The millions of pilgrims in Mecca this week for the Hajj, an annual gathering of Muslims, can stay connected thanks to a temporary Wi-Fi mesh network covering a large part of the city.
Hajjis, as the pilgrims are called, come to the city in Saudi Arabia from around the world for several days of religious rituals. More than 2 million gather each year. A network of about 70 meshed routers from Tropos Networks has been set up to provide free Internet connectivity, according to Denise Barton, director of marketing at Tropos. Users only have to register before using it. Barton believes it is the first public Wi-Fi network set up for the Hajj.
Mesh networks are well-suited to temporary deployments because they need fewer fixed-line connections than do traditional Wi-Fi systems. Packets can hop from one router to another until they reach one that's connected to a landline. The technology has also been used for permanent municipal Wi-Fi networks, including the one Google had built with Tropos equipment in its hometown of Mountain View, California.
Saudi Arabia's Communications and Information Technology Commission appointed an Internet service provider, Bayanat Al-Oula, to provide the temporary network. It was rolled out in less than 60 days with no help from Tropos personnel, Barton said. Aptilo Networks, a wireless-management software and services company based in Stockholm, is running the network as a managed service from its offices in Malaysia. This also helped Bayanat get the infrastructure up and running quickly, said Per Knutsson, Aptilo's co-founder and director of product development. Aptilo is handling user authentication, security, customer-support calls and other features, as well as setting up the portal visitors use to register for the network.
Aptilo and Tropos are no strangers to temporary Wi-Fi networks. Aptilo has managed systems for large sporting events, and in 2004 Tropos built a network in downtown Redwood City, California, for a high-profile murder case. The trial of Scott Peterson, who was convicted of killing his wife and their unborn child, drew massive public and media attention. The county court where the trial took place set up a temporary network with five surveillance cameras and five meshed routers for its own security needs and for reporters who descended on the area for several months.
The Mecca network is made up of Tropos 5210 mesh routers, which use IEEE 802.11a for mesh connections and can support users with 802.11a, b and g devices, Barton said. Such networks typically require between 20 and 40 routers per square mile, she said.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Many small companies look to bid in 700MHz auction
The upcoming 700MHz spectrum auctions by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission have drawn bid applications from giant companies including Google and AT&T. But a number of small companies and individuals have submitted bid applications as well.
Late Tuesday, the FCC announced that it had accepted bids from 96 applicants and has another 170 applications that are incomplete for the auction of highly coveted spectrum that can be used for voice or wireless broadband service.
Some of those applicants may not complete their applications. In the FCC's advanced wireless services auction in 2006, 252 organizations submitted applications, and there were 168 qualified bidders.
It's typical that several initial applicants will bow out before they have to submit deposit payments, said analyst Jack Gold of J. Gold Associates. "When it comes to putting down earnest money, many [applicants] back away or can't get the money," he said.
Applicants have until Jan. 4 to pay their deposits or resubmit their applications for the auction, which begins Jan. 24.
The FCC designed the auction in an effort to attract small bidders. Up for sale is 62MHz of spectrum in the 700MHz band, now occupied by U.S. television stations. In late 2005, Congress passed legislation requiring U.S. TV stations to move to all-digital broadcasts and abandon analog spectrum between channels 52 and 69. The deadline for TV stations to end broadcasts in the 700MHz band is February 2009.
The spectrum is broken up into five blocks, with three of the five blocks divided into small geographic areas. A 12MHz block of spectrum called the A block is divided up into 176 small geographic areas, called economic areas, as is the 6MHz E block. The 12MHz B block is broken up into 734 local areas called cellular market areas. Bidders can win multiple regional or local licenses.
But the chances of small companies winning significant amounts of spectrum is "pretty slim," Gold said. "Any areas with significant population densities will bring in the big boys, who seek revenues from a mass market," he said. "I suppose some smallish rural areas may be of less interest to AT&T [or] Verizon, but these guys want true countrywide networks, so they will likely bid there anyway."
Several unfamiliar names are among the prospective bidders who submitted incomplete applications:
-- Office of Spectral Ecology, listed as an unincorporated association, with one board member, based in Montreal.
-- Dragon Arch, listed as a corporation based in New York City.
-- FaithFone Wireless, a Phoenix wireless carrier launched in September 2006. FaithFone is a self-described "purpose-driven Christian mobile phone company, offering a cell phone service combining faith and family content." FaithFone's wireless service offers daily devotionals, Bible passages and a prayer of the day through text messaging.
-- The Navajo Department of Information Technology.
-- Part-15.org, a nonprofit organization for users of unlicensed wireless spectrum.
Smaller companies, with annual revenue of less than US$15 million, that have submitted complete applications include:
-- Grain Spectrum, based in Sarasota, Florida, a minority-owned company focused on building wireless networks for government users.
-- GreenFly, a mobile services provider founded in 2006 and based in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
-- Xpressweb Internet Services, an Internet service provider based in Kanab, Utah.
The auction, expected to raise more than US$10 billion, is likely to last several weeks. Many spectrum experts call the 700MHz band "beachfront" property because it can carry wireless broadband signals three to four times farther than some other spectrum bands.
Since early December, applicants have been in an FCC-mandated quiet period. The FCC spectrum auction rules prohibit collusion on bidding plans.
Late Tuesday, the FCC announced that it had accepted bids from 96 applicants and has another 170 applications that are incomplete for the auction of highly coveted spectrum that can be used for voice or wireless broadband service.
Some of those applicants may not complete their applications. In the FCC's advanced wireless services auction in 2006, 252 organizations submitted applications, and there were 168 qualified bidders.
It's typical that several initial applicants will bow out before they have to submit deposit payments, said analyst Jack Gold of J. Gold Associates. "When it comes to putting down earnest money, many [applicants] back away or can't get the money," he said.
Applicants have until Jan. 4 to pay their deposits or resubmit their applications for the auction, which begins Jan. 24.
The FCC designed the auction in an effort to attract small bidders. Up for sale is 62MHz of spectrum in the 700MHz band, now occupied by U.S. television stations. In late 2005, Congress passed legislation requiring U.S. TV stations to move to all-digital broadcasts and abandon analog spectrum between channels 52 and 69. The deadline for TV stations to end broadcasts in the 700MHz band is February 2009.
The spectrum is broken up into five blocks, with three of the five blocks divided into small geographic areas. A 12MHz block of spectrum called the A block is divided up into 176 small geographic areas, called economic areas, as is the 6MHz E block. The 12MHz B block is broken up into 734 local areas called cellular market areas. Bidders can win multiple regional or local licenses.
But the chances of small companies winning significant amounts of spectrum is "pretty slim," Gold said. "Any areas with significant population densities will bring in the big boys, who seek revenues from a mass market," he said. "I suppose some smallish rural areas may be of less interest to AT&T [or] Verizon, but these guys want true countrywide networks, so they will likely bid there anyway."
