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Recommended: Linux - A Favourable Alternative? It is classed as "open source" software, as the source code for Linux is freely available to everyone and can be modified accordingly. Is it a favourable alternative to Windows? Certainly, especially in today's computing world, as more and more users are wanting to explore the hidden depths of this reliable operating system. This month's article will focus on Linux and will offer recommended links allowing enthusiastic users to dig a little deeper into the Linux core.... A good comprehensive Linux resource on the Internet today is undoubtedly MandrakeLinux.Com, which is a complete mini-network of information in itself. The site, which itself has been made under Linux-Mandrake and upper versions, is suitable for novices and experienced users alike and harbours valuable links to a network of sister Web sites. Infact, it has so much to offer, its difficult were to begin! MandrakeLinux.com offers a host of information including news, forums, reviews, features, screenshots, documentation and much more. Sister Web sites include Mandrake Soft, Mandrake Club, Mandrake Expert, and Mandrake Forum to name just a few. The second port of call has to be the Linux Documentation Project (LPD) Web site - an invaluable resource for all things Linux. Created and maintained by dedicated Linux devotees, the LDP offers guidance on topics ranging from setting up your network connections and services to configuring your Linux system as a multi-media platform. This site features How-To and Mini How-To documents which provide users with step-by-step instructions, a help section on individual commands, and a dedicated online magazine to read - the LDP Web site is certainly one not to be missed! Meanwhile, Linux HQ organises and records many of the Linux related kernel patches in one central location. Linux HQ enables dedicated users to keep ahead of the operating system via its detailed information about various production and development of Linux kernels, documentation and patches. However, if you are completely new to Linux, a good starting place is LinuxNewbie.Org, which also strives to bring users of all levels the most current information on Linux. The site has a huge online forum where the more experienced users answer various questions in a helpful manner. Also, be sure to browse the site's collection of Newbieized Help Files (NHFs) - a unique method of documentation that provides answers in a simple, direct format. Alternatively, Debian.Org focuses on the Debian - GNU/Linux - operating system which also uses the Linux kernel as its core. Users are able to get the help they may need when using or setting up Debian via the sites documentation and support pages and there is also plenty of news and information to be had. Also, there is a Developers Corner which contains some beneficial reading for enthusiastic developers and dedicated users alike. Apple Mac users who are also interested in Linux need not despair, as the MkLinux Web site will hopefully suit your needs. MKLinux itself is a project that was started by the OSF Research Institute (now Silicomp RI) and Apple Computers to port Linux to a variety of Power Macintosh platforms running on top of OSF Research Institute's implementation of the Mach microkernel. Offering MKLinux News, Journals, Surveys, information on getting started with MKLinux and a FAQ section, the site is a good source for Mac fans who also want to explore the possibilities of an alternative operating system. Next is the Linux Kernel Archives, which is a primary Web site for the Linux kernel source, but it has much more than just kernels. The Linux Installation HOWTO link on the site offers indepth information on installing Linux, including partitioning, beginning system administration, custom LILO configuration and much more. Another site not to be missed is the Linux Journal, - the official Web site of the Linux Journal magazine. The Linux Journal helps you keep track of kernel changes, the latest applications, news from the Linux community, and also includes a user forum. The Linux.Org.Uk Web site contains a detailed introduction to Linux and has links to a wide selection of distributors. Take a look at the Linux Portaloo on the site which offers a host of links to UK Linux user groups on the Internet. There is also a great list of links to various Linux FTP Archive Sites. Although it is impossible to list all Linux-related Web sites in this article, I will bring things to a close with a link to a portal that it is probably one of the best Linux resources on the Internet. The YoLinux Information Portal is dedicated to providing tutorials, guides and links for avid Linux users. There are so many useful links on this site that offer information on issues such as programming, hardware and distribution software to name but a few, and there is a very comprehensive (YoLinux) Linux tutorials section - a "must have' for your favs, and the penguin is quite cool too! For another comprehensive list you can also visit the Linux channel at Internet.com - you won't be disappointed! That's all for this month folks! Next month's recommended article will primarily focus on the Apple Mac, with download links and resources for the growing number of Apple users to byte into. ;) P.S.... Don't forget, if you have any recommendations, please could you email me direct at Sarah@net4nowt.com with brief details and a supporting link to your chosen recommendation. As always, have fun and enjoy your weekend! Comet To Promote One.Tel's 'Broadband In A Box' In order to widen the appeal of high-speed access, One.Tel have now announced their new 'broadband in a box' product which users will be able to purchase on the high street, from Saturday 31st August, as part of the telco's exclusive deal with Comet stores. This the first time that One.Tel's Internet products have been available in stores around the UK, and Phil Worms, One.Tel's head of Internet commented: "The One.Tel roadshow will demonstrate why the Internet through a broadband connection is such a valuable commodity and it's important that we support the roadshows with a trusted electrical retailer where customers can buy broadband off the shelf." "Comet is a big name in household electricals and we are proud to put One.Tel broadband on sale in their stores." The company is confident that the combination of online content from big names like MTV and the BBC, plus the roadshows and this latest high street venture will prove to be a winner with both current and prospective customers. The 'broadband in a box' will be on sale for just £84.99, and the pack will also contain an exclusive MTV T-Shirt, Mouse and Mouse Mat courtesy of One.Tel's content agreement with MTV. OFT Stops Sale of Dodgy Domain Names Quantum Management Ltd and TLD Network Ltd, based in London, were advertising and selling domain names with suffixes such as .brit, .usa, .scot and .sex to UK and US consumers. Most domain name suffixes such as .com, .net or .uk can be accessed by all internet users. However, the domain names offered by the two companies can only be accessed through alternative networks and will not be found by a normal search function without a modified web browser. Quantum Management and TLD Network sent out unsolicited email and advertised on their websites promising that 'the latest domain name extension had arrived'. The OFT took the view that the adverts gave the impression that the domain names on offer operated in the same way as top-level names such as .com and that this was misleading. Thomas Goolnik, who is the director of both companies, has given written assurances to the OFT that he will not publish these or other similar adverts for the registration of domain names. Edward Goolnik, the former Company Secretary of both companies, has also signed similar assurances. Welcoming the assurances John Vickers, Director General of Fair Trading, said: 'It is important that consumers and businesses seeking domain names know exactly what they are buying and how accessible the domain names will be. 