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BellSouth Southward Bound
BellSouth is planning to build an Internet path through the Southeast, and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, R, is counting on the flurry of activity to give the state's economy a hand and boost the state's reputation as a high-tech force.
"Gov. Bush is committed to fostering business and economic development through high-technology," said Bush spokeswoman Elizabeth Hirst. "By providing a NAP in the South Florida area, this would facilitate a business climate that would attract the dot-com companies to our state."
The new network access point (NAP), based in Miami, will be the eighth in the country and will provide more direct communication with other parts of the United States and the world. Traffic is now routed to and from the Southeast from as far away as Washington or the West Coast.
Government and business leaders hope the Miami hub will attract more Internet-related companies to the area and become a springboard for U.S-bound Net traffic and business from Latin America and the Caribbean. South Florida already serves as the U.S. connection point for about 20 underwater cables from Latin America and Africa. Bush said Monday he hopes the NAP will add to Florida's $48 billion in annual trade with Latin America.
"When you look at the major technology centers like Silicon Valley, they have a NAP — it's necessary to attract these businesses and to keep them, because the competition is enormous in this field," Hirst said. "Establishing a NAP in the Southeast area is one of the main components in terms of creating a gateway to high-technology and the Internet."
The hub is expected to open by the end of the year, BellSouth said in a statement Monday. States Won't Settle For FTC, Toysmart Deal
Forty-seven states filed their objections in U.S. Bankruptcy Court last Thursday to an FTC settlement pending with e-retailer Toysmart.com that has come under fire from privacy advocates and state lawmakers.
An Aug. 17 court date has been scheduled to determine whether the FTC proposal will be allowed. The court also will decide the fate of the customer list Toysmart is looking to sell in an effort to relive some of its debt after filing with a bankruptcy court in May.
"If she (Judge Carol Kenner) denies it, I think it's...kind of going back to the drawing board for people," said Pamela Kogat, an attorney with the Massachusetts attorney general's office.
"The proposed settlement does not adequately protect the rights of consumer," the complaint reads. "The sale contemplated in the debtor's motion would satisfy the states only if customers first are given notice of the proposed sale and each customer consents to the same of the information relating to him or her."
The FTC's proposal does not require consent from customers whose information may be up for sale. The states, TRUSTe and the FTC have argued that Toysmart's actions are a violation of consumer privacy since it posted TRUSTe's sign of approval on its site and promised customers their information would not be shared with a third party.
Walt Disney, which owns a majority of Toysmart, had previously said it would buy the list to allay privacy concerns, but didn't offer a higher bid when Toysmart pulled the list from the auction arena after satisfactory bids failed to be offered. Kogat said said that at the July 26 court hearing, Disney attorneys said Toysmart was "putting the horse before the cart," and wouldn't offer a higher bid, saying the company thinks the judge should have the final say in what happens with the list. Disney attorneys said the company would support the FTC settlement, Kogat said. Capitalists Keep The Faith In Young Tech Firms
Venture capitalists are continuing to have faith and invest in innovative new companies at record levels despite market shakedowns, according an analysis by two venture capital firms.
The National Venture Capital Association and Venture Economics Monday announced their venture capital numbers for the second quarter, which broke down the amount of capital doled out to different industry sectors, such as computer hardware and biotechnology, in different regions of the country.
Investments increased 96 percent in the second quarter of this year to $24.5 billion, up from $12.5 billion in Q2 of last year. Internet, communications and computer software and service continue to be the most favored industry categories, with the Internet-related investments continuing to attract the majority of venture capital investment dollars — 81 percent in Q2.
Northern California and the Northeast region received the most capital; the former's 511 young companies received about $8.9 billion in investment capital in Q2 2000 — up from $4.2 billion in Q2 1999 — while the latter's 377 companies received $5.2 billion this year, up from $2.8 billion last year.
Southern California's 136 businesses received $2.1 billion; the Midwest's 139 received $1.8 billion; the Mid-Atlantic's 137 received $1.6 billion; the Southeast's 136 received $1.5 billion; Rocky Mountain region's 65 companies received $1.2 billion; the Southwest's 112 received $1.3 billion; and the Northwest's 82 businesses received $832 million. CapNet Works Maryland
CapNet is working with Maryland lawmakers this month to spread the word about the state's advances toward making it a true information technology state.
CapNet hosted a "Technology Forum" with Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-MD, Monday at America Online's corporate headquarters, with representatives from EWA Information & Infrastructure Technologies, Cable & Wireless USA, Computer Associates International and Motorola also in attendance. Topics included Internet security, the digital divide, broadband access and government protection against private industry.