Several unfamiliar names are among the prospective bidders who submitted incomplete applications:
-- Office of Spectral Ecology, listed as an unincorporated association, with one board member, based in Montreal.
-- Dragon Arch, listed as a corporation based in New York City.
-- FaithFone Wireless, a Phoenix wireless carrier launched in September 2006. FaithFone is a self-described "purpose-driven Christian mobile phone company, offering a cell phone service combining faith and family content." FaithFone's wireless service offers daily devotionals, Bible passages and a prayer of the day through text messaging.
-- The Navajo Department of Information Technology.
-- Part-15.org, a nonprofit organization for users of unlicensed wireless spectrum.
Smaller companies, with annual revenue of less than US$15 million, that have submitted complete applications include:
-- Grain Spectrum, based in Sarasota, Florida, a minority-owned company focused on building wireless networks for government users.
-- GreenFly, a mobile services provider founded in 2006 and based in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
-- Xpressweb Internet Services, an Internet service provider based in Kanab, Utah.
The auction, expected to raise more than US$10 billion, is likely to last several weeks. Many spectrum experts call the 700MHz band "beachfront" property because it can carry wireless broadband signals three to four times farther than some other spectrum bands.
Since early December, applicants have been in an FCC-mandated quiet period. The FCC spectrum auction rules prohibit collusion on bidding plans.
Microsoft, Google, Yahoo settle gambling charges
Microsoft, Google and Yahoo have agreed to pay a total of $31.5 million to resolve claims that they promoted illegal gambling, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday.
Microsoft will pay $21 million, Google will pay $3 million and Yahoo will pay $7.5 million, the DOJ said in a news release. The three companies neither contest nor admit that they promoted illegal online gambling by running advertisements for gambling Web sites between 1997 and this year.
The settlements stem from an investigation into illegal online gambling by U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway of the Eastern District of Missouri, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. Hanaway's office indicted the founder of Betonsports.com, 10 other people and four companies on charges of racketeering, conspiracy and fraud in a crackdown on online gambling on June 1, 2006.
Hanaway filed a new indictment against Betonsports, three other companies and 12 people on June 28 of this year.
Unregulated online gambling is illegal in the U.S., the DOJ said. The three companies were accused of procuring participants via the advertisements they ran for illegal activity. Those actions fall under the U.S. aiding and abetting statute, the agency said.
The Microsoft settlement includes a $4.5 million fine and a $7.5 million contribution to the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The company also agreed to create a $9 million online advertising campaign, focused on young people, saying that online gambling is illegal under U.S. law. The campaign will run for three years, beginning in early 2008, the DOJ said.
Yahoo has paid $3 million to the U.S. government, and it will provide $4.5 million worth of online advertising to a public-service campaign designed to inform users that operators and participants in online or telephone-based sports and casino-type gambling in the U.S. may be subject to arrest and prosecution.
"These sums add to the over $40 million in forfeitures and back taxes this office has already recovered in recent years from operators of these remote-control illegal gambling enterprises," Hanaway said in a statement. "Honest taxpayers and gambling industry personnel who do follow the law suffer from those who promote illegal online behavior."
Google said, in a statement, that it has cooperated with the investigation. "While we did not admit any wrongdoing, the Department of Justice has advised that online gambling is illegal in the United States and ads to promote it are improper," the company said. "Google voluntarily discontinued running such ads, which were a very small part of our AdWords business, in April 2004."
Yahoo said it stopped running ads for gambling sites "years ago," according to a statement. "After the U.S. Attorney’s Office contacted Yahoo with its concerns, we worked cooperatively over several years to reach this settlement," the company said.
Microsoft was preparing a statement Wednesday afternoon.
Microsoft will pay $21 million, Google will pay $3 million and Yahoo will pay $7.5 million, the DOJ said in a news release. The three companies neither contest nor admit that they promoted illegal online gambling by running advertisements for gambling Web sites between 1997 and this year.
The settlements stem from an investigation into illegal online gambling by U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway of the Eastern District of Missouri, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. Hanaway's office indicted the founder of Betonsports.com, 10 other people and four companies on charges of racketeering, conspiracy and fraud in a crackdown on online gambling on June 1, 2006.
Hanaway filed a new indictment against Betonsports, three other companies and 12 people on June 28 of this year.
Unregulated online gambling is illegal in the U.S., the DOJ said. The three companies were accused of procuring participants via the advertisements they ran for illegal activity. Those actions fall under the U.S. aiding and abetting statute, the agency said.
The Microsoft settlement includes a $4.5 million fine and a $7.5 million contribution to the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The company also agreed to create a $9 million online advertising campaign, focused on young people, saying that online gambling is illegal under U.S. law. The campaign will run for three years, beginning in early 2008, the DOJ said.
Yahoo has paid $3 million to the U.S. government, and it will provide $4.5 million worth of online advertising to a public-service campaign designed to inform users that operators and participants in online or telephone-based sports and casino-type gambling in the U.S. may be subject to arrest and prosecution.
"These sums add to the over $40 million in forfeitures and back taxes this office has already recovered in recent years from operators of these remote-control illegal gambling enterprises," Hanaway said in a statement. "Honest taxpayers and gambling industry personnel who do follow the law suffer from those who promote illegal online behavior."
Google said, in a statement, that it has cooperated with the investigation. "While we did not admit any wrongdoing, the Department of Justice has advised that online gambling is illegal in the United States and ads to promote it are improper," the company said. "Google voluntarily discontinued running such ads, which were a very small part of our AdWords business, in April 2004."
Yahoo said it stopped running ads for gambling sites "years ago," according to a statement. "After the U.S. Attorney’s Office contacted Yahoo with its concerns, we worked cooperatively over several years to reach this settlement," the company said.
Microsoft was preparing a statement Wednesday afternoon.
Microsoft offers work-around for IE security patch problems
Microsoft has offered a technical work-around for Internet Explorer users who have found their browsers crashing after installing a recent set of security patches.
Last Tuesday, Microsoft issued a critical security update for its browser software, fixing bugs in the browser. But soon after, users began reporting that IE would crash while visiting certain Web sites. These users would be forced to restart the browser after receiving an "Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and must close" message.
Microsoft now says that the problem is not widespread and affects certain custom installations of Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP, Service Pack 2.
Customers who experience this problem can fix it by making changes to the Windows registry, described in this Knowledge Base article.
Microsoft did not say what kind of customization would cause the bug, and company representatives were not immediately available for comment.
Some newsgroup users are speculating, however, that the issue may be related to antivirus software. Symantec and McAfee users who have been experiencing the problem have been able to resolve the issue by uninstalling the security update and then uninstalling their antivirus software, installing the update and then reinstalling their AV products, said Frank Saunders, a Windows user who has been following discussion of the issue.