'This case illustrates that consumers can be protected wherever traders are based. The OFT will cooperate with international enforcement partners to achieve this.' ISP Complains To Oftel Over BT Campaign TGC alleges the Carrier Pre-Selection (CPS) service set up by Oftel to allow users to switch providers without changing from their BT line or dialling prefix numbers has been misused by BT. The telco said BT cancelled applications by TGC customers without their consent. Furthermore TGS claims in some cases their customers had been told by BT that transferring to another operator using the CPS system would cause problems with broadband connections, and that once the switch is made it cannot be undone. Dr Engin Mumcuoglu, managing director at TGC, said: "Consumers can now benefit from cheaper phone calls easily and quickly. However, through a dirty tricks campaign, BT is attempting to stop this happening. This activity makes a mockery of BT's claims that customers are returning to it voluntarily. "We have numerous examples of BT either cancelling our customers' orders without their knowledge, or not even accepting the initial requests for their service to be transferred. "We have raised the matter with Oftel as a matter of urgency and look forward to a speedy and satisfactory resolution." In a seperate issue, Freeserve complained to Oftel In April that BT had acted anti-competitively with its broadband strategy. However, the UK telecoms regulator closed the case recently due to lack of evidence of anti-competitive behaviour by BT, and decided not to investigate the case any further. SOURCE: Europemedia.net Pipex Improves Traffic Routing For UK Subscribers Finally Pipex has managed to sort some traffic routing out so that more of their UK bound traffic stays within the UK, up until yesterday a lot of traffic was going via the USA. This change means Pipex users who were into their online gaming now stand a chance to play on a lot more UK servers, including the ADSLguide ones. Lets hope this new peering arrangement becomes permanent, after a taste of how good a service can be. If the routing is switched back to the USA I'd expect to see a small revolution from the users. Recently, reports of complaints from Pipex users about the service have come to the fore, and, as a result, an unofficial site for users - Pipexwoe - was launched recently. SOURCE: ADSL Guide EU9.5m Loss for Tiscali Tiscali, which is trying to boost its presence in the UK, lost about 100,000 customers during the period to rival ISPs, but this has been in some way offset with the addition of 100,000 broadband subscribers during the first-half. Like many of its peers, the company is trying attract DSL customers as they spend about ten times more than narrowband subscribers. It believes that broadband is key to its future success, but some analysts believe the market may already be overcrowded and Tiscali has not been as successful as it had hoped in signing up new customers to its high-speed service. Overall, the company now has 7m subscribers. Sales in the second-quarter surged by about 16% to EU173m, The company has cut its expectations for the full year by EU100m to EU900m. AOL Exits Mviva Carphone Warehouse has offered 3.3m of its shares for AOL Europe's 15% stake in Mviva, valuing the deal at £2.77m. Mviva's launch in 2000 saw AOL Europe provide functionality, content and promotional services to the portal in return for a 15% stake, in a deal set up to rival Vivendi and Vodafone's offering Vizzavi. The company attracted 30,000 customers in its first four months generating losses of £5.3m in the year to March 2001. Netscape Release v7 Web Browser Key features of the new release are stated as: - Bookmark groups for tabbed pages - AIM with the browser with buddy icons - Custom labels in mail - Quick search in mail - Quick launch - Pause and resume in download manager With a rapidly falling market share and dominance of the IE browser, the Netscape browser fails to offer any outstanding differences. It is becoming increasinly less likely that websites will be developed with the needs of minority browser users in mind and I would suggest for a smoother and hassel free browsing experience IE will be the choice of most consumers. Half of Businesses Online The number of businesses online with more than ten employees rose by 15.9 percent from 2000 to 2001, to reach 73 percent. A recent ecommerce study released by the Office of National Statistics indicates that 46 percent of the smallest sized businesses in the UK were online, compared to 98 percent of organizations with 1,000 employees or more. Around 17 percent of those companies that were not online at the end of last year planned to go online during 2002. Nearly 40 percent of UK businesses had their own website, and this figure rose to 62 percent for organizations that employed ten or more people. Online Gamers - Banned for Cheating! An updated anti-cheating system put in place by the games makers can spot who is not playing fair, can throw them off a server and make sure they cannot log on to games being played on other machines. Initially bans will only last a day but Counter-Strike creator Valve said it would extend the penalty period in the future. Many players welcomed the improved anti-cheating system but few think it will completely stop some gamers exploiting loopholes for gain. SOURCE: BBC Freeserve First to offer Java Games Service Consumers with WAP-enabled Nokia or Siemens handsets can log onto the Mobile Zone to access a range of titles, including sport, arcade, puzzles, board and platform games, which can be tried out via a PC on the site before being downloaded. Freeserve has created the service in association with Amplefuture Limited. Java games are offer faster interaction and are graphically superior to the standard, inbuilt handset games. Netscape Global Usage Sinks to Record Low At the end of August 2002, Netscape’s global usage share had dropped to 3.4 percent, down form 13 percent a year ago. In contrast, use of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer continues to grow and now has a global usage share of 96 percent, up from 87 percent in August 2001. Alternative browsers such as Opera and Mozilla account for less than one percent of global usage share, according to WebSideStory. However while Netscape’s global usage share has declined sharply in recent years, the browser still remains popular in some countries. In Germany, Canada and the US, Netscape’s usage is slightly above the global average, while in Switzerland, the browser’s usage share is double the global average. 25 million DSL lines worldwide According to Point Topic, the number of DSL lines worldwide rose by 20 percent in the first quarter of 2002 from 18.8 million lines at the beginning of the year to 22.6 million lines at the end of March. The number of DSL lines grew by a further 13 percent during the second quarter to reach a total of 25.6 million lines worldwide. The Asia-Pacific region added about 2.7 million lines during the first half of 2002, while the Western European and South and East Asian regions added 2.6 million lines between them. True Broadband to Bring Benefits Gartner reckons the benefits of ubiquitous broadband could total billions. Broadband at 10 Mbps or faster could create huge growth in goods and services related to building broadband delivery and including what goes through the broadband pipes. Cable & Wireless Secure "Wireless WAN" Contract With Lancashire Police Cable & Wireless will replace the existing point to point leased line connections and install the new multi-service wide area communications network and also provide ongoing support and training as part of the contract. The wireless WAN will offer increased bandwidth and enable 55 police institutions across Lancashire to connect easily to one another and to the UK Police National Computer and National Legal Database. The system will be able to handle the extreme and unpredictable peaks in traffic and enable all police staff across the county to serve the Lancashire community more efficiently. Kep Simcox, project manager at the Lancashire Police commented: "The force is tremendously pleased with the solution design and the benefits this will bring to our organisation. With our current system, there was no capacity for the expansion of terminals or network traffic." "We expect the introduction of Cable & Wireless technology will make it easy to implement new applications and organisational changes within the Constabulary's wide area communications." "This network will make it easier for employees within the Lancashire Police organisation to interact with each other and with the force on a national scale." The network will support voice, data and video communications and has the ability to support the increasing demand for browser-based access to mission critical systems which include Constabulary-wide email, Intranet and Internet, Holmes 2, further national systems and the potential to support video applications. Cable and Wireless sales and marketing president Gareth James said that "a wireless network was the ideal choice for Lancashire Police as their crime fighting applications are becoming increasingly bandwidth hungry and the new network will allow flexible and reliable expansion in the future." ASA Upholds Complaint From BT "... As an existing BT or NTL customer you may be aware that OFTEL will not allow BT to undercut competitors on price until it has lost a large proportion of marketing share. However, there is now a scheme which allows BT customers to enjoy much lower call charges of it's [sic] competitors without having to leave BT ..." The advertisers sent a copy of BT's licence and explained that the licence contained provisions to promote competition by ensuring that BT did not reduce prices through unfair cross-subsidy and abuse its dominant position. They stated that their mailing's assertion that