Broadband
Finland: Broadband Is a Legal Right
Posted on October 14, 2009 |
Come July 2010, every Fin will have access to a 1 Megabit-per-second broadband connection. Finland just became the first country in the world to sign a law that provides every citizen of the country with a legal right to a broadband connection.
The Finnish government had already announced that every citizen should have access to a 100 Megabit-per-second broadband connection by the end of 2015. Now, it took an intermediary step toward that goal. On Oct. 14, the Ministry of Transport and Communications announced that every Fin should have a legal right to a 1 Megabit-per-second connection by next summer.
The move could pave the way for other countries to start looking at broadband as its citizens' inalienable legal right, akin to freedom of speech and freedom of movement. That makes a lot of sense: Most of us can no longer perform our work duties, do homework or communicate with friends without having access to the Internet. Many Web-based communications and video services, such as Skype, require a broadband connection to work. People need broadband connections to live normal lives, as Finland is the first nation to acknowledge.
Calix Raises $100 Million in Funding
Posted on August 31, 2009 |
Carl Russo, the legendary entrepreneur who sold a start-up to Cisco for $7 billion several years ago, can be proud of another milestone. On Aug. 31, Calix, a networking equipment company where Russo is CEO, announced it completed a $100 million round of funding lead by Foundation Capital. Russo tells BusinessWeek.com he poured in some of his own money as well.
What's the money for? It could be used for future acquisitions, to rev up production, and to enter new markets. "We thought we had an opportunity to accelerate our growth rate," Russo tells BusinessWeek.com. In 2008, privately-held Calix's sales of gear used in broadband networks rose 29%, to more than $250 million, according to the company. And while he wouldn't release this year's results, Russo says Calix has gained market share in 2009.
In the coming months, Calix hopes to benefit from Obama Administration's broadband stimulus initiative, a program designed to bring broadband into rural areas that Calix's carrier customers service. About 40% of U.S. rural service providers use Calix's equipment to deliver video and other broadband services to the home, according to the company.
The company may also consider growing its global presence beyond North and Latin America. "We have global aspirations," Russo says. Acquisitions may be in the works as well. So far, Calix has only acquired one company more than three years ago.
While it's been speculated that Calix may try to go public, that may not be in the cards for now. "It was never an issue raising funds [privately]," Russo says. "I am sure at some point in time [an Initial Public Offering] will occur."
Would Russo consider selling Calix? "We shouldn't build a business to be acquired, and we shouldn't build a business not to be acquired," Russo says. "If somebody starts writing us a check with a lot of zeros in it..."
How Do I Find Out Who Owns a Email Address?
Posted on June 23, 2009 |
Finding the person who owns an email address is challenging, particularly with the proliferation of free webmail providers. Even so, various tools and techniques are available to help connect a random email address with a responsible party.How Do I Find Someone Through Their Email Address?
Posted on June 23, 2009 |
The question of "how do I find someone through their email address?" is one that many people find themselves asking in dismay. Sometimes, especially when you are in a situation where you only know someone online, the only piece of information that you have to go on is the email address. The email address is something that has become a talisman to many people these days. They know that if they have someone's email address that they can get a hold of them, but what if this method of communication is failing you? This is where you are going to need to get more serious; it is entirely possible to figure out more about people through their email address, so take a moment to see what you might want to do.Video on Demand – Who Pays and What Price?
Posted on June 23, 2009 |
Broadband has revolutionized the way we watch live sport, catch up with our favorite TV programs or keep up to date with the latest news and pop music videos.The availability of so much bandwidth gobbling live video is causing concern among the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and the content owners. And it will be the punters who pick up the tab one way or another. The original concept of free and available to all is being challenged by the way broadband services are developing.