The Internet Explorer patch associated with this problem -- MS07-069 -- is considered to be the most important of last week's updates because it fixes four critical vulnerabilities in the browser.
Last Tuesday, Microsoft issued a critical security update for its browser software, fixing bugs in the browser. But soon after, users began reporting that IE would crash while visiting certain Web sites. These users would be forced to restart the browser after receiving an "Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and must close" message.
Microsoft now says that the problem is not widespread and affects certain custom installations of Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP, Service Pack 2.
Customers who experience this problem can fix it by making changes to the Windows registry, described in this Knowledge Base article.
Microsoft did not say what kind of customization would cause the bug, and company representatives were not immediately available for comment.
Some newsgroup users are speculating, however, that the issue may be related to antivirus software. Symantec and McAfee users who have been experiencing the problem have been able to resolve the issue by uninstalling the security update and then uninstalling their antivirus software, installing the update and then reinstalling their AV products, said Frank Saunders, a Windows user who has been following discussion of the issue.
The Internet Explorer patch associated with this problem -- MS07-069 -- is considered to be the most important of last week's updates because it fixes four critical vulnerabilities in the browser.
Apple update fixes freezing MacBooks
A software update is now available for Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro systems.
The update addressed an issue that caused the keyboard to freeze. Reports indicate that the Intel-based models running Mac OS X Leopard were affected, with keyboard freezes lasting for up to a minute, or more.
In its notes about the MacBook, MacBook Pro Software Update 1.1 Apple says: "This update addresses a responsiveness issue on MacBook and MacBook Pro notebook computers. Some MacBook and MacBook Pro systems may occasionally experience a temporary suspension of keyboard input which can last a minute or longer. The Mac OS X 10.5.1 update is required before installing the MacBook, MacBook Pro Software Update 1.1."
The update addressed an issue that caused the keyboard to freeze. Reports indicate that the Intel-based models running Mac OS X Leopard were affected, with keyboard freezes lasting for up to a minute, or more.
In its notes about the MacBook, MacBook Pro Software Update 1.1 Apple says: "This update addresses a responsiveness issue on MacBook and MacBook Pro notebook computers. Some MacBook and MacBook Pro systems may occasionally experience a temporary suspension of keyboard input which can last a minute or longer. The Mac OS X 10.5.1 update is required before installing the MacBook, MacBook Pro Software Update 1.1."
NetSuite raises estimated IPO price yet again
NetSuite on Wednesday boosted the estimated price range for its IPO (initial public offering) for the second time in just two days, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The range now stands at US$19 to $22, after NetSuite raised it to $16 to $19 on Tuesday.
The hosted business software company initially set the range at $13 to $16.
NetSuite is running the IPO as an online auction, in the same fashion of search giant Google, rather than following the traditional route of having underwriters set the price.The stock is expected to be priced after the stock market's close Wednesday. It will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "N."
NetSuite, which sells a line of hosted business software, is putting up 6.2 million shares of common stock. The company said Wednesday it believes it will net about $115.9 million from the IPO after expenses.
NetSuite has said it plans to use proceeds from its IPO to pay off an $8 million balance on a line of credit with Tako Ventures, an entity controlled by Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, and to possibly make acquisitions.
Ellison controls about 60 percent of NetSuite's outstanding stock -- some 31.9 million shares.
NetSuite said Wednesday that Ellison has now completed the transfer of those shares into a holding company, NetSuite Restricted Holdings. The move is meant to "effectively eliminate" Ellison's voting power and avoid potential conflicts of interests, NetSuite said.
The hosted business software company initially set the range at $13 to $16.
NetSuite is running the IPO as an online auction, in the same fashion of search giant Google, rather than following the traditional route of having underwriters set the price.The stock is expected to be priced after the stock market's close Wednesday. It will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "N."
NetSuite, which sells a line of hosted business software, is putting up 6.2 million shares of common stock. The company said Wednesday it believes it will net about $115.9 million from the IPO after expenses.
NetSuite has said it plans to use proceeds from its IPO to pay off an $8 million balance on a line of credit with Tako Ventures, an entity controlled by Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, and to possibly make acquisitions.
Ellison controls about 60 percent of NetSuite's outstanding stock -- some 31.9 million shares.
NetSuite said Wednesday that Ellison has now completed the transfer of those shares into a holding company, NetSuite Restricted Holdings. The move is meant to "effectively eliminate" Ellison's voting power and avoid potential conflicts of interests, NetSuite said.
Cisco hires environmental guru for green efforts
Cisco has hired one of the founders of the ‘Green Grid’, Paul Marcoux, to be its new environmental guru.
The Green Grid, is an industry consortium - of which Cisco is a contributing member - dedicated to improving data center power efficiency through the use of agreed metrics. Marcoux was APC's director of education and training.
He now becomes a VP of engineering in the Cisco Development Organization (CDO), and is responsible for driving green initiatives both inside Cisco, and externally with customers and the market.
The company has also announced its ‘greenest office,’ its new St. Louis regional headquarters, built to meetLEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) criteria for environmental friendliness and energy efficiency.
The building's construction featured tracking and recycling of old materials during tear out, installing new materials with recycled content and using environmentally friendly paints and furniture. There are individual workstation task lights to reduce energy consumption. The building is also powered by renewable energy.
John Moses, who heads the HQ, said it is the first of many LEED-certified offices which Cisco will build in the next few years as part of Cisco CEO John Chambers' Carbon to Collaboration initiative. The Cisco head committed to reduce Cisco's greenhouse gas emissions from air travel by 10 percent during fiscal years 2007 and 2008.
The idea is to use videoconferencing, with Cisco's TelePresence high-definition IP product enabling face-to-face real-time meetings between colleagues and partners without the need to travel.
Showing the way, Moses said: ""If we can reduce one flight to Chicago and back, that will help us reduce our carbon emissions. These technologies really can help us cut costs, reduce air travel and reduce our overall carbon emissions."
TelePresence has been on the market for a year and there are 100 customers deploying it in over 40 countries. Charles Stucki, VP and GM of the TelePresence Systems business unit, said: "Cisco TelePresence is the fastest-growing new product category in Cisco history."
The Green Grid, is an industry consortium - of which Cisco is a contributing member - dedicated to improving data center power efficiency through the use of agreed metrics. Marcoux was APC's director of education and training.
He now becomes a VP of engineering in the Cisco Development Organization (CDO), and is responsible for driving green initiatives both inside Cisco, and externally with customers and the market.
The company has also announced its ‘greenest office,’ its new St. Louis regional headquarters, built to meetLEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) criteria for environmental friendliness and energy efficiency.
The building's construction featured tracking and recycling of old materials during tear out, installing new materials with recycled content and using environmentally friendly paints and furniture. There are individual workstation task lights to reduce energy consumption. The building is also powered by renewable energy.