BT was not free to charge whatever it wished while it retained significant market power was clearly supported by the conditions of the licence. The ASA considered that the mailing did not merely state that BT could not charge whatever it wished but implied that BT was compelled by OFTEL not to charge lower prices than its competitors. The ASA upheld the complaint after it concluded that the mailing was misleading, and acknowledged that BT's licence included provisions to ensure that it did not act anti-competitively. Music Industry Continues to Point Finger at ISPs The rapid slide has prompted the Recoding Industry Association of America (RIAA) and consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers to blame the illegal downloading of digital music files for the slump, stating that its helps explain not only the 7% decline in sales but also the near-70% increase in pirate CD seizures. CD sales have been expected to drop as new formats replace old ones, in the same way that CD's replaced cassettes and vinyl, but the industry has yet to adapt to the internet. Major label-backed sites such as Pressplay and MusicNet have been criticised as technologically cumbersome and lacking in depth. NTL in Ad Deal with Real Media Following on from a trial between the two companies, the two-year deal will see NTL using the technology to deliver adverts over its two-way broadband network rather than over one-way broadcast streams. This, it claims, will allow it to better measure ROI in advertising across its digital TV platform, electronic programme guide, interactive games and email. NTL currently claims to have over 1m digital TV subscribers, and around 300,000 customers connected to its broadband network - 37% of the market. More Expansion For 'Actnow' Broadband Project The six exchanges - Truro, St Austell, Redruth, Camborne, Newquay and Penzance - are already equipped with the latest ADSL technology, and it is reported that a further three BT exchanges - Falmouth, Bodmin and Launceston - will be able to offer broadband services by September 19. The Actnow private and public sector partnership has confirmed that the next major stage of the project is about to begin as current orders for high-speed access are running at more than 50 a week. Actnow project director, Nigel Ashcroft, commented: "We are extremely pleased with the level of demand, which has allowed us to move to the next stage of the project. The success of Actnow shows the need for a project of this type and the determination of Cornwall to embrace and fully capitalise on the huge opportunities offered by broadband technology." "If this level of enthusiasm is maintained, then there is every likelihood that a further phase of expansion will be possible by the end of the year. This will involve the enabling of four more exchanges at St Ives, Bude, Saltash and Penryn. "The project is a great learning process. Nothing quite like it has ever before been offered in the UK. As the project progresses, we are constantly reviewing and refining the products and services available to best meet the needs of Cornish businesses." A huge variety of businesses, organisations and individuals have already taken delivery of ADSL broadband since the launch of the Actnow project on April 24. Partners include BT, the Objective One Partnership Office, Cornwall Enterprise, the South West of England Regional Development Agency, Cornwall County Council, Business Link Devon & Cornwall and Cornwall College. Businesses are being invited to attend a major Actnow showcase event at the Falmouth Beach Hotel, Falmouth, on Thursday September 19, and, for those firms interested, more information can be found by visiting or calling the Actnow office on 01209 722850 or by visiting actnowcornwall.co.uk Likewise, companies are able to register an interest in ordering a broadband connection at Falmouth, Bodmin and Launceston by contacting Actnow on 01209 722850 or visiting actnowcornwall.co.uk The Actnow package for small and medium businesses includes pre and post sales advice and support, a range of computer equipment and broadband connection options to suit the needs of individual businesses, financial support through an EU-funded rebate and privileged members' access to the Actnow Web site. Freeserve Offers Mobile Java Games Service Users can visit Freeserve’s Mobile Zone HERE,to find various Sport, Arcade, Puzzles, Board, and platform games to satisfy any mobile gamer. Java games are graphically richer and offer far faster interaction to the ones available already on your mobile phone, and Freeserve is offering a Java games service not only to Siemens users but also to Nokia mobile phone owners. Mobile phones currently compatible with Freeserve Mobile Zone are the Nokia 3410, 6310i, and the Siemens M50, SL42i, SL45i as these phones support Java and are WAP enabled. Jon Gisby, Managing Director of Freeserve portals said: “We are very excited to offer the public this service. We believe that as the number of phones on the market that support downloadable games increases it will eventually become as popular as Ringtones." "The new service strengthens Freeserve’s position as the best place on the Internet for mobile phone content.” The service, provided to Freeserve by Amplefuture Ltd and powered by the Macrospace ProvisionX managed Java delivery platform, enables users to try the games on the Freeserve site and then purchase them by calling a premium rate number. Once downloaded, the games can be played continuously, and, when bored of one game, users can go back and download a different game from Freeserve to keep on their mobile. T-Mobile mm02 to Share Costs The approval would mean German group T-Mobile and the UK company mm02 could combine operations in Germany and the UK, saving up to $5bn (£3.2bn). The two companies have got preliminary regulatory approval to co-operate in Germany and are optimistic that they will get the green light to co-operate in the UK as well. A decision is expected soon, a spokeswoman for the Commission said. Hip New Webmail from Kool Dudes at Revolution As well as providing a free service that Hotmail charge £19.99 per annum for Revolution ISP also benefti from SPAM reduction. When asked about their new offer Managing Director Richard Martin said today, "Yeah man, errh we thought it would be kinda cool like if we could like do webmail and that and like do it for free kinda thing so like we uhm just yeah." When quizzed about the lack of broadband options for Revolution users he replied "Yeah we might get round to it sometime, but it seems like a lot of hassle man." Source: Press Release / ISP Review From BTOpenwoe To Pipexwoe... Pipexwoe is designed to do the same for users of the Pipex Internet service as BT Openwoe does for BT Openworld users. The site has been launched in response to the ever growing number of complaints seen around popular sites such as ADSLGuide and ISP Review, along with feedback being received by BT Openwoe asking (us) when something similar for Pipex would be around. Pipex users can leave their tales of 'Wow' and 'Woe' by clicking here Tiscali To Launch Satellite Broadband Service Announcing a deal to provide virtual private network (VPN) services to its business customers, Tiscali's chief operating officer Stephane Huet confirmed the company has been running broadband satellite trials for some time now, but these had not been "overtly successful". However, Huet said that new technology set to be introduced this autumn would help improve satellite broadband connections. BT launched its satellite broadband service in March this year, and, according to the report, Tiscali will be the second company to offer consumer and small business satellite broadband services if the launch is implemented. SOURCE: Europemedia Mobile Text Messaging On The Increase It is reported that UK users now send 45 million text messages each day across the four UK GSM network operators compared to just over 32 million sent in June 2001, and Mike Short, Chairman of the MDA, commented: "Text messaging is continuing to rise in popularity and diversity. As well as person to person text messaging we are seeing interactive text as a popular communication tool." "An example of this is Big Brother 3 interactive voting which has seen an increase of 52% (11.03 million), compared to 2001, for the first six weeks of voting, of which 24% are mobile text votes across all networks." July figures are slightly higher, with 1.35 billion messages being sent person-to-person in the UK throughout the month - almost double the number sent in July 2000. Fujitsu DSLAM Upgrade News The work, which will start on the 3rd September, will be carried out in two parts and is due to complete on the 10th September: Part 1: Upgrade the DSLAM Software; this will be carried out from the, 3rd September to the 6th September. To View the List of Affect Exchanges and Running Order, please click here. Part 2: Upgrade the Line Card; this again will take 3 days and the work will be carried out on the 6th, 