Businesses are becoming more selective in their use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), focusing more on core applications such as order fulfillment and less on after-sales support services and order tracking, a Booz Allen Hamilton study for the U.K. Dept. of Trade & Industry said. The 8th international e- commerce benchmarking study examined the adoption and deployment of ICT in the G7 countries and Australia, Ireland, S. Korea and Sweden. Other key findings were: (1) More businesses are measuring ICT benefits, with ICT managers increasingly asked to justify their budget requests. (2) There are significant differences in ICT uptake across sectors. Financial services businesses in general have the highest levels of adoption and connectivity, with businesses in the primary and construction sectors coming in at a much lower rate. (3) Overall levels of ICT sophistication have stayed about the same in many countries. Sweden, Ireland and U.K. lead this year’s sophistication index. The U.S. and Canada have slipped in the index, due partly to declines in their levels of sophistication and partly to the rise in ICT know-how in other countries. (4) Although businesses and staff are generally positive toward ICT, costs remain the major barrier to uptake. In particular, the study said, English-speaking countries, unlike other European countries such as Germany and Sweden, “seem to perceive change as an obstacle.” (5) Internet access levels among businesses are stable, though access speeds continue to rise. By contrast, the report said, adoption of mobile technologies has been slower and has even declined in the U.S. and Canada, possibly due to increased security concerns. (6) Growth in the proportion of businesses using e-commerce appears to have slowed, but among those that use it, online trading has increased. In the U.S., the proportion of businesses using e-commerce fell 11 percentage points. The U.K. fared quite well in the survey, which showed, among other things, that 69% of British businesses use broadband and that DSL connections rose 11% last year. The report highlighted 2 U.K. changing trends -- “strong signs” that the digital divide between large and small businesses is closing, and evidence of a slowdown in wireless and mobile technologies.
The Journal of Commerce Online reports that China will allow multinational firms to move foreign exchange capital freely among their subsidiaries in China, in an effort to ease capital controls on foreign companies. According to the article, the relaxation in foreign exchange controls, effective November 4, 2004, makes it easier for companies to invest and expand within China. (JoC Online dated 11/04/04, www.joc.com.)
Washington Trade Daily reports that House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee will have a new chairman next year now that the current chairman, Representative Phil Crane lost his bid for a 19th term on November 2, 2004. WTD dated 11/02-03/04, www.washingtontradedaily.com.)
The Minn. Dept. of Commerce, in a major position reversal, urged the Minn. PUC to drop its long-running investigation into whether intrastate access charges of incumbent telcos are unreasonably high. The consumer agency in a letter to the PUC said access charges paid by interexchange carriers help keep local phone rates down in rural areas, and substantial access cuts would force rural telcos to raise local rates. The Commerce Dept. said the telecom market is very different now from 1999 when the PUC opened the access investigation, with new wireless and Internet-based calling plans now available to substitute for traditional long distance. Deputy Commerce Comr. Edward Garvey said that when his agency was preparing comments for the latest deadline in this long case, “it dawned on us this [investigation] may not be the best approach.” Garvey said forcing access cuts doesn’t guarantee consumers will see lower retail long distance rates, and said he'd now prefer to let competitive market forces work out the problems. AT&T said it would be a “tragedy” to waste the 6 years of effort that have gone into this case, and dropping the matter now would leave IXCs paying exorbitant access charges to small rural incumbent telcos. Qwest supported dropping the case; its access charges are among the lowest in the state. The Minn. Attorney Gen. Office is also opposed to forcing access charge cuts because it could force retail local rates higher.
ANNAPOLIS -- The Dept. of Defense stands fully behind spectrum relocation trust fund relocation legislation (HR 1320) that has stalled in the Senate after sailing through the House more than a year ago, a top DoD spectrum official said Thurs. Meanwhile, officials from the FCC, NTIA and the wireless industry expressed strong support during the 4th Annual DoD Spectrum Management Conference here for passing the legislation when the Senate returns for a lame duck session.
The President of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) offered ideas in a press conference to "break the jam and get the cargo moving" in the seriously congested ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, including the Pacific Maritime Association's (PMA) hiring of more casual workers, the use of container gangs, moving to 24-hour gates to expedite the flow of containers, etc., adding that union workers were not going to pay the price of increased accidents by working two shifts back-to-back. (ShippersNewsWire@americanshipper.com, dated 10/22/04)
Sprint promoted Timothy Kelly to pres.-Sprint Consumer Solutions… Viacom officials Sumner Redstone, Richard Bressler, Philippe Dauman and Michael Fricklas resigned from Blockbuster board in preparation for divestiture… European Telecom Network Operators group promoted Andrea Pirotti to exec. dir., newly- formed European Network & Information Security Agency… Michael Salsbury, ex-MCI, becomes partner in Chadbourne & Parke law firm… Keith Fulton, ex-Commerce Dept., named Verizon vp-strategic alliances… David Doyle, ex- Ampersand Media, becomes Animal Planet vp-production & development… Sesame Workshop promoted Rita Nelson to asst. vp-international licensing.
The FCC issued an order Thurs. on broadband over power line (BPL) technical and administrative requirements that contained few surprises. The nascent BPL industry called it “fairly balanced” and a reasonable compromise and promised accelerated BPL rollout in the next 6 months. The American Radio Relay League (ARRL), which had bombarded the FCC with comments about interference to ham radio, said the announcement had both positive items and areas of concern.
The FCC issued an order Thurs. on broadband over power line (BPL) technical and administrative requirements that contained few surprises. The nascent BPL industry called it “fairly balanced” and a reasonable compromise and promised accelerated BPL rollout in the next 6 months. The American Radio Relay League (ARRL), which had bombarded the FCC with comments about interference to ham radio, said the announcement had both positive items and areas of concern.
A key senator vowed this week to keep a hold on controversial copyright legislation until lawmakers address his concerns, which include the possibility that the language would ban fast-forwarding through TV commercials. Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. McCain (R- Ariz.) is blocking passage of several bills combined by the Judiciary Committee last week for a Senate floor vote. In a Senate floor statement, McCain justified his hold by citing concerns from consumer and fair-use groups. The move reflects the latest of many struggles between McCain’s committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee on copyright issues.