John Moses, who heads the HQ, said it is the first of many LEED-certified offices which Cisco will build in the next few years as part of Cisco CEO John Chambers' Carbon to Collaboration initiative. The Cisco head committed to reduce Cisco's greenhouse gas emissions from air travel by 10 percent during fiscal years 2007 and 2008.
The idea is to use videoconferencing, with Cisco's TelePresence high-definition IP product enabling face-to-face real-time meetings between colleagues and partners without the need to travel.
Showing the way, Moses said: ""If we can reduce one flight to Chicago and back, that will help us reduce our carbon emissions. These technologies really can help us cut costs, reduce air travel and reduce our overall carbon emissions."
TelePresence has been on the market for a year and there are 100 customers deploying it in over 40 countries. Charles Stucki, VP and GM of the TelePresence Systems business unit, said: "Cisco TelePresence is the fastest-growing new product category in Cisco history."
MIT students power supercomputer with bicycles
A team of ten MIT students powered a supercomputer for twenty minutes by pedalling bicycles. They duly claimed the world record for human-powered computing (HPC).
They powered a SiCortex SC648 supercomputer with a Linux cluster of 648 CPUs and almost 1TB of main memory in a single cabinet. The system is low-powered and draws 1,200 watts without needing special power supplies or cooling.
An SC648 chip, with six processors on it, draws around 8 watts of power, which compares to a typical notebook computer CPU needing 100 watts, according to SiCortex CEO John Mucci. Other supercomputers draw tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of watts.
The ten cyclists pedalled their bikes, set on stands, with the wheels driving dynamos to generate direct current power which was converted into the alternating current needed. The supercomputer modelled a nuclear fusion reaction.
A spokesperson said that the human-powered session produced more computations than took place in the first 3,000 years of civilization. He also said that more arithmetic calculations were computed than were done on the entire earth up to 1960.
The MIT team was highlighting the need for sustainable energy supplies, competing for a Google prize and also for an entry in the Guinness Book of Records. Google and a bike company have sponsored an Innovate or Die contest with contestants having to use bike power and post a video of their submission on Google-owned YouTube to win US$5,000 for the team and a specialized bike for each member. Five members pedalled for the Google prize and a ten-member team pedalled for the Guinness Book of Records entry.
They powered a SiCortex SC648 supercomputer with a Linux cluster of 648 CPUs and almost 1TB of main memory in a single cabinet. The system is low-powered and draws 1,200 watts without needing special power supplies or cooling.
An SC648 chip, with six processors on it, draws around 8 watts of power, which compares to a typical notebook computer CPU needing 100 watts, according to SiCortex CEO John Mucci. Other supercomputers draw tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of watts.
The ten cyclists pedalled their bikes, set on stands, with the wheels driving dynamos to generate direct current power which was converted into the alternating current needed. The supercomputer modelled a nuclear fusion reaction.
A spokesperson said that the human-powered session produced more computations than took place in the first 3,000 years of civilization. He also said that more arithmetic calculations were computed than were done on the entire earth up to 1960.
The MIT team was highlighting the need for sustainable energy supplies, competing for a Google prize and also for an entry in the Guinness Book of Records. Google and a bike company have sponsored an Innovate or Die contest with contestants having to use bike power and post a video of their submission on Google-owned YouTube to win US$5,000 for the team and a specialized bike for each member. Five members pedalled for the Google prize and a ten-member team pedalled for the Guinness Book of Records entry.
Microsoft, Viacom agree to $500M advertising pact
Microsoft and entertainment broadcaster Viacom have agreed to a five-year deal to share content and partner on advertising initiatives, the companies announced Wednesday.
It's the latest agreement between content and technology companies seeking to make money by mixing premium content with advertising on the Web. The two companies valued the deal at US$500 million.
Microsoft will have a nonexclusive license to use TV programs and other content from Viacom, which owns MTV Networks, Comedy Central, BET (Black Entertainment Television) and Paramount Pictures, among others. The content will appear on Microsoft's MSN Web site, as well as through its Internet-connected XBox 360 games system.
Viacom will also use Microsoft's Atlas AdManager digital advertising technology for its U.S. Web sites. The technology came from Microsoft's $6 billion acquisition of aQuantive Inc., which was completed in August. AdManager can serve graphical and video ads on Web sites and has ad reporting and management features.
Microsoft will also have an exclusive right to sell some display advertising inventory on Viacom's sites, and both companies will share the revenue.
Microsoft and Viacom previously worked together on MTV's Urge digital music store, which was closed in August after low interest.
In March, Viacom filed a $1 billion suit against Google's YouTube video service for displaying clips the network owns that were posted by users without permission.
It's the latest agreement between content and technology companies seeking to make money by mixing premium content with advertising on the Web. The two companies valued the deal at US$500 million.
Microsoft will have a nonexclusive license to use TV programs and other content from Viacom, which owns MTV Networks, Comedy Central, BET (Black Entertainment Television) and Paramount Pictures, among others. The content will appear on Microsoft's MSN Web site, as well as through its Internet-connected XBox 360 games system.
Viacom will also use Microsoft's Atlas AdManager digital advertising technology for its U.S. Web sites. The technology came from Microsoft's $6 billion acquisition of aQuantive Inc., which was completed in August. AdManager can serve graphical and video ads on Web sites and has ad reporting and management features.
Microsoft will also have an exclusive right to sell some display advertising inventory on Viacom's sites, and both companies will share the revenue.
Microsoft and Viacom previously worked together on MTV's Urge digital music store, which was closed in August after low interest.
In March, Viacom filed a $1 billion suit against Google's YouTube video service for displaying clips the network owns that were posted by users without permission.
Orkut worm demonstrates vulnerability of service
Google's Orkut social networking site appeared to have been hit by a relatively harmless worm, but one that demonstrated the continuing vulnerability of Web applications.
Some Orkut users received an e-mail telling them they had been sent a new scrapbook entry -- a type of Orkut message -- on their profile from another Orkut user.
They only had to view their profile to become infected by the worm, which added them to an Orkut group, "Infectados pelo Vírus do Orkut," wrote the blogger Kee Hinckley on his site TechnoSocial.
The name of the group, in Portuguese, roughly translates to "infected by the Orkut virus." Orkut is popular in Brazil, as well as India, but has not caught on as well outside those countries compared to MySpace and Facebook.
The description of the group reveals that the worm was designed to show Orkut could be dangerous to users even if they do not click on malicious links, Hinckley wrote. The worm apparently did not try to steal any personal data.
The worm was also noted by Orkut Plus, a site that offers Orkut security tips, and discussed in Google's Orkut help group.
At one time the infected group was adding new members at a rate of 100 per minute, and had reached a few hundred thousand members, according to various postings, but the problem appears now to be fixed, Hinckley wrote.