9th and 10th September, and the list of affected exchanges and running order can be viewed here. Gio Introduce Two New Fixed IP Services Business 24/7 - static IP @ £28.95 Anytime access for business with 5:1 contention for 56K dial up or 64K ISDN Business 247 - static IP - 128K @ £44.95 Anytime access for business with 5:1 contention for 128K ISDN Customers can sign up to the services on the Gio Web site, with immediate activation. Trojan Hides Behind Kaspersky Email ; KaZaA Infected By "Duload" Worm The Trojan is sent out by an anonymous person using an anonymous e-mail address from a public access e-mail service. The messages themselves have a spoofed address showing the sender as info@microsoft.com. The infected message has the following attributes: From: info@microsoft.com Subject: Protect Your NetWare with Kaspersky Anti-Virus Attachment: AAprices.exe Kaspersky Labs, an international data-security software developer, announces the official release of Kaspersky Anti-Virus 4.0. "We are pleased to present the latest version of our anti-virus product. The unique technology, updated design, and perfected administering system integrated into Kaspersky Anti-Virus 4.0 is the result of many years of work dedicated to improving the ease of working with the program and increasing computer defense reliability," said Natalya Kaspersky, Kaspersky Labs CEO. The new Kaspersky Anti-Virus version (Personal Pro, Personal, Lite) fully supports the Microsoft Windows XP operating system. Amongst this versions latest innovations are: a complete user interface upgrade corresponding to Tree Chart technology; perfected system installation that allows for the saving the configuration of previously installed versions, and a quarantine feature for isolating infected and suspicious objects; expanded treatment of infected archived files; an added function for the treatment of Microsoft Outlook Express and objects upon system start up and also a memory scanning of active applications; and simplified operating features for disk recovery. If the attached file is accidentally opened, "Apher" automatically initiates a connection with a remote web site and from this site a utility enabling the control of the virus "Backdoor.Death.25" is loaded on the infected machine. In turn, this program permits the evildoer to clandestinely manage an infected computer, to view and send out confidential information, and create, copy and delete files in addition to much more. Presently there have already been several registered reports of infection and Kaspersky has updated their anti-virus database to detect the virus. In a seperate issue, Kaspersky Labs also reports of the network worm Duload, which is spreading across the KaZaA file-exchange network. The worm itself is a Windows (PE EXE) application written in Visual Basic. Currently two modifications of the Duload worm are known, each having a different file size: Worm.P2P.Duload.a - 18432 bytes Worm.P2P.Duload.b - 7680 bytes (Compressed with the UPX utility) If the infected attachment is accidentally opened "Duload" copies itself to the Windows system directory under the name "SystemConfig.exe" and modifies the system registry so that this file automatically loads each time Windows is started. Next, the Duload worm creates a folder in the Windows directory called "Media" and copies itself to this directory under 39 different names. Such as: Pamela Anderson And Tommy Lee Home Video.exe Alicia Silverstone Payboy Nude.exe Kama Sutra Tetris.exe Soldier Of Fortune 2 Mutiplayer Serial Hack.exe The Sims Game Crack.exe Warcraft 3 Battle.net Crack.exe "Duload" then once again modifies the system registry in order to make the "Media" folder accessible to all other KaZaA network users. One modification of the worm (Worm.P2P.Duload.a) also downloads from an Internet site several Trojan programs designed to establish the unauthorized remote management of infected computers. Presently Kaspersky Labs has already received several registered instances of infection in Italy, and the company have updated their anti-virus database. Are the ISPs Really The Bad Boys? In the first instance, after receiving some pornographic emails, Labour MP Derek Wyatt called on the government to bring Internet service providers under stricter control in a bid to stop unsolicited pornographic emails. He is reported to have said "Channel 5 is responsible for what it shows, so why shouldn't ISPs take responsibility for what is carried over their networks?" This seems crazy! Do you really want to put censorship in the hands of our ISPs? Should they really be reading our emails? Is this not going to open up a flood of court cases as some ISPs ban material, some don’t and some ban information incorrectly? Not to mention the complications of making this a global initiative. The ISP is simply a delivery mechanism or a postal service. I am not going to be impressed if we see ISP costs escalate out of control as the billions and billions of gigabytes of data have to be verified by ISPs and small players in the market are forced to close. If someone can not spot an offensive email and press the delete key, or if they are unable to install Net Nanny should they really be using the Internet – maybe they should stick to watching Channel 5? Meanwhile, the record industry has been trying to take legal action (which was later dropped) to make major ISPs prevent access to a Chinese Web site accused of distributing pirated music. It is not the ISPs fault if people choose to use their services to send porn or download illegal music. Downloading illegal music is wrong, I have no doubt about that, however what is the record industry doing to give us a viable way to pay and download the music tracks we want? There is a demand so huge here yet the record industry seems focused on prevention of download of illegal material rather than facilitating a simple, cost effective legal alternative. No, its not the ISPs that are wrong in this instance, I think they have enough on their plate trying to provide us with a good quality service. I think its the bureaucrats and legal teams that seem hell bent on heavily regulating something that was never intended to be regulated that causes the concern. Comments welcome in the Net4Nowt Forums at http://www.net4nowt.com/forum Recording Industry Drops Lawsuits Against ISPs Thirteen record companies had filed a lawsuit Friday after failing to persuade the site, Listen4ever.com, to shut down on its own. But in a surprise move, the companies dropped the lawsuit saying the site is now offline. The Recording Industry Association of America said it may revive the lawsuit if the site reappears with a new name or location. Telewest Debt Restructuring Accepted by Banks The ecompany has £5.3bn debt, which it borrowed to build a UK cable network that currently serves nearly 5m households. It intends to ask bondholders to exchange the £3.6bn it owes them for equity, thereby wiping out the interest payments that have been crippling its chances of turning in a profit. MSN for Mac OS X Announced V Two One Launches Cheapest Business ADSL Service For organisations wanting double the download speed, the Business 1000 service (with 1 Mbps download and 256Kbps upload speeds) is £90+VAT per month and for a huge 2 Mbps Download speed, V Two One’s Business 2000 option is £110+VAT per month. V Two One’s packages also come with four fixed IP addresses as standard, National Rate (0870) technical support helplines and a free.co.uk domain name which incorporates unlimited web space and email addresses for business use. Particularly attractive to business users is V Two One’s guarantee that lines will only be shared with up to a maximum of 20 (a contention ratio of no more than 20:1), although it is generally agreed that rarely would all users be transferring data at full speed simultaneously. BT Wholesale Announce Trigger Levels For A Further 169 Exchanges BT Wholesale director of broadband, Bruce Stanford, commented: "The launch of our broadband registration scheme in July gave people a direct influence on our rollout programme by registering demand against their local exchange." "We're looking forward to seeing the first exchanges reach their trigger levels so we can provide ADSL services where true demand has been identified through this scheme." No less than 47,000 individual lines have been registered via service providers since the beginning of July, and BT Wholesale has now reviewed costs at 669 exchanges, setting trigger levels for 595 exchanges. However, for a further 74 exchanges, the detailed review of costs has concluded that demand trigger levels based on current costs would not realistically be met given the number of lines served. BT Wholesale is not setting trigger levels at this time but is investigating how to reduce the cost of enabling these exchanges and is looking at different methods of delivering broadband to these areas. BT is pursuing alternative technical and commercial solutions for areas where demand for Broadband ADSL