On Tuesday, Rep. Connie Morella, R-MD, and CapNet Executive Director Tim Hugo will be guests on IT recruitermag.com "Live" to provide insight on the issues impacting the IT industry. The show airs weekly on WWRC Business Radio AM 570 at 7:05 p.m. Online Sales Could Cost States
Tax economist and University of Tennessee professor Donald Bruce told the State Debt Management Network of the National Association of State Treasurers Friday that states could lose $11 billion in sales tax revenues in 2003 due to sales over the Internet. He said that while the problem of untaxed Net sales is a problem for the states now, "on the horizon, this will be a monster."
Bruce released a study earlier this year that projected sales tax revenue losses in 2003 ranging from $17.1 million in Vermont to $1.49 billion in California. Throw in other losses from catalog and other sales, and total losses could reach $24 billion in 2003, he said.
Texas tax administrators said the state's comptroller's office lost about $50 million to e-retail sales in 1999. States that do not collect sales tax have voiced strong concern over potential revenue losses as state lawmakers try to determine how to create semi-uniform tax laws to deal with the influx of e-commerce transactions. States are concerned that any regulations federal lawmakers may create regarding online sales will step on states' toes in enforcing their own laws. Scottish Plant To Open In Texas
One of Europe's largest computer subcontractors is opening a Houston plant that the company says will create 300 jobs. Fullarton Computer Industries, a Scottish manufacturing firm, has leased a 150,000 square-foot building for making equipment that can be used by Compaq Computer based in Houston and Austin-based Dell Computer. The plant is expected to begin operating in January. The plant's proximity to the computer companies will allow them to save money on shipping parts and assembly in Asia, Fullarton officials said Monday. Fullarton employs more than 4,000 people at facilities in the United Kingdom, Ireland and North America. It is a subsidiary of the Laird Group of London. We Want Service!
MSNBC reported Monday that an Andersen Consulting survey released three weeks ago shows that the majority of Americans believe increasing the number of online government services should be made a priority and that most would be comfortable casting their ballots online.
Various state and local governments have been spearheading efforts to put more services online for constituents. Services like vehicle registration, tax payments and rental applications are making their way to the Web in the form of PCs or kiosks.
The survey polled 300 registered voters and showed that 69 percent prefer dealing with government agencies on a face-to-face basis or online rather than over the phone of by mail. "That suggests that by moving quickly to get routine services online, government agencies can improve citizen satisfaction," David Wilkins, managing partner for Andersen's southern practice, told MSNBC.
The survey said 98 percent of those polled are still concerned about privacy issues. State E-Briefs: Cyber Porn: U.S. District Judge J. Harry Michael struck down a Virginia law that was intended to protect children from "harmful" Internet material. The law would make it illegal to use the Net to sell or provide sexually explicit pictures or other material to juveniles. People for the American Way and 16 Internet businesses has challenged the law, saying the law would also automatically eliminate material like art and sex education information. Attorney General's Mark Earley's spokesman David Botkins said Wednesday the ruling was under review and no decision had been made on whether to appeal.
Privacy: California Gov. Gray Davis, D, signed into law Wednesday AB 2251, which requires Internet companies, insurance agents and brokers who advertise on the Internet to disclose their name, state and license number. Davis also will participate in a live online interview and chat by Voter.com and ExciteAtHome Thursday at 6 p.m. at chooserorlose.excite.com.
Campaigns: Delaware Gov. Thomas Carper, D, launched the state's first "E-voting poll" Thursday. Part of Carper's e-government initiative, the program will provide registered voters with sources of information and services, including the ability to directly e-mail candidates from sample ballots. Using the poll, voters can find out where they can cast their ballots, which candidates are on their ballots and how to obtain more information from the candidates. Beginning Thursday, the E-voting poll will be on the Department of Elections' Web site.
Culture: North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt, D, launched "NC Your Service" on Aug. 1, one of the first state Internet portals that gives citizens, businesses and state employees the ability to create personalized Web pages by selecting items from a list of choices. A result of the state's partnership with Andersen Consulting, Yahoo and BellSouth, the portal will offer immediate access to government services and information. Once citizens establish an account, they can personalize their pages as "MY NCGOV.COM" to reflect what they need each time they access the portal — tax information, vehicle registration, vacation tips, permits and licensing and weather.
E-commerce: The Federal Reserve released its "Beige Book" report Wednesday, saying while the economy is far from the beginning of a recession, it found slower activity in consumer spending, manufacturing and construction in June and July. The survey said seven districts — Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York, Richmond and San Francisco — reported "slowing economic growth" in their areas. Four others — Cleveland, Kansas City, Minneapolis and Philadelphia — reported basically unchanged rates while St. Louis saw signs that growth was accelerating.
- by Liza Porteus
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