Orkut's scrapbook feature allows people post messages that contain HTML code, but it may lack a filter to strip out malicious JavaScript, Hinckley wrote.
"It does not appear at first glance that the worm does anything more dangerous than pass itself on to one or more of your friends," he wrote. "I think it unlikely that it would be able to steal your password, although it could potentially access other private information."
Some Orkut users received an e-mail telling them they had been sent a new scrapbook entry -- a type of Orkut message -- on their profile from another Orkut user.
They only had to view their profile to become infected by the worm, which added them to an Orkut group, "Infectados pelo Vírus do Orkut," wrote the blogger Kee Hinckley on his site TechnoSocial.
The name of the group, in Portuguese, roughly translates to "infected by the Orkut virus." Orkut is popular in Brazil, as well as India, but has not caught on as well outside those countries compared to MySpace and Facebook.
The description of the group reveals that the worm was designed to show Orkut could be dangerous to users even if they do not click on malicious links, Hinckley wrote. The worm apparently did not try to steal any personal data.
The worm was also noted by Orkut Plus, a site that offers Orkut security tips, and discussed in Google's Orkut help group.
At one time the infected group was adding new members at a rate of 100 per minute, and had reached a few hundred thousand members, according to various postings, but the problem appears now to be fixed, Hinckley wrote.
Orkut's scrapbook feature allows people post messages that contain HTML code, but it may lack a filter to strip out malicious JavaScript, Hinckley wrote.
"It does not appear at first glance that the worm does anything more dangerous than pass itself on to one or more of your friends," he wrote. "I think it unlikely that it would be able to steal your password, although it could potentially access other private information."
New mobile approaches got a reality check
The past year may have been a wireless dream come true if you're a fan of the iPhone and more open handsets and networks, but it was a nightmare for some major new alternatives to traditional mobile services.
Municipal wireless networks, WiMax and MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators) began the year buoyed by high hopes before each faced a reality check. In each case, business woes at one company were just part of the reason.
The recent growth of wireless in many forms helped to generate excitement and investment for new technologies in 2006 and early 2007. Municipal wireless networks seemed like a new channel to deliver ubiquitous high-speed Internet access without waiting for traditional carriers to step up. WiMax, possibly an alternative to 3G and Wi-Fi, finally had a marquee customer. And MVNOs promised to deliver complete cellular services, including phones, targeted to specific kinds of consumers.
But as it turns out, it's not so easy to flip the wireless world upside down.
As the year began, San Francisco reached a deal with EarthLink for one of the most hotly anticipated municipal wireless networks in the world, one in which Google would provide a free citywide service in addition to EarthLink's paid offering. As in EarthLink's deal for a Philadelphia network, the city would pay nothing. Meanwhile, leaders in Silicon Valley were planning an even bigger network, spanning 1,500 square miles and multiple technologies.
Politics kept the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from approving the EarthLink plan for months, until the service provider delivered some bad news of its own. In April, EarthLink said it would focus on both the municipal networks it was already committed to and to driving up usage in large cities rather than seeking out new deals. The San Francisco project's future got blurry. Then, in August, the company said it wouldn't invest any more money in its free-to-cities business model. A shrinking dial-up business and other problems were forcing big cuts at EarthLink.
"We will not devote any new capital to the old muni Wi-Fi model that has us taking all of the risk by fronting all of the capital, then paying to buy our customers one by one," President and CEO Rolla Huff said. By November, EarthLink was considering "strategic alternatives" for the Wi-Fi business, an indication that it may be sold off. The Philadelphia network is going forward but has drawn fewer than expected subscribers. Meanwhile, backers of the Silicon Valley network were left searching for a new builder and operator after their first choice couldn't attract enough financing, even in the heart of the IT industry.
Municipal wireless turned out to have one big technology problem -- it required more access points than expected -- which worsened its business problem: Where would the money come from? Analysts say the key now is to find areas that lack other broadband alternatives or get cities to sign up for services themselves. Telscape Communications, a mobile operator focused on the U.S. Hispanic market, is negotiating to buy a municipal Wi-Fi network in Tempe, Arizona, that has 1,000 access points and only 500 subscribers. The company hopes to use better marketing and some combination of cellular and Wi-Fi voice services to make it a success.
WiMax has been promoted as Wi-Fi with a wider reach for several years, and its big opportunity came in August 2006, when Sprint Nextel chose the technology as what it called its "fourth-generation" network. Vendors including Intel, Motorola, Samsung and Nokia piled on, and it looked like the high manufacturing volume that would drive down WiMax prices was finally on its way. The network would reach 100 million U.S. residents by the end of 2008, Sprint said.
In July this year, the carrier announced it would team up with wireless data provider Clearwire to jointly fund and market the WiMax service, called Xohm, and allow roaming between the two networks. Sprint would build 65 percent of the network, Clearwire the other 35 percent, each covering some cities the other couldn't reach. However, the companies gave the same target: 100 million people by the end of 2008.
Then Sprint CEO Gary Forsee, a backer of the estimated US$5 billion WiMax plan, was forced out of the struggling carrier. A few weeks later, the Clearwire deal was off, with the companies saying they couldn't reach final agreement on its details. And Sprint said it was reviewing its WiMax plans and would say more in early 2008. As the year's end approached and new Sprint CEO Dan Hesse took over, it wasn't clear what his take on the project might be.
Sprint's soft launch of WiMax in Chicago and the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., area went ahead before the end of the year as planned, and the carrier said it still plans commercial service in the first half of 2008. But WiMax is starting to generate more interest for emerging markets than for advanced economies, including from Cisco Systems, which acquired Navini Networks in January. The company said its main focus with WiMax is to get broadband widely deployed in countries that don't have enough wired infrastructure.
The uncertainty surrounding Sprint and its plan is affecting the image more than the reality of WiMax, said IDC analyst Godfrey Chua.
"It's not problems with the technology, it's problems with the company," Chua said. "The momentum we're seeing behind WiMax in the rest of the world continues."
Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), which resell mobile capacity from established carriers, pulled in a lot of investment money in 2006 but suffered some high-profile failures in 2007.
At the end of July, youth-focused Amp'd Mobile shut down after it attracted nearly 200,000 customers in less than two years but failed to collect enough of the revenue it was due. In September, Disney said it would shut down its specialized service for families by the end of the year and look to offer its features through an established carrier. Helio, a money-losing joint venture of SK Telecom and EarthLink, stayed afloat thanks to $270 million of added investment from SK after EarthLink decided the MVNO game was too rich for its blood.
MVNOs and their supporters often didn't realize what an uphill battle they faced, according to analysts. They needed to build up in months the kinds of billing systems and distribution networks that traditional carriers had taken years to refine, and frequently they fell short. Meanwhile, trying to make a profit by buying minutes and bytes from another carrier and reselling them is hard even for a well-run company, analysts said. The foggy future at Sprint, which provides the underlying network for most MVNOs in the U.S., cast yet another cloud over the business.