does not balance with the cost of upgrading the exchange. These include trials of satellite and wireless services and a number of joint public and private sector funding initiatives. Demand at these and all other exchanges where ADSL is not currently available will continue to be tracked through the broadband registration scheme. Work continues to identify the individual costs of providing ADSL broadband service at a further 231 exchanges. The results of this review are due to be announced by the end of September 2002. Customers can check if their exchange has been enabled for ADSL via the bt.com/broadband Web site, as well as finding out if a trigger level has been set and the level of demand currently registered against that exchange. The ADSL broadband availability checker on the bt.com/broadband Web site will be updated to show the new trigger levels this Saturday, August 24, as part of the regular Web site update. Details of all ADSL service providers and a list of those taking part in the registration scheme are also available on the Web site and links to the service providers' Web sites are provided. MP Calls On Government To Put ISPs Under "Stricter" Control "The amount of porn I get on a daily basis and the amount my children get is outrageous. It's so explicit and has put my children off using the Internet" said Mr Wyatt, who also sits on the select committee for culture, media and sport. He said ISPs should be made responsible for any unsolicited emails received by their subscribers from pornography sites. His efforts to have the issue debated in parliament had been hampered up to now, added Mr Wyatt, meaning it was impossible to move things forward. While it may not prove practical to fine ISPs, they should at the very least be forced to sign up to a charter of best practice, Mr Wyatt believes. "At the moment, they're getting away with it and there's not the will to change," he said. "I sent the speaker at least four pages of truly disgusting colour photos that had found their way into my in-box and have asked four times for an adjournment debate in the House of Commons but it still hasn't been discussed." The problem was exacerbated by the fact that many pornographic emails were now disguised as innocent communications, said the MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppy, who after a career in publishing launched the Sky Computer Channel for BSkyB. He also attacked Conservative leader Ian Duncan Smith, who recently called for a new law to prevent paedophiles "grooming" children on the Internet to become potential targets for abuse. Mr Duncan Smith had failed to understand the problem, said Mr Wyatt, adding that very few MPs understood the Internet industry. Mr Wyatt will also push for an amendment to the forthcoming communications bill, making internet service providers responsible for content in the same way as broadcasters. "Channel 5 is responsible for what it shows, so why shouldn't ISPs take responsibility for what is carried over their networks," he said. According to the report, if such a move was implemented, ISPs would be forced to apply for licences in the same way as TV and radio broadcasters and agree to a series of public service standards, monitored by new regulator Ofcom. SOURCE: Guardian Unlimited PlusNet Offer Easy ISDN UpgradeTo Broadband In the past ISDN users may have been reluctant to change to ADSL for fear of having to re-subscribe to ISDN should their line not be successfully converted due to technical problems. PlusNet offer a simple ordering process and if for any technical reason the conversion fails, BT will now convert the line back to the original ISDN service at no cost to the end user. Only upon successful line conversion is the customer charged BT's £27.99 inc. VAT administrative cost, and Alistair Wyse, Technical Director of PlusNet, explained: "Line conversions have been made so much simpler with PlusNet's new ordering system. Those currently using ISDN can now order ADSL with confidence, understanding that should the conversion not go ahead they will not be out of pocket." The simple upgrade process applies to both Home and Office Highway versions of ISDN, as well as ISDN2. This is good news to users of these services who want to take advantage of PlusNet's lowest-cost 'Starter Packs' that were introduced and reported on last week. AOL To Buy Out AT&T's Stake In Time Warner The deal, for E9bn in cash plus AOL stock and shares, will give AOL full possession of Warner Bros. studios, as well as the cable networks HBO, Court TV and Comedy Central. At the same time AT&T is divesting its cable business, AT&T Broadband, to Comcast. The catch comes with this last handover - AOL needs access to AT&T's cables in order to secure an option for its own broadband access and the cable channels it will soon own. Whether AOl will be granted access to Comcast's newly purchased network, is as yet unclear. It is reported that AT&T currently hold a 27.6 per cent share in Time Warner. SOURCE: Europemedia New Regulations Will Help Protect Online Shoppers The BBC reports that new regulations are coming into effect today that will enable greater security for those who carry out online purchases. UK businesses which advertise or sell goods either via a website, mobile phone or through email will have to conform to strict criteria set by the E-Commerce Directive. These firms will now have to offer key features on their sites such as contact information, a swift acknowledgement of orders, and the chance for customers to amend an order. The Department of Trade and Industry says the law's aim is to ensure that businesses gain "the full benefits of e-commerce by boosting consumer confidence". At the same time, it seeks to give "providers of information society services legal certainty, without excessive red tape". However, some lawyers have suggested many companies need to make substantial changes to ensure compliance "Businesses with an online presence or who provide any form of online service have not been sufficiently briefed," said Andrew Rigby, head of e-commerce at lawyers Addleshaw Booth & Co. "[They] will urgently need to reconsider how they operate their web sites to ensure they are compliant." According to the report, the DTI said that they are happy to provide advice via their website for any businesses that have concerns or questions about what the new regulations mean to them. The new law means that if a company fails to meet the key criteria, the sale is rendered invalid and a customer cannot be forced to pay and it is also reported that some reliable companies are unprepared for the change and run the risk of being caught out as a consequence. BBC ntlhell.co.uk v nthellworld.com ntlhellworld.com, the now NTL owned website and independent protest site ntlhell.co.uk have been passing heated emails branded as "petty, spiteful and vindictive" by ntlhell. Libel accusations are also flying around. The full exchange has been published at http://www.ntlhell.co.uk/fffwctwj.htm First Direct Offers Customers Twelve Month Discount On Broadband Customers of first direct will be offered a discount of £2.50 a month for 12 months on BT Openworld's broadband access package bringing the monthly subscription costs down to £27.49 per month instead of the normal price of £29.99. Approximately 100,000 customers who have been identified as keen adopters of new technology and who live in broadband-enabled areas will initially be targeted, and Duncan Ingram, senior vice-president at BT Openworld, commented: “This strategic partnership with first direct is a great way to maximise the potential of the internet for online banking customers." "The broadband deal will bring ongoing benefits to first direct’s customers. Faster account access is only the tip of the iceberg.” The agreement with BT Openworld will give first direct account holders access to a comprehensive range of Internet services via its broadband network, and lan Hughes, Chief Executive at first direct added: “First direct customers, by definition, seek convenience. They know what they want and they want it fast." "Broadband access can help them find what they need quicker than ever – and thanks to our deal with BT Openworld they can save money at the same time.” A national marketing campaign from BT Openworld and first direct includes a competition for 100 people to win free broadband access for a year. Ecossetel Suffers Email Outage And Possible Connection Problems EcosseTel Internet are experiencing an email outage on their main ecossetel.com email server. The fault occurred late yesterday afternoon (19th) and it is hoped to have everything back on line today. The fault was caused by our email server being physically moved at the hosting company we use and the DNS and IP addresses being changed. We were told the procedure would only take a couple of hours and the services would be unaffected (!!!) Even our main admin address is down. If you need to contact EcosseTel urgently - not just to complain about the email - we know