From editor@telecom-digest.org Wed Jul 28 13:15:11 2004 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.3) id i6SHFA104327; Wed, 28 Jul 2004 13:15:11 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 13:15:11 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200407281715.i6SHFA104327@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V23 #354 TELECOM Digest Wed, 28 Jul 2004 13:13:00 EDT Volume 23 : Issue 354 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Avaya Reports Increased Revenues, Operating Income (Monty Solomon) Akamai Reports Record Revenue and Profits (Monty Solomon) Comcast Adds New 4Mbps ('4Meg') Speed Option to High-Speed (M Solomon) Telefonica Reports Solid Growth of 5.6% in Operating Revenues (Solomon) Comcast Reports Second Quarter 2004 Results (Monty Solomon) Wi-Fi Service Expands Its Reach (Monty Solomon) PluggedIn: Back-to-School Gadget Prices Take a Fall (Monty Solomon) Re: Will the FCC Let VOIP Flourish? (John McHarry) Cell Phones Using Wi-Fi; How Will Hotspots Cope? (Phil Earnhardt) Telecommunications: Blogs, Bloggers, and Blogging (Day Bird Loft) Any Good, Simple Home Phone Systems? (John) All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. 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Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 11:41:50 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Avaya Reports Increased Revenues, Operating Income and Cash Flow Avaya Reports Increased Revenues, Operating Income and Operating Cash Flow From Continuing Operations in Third Fiscal Quarter Of 2004 -Revenues Increased Nine Percent Year-Over-Year to $1.016 Billion -Operating Income and Cash Flow Show Strong Improvements BASKING RIDGE, N. J., July 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Avaya Inc., (NYSE:AV) a leading global provider of business communications software, systems and services, reported income from continuing operations of $58 million or earnings of 12 cents per diluted share in the third fiscal quarter. Included in the 12 cents was a four cents per diluted share charge for the repurchase of senior secured notes in the third fiscal quarter. The company reported its sixth straight year-over-year increase in quarterly operating income, an increase driven by profitable results from all three business segments. In the same quarter last year, the company said it reported a loss from continuing operations of $3 million or a loss of one cent per diluted share. Included in those results was a three cent per diluted share gain from the extinguishment of debt and a gain on an asset sale. Third fiscal quarter 2004 revenues increased nine percent to $1.016 billion compared to $929 million in the same period last year. The company noted higher revenues and gross margin, coupled with lower selling general and administrative (SG&A) expenses contributed to a 53 percent sequential increase to $92 million in operating income, bringing operating margin to nine percent of sales. This is up from break even operating income a year ago. Operating cash flow from continuing operations in the quarter was $215 million. Gross margin increased year-over-year to 48 percent from 43 percent, and SG&A expenses were 30 percent of sales, down two percentage points from the second fiscal quarter of 2004. The company said including results from discontinued operations, net income for the third fiscal quarter of 2004 was $61 million or 13 cents per diluted share compared to net income of $8 million or two cents per diluted share in the third fiscal quarter of 2003. Avaya said discontinued operations includes its former Connectivity Solutions segment, substantially all of which had been completely divested as of June 30, 2004, and the segments of the Expanets business it had divested. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=42730487 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 11:42:36 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Akamai Reports Record Revenue and Profits CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 27, 2004-- -- Revenue of $50.8 million, up 5 percent over previous quarter and up 35 percent year-over-year -- GAAP net income more than doubles over previous quarter to $6.8 million, or $0.06 per share -- Normalized net income(a) of $10.4 million, or $0.08 per share, an increase of 89 percent over previous quarter Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKAM), the global leader of distributed computing solutions and services, today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2004. Revenue for the second quarter 2004 was $50.8 million, a 5 percent increase over first quarter 2004 revenue of $48.4 million, and a 35 percent increase over second quarter 2003 revenue of $37.8 million. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=42730338 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 11:49:04 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Comcast Adds New 4Mbps (`4Meg') Speed Option to High-Speed Comcast Adds New 4Mbps ('4Meg') Speed Option to High-Speed Internet Service Offering Comcast Also Increasing e-mail Storage to 1.7GB PHILADELPHIA, July 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast brings speed to the market. Today the company officially announced a 4Mbps speed tier as a new option for its High-Speed Internet service. This announcement comes within a year of Comcast doubling customer downstream speed to 3Mbps, at no additional cost - and establishing an industry benchmark. Comcast High-Speed Internet customers now can choose between two high- speed options: 4Mbps and 3Mbps. Combined