GreatCall, a startup that launched the Jitterbug service for older cell-phone users last year, learned these lessons the hard way. The company changed billing companies twice before finding a provider that worked, said Arlene Harris, Jitterbug's founder, chairman and chief strategy officer. It also struggled to get funding, especially after other MVNOs started folding.
The service now has "tens of thousands" of subscribers and is growing, Harris said.
"Everything is working well," Harris said. "But I have to tell you, it's been very hard."
Municipal wireless networks, WiMax and MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators) began the year buoyed by high hopes before each faced a reality check. In each case, business woes at one company were just part of the reason.
The recent growth of wireless in many forms helped to generate excitement and investment for new technologies in 2006 and early 2007. Municipal wireless networks seemed like a new channel to deliver ubiquitous high-speed Internet access without waiting for traditional carriers to step up. WiMax, possibly an alternative to 3G and Wi-Fi, finally had a marquee customer. And MVNOs promised to deliver complete cellular services, including phones, targeted to specific kinds of consumers.
But as it turns out, it's not so easy to flip the wireless world upside down.
As the year began, San Francisco reached a deal with EarthLink for one of the most hotly anticipated municipal wireless networks in the world, one in which Google would provide a free citywide service in addition to EarthLink's paid offering. As in EarthLink's deal for a Philadelphia network, the city would pay nothing. Meanwhile, leaders in Silicon Valley were planning an even bigger network, spanning 1,500 square miles and multiple technologies.
Politics kept the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from approving the EarthLink plan for months, until the service provider delivered some bad news of its own. In April, EarthLink said it would focus on both the municipal networks it was already committed to and to driving up usage in large cities rather than seeking out new deals. The San Francisco project's future got blurry. Then, in August, the company said it wouldn't invest any more money in its free-to-cities business model. A shrinking dial-up business and other problems were forcing big cuts at EarthLink.
"We will not devote any new capital to the old muni Wi-Fi model that has us taking all of the risk by fronting all of the capital, then paying to buy our customers one by one," President and CEO Rolla Huff said. By November, EarthLink was considering "strategic alternatives" for the Wi-Fi business, an indication that it may be sold off. The Philadelphia network is going forward but has drawn fewer than expected subscribers. Meanwhile, backers of the Silicon Valley network were left searching for a new builder and operator after their first choice couldn't attract enough financing, even in the heart of the IT industry.
Municipal wireless turned out to have one big technology problem -- it required more access points than expected -- which worsened its business problem: Where would the money come from? Analysts say the key now is to find areas that lack other broadband alternatives or get cities to sign up for services themselves. Telscape Communications, a mobile operator focused on the U.S. Hispanic market, is negotiating to buy a municipal Wi-Fi network in Tempe, Arizona, that has 1,000 access points and only 500 subscribers. The company hopes to use better marketing and some combination of cellular and Wi-Fi voice services to make it a success.
WiMax has been promoted as Wi-Fi with a wider reach for several years, and its big opportunity came in August 2006, when Sprint Nextel chose the technology as what it called its "fourth-generation" network. Vendors including Intel, Motorola, Samsung and Nokia piled on, and it looked like the high manufacturing volume that would drive down WiMax prices was finally on its way. The network would reach 100 million U.S. residents by the end of 2008, Sprint said.
In July this year, the carrier announced it would team up with wireless data provider Clearwire to jointly fund and market the WiMax service, called Xohm, and allow roaming between the two networks. Sprint would build 65 percent of the network, Clearwire the other 35 percent, each covering some cities the other couldn't reach. However, the companies gave the same target: 100 million people by the end of 2008.
Then Sprint CEO Gary Forsee, a backer of the estimated US$5 billion WiMax plan, was forced out of the struggling carrier. A few weeks later, the Clearwire deal was off, with the companies saying they couldn't reach final agreement on its details. And Sprint said it was reviewing its WiMax plans and would say more in early 2008. As the year's end approached and new Sprint CEO Dan Hesse took over, it wasn't clear what his take on the project might be.
Sprint's soft launch of WiMax in Chicago and the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., area went ahead before the end of the year as planned, and the carrier said it still plans commercial service in the first half of 2008. But WiMax is starting to generate more interest for emerging markets than for advanced economies, including from Cisco Systems, which acquired Navini Networks in January. The company said its main focus with WiMax is to get broadband widely deployed in countries that don't have enough wired infrastructure.
The uncertainty surrounding Sprint and its plan is affecting the image more than the reality of WiMax, said IDC analyst Godfrey Chua.
"It's not problems with the technology, it's problems with the company," Chua said. "The momentum we're seeing behind WiMax in the rest of the world continues."
Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), which resell mobile capacity from established carriers, pulled in a lot of investment money in 2006 but suffered some high-profile failures in 2007.
At the end of July, youth-focused Amp'd Mobile shut down after it attracted nearly 200,000 customers in less than two years but failed to collect enough of the revenue it was due. In September, Disney said it would shut down its specialized service for families by the end of the year and look to offer its features through an established carrier. Helio, a money-losing joint venture of SK Telecom and EarthLink, stayed afloat thanks to $270 million of added investment from SK after EarthLink decided the MVNO game was too rich for its blood.
MVNOs and their supporters often didn't realize what an uphill battle they faced, according to analysts. They needed to build up in months the kinds of billing systems and distribution networks that traditional carriers had taken years to refine, and frequently they fell short. Meanwhile, trying to make a profit by buying minutes and bytes from another carrier and reselling them is hard even for a well-run company, analysts said. The foggy future at Sprint, which provides the underlying network for most MVNOs in the U.S., cast yet another cloud over the business.
GreatCall, a startup that launched the Jitterbug service for older cell-phone users last year, learned these lessons the hard way. The company changed billing companies twice before finding a provider that worked, said Arlene Harris, Jitterbug's founder, chairman and chief strategy officer. It also struggled to get funding, especially after other MVNOs started folding.
The service now has "tens of thousands" of subscribers and is growing, Harris said.
"Everything is working well," Harris said. "But I have to tell you, it's been very hard."
SugarCRM offers biggest upgrade yet
SugarCRM has released the 5.0 version of its open-source customer relationship management software following a long period of development and testing.
Sugar 5.0 features improvements in three main areas, according to the company: a new on-demand architecture designed to improve security; tools that let nontechnical users build custom modules; and an AJAX e-mail client that is compatible with any server that supports the POP3 protocol. The release also delivers upgraded dashboarding capabilities.
The software went through three beta cycles and was tested more than 30,000 times by members of SugarCRM's open-source community, said Chris Harrick, senior director of product marketing for the Cupertino, California, company.