about that, use admin@ecossetel.co.uk However, when I have looked at their service status page, it appears that an e-mail outage is not the only issue the ISP is suffering, as it states that currently there are "dial in reported problems with our ISP services." Maybe the word "NO" may have inadvertently been missed out on the status page HERE, and there are no connectivity issues. Perhaps anyone using EcosseTel would like to leave comment if they are experiencing problems, and comments are also welcome from those users who are not experiencing any problems. SOURCE: ISP Review Energis And Logica Strike £12m Deal With Crown Prosecution Service The network will deploy a technology called multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) which enables the CPS to prioritise traffic. This should ensure that business critical data is given priority over less urgent traffic. An IP-based virtual private network (VPN) that will enable CPS employees to access and share legal documents electronically will be built by the two companies according to the report. SOURCE: Silicon Plans To Store Mail and Voice Communications Causes New Fears According to the report, all telecommunications firms, including mobile phone operators and Internet service providers, will have to keep the numbers and addresses of calls and emails sent and received by EU citizens under the plan: The information, known as traffic data, would be held in central computer systems and made available to all EU governments. The move could lead to a further extension in the powers of European security and intelligence agencies, allowing them to see the contents of emails and intercepted calls and faxes, civil liberty groups fear. The plan, drafted in Brussels, has been leaked to Statewatch, an independent group monitoring threats to privacy and civil liberties in the EU. "The traffic data of the whole population of the EU - and the countries joining - is to be held on record. It is a move from targeted to potentially universal surveillance," Tony Bunyan, Statewatch editor, warned yesterday. "EU governments claimed that changes to the 1997 privacy directive would not be binding on member states - each national parliament would have to decide. Now we know that all along they were intending to make it compulsory across Europe." Although the move was initially explained by the need to fight terrorism, EU officials now argue it is necessary to fight all serious crime, including paedophilia and racism. A "draft framework decision" for the European council states that it is essential for all member states to apply the same rules. It said that the purpose was to harmonise the retention of traffic data to allow criminal investigation. The decision is a victory for the UK which, encouraged by Washington, has been pushing for a compulsory EU-wide data retention regime. But civil liberties campaigners claim that compelling communications companies to retain the records of all their customers for long periods amounts to blanket surveillance on the entire EU population and will lead to law enforcement agencies conducting "fishing expeditions" against innocent citizens. The EU admits the plan involves an invasion of privacy but says the periods for which it must be retained - a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 24 months - is "not disproportionate". The data would include information identifying the source, destination, and time of a communication, as well as the personal details of the subscriber to any "communication device". For law enforcement agencies to access the data, the draft EU decision gives a minimum list of offences, including "participation in a criminal organisation, terrorism, trafficking in human beings, sexual exploitation of children", drug trafficking, money-laundering, fraud, racism, hijacking and "motor vehicle crime". It states that the "confidentiality and integrity" of retained traffic data must be "ensured" but does not say how. Individuals have no right to check whether the information held about their personal communications is accurate or legally challenge decisions about its use by EU authorities. A member state will not be able to refuse a request for information from another member state on human rights or privacy grounds. There is also no common EU list of crimes caught by the plan or of public agencies which could demand the information. But there is one element in the EU plan that the Britain will not welcome. It says that personal data could be handed to security services and law enforcement authorities only with judicial approval. In Britain, the regulation of investigatory powers act allows law enforcement and intelligence agencies to access personal communications data covering a wide range of purposes, including public health and tax collection, without any court or executive warrant. It is reported that Elizabeth France, the information commissioner, has warned the Home Office that the new powers could be illegal because the Anti-Terrorism Act (resulting from September 11 attacks) only allows such data to be retained and accessed on national security grounds. Do you think its an invasion of privacy or do you consider the above proposals a necessary step in the right direction? SOURCE: Guardian Unlimited ADSL Guide Lists Top Ten Fastest Broadband ISPs The ISPs have been ranked by average downstream speed for 512Kbps connections, and the top ten are as follows: 1 Clara.net 2 Zen Internet 3 One.Tel 4 Nildram 5= Andrews & Arnold 5= Demon 5= Freeserve 8 Eclipse Internet 9 BTOpenworld 10 Mailbox Internet Please note that ADSLguide state that smaller ISPs may be excluded from the list due to a lack or absence of speed test data. SOURCE: ADSL Guide The Register launches its own ISP This is a self-install ADSL package with a a one-off installation fee of £65 and £25.99 per month thereafter. Further information is available at http://www.vcisp.net Freedom2Surf Upgrade Infrastructure In February 2002, Freedom2Surf was one of the first ISPs to reduce the cost of ADSL broadband access to just £22.50 a month. Freedom2Surf has since witnessed a huge increase in demand for broadband from both home and business users, especially for its 'Pure Broadband' Self-Install ADSL package. Chris Panayis, Managing Director of Freedom2Surf commented, "ADSL Broadband has finally become a mainstream consumer product and we predict increasing demand for high-speed, always-on connections in the coming months. The investment Freedom2Surf has made in additional broadband capacity, will allow us to increase our subscriber base, while at the same time maintaining the high levels of performance, reliability and service our customers expect from their broadband connection." The upgrade will also allow Freedom2Surf to maintain its high response or 'ping rates' when used by real time applications, in activities like online gaming and trading. Freedom2Surf broadband customers will also be able to use their connection for high-speed Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networking. Freedom2Surf's Self-Install ADSL service is available in the following packages: - 512K, 50:1, Pay As You Go Monthly package: £59.99 setup, £22.50 per month including VAT for home users. (£22.50 + VAT for business customers) - 512K, 20:1, £59.99 setup, £180 per quarter (+ VAT) - 1Mb, 20:1, £59.99 setup, £285 per quarter (+ VAT) - 2Mb, 20:1, £59.99 setup, £420 per quarter (+ VAT) The service features a static IP address without any port blocking or transparent cache software, giving users an unrestricted Internet experience. The Freedom2Surf package includes telephone and email support as standard, as well as 20Mb of webspace, 5Mb of database space and up to 20 email addresses. Customers can subscribe to Pure Broadband by visiting http://www.freedom2surf.net. Differentiation order of the day as ISPs try to woo customers Last week week BT Openworld launched a travel club and this week we see ISP Earthlink provide pop-up advert blocker software for its customers. The company is particularly keem to differentiate itself in the US from market leader AOL. Apart from the usual price and quality of service factors, how is your ISP different from the rest? Please click the "Add your comments here" link above and let us know. Record Industry Targets ISPs in Fight Against Music Piracy In particular AT&T Broadband Cable & Wireless USA, Sprint Advanced Network Services and UUNET have been approached The companies said Listen4ever appears is aimed at an American audience, as most of the featured artists are from the US and the site is in English. However, the plaintiffs have not been able to name the owners of Listen4ever, saying any indication of ownership is “strikingly absent” from the site. They believe the site has clearly located itself in China to avoid the ambit of United States copyright law UKStamp Mail Server Changes mail.ukstamp.net Technical Support can be found at http://www.ukstamp.co.uk/tech4.htm (212.43.185.43) is no longer available for sending