my voicemail now. That's a phenomenon I have not experienced before," he told the Observer with an amazed laugh. Perhaps he shouldn't be so surprised. In the past fortnight, Daisey has gone from being a gifted but obscure solo act in the US theatre to the public face of a backlash against one of the iconic corporations of the 21st century. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/feb/04/apple-playwright-chinese-worker-abuse ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** nz: Naked broadband on the rise [sub req'd] http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/naked-broadband-rise BT to offer 300 Mbps fibre optic broadband 'on demand' in 2013 Fibre optic broadband connections of up to 300 Megabits per second will be available on demand in 2013, BT says. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16870464 BT profits on broadband growth BT accounted for over half of the UK's new broadband subscribers in the last three months of 2011, as it indicated it would review its fibre broadband investment with a focus on getting businesses to pay for installation. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/feb/03/bt-profits-broadband-growth UK broadband speed climbs 22 percent Telecoms watchdog Ofcom has said that the average broadband speed in the UK increased by nearly 22 percent in the year up to November 2011. http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/networking/2012/02/02/uk-broadband-speed-climbs-22-percent-40094964/ Jump in UK broadband speeds [news release] UK consumers are achieving 22 per cent faster broadband speeds at home than they were 12 months ago, new Ofcom research reveals. http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2012/02/02/jump-in-uk-broadband-speeds/ India's Supreme Court Cancels Telecom Licenses Sold in Tainted Sale The Supreme Court of India issued a stinging rebuke to the government on Thursday by canceling 122 telecommunications licenses sold at below-market prices in 2008 that have been the subject of a long-running controversy. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/03/business/global/india-supreme-court-cancels-2g-licenses.html India court orders licences cancelled in telecom scandal India's Supreme Court ordered on Thursday telecoms licences issued under a scandal-tainted 2008 sale be revoked, striking a decisive blow against corruption that plagues the country and roiling the world's second biggest cellular market. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/02/02/oukin-uk-india-telecoms-idUKTRE81112M20120202 India's Dropped Call: The Supreme Court overreacts to India's Telecom corruption. Navigating India's bureaucracy while trying to run an honest business is already difficult. Yesterday a Supreme Court verdict made it harder. In response to a petition by anticorruption activists, the court issued a ruling which means that even if a company manages to keep its own nose clean and win regulatory approval without paying off greedy bureaucrats, it could still lose its license to operate if competitors bribed officials. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203889904577198691493796270.html Analysis: India ruling to trigger telecoms industry shakeout Vodafone, for one, is wasting little time in capitalising on a blockbuster Indian court verdict that's likely to shake up the world's second-largest mobile phone market. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/02/05/uk-india-telecom-idUKTRE8140TR20120205 EU planning sanctions against Iran telecoms sector European Union governments could ban the sales of some telecommunications equipment to Iran in the coming months under plans for new sanctions discussed by EU experts in Brussels. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/02/03/oukin-uk-iran-eu-humanrights-idUKTRE8121G020120203 ca: Rogers promises to end internet throttling Rogers has promised to stop "throttling" internet traffic on its network by the end of this year, in response to an investigation by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2012/02/03/tech-rogers-throttling.html us: Spectrum Dinosaurs at the FCC: agency wants to pick the winners and losers before the bidding begins The disconnect between technology and Washington is as vast as the gap between rotary phones and the latest iPad. First there was the clumsy SOPA legislation against online copyright piracy, killed by objections from Web companies and users. The latest disconnect is over whether Washington can free up enough bandwidth to keep smart phones and tablets running. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203711104577200983299490886.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2012 --------- David Goldstein email: goldstein_david at yahoo.com.au web: http://davidgoldstein.tel/ http://goldsteinreport.com/ phone: +61 418 228 605 - mobile; +61 2 9665 5773 - office/home "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim FlanneryReceived on Mon Feb 06 2012 - 00:57:29 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Sat Sep 09 2017 - 22:00:11 UTC