By Leslie Cauley, USA TODAY
Iowa has long expressed an independent voice in national politics. Now it’s doing the same thing with broadband.
More than 80 communities across Iowa have banded to create Opportunity Iowa. The goal: to wire the state for advanced voice, data and video services. The communities represent about 25% of the state’s homes and businesses, and more are expected to join later.
Under the plan, communities would install — on their own dime — high-speed fiber lines. Then they would invite outside vendors such as AT&T to use the lines. The lines could be used to provide voice, data and video services to homes and businesses. Vendors would pay towns «access» fees to use their fiber lines, just as the local Bells charge AT&T and MCI fees for handling their long-distance calls.
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Phoenix, AZ In order to better serve its growing Hispanic customer base, Cricket Communications, Inc. a leading provider of
unlimited local and domestic long distance wireless services, launched Spanish Anywhere for its Cricket Clicks™ subscribers. Cricket Clicks™ is a
wide-ranging catalog of downloadable wireless products and services based on the
cutting-edge BREW(R) technology.
The Hispanic market makes up nearly 20 percent of all Cricket(R) customers compared to an estimated six percent of other wireless carriers’ customers.(a) The company launched Spanish Anywhere into its suite of Cricket Clicks™ applications to continue to serve the needs of its diverse customer base.
«We are always looking for new ways to enhance our customers’ mobile experience,» said Nitu Arora, vice president, product development of Cricket. «With Cricket Clicks™, our customers have access to enhanced wireless data applications ranging from gaming to email, so they can use their Cricket(R) phone for entertainment, personal and business purposes. Since we offer high-quality, all-digital CDMA networks, we can easily integrate new applications into our network. We are excited about adding Spanish Anywhere to Cricket Clicks™ and look forward to rolling out additional useful applications to our customers.»
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Company Makes DSL
High-Speed Internet Service Available to 187,000 More Phone Lines Across State in 2004
HARRISBURG, Pa., /PRNewswire/ More Pennsylvania consumers and businesses are benefiting from one of the nation’s most advanced broadband telecommunications networks, thanks to Verizon’s aggressive network investment in the state.
The company expects to make Verizon Online DSL high-speed Internet service available on about 187,000 additional telephone lines across the Keystone State this year. Currently, approximately 80 percent of Verizon’s Pennsylvania phone lines are qualified for DSL service.
«Verizon is delivering on its promise to provide broadband capability throughout the commonwealth,» said Verizon Pennsylvania President and CEO James V. O’Rourke. «Our investment in new network technology will improve Pennsylvania’s economy, bring new jobs to the state and improve the standard of living for all residents.»
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Other phone companies oppose its plan to raise prices 10 percent a year in rural areas.
BY CHRIS FLORES
The battle over whether Verizon should have the right to raise phone prices 10 percent a year in rural areas has continued to get more intense.
A coalition of Verizon’s rivals recently sent letters to local governments and chambers of commerce asking them to oppose the phone giant’s plan. Verizon wants the ability to raise rates in rural areas such as Gloucester, which would allow the firm to shake out competitors by dropping prices in more expensive areas like Hampton Roads.
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By JONATHAN NELSON, Columbian staff writer
Jay Jessup doesn’t have a direct phone line to God, but the long-distance telephone service his company provides takes its cues from a higher power.
OneChristianVoice, a Christian-based long-distance phone service provider in Vancouver, looks a bit like a philanthropic group, given that some of its revenues are donated to charities.
«The mission and business is a simple model,» said Jessup, chief executive officer of Christian Media Technologies, the parent company of OneChristianVoice. «We’re letting our customers bring life and hope where there isn’t any while saving money.»
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