emails! Reason: This should correct the authentication problems a few customers have been experiencing. We thank you for your patience and support. Regards UKStamp Technical Support" More ISP News on Net4Nowt We will, of course, continue to provide UK ISP news, but will now be bringing you ISP news from around the planet updated live 24 hours a day. Simply scroll down to view the new Net4Nowt International ISP news at the base of our home page. Feedback welcome in the Net4Nowt Forum MSN, Tiscali and Freeserve Playlouder This will see its material becoming available for subscription on portals including MSN, Tiscali and Freeserve. Brightview Update BT Openworld Cuts Price of Wireless Access The number one business ISP is offering a reduced price wireless networking solution, removing the need for expensive and complicated cabling. The reduction follows an earlier announcement by BT Openworld of price cuts on individual wireless products. The wireless products are supported by Linksys, a leader in networking solutions for small businesses, and are designed to the Wi-Fi (802.11b)global standard. Savings of up to £190 are available when connecting to one of the selected ethernet broadband BusinessPLUS products in conjunction with the Internet Business Pack and a Wireless Access Point Network kit before September 30, 2002. For further information visit: http://www.btopenworld.com/wirelessnetworking or call 0870 792 2118. Broadband Subscribers Increase 60% Around 8% of internet users in Britain now subscribe to broadband services and NOP forecast that by August 2003, around 15% of British internet users will have a broadband connection at home. According to NOP, the biggest obstacle to take-up of broadband services in Britain is not cost-related but to do with the fact that many people feel that they don't use the Net enough to justify broadband installation. NOP found that only one in four British internet users said that cost was stopping them from switching to broadband. Brightview acquires Former XO UK ISP Businesses As a consequence, Brightview state they are now probably the UK's largest independent ISP. It has achieved this market position in less than 18 months since formation in April 2001 and, according to Brightview, it is also a profitable business. In the deal, Brightview purchased three high profile ISPs, www.Globalnet.co.uk, www.Freenetname.co.uk, and www.Dialstat.net, as well as the rights to provide internet connection services to customers of www.Waitrose.com and several other well-known consumer brands. It also acquired call centre operations with 45 full-time staff and technical infrastructure equipment valued at over £8m. Brightview state they believe in preserving on-line communities; therefore it has no plans to undertake a major re-branding exercise of the kind that would consolidate its brands under a single identity or require customers to change their Email addresses. David Laurie, Chief Executive, said: "We are delighted to have acquired some fantastic assets. Global and Freenetname have previously won accolades for their outstanding customer service and technical support and they have consistently appeared high up in Internet magazine's ranking of Internet Service Providers." He continued: "We will soon be offering these new customers unmetered(FRIACO) and ADSL connection packages. We will also look at more sophisticated services that we can offer to our subscribers at a low cost." At the same time as the acquisition, Brightview has made a substantial investment in technology to upgrade its existing technical platform and to build a new platform, located in one of Europe's most advanced data centres, to support the business it has just acquired. The new platform accesses bandwidth directly from Level(3) one of the world's top four Tier 1 Internet Backbone Providers. As a consequence, Brightview's state their most recently acquired brands will offer customers more and higher quality bandwidth than any other major ISP in the UK. Ido Pollak, Chief Technical Officer, said "We will provide over 20 kb of bandwidth per connected subscriber, which is much greater than the industry average, and we will not throttle bandwidth. This means that at peak times, customers of our newly acquired brands will, on average, be able to download a great deal faster than customers on many rival networks." BT Openworld's Summit Research Reveals Broadband Knowledge Gap Prevents Take-up The summits which are held throughout May in London, Manchester, Glasgow and Bristol, and are designed to find out more about the public perception of Internet access. However, according to 45 per cent of over 400 delegates, education and understanding was a primary factor on the list of "perceived barriers" to broadband take-up in Britain, and cost and availability, while remaining a barrier to some, was not as prominent in the list. Tony Harris, president Business Internet Services at BT Openworld commented: "The four summits we organised across the country were designed to judge the state of the nation with regard to Internet access. Interestingly, most delegates said the obvious factors like availability and price weren't the biggest barriers to mass businesses uptake - most just didn’t know enough about the technology and the benefits." "Whilst broadband take-up is increasing at a rate of knots, there are still a large percentage of businesses in the UK failing to understand and take advantage of benefits which have the potential to improve performance significantly for minimum investment." "Broadband delivers benefits that have immediate impact on the bottom line and business performance. This lack of understanding is a worrying indicator." A campaign aimed at mobilising the industry to explain the business benefits of a high-speed Internet connection has been launched by BT’s mass-market ISP, and a ‘Superhighway Guide’ represents the first stage of the initiative. The guide's theme is akin to 'The Highway Code,' and aims to cut through the hype and speculation and clearly defines how broadband access can impact the SME sector. It is available from BT Openworld and at www.btopenworld.com. High-Speed Demand Allows NTL To Reduce Loss And Improve Earnings The company said it intends to re-list its shares on the New York exchange, with a possible London listing to follow, and expects to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September, when a court hearing is likely to allow it to complete the near-$11bn debt-for-equity restructuring deal that is key to its survival. NTL reduced its net loss from $1.1bn to $594bn on sales of $916m, up 3.6%, and EBITDA earnings improved by more than 60% to $254m But more than 70,000 subscribers decided to leave the company during the quarter, possibly due to the confusion surrounding its financial predicament. Its remaining 2.7m customers are however spending more with the company on average, with sales growth driven by demand for high-speed Internet connections. It is also reported that the cable company had exceeded 300,000 high-speed installations by the end of August and is also currently connecting around 25,000 new households a month. SOURCE: Netimperative PlusNet Announce New Low Cost ADSL Starter Packs PlusNet describe the new product as the "lowest cost ADSL 'start-up' package" that offers the best value to users, and Alistair Wyse, Technical Director of PlusNet commented: "This forms part of our long term strategy for our ADSL products and isn't the result of any short-term offer, BT-marketing funds supported offer or other examples of 'number 'manipulations'." "There are many offers in the marketplace at present and most, if not all are limited in some way and require the consumer to enter a 12-month contract and/or purchase a specific modem." "If you take into account the line activation cost, line splitters, modem equipment and subscription, We believe that at this point in time, PlusNet's overall offering is the lowest cost you can get." Set to establish PlusNet as the 'one-stop shop' for broadband ADSL, the high-speed starter packs include telephone line activation, 2 ADSL line splitters and the option of internal PCI modem, external USB modem or a network-compatible router. The starter packs are priced from £99.99 (inc. VAT) for home users and £85.10 (exc. VAT) for business users and represent a one-off payment in addition to PlusNet's home and business ADSL subscription services which are priced from £20.99 per month. PlusNet also include an easy-to-understand setup guide and offer local-rate telephone support to help subscribers set up with ease. For further information and pricing, please click here IE Browser Loophole Vulnerability Is Serious Say Experts San Francisco programmer Mike Benham, who discovered the loophole, alleges that Internet Explorer versions 5.0, 5.5 and 6.0 have loopholes in handling digital certificates which verify Web sites as being legitimate. If the loophole is exploited by hackers, users could be fooled into thinking that the Web site they