Even our cars have WiFi - but millions being spent on Internet "Awareness"?: [24th Dec 2009]

>>> A study from USTelecom which looked at the broadband use of North America, Europe and Asia has found that US consumers transfer 14.2 gigabytes of web content per month. This puts the US in third place behind South Korea and France. On average this equates to around 3000 emails or 100 MP3 music files per day per person. USTelecom has sent its findings to the FCC for consideration in the federal report. The study has been criticized by some groups who say that although it looks impressive, it says nothing about the price of these services, which is higher in the US than elsewhere.


>>> Research from the Pew Hispanic Center has revealed that Latinos are increasing their use of the Internet more quickly than any other ethnic group. The usage of the Internet has increased by 10% among this group between 2006 and 2008. This compares to 4% for whites and 2% for blacks. Those Latinos born in the US are more likely to use the Internet and those with a higher income reported more usage. Generally, the survey found that those who use the Internet regularly tend to stay in better contact with their friends and family.


>>> Car manufacturer, Ford is to produce its own USB slot in their cars for modems, to allow access to the Internet for drivers. The system will allow car owners to use their existing plug-ins rather than having to go with a built in option offered by other car makers. The system also requires the user to use a WPA2 personal security system to prevent others from using the wifi connection. The connection will cost $395 as an optional add-on and is included as standard in some high end models.


>>> The FCC has stated that connecting small businesses to high speed broadband is essential to the nations broadband plan. The FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski made the comments during a small business broadband workshop in Chicago. He commented that 50% of businesses do not have a website and many do not have access to even a basic broadband connection. Small business are increasingly seeing that their revenue is linked to online activity, with 20% of Americans going online to shop daily.


>>> The New Mexico State Library has received $1.5m in stimulus funds. The money is expected to fund the Fast Forward New Mexico Initiative, which will have training programs available in libraries for citizens. The money will also go toward enhancing the awareness of the Internet, particularly in rural areas. The Department of Commerce expects that the scheme will result in 3000 new household Internet connections, 1000 new business connections and 3200 public users.


>>> Verizon have defended their early termination fee on advanced devices, which was criticized by the FCC last week, by saying that it is a good thing for their customers. They say it allows them to offer reasonable prices on their mobile phones. They say the charge reflects the increased cost of providing the infrastructure needed for this level of technology. The phones can be offered at a huge discount allowing those of limited means to access these services. Early termination charges have been cited as one of the top 4 complaints of customers by the Government Accountability Office.


>>> Mobile Broadband users in the US, Canada and Mexico are to benefit from a new Verizon Wireless announcement. They are to offer thousands of wifi hotspots around the countries involved at no extra cost to the consumer. The Verzon VZAccess manager will allow users to easily switch between locations and connect when they are within range. Those with a monthly global access plan will have access to the hotspots but will need a USB modem or PC card.


>>> Qwest Communications, its employees and the Qwest Foundation has donated more than $10.5m to local education and community programs this year. The donations have placed Quest among the top national corporate donors during a time of economic uncertainty. The Executive Vice President of Quest, Rich Baer has expressed his delight that Qwest have been able to deepen its partnerships with local communities, not just with money, but with time and knowledge.