Harrick said the open-source development model allows software to be vetted far more thoroughly than it can through an in-house quality testing team.
In-house teams "serve their purpose. They do a good job and they're hard-working people. But [open-source provides] the wisdom of the crowd," he argued.
Harrick downplayed the fact that it took three betas to achieve a release-worthy product. "I think it's really a result of our development process. We iterate quickly and get it out there," he said.
The company has created a Flash demo that walks through the new features in detail.
China Martens, an analyst with the 451 Group, said SugarCRM is looking to land larger enterprise customers with the 5.0 release.
"This is the most substantial kind of project they've done. ... it was really crucial for them to try and get this right," Martens said.
"We think it's good, but the bottom line is we want to see bigger users for Sugar until we get really excited," she added.
In a space crowded by seemingly similar CRM offerings, SugarCRM has tried to differentiate itself partly through fostering a user-friendly image, according to Martens. The company's attitude, according to Martens, is, "Forget about the technical guys, we're Sugar and you can configure us. We're friendly."
SugarCRM Professional in on-demand form costs US$40 per user per month.
Sugar 5.0 features improvements in three main areas, according to the company: a new on-demand architecture designed to improve security; tools that let nontechnical users build custom modules; and an AJAX e-mail client that is compatible with any server that supports the POP3 protocol. The release also delivers upgraded dashboarding capabilities.
The software went through three beta cycles and was tested more than 30,000 times by members of SugarCRM's open-source community, said Chris Harrick, senior director of product marketing for the Cupertino, California, company.
Harrick said the open-source development model allows software to be vetted far more thoroughly than it can through an in-house quality testing team.
In-house teams "serve their purpose. They do a good job and they're hard-working people. But [open-source provides] the wisdom of the crowd," he argued.
Harrick downplayed the fact that it took three betas to achieve a release-worthy product. "I think it's really a result of our development process. We iterate quickly and get it out there," he said.
The company has created a Flash demo that walks through the new features in detail.
China Martens, an analyst with the 451 Group, said SugarCRM is looking to land larger enterprise customers with the 5.0 release.
"This is the most substantial kind of project they've done. ... it was really crucial for them to try and get this right," Martens said.
"We think it's good, but the bottom line is we want to see bigger users for Sugar until we get really excited," she added.
In a space crowded by seemingly similar CRM offerings, SugarCRM has tried to differentiate itself partly through fostering a user-friendly image, according to Martens. The company's attitude, according to Martens, is, "Forget about the technical guys, we're Sugar and you can configure us. We're friendly."
SugarCRM Professional in on-demand form costs US$40 per user per month.
Google Toolbar flaw opens door for phishers
Google is working to fix a bug in the Google Toolbar that could allow criminals to steal data or install malicious software on a system, a security researcher warned Tuesday.
The flaw lies in the mechanism Google Toolbar uses to add new buttons on the browser. Because the toolbar does not perform adequate checks when new buttons are being installed, a hacker could make his button appear as though it was being downloaded from a legitimate site when in fact it came from somewhere else. By spoofing the origin of the toolbar button, an attacker could download malicious files or launch a phishing attack against the victim, wrote security researcher Aviv Raff in a blog post on the issue.
Raff has posted proof of concept code, showing how such an attack would work with the Internet Explorer browser. A Google spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday that the company is working to fix the problem.
The attack requires many steps. First, the victim would have to be tricked into clicking on a Web link that would then pop up a window asking the user if he wants to install a custom button on his toolbar. Because of the flaw, this alert could look like it was downloading the button from a legitimate site such as Google.com, even if it were not. Once the button was installed on the toolbar, the victim would then have to click on it, and finally agree to download and run an executable file for the malicious software to be installed.
Because the user would have to go through so many steps in order to fall victim to the attack, the bug isn't a critical one, said Marc Maiffret, an independent security researcher. "While it is interesting, it's probably a low threat compared to other flaws out there," he said via instant message.
Still, it was sloppy work on Google's part to miss such a simple attack, he said. "They should definitely assess how it slipped through the cracks," he said.
This is not the first obvious Google flaw that Raff has found. Last month, he showed how a simple Web programming error on the Google.com Web site could allow attackers to launch what's known as a cross-site scripting attack.
Because Google's programmers didn't properly check the HTML generated by the Google search engine, Raff was able to create a specially crafted Google link that, when clicked by the victim, would trick the browser into running unauthorized scripting code. This type of link could be used to steal the victim's Google account or conduct phishing attacks, Raff said
This error was fixed by Google just hours after Raff notified the company of the problem, but a demo of the flaw being exploited can be seen online.
The flaw lies in the mechanism Google Toolbar uses to add new buttons on the browser. Because the toolbar does not perform adequate checks when new buttons are being installed, a hacker could make his button appear as though it was being downloaded from a legitimate site when in fact it came from somewhere else. By spoofing the origin of the toolbar button, an attacker could download malicious files or launch a phishing attack against the victim, wrote security researcher Aviv Raff in a blog post on the issue.
Raff has posted proof of concept code, showing how such an attack would work with the Internet Explorer browser. A Google spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday that the company is working to fix the problem.
The attack requires many steps. First, the victim would have to be tricked into clicking on a Web link that would then pop up a window asking the user if he wants to install a custom button on his toolbar. Because of the flaw, this alert could look like it was downloading the button from a legitimate site such as Google.com, even if it were not. Once the button was installed on the toolbar, the victim would then have to click on it, and finally agree to download and run an executable file for the malicious software to be installed.
Because the user would have to go through so many steps in order to fall victim to the attack, the bug isn't a critical one, said Marc Maiffret, an independent security researcher. "While it is interesting, it's probably a low threat compared to other flaws out there," he said via instant message.
Still, it was sloppy work on Google's part to miss such a simple attack, he said. "They should definitely assess how it slipped through the cracks," he said.
This is not the first obvious Google flaw that Raff has found. Last month, he showed how a simple Web programming error on the Google.com Web site could allow attackers to launch what's known as a cross-site scripting attack.
Because Google's programmers didn't properly check the HTML generated by the Google search engine, Raff was able to create a specially crafted Google link that, when clicked by the victim, would trick the browser into running unauthorized scripting code. This type of link could be used to steal the victim's Google account or conduct phishing attacks, Raff said
This error was fixed by Google just hours after Raff notified the company of the problem, but a demo of the flaw being exploited can be seen online.
700MHz auction draws Verizon, Chevron
AT&T and Verizon Wireless want to go up against other current mobile operators and some possible future competitors, including Google, in next month's auction for 700MHz wireless spectrum around the U.S.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday released lists of accepted and incomplete applications for the auction, in which it will sell licenses to frequencies that are set to be vacated by analog TV stations. It has accepted 96 applications and reported 170 as incomplete. The latter need to be completed by Jan. 4.
