FCC's Adelstein Wants More DTV Testing [Broadband Reports]
FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein has joined a growing chorus of policy makers calling for more DTV testing to iron out issues prior to the nationwide transition next February. While the FCC declared the Wilmington, NC test a success, several issues were revealed. Here's what Broadcasting and Cable said about Adelstein's announcement:
One reason why he [Adelstein] worries is that he feels that the soft test in Wilmington, N.C., Sept. 8 was misinterpreted as a success. He said projecting Wilmington’s 2,272 consumer calls seeking help in the first week to a national cutoff translates to 2.2 million such calls. “And that’s an optimistic scenario,” he added, because the Wilmington test had more manpower and in-market education than the national cutoff.
“While we can take small comfort in what went smoothly, we should fear what didn’t,” he said. “There is no plan remotely comparable for that kind of outreach nationwide … I think the FCC is continuing to underestimate the task ahead.”
Wilmington's test took place under the most perfect set of circumstances, and it's results should cause policy makers to work harder to make the transition as smooth as possible. Over the years, I have learned that the easiest mistake to make in management is to focus solely on the silver lining and to ignore the cloud it surrounds. Kudos to Commissioner Adelstein for articulating his justifiable concern. No one wants millions American households' televisions going dark next February.
Kentucky attempts to seize online gambling domain names [CNET News]
There's been an intriguing development in domain name law happening in Kentucky. The question: can a state seize domain names that are being used for activities that are illegal in that state. Kentucky has filed suit against online gambling sites in an attempt to take control of their domain names (essentially putting them out of business). Kentucky has a state law that allows authorities to seize materials involved in illegal gambling. But can the state apply this law to domain names that are hosted by registrars outside the state and even outside the U.S.?
A judge is reviewing arguments from both sides, even as he has ordered registrars to turn domains over to the state. This case has obvious implications for the future of the domain name system.
Broadband Video Watchers Double; IPTV to Grow 64% [NewTeeVee.com]
A couple of new surveys are showing large growth in the number of Internet users viewing video online. ABI Research says that 63% of Internet households in the U.S. watch video in their browsers - that's an increase from 31% in 2007.
The second study in this post is from Gartner, which says that IPTV users will grow to 19.6 million subscribers this year. That growth represents a 64% increase in IPTV subscribers over last year.
Report: Apple TV could get update Tuesday [CNET News]
Apple watchers are anticipating an announcement soon about the Apple TV device. Since Apple's product updates are highly secretive, staged events, no one knows yet what the announcement will entail. Rumors include a new Apple TV device, while others believe that the update will be a software update enabling the current Apple TV device to use HD content.
Beshear's flip-flop stance on gambling is insane! The state cannot takeover domains that weren't registered in that state. Right now, thousands of KY citizens can merely go around the bridge and go to Horseshoe to play at a casino. The KY state government doesn't get a dime.
A state with legalized horse racing has no business talking from both sides of their mouth about gambling. Hypocrisy elevated to its most absurd extreme!
Posted by: sineswiper | Thursday, October 02, 2008 at 11:12 AM