with Comcast's world-class content and built-for-broadband applications, these two speed tiers empower users to enjoy the broadband experience that is best for them and their families. The new 4Mbps option is particularly ideal for households engaged in numerous high-speed-enabled activities, such as: streaming audio; multi-player and online gaming; large file downloads; and networking. Upon selecting their speed, customers can then choose between standard High-Speed Internet service (one connection) or Comcast Home Networking (up to five devices), now available on both speed tiers, at no additional monthly service cost. The 3Mbps and 4Mbps services are available for $42.95 and $52.95* per month, respectively, for current cable television customers. [Prices may vary slightly by market.] The new '4Meg' (4Mbps) speed tier will be available to all Comcast High- Speed Internet customers by September, when it is expected to be rolled out system-wide. Comcast 4Meg is already available in a number of Comcast markets, including: Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=42725945 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 12:21:25 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Telefonica Reports Solid Growth of 5.6% in Operating Revenues Telefonica Reports Solid Growth of 5.6% in Operating Revenues and 6.9% in EBITDA * The annual impact of the Headcount Reduction Programme, which the company has charged in full to 1H accounts, leaves net profit at 1,254.2 million euros (-12%). Stripping out this effect, net profit growth would reach 15.9%. * The company boosts its profitability in 1H 2004 with an EBITDA margin of 44.5% * Growth of operating revenues (+5.6%) to 14,324,5 million euros and EBITDA (+6.9%) to 6,367.3 million euros reflects the steady expansion of Group operations. On a comparable basis excluding fx and changes in the consolidation perimeter, revenues would have risen by 9.4% and EBITDA by 8.2%. * Free cash flow generation (EBITDA-CapEx) amounts to 5,016.9 million euros year to date, a 13.4% increase on the same period in 2003. * First-half operating profit was 3,421 million euros, 21.4% more than in the year-ago period. * Telefonica enlarged its worldwide customer base by 12.6% to 103.8 million. Of this total, 55.8 million are cell phone clients. * ADSL connections surged to 3.7 million from 1.9 million in June last year. Two million lines are now operative in Spain and more than 1 million in Latin America. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=42740704 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 12:23:12 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Comcast Reports Second Quarter 2004 Results Cable Revenue Increased 10.4% to $4.839 Billion Cable Operating Cash Flow Increased 20.1% to $1.920 Billion 2004 Guidance for Cable Operating Cash Flow Increased to Approximately $7.5 Billion or 18% Growth Consolidated Operating Income Doubled to $852 Million $750 Million of Stock Repurchased Stock Repurchase Program Increased by $1 Billion PHILADELPHIA, July 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) today reported results for the quarter ended June 30, 2004. Comcast will discuss second quarter results on a conference call and webcast today at 8:30 AM Eastern Time. A live broadcast of the conference call will be available on the investor relations website at http://www.cmcsa.com and http://www.cmcsk.com . - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=42742776 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 17:12:18 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Wi-Fi Service Expands Its Reach BUSINESS TRAVEL By JANE L. LEVERE Wi-Fi is finally rolling into America's airports. In the last couple of years, Wi-Fi, or high-speed wireless Internet access, has invaded Starbucks stores and McDonald's restaurants as well as Marriott and Wyndham hotels. But it has been hard to find in airports, the one place that business travelers are most likely to have time on their hands. That is partly because so many potential users - not only the throngs of passengers passing through airports, but also airlines and tenants like retailers and restaurants - have had to jockey for access to wireless networks. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/27/business/27wifi.html ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 14:48:06 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: PluggedIn: Back-to-School Gadget Prices Take a Fall By Caroline Humer NEW YORK, July 27 (Reuters) - Students hoping to fill their backpacks with notebook-sized computers, portable DVD players, digital personal assistants and other gadgets are getting a pleasant surprise. Many of these popular items are now more affordable. Back-to-school sales and promotions kick off the consumer electronics buying season, which runs through the December holidays, and go a long way toward livening up the otherwise-slow summer period. Because many popular electronics products have been around for a few years, their prices are dropping and their quality is improving, making them both more attractive and more affordable for students, analysts said. Overall prices for hot consumer electronics gadgets like handheld digital assistants, digital music players and keychain-sized flash data storage devices have declined 5 percent to 10 percent from a year ago, said Stephen Baker, director of industry analysis for market research firm NPD Group. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=42725850 ------------------------------ From: John McHarry Subject: Re: Will the FCC Let VOIP Flourish? Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 23:22:51 GMT Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net VOIP News wrote: > Where did the authors of the 1996 Act go wrong? Contrary to the line > the Bells are promoting, the flaw in the Act wasn't its requirement > that incumbents open their networks. Simply eliminating rules designed > to address market power, without addressing the reality of that market > power, produces nothing more than unregulated monopolies. That was > true in 1996, and it's true today. I don't think that was a flaw. I think it was the intent. The Bells spent a lot of money to get that law written the way it was, and the IXCs spent enough themselves that the Congress could not plausibly plead unintended consequences. ------------------------------ From: Phil Earnhardt Subject: Cell Phones Using Wi-Fi; How Will Hotspots Cope? Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 08:20:46 -0600 Organization: Kaos OnLine Coalition Yesterday, Motorola announced a GSM phone that also works with Wi-Fi. From the 7/27 Wall Street Journal: > Motorola Inc. yesterday unveiled a phone that combines cellular > and wireless Internet-calling capabilities. The device, called the > CN620, which could be the first mobile phone that combines > wide-area GSM cellular technology with shorter-range technology > known as Wi-Fi, or wireless fidelity, could open the floodgates for > users to steal away significant minutes from cellular networks > and place free calls over the Internet. I was talking with the owner of a local cafe that provides Wi-Fi for its customers about this yesterday. I was wondering how these little shops would cope with such phones when they start to become widely available. Will they have to buy new base stations that will disable their network for such devices? Start limiting bandwidth to each MAC address? Do any reasonably-cheap base stations provide such capabilites today? --phil ------------------------------ From: loft@pigeons.ws (Day Bird Loft) Subject: Telecommunications: Blogs, Bloggers, and Blogging Date: 28 Jul 2004 07:34:16 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Telecommunications: Blogs, Bloggers, and Blogging From newspapers to television shows, from small business to the world's largest corporations, and from religion to politics, everyone is riding the blog power sphere. WASHINGTON DC (IPR Wire) 28 July 2004 --- With the coming of age in blogging, people can demonstrate strength in numbers. With the power of blogs it is apparent that it's time for personal knowledge to be recorded and published. In the past five years, blogs have gone from the backroom to the boardroom. More recently during the previous six months, blogs have begun to dominate the information highway. Lately, blogs have become the mainstay of grassroots' politics. However, on the subject of blogging, one might ask "What about business applications?" According to Hans Schnauber, Internet Web Guru, "Blogs are the future of online business . . . they are a structure of communication that will change the way people come together." Mr. Schnauber stated "With news articles in the press appearing hourly on the subject of blogs, it is time for everyone to join the power of blogging, the power of numbers, the power of the people. Blogs can revolutionize the web and blogging presents an opportunity for social networking in topics where knowledge and innovation play an important role." After discovering in 2001 that hyphens work great for blog technology, Mr. Schnauber waited patiently and then began registering more than six thousand blogs on Blogger (Google's free service) and as a result has created the world's largest mega-blog. The mega-blog guarantees that everybody will be treated equally and without favoritism. It is a proven formula that assures every person a voice in the future. As an 1998 ISOC nominee, he has centered the focal point of the mega-blog on subjects that span business, education, and politics. With Google's free Blogger and Feedburner service, it is time for everyone to register their own blog and connect to friends, family, and familiar faces. Business blogs include: http://auto-dealers.blogspot.com, http://corporate-law.blogspot.com, and http://newspaper-publishers.blogspot.com Educational blogs include: http://business-schools.blogspot.com, http://law-schools.blogspot.com, and http://state-university.blogspot.com Political blogs include: http://democratic-party.blogspot.com, http://republican-party.blogspot.com, and http://election-coverage.blogspot.com Mr. Schnauber will reveal his plans for the global mega-blog in the upcoming Fall of 2004. Many will remember this cunning individual as the driving force in the domain name craze utilizing hyphenated domains and registering thousands of names at a price of $100 per domain. Telecommunications: Blogs, Bloggers, and Blogging see: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/7/prweb144837.htm Technology Editor / IPR Wire http://iprwire.net ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 16:59:40 GMT From: John Subject: Any Good Simple Home Phone Systems? Reply-to: dejolaNOSPAM@optonline.net Organization: Optimum Online I'd like to learn about any good and simple telephone systems for my home. Looking for one that is user-friendly and that won't require a service call for every little problem. Looking for a system up to maybe 3 x 10. Thanks. ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. 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End of TELECOM Digest V23 #354 ******************************