AT&T and Verizon are not surprise entrants but are the country's biggest mobile operators. If either carrier won a portion of the spectrum that has been designated for use by any device and any service, it would have to open up its network more than any big U.S. operator ever has. Verizon has already unveiled part of a plan to further open its network.
They were on the list of incomplete applications, along with smaller mobile operators Alltel and MetroPCS. Cable operator Cox Communications, an archrival of the telecommunications giants, is also preparing an application. And cellular technology giant Qualcomm, which is already building a mobile entertainment network on vacated TV channels, is also gearing up to bid. Would-be bidders with incomplete applications have until Jan. 4 to complete their paperwork.
Google earlier this year offered to participate in the auction in return for the FCC imposing open-network requirements. The booming Internet company's involvement could drive up bids all around, helping the government reap its hoped-for US$10 billion payday for the spectrum. Google's application has already been accepted, the FCC said Tuesday. So has that of Towerstream, a wireless broadband provider to businesses.
One surprise applicant yet to complete its papers is oil giant Chevron.
Participation by Chevron in the auction comes “out of the blue,” said analyst Jack Gold of J. Gold Associates. However, oil companies and utilities are big wireless users, so he can see why Chevron might be interested.
Chevron, like Google, is unlikely to actually build a network, though, he said. “I can see them potentially winning but then becoming landlords, renting it out,” he said. For both companies, that decision wouldn’t be based on the cost of building a network but on the experience required: Neither company has any history of constructing and operating a wireless network, a complicated undertaking.
Also Tuesday, the agency extended the Dec. 28 deadline for upfront payments in the auction to Jan. 4 and pushed back a mock auction until Jan. 22. The auction itself is set to begin Jan. 24.
Nancy Gohring, in Seattle, contributed to this report.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday released lists of accepted and incomplete applications for the auction, in which it will sell licenses to frequencies that are set to be vacated by analog TV stations. It has accepted 96 applications and reported 170 as incomplete. The latter need to be completed by Jan. 4.
AT&T and Verizon are not surprise entrants but are the country's biggest mobile operators. If either carrier won a portion of the spectrum that has been designated for use by any device and any service, it would have to open up its network more than any big U.S. operator ever has. Verizon has already unveiled part of a plan to further open its network.
They were on the list of incomplete applications, along with smaller mobile operators Alltel and MetroPCS. Cable operator Cox Communications, an archrival of the telecommunications giants, is also preparing an application. And cellular technology giant Qualcomm, which is already building a mobile entertainment network on vacated TV channels, is also gearing up to bid. Would-be bidders with incomplete applications have until Jan. 4 to complete their paperwork.
Google earlier this year offered to participate in the auction in return for the FCC imposing open-network requirements. The booming Internet company's involvement could drive up bids all around, helping the government reap its hoped-for US$10 billion payday for the spectrum. Google's application has already been accepted, the FCC said Tuesday. So has that of Towerstream, a wireless broadband provider to businesses.
One surprise applicant yet to complete its papers is oil giant Chevron.
Participation by Chevron in the auction comes “out of the blue,” said analyst Jack Gold of J. Gold Associates. However, oil companies and utilities are big wireless users, so he can see why Chevron might be interested.
Chevron, like Google, is unlikely to actually build a network, though, he said. “I can see them potentially winning but then becoming landlords, renting it out,” he said. For both companies, that decision wouldn’t be based on the cost of building a network but on the experience required: Neither company has any history of constructing and operating a wireless network, a complicated undertaking.
Also Tuesday, the agency extended the Dec. 28 deadline for upfront payments in the auction to Jan. 4 and pushed back a mock auction until Jan. 22. The auction itself is set to begin Jan. 24.
Nancy Gohring, in Seattle, contributed to this report.
Microsoft releases Dynamics CRM 4.0 to manufacturing
Targeted mainly at its VAR (Value Added Reseller) channel, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Version 4.0 was released to manufacturing this week.
Version 4.0, code-named Titan, will be available in several versions: an on-premises application, a partner or VAR-hosted version plus a version of Dynamics hosted by Microsoft Dynamics CRM Live, the Microsoft-hosted deployment.
All versions will share a single code base and the hosted versions use a multi-tenant architecture.
Addressing its new upgrade message to its VAR channel, Microsoft officials said Version 4.0 includes an upgraded version of multi-tenant that will support multiple customers per server.
Other upgrades include a choice of 25 languages and support for multiple currencies and embedded BI capabilities, including an ad hoc reporting wizard that will allow nontechnical users to create custom reports.
Version 4.0 will also integrate with Microsoft's unified communications platform, Microsoft Office Communications Server, along with its presence and location features.
Although Microsoft will offer to host a version on its Live platform, the channel is the backbone of its strategy, according to most industry analysts.
Josh Greenbaum, principal analyst at Enterprise Applications Consulting said that the Microsoft channel is so strong in the SMB market that it is the envy of all the other software vendors.
"Everyone is trying to steal Microsoft channel partners. If you are an enterprise ISV there is no better and more mature channel than Microsoft," Greenbaum said.
Microsoft and Novell have the two oldest legacy channels in the industry, and Greenbaum called them, "the nuts and bolts wizards."
In a prepared statement, Microsoft said it relies on its strong network of partner companies to bring technology to customers in the SMB marketplace, claiming over 400,000 partners.
Dynamics CRM 4.0 is expected to be available in the first quarter.
Version 4.0, code-named Titan, will be available in several versions: an on-premises application, a partner or VAR-hosted version plus a version of Dynamics hosted by Microsoft Dynamics CRM Live, the Microsoft-hosted deployment.
All versions will share a single code base and the hosted versions use a multi-tenant architecture.
Addressing its new upgrade message to its VAR channel, Microsoft officials said Version 4.0 includes an upgraded version of multi-tenant that will support multiple customers per server.
Other upgrades include a choice of 25 languages and support for multiple currencies and embedded BI capabilities, including an ad hoc reporting wizard that will allow nontechnical users to create custom reports.
Version 4.0 will also integrate with Microsoft's unified communications platform, Microsoft Office Communications Server, along with its presence and location features.
Although Microsoft will offer to host a version on its Live platform, the channel is the backbone of its strategy, according to most industry analysts.
Josh Greenbaum, principal analyst at Enterprise Applications Consulting said that the Microsoft channel is so strong in the SMB market that it is the envy of all the other software vendors.
"Everyone is trying to steal Microsoft channel partners. If you are an enterprise ISV there is no better and more mature channel than Microsoft," Greenbaum said.
Microsoft and Novell have the two oldest legacy channels in the industry, and Greenbaum called them, "the nuts and bolts wizards."
In a prepared statement, Microsoft said it relies on its strong network of partner companies to bring technology to customers in the SMB marketplace, claiming over 400,000 partners.
Dynamics CRM 4.0 is expected to be available in the first quarter.
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