are visiting is legitimate, and, as a consequence, tricked into revealing personal information. According to the report, security experts have already described the flaw as "serious" , however, experts add that widespread attacks are unlikely due to the complexity involved. Although Microsoft is looking into the problem, the report suggests that the company is "unsure" that the loophole should be classed as a vulnerability. Scott Culp, manager of Microsoft's Security Response Center commented: "What we are saying is that based on the preliminary investigation so far, it's obvious there would be some daunting challenges with the scenario that's been described. However, cryptography expert Bruce Schneier of Counterpane Internet Security is of the opinion that the loophole is "one of the worst cryptographic vulnerabilities" he has witnessed in a long time. Digital certificate provider VeriSign are working with Microsoft to resolve the issue and currently neither company is aware of any reported cases of exploitation of the loophole. SOURCE: BBC BT to Disconnect P2P Users? A reader of The Register apparently contacted by BTs Broadband's abuse team was told that the letter he received was sent out after BT's systems detected he was using file-sharing applications. It was implied during the conversation that downloading files is acceptable, but once they land in a shared folder and become available to the world a user becomes in breach of contract. If any Net4nowt readers have had similar experiences, please let us know. The entertainment industry would argue that P2P applications often imply that sharing of files is a funky and fun thing to do where as the reality is it threatens future music, film and software production and indirectly increases prices. Bye Bye Alpha.Net We regret to inform our users that our investors have withdrawn their financial support for AlphaPhe.Net, as our main source of funding has now been removed, it has become financially impossible for us to continue operating our 0808 unmetered service, and it is likely that our unmetered 0808 services may cease to function within the next 24 – 72 hours. Although we intend to secure new investment and reinstate our 0808 unmetered services if possible, we feel it would be unreasonable to ask our users to wait until our 0808 service is operational again, and believe that the only course of action is to begin issuing refunds to our users. We are now preparing to process refund requests, if you feel you are entitled to a refund, please click on the refund request link below to request a refund. Refund Request We are hoping to process all refund requests within the next 2-3 weeks, we have already cancelled all Credit Card reoccurring payments to ensure that users will not be billed in future, if you currently pay by standing order we request that you cancel your standing order with your bank immediately, any postal payments that have already been sent to us within the last few days will be returned ASAP. All users websites, domains, and email addresses and other services will continue to function normally until further notice. Our 0845 local-rate service is unaffected and will continue to operate as normal. We unreservedly apologise to all our users for any inconvenience, we hope that it may be possible to secure investment for AlphaPhe.Net and reinstate our 0808 unmetered services sometime in the future." Dutch ISPs go Tapping The squad, expected to be operational within two months, was set up to help small and medium size ISPs keep down the relatively high costs of tapping, by sharing equipment and related investment and running costs. According to Chefren Hagens of IDD, a tapping equipment manufacturer, tapping a network is a complex task requiring careful investigation, specialist knowledge and tools. The ISPs are considering tenders for tapping equipment from three manufacturers. The squad’s six founding members , Zonnet, Inter NL net, IntroWeb, PSInet, Internet Access Facilities and Netland, will each pay an annual contribution proportionate to the size of their customer base, to cover costs. Three other ISPs have applied to join the squad and another six or seven have shown an interest in joining. What Ever Happened To..... The stand-alone division will be based at the parent group’s London office and will be headed by Lister Park, formerly managing director of ISP FreeInternet Group. Park has also worked at Zenith, Grey Advertising and Interpublic. About 100 people work for Millennium nationwide, and the group includes a fulfilment house and photographic library. The agency’s clients include ntl, Age Concern and Cancer Research. ISPA Obtains Clarity for ISPs in E-comm Regulations The Regulations contain a number of significant changes to the draft Regulations circulated for consultation earlier this year. During the consultation, ISPA lobbied for a consistent interpretation of the E-Commerce Directive and greater legal clarity on a number of issues, most importantly the ‘country of origin’ principle, liability for intermediaries and notice and takedown procedures. As a result, ISPA has successfully achieved a number of the provisions and amendments it requested, and particularly welcomes the following changes: ‘Country of Origin’ Principle – The Governments draft regulations had suggested that UK providers of Internet services were subject to the laws of each member state of the European Union. ISPA worked to receive a clear and transparent commitment from the Government that UK service providers would be subject to UK national laws – the laws of their ‘country of origin’. This provides the legal certainty required by providers of e-commerce services in the UK that they will only be subject to UK law rather than the law of every Member State of the EU. Liability of Intermediaries – The draft regulations were ambiguous regarding the limitations placed upon the civil and criminal liability of service providers who transmit, cache or host third-party content. ISPA helped the Government to remove these ambiguities. The published Regulations ensure that service providers benefit from the same limited liability in both civil and criminal matters. Notice and Takedown –The Regulations do not outline a formal procedure for the removal of illegal content (notice and takedown) or provide statutory backing for notice and takedown codes of practice, as requested by ISPA. However, they go some way to defining how service providers might be deemed to have ‘actual knowledge’ of the illegal nature of third party content by providing guidance for consideration by a court on the minimum requirements that a notice about illegal content must contain. This may help to standardise what constitutes a notice. Nicholas Lansman, Secretary General of the Internet Services Providers’ Association (ISPA UK) today welcomed the changes: “It is crucial for the development of the UK Internet industry that the E-Commerce Directive is accurately interpreted and implemented the UK Government. The consultation on the draft Regulations and our negotiations with Government have achieved much greater clarity regarding the liability and legal position for providers of Internet services, and ISPA is grateful for the opportunities afforded to us to make representations on behalf of our members.” But more work is needed on notice and takedown, Mr Lansman continued: “Formal procedures governing the removal of illegal material (notice and takedown) need to be developed to further clarify the rights and responsibilities of service providers. The Government has agreed to facilitate meetings with stakeholders to address the development of industry codes of practice in this area. ISPA looks forward to working together with Government and other relevant stakeholders to agree a clear framework.” ISPA will also continue to push for clarification on limiting the liability of other types of intermediaries, such as providers of hyperlinks, location tools and content aggregation, as the absence of legislation creates legal uncertainty. Mr Lansman said: “ The Government have indicated they will be consulting further on this issue and ISPA will be actively participating in the ongoing discussions. We therefore welcome participation from such providers to address this important issue”. West Cumbria Shouting For Broadband They are calling upon BT to invest in the telephone exchanges specifically in Workington, Maryport and Cockermouth so that businesses and householders can have high-speed internet access using broadband technology. They state, that without this technology the area runs the risk of becoming a 'poor relation' with little hope of attracting investors who now view it as standard. BT has said that if it gets 400 pre-registrations it will upgrade the Workington exchange and install the necessary equipment. It is also reviewing the exchanges in Maryport and Cockermouth and will probably set a trigger figure by September. Power Surges Causing Permanent Damage To "A Large" Number Of Modems | ||