AT&T plans to deliver "Your World" campaign, logo
The new AT&T Inc., the result of a merger between SBC Communications and the former AT&T Corp., will unveil its new "Your World. Delivered." tagline and ad campaign on New Year's Eve at Times Square in New York. The Detroit News (12/29), The Dallas Morning News (12/29), The New York Times (12/29), The Wall Street Journal (12/29)  
| | | | |
 | |  |
| | A Revolution In Business Information
| | |
 |  |
|
| |
 | Business & Industry Watch |
| |
| |
Comcast enters VoIP game in Atlanta
Comcast has started selling VoIP service in the Atlanta area, taking on BellSouth. Comcast's offer, which starts at $39.95 per month for unlimited calls, has attracted 1,000 new customers a day in the area, the cabler said. The Philadelphia Inquirer/Associated Press (12/27)
Russia to profit from Svyazinvest selloff
Russia's planned sale of its 75% stake in national telecom holding company Svyazinvest is likely to fetch $3.3 billion or more, the government said. Previously the projected take had been about $2.7 billion. The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones (12/29)
Microsoft, Japan Telecom unite to offer combined service
Microsoft, Japan Telecom and Softbank BB are teaming up to provide new services that integrate VoIP, e-mail, instant messaging and other services. Trials of the services, which are meant to be offered to business customers, are expected to start in spring of 2006. ZDNet (12/28)
AOL rounds up top spam headers
America Online reports blocking an average of 1.5 billion spam e-mails daily in 2005, while the number of junk e-mails that pass through filters and reach end-users reportedly is in decline. Also in decline is the amount of porn spam sent daily, as compared to pharmaceutical come-ons and offers of anatomical enhancement. CNET/Reuters (12/28)
| | | | |
| | |
| | Planning Your 2006 Advertising Campaigns?
| | |
| |
|
Americans fall in love, break up via SMS
Despite the truncated words and encoded phrases of SMS jargon, it is possible to conduct emotional discussions via text message. Overall, the frequency of text messaging by mobile device is up, with Americans sending 7.3 billion messages within the U.S. per month, up from 2.9 billion a month last year, according to industry figures. The Washington Post (12/29)
Bush administration takes heat over recent phone tapping
The Bush administration has come under fire recently for directing the National Security Agency to pore through telephone and Internet communications without getting a court order. Telecom companies have not indicated their level of cooperation with the government's actions, saying only that their policies are to preserve lawful surveillance practices. Chicago Tribune (12/29)
Calea expansion proves unpopular: The government's efforts to expand the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act to Internet phone services has drawn the ire of companies and groups faced with spending large amounts of money to comply. The Wall Street Journal (12/29)
Emergency communications system in the spotlight
Major emergency situations over the past several years have pointed out a significant problem with the emergency communications system: Incompatible radio equipment has made it impossible for various emergency-responders to share information. Congress is expected to pass a bill to allocate additional radio frequencies and more funds to improve the system, but some state and local governments have chosen to pursue their own initiatives. Still, the process of upgrading systems is expected to be expensive, and other hurdles remain, such as poor cooperation among different agencies and a lack of a common radio communications standard. USA TODAY (12/28)
Former Qwest executive pleads guilty
Former Qwest Communications EVP Marc Weisberg has reached a plea agreement with the U.S. government and will cooperate in the insider-trading case against former CEO Joseph Nacchio. Although Weisberg is not considered a crucial witness in the Nacchio case, he is believed to have information about Qwest's financial situation at the time of the alleged misdeeds. The Wall Street Journal (12/29)
| |
| LeadQuote |
| |
| |
|
 | If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally dead."
|
|
|
| |
| 
