The “digital divide” is a growing problem that Congress must not ignore as it takes up DTV legislation and a rewrite of telecom laws, civil rights groups said at a panel Tues. “The digital divide is clearly large, and it’s not disappearing soon, and it’s much larger for children than adults,” said Robert Fairlie, prof., U. of Cal.-Santa Cruz. Blacks and Latinos are much less likely than white, non-Latinos to have access to home computers (50.6% and 48.7% compared to 74.6%), Fairlie said, citing a recent study he did for the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund. They're also less likely to have Internet access at home (40.5% and 38.1% compared to 67.3%).

The Bush Administration chided Congress for “restrictive language” that would prohibit reforms to the Universal Service Fund program in the Commerce-Justice- State appropriations bill, according to a Sept. 8 memo from the Office of Management & Budget. OMB objects to Section 520 of the bill, which the Senate passed 2 weeks ago, that prohibits the FCC from using any funds from the bill to make changes to USF payments implementing last year’s Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service recommendations on USF payments. OMB said this provision would prevent reforms to improve the “fairness and efficiency of the program and potentially reduce burdens on telephone ratepayers.”

A House bill (H-2533) to exempt the Universal Service Fund (USF) from Antideficiency Act rules won endorsement Fri. from 44 telecom, education, health and consumer groups. The bill, introduced by Reps. Cubin (R-Wyo.) and Gonzalez (D-Tex.), would make the exemption permanent. The groups wrote to Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. Stevens (R-Alaska), Co-Chmn. Inouye (D-Hawaii), and members Rockefeller (D-West Va.) and Snowe (R-Me.) lauding them for pushing Senate passage last week of a one-year ADA exemption in an amendment to the Commerce-State- Justice appropriations bill (CD Sept 16 p9).

USTelecom asked the House Appropriations Committee to keep 2 provisions the Senate added to a Commerce-Justice- Science Appropriations bill passed last week (CD Sept 16 p9): (1) Extend a year’s waiver of the Anti-Deficiency Act rule for the Universal Service Fund program. (2) Bar the FCC from expending funds to implement a proposal limiting high-cost support to rural carriers to primary lines. The bill, passed by the House before the summer recess, now goes to conference. USTelecom officials said they sent their letter to House Appropriations Committee Chmn. Lewis (R-Cal.) to remind the panel of the provisions’ importance to the telecom industry.

BOSTON - VoIP technology is well-suited for disaster work but wasn’t used to its full potential after Hurricane Katrina, VoIP pioneer Tom Evslin said in a speech at the VON Conference here late Mon. Evslin, who began VoIP wholesale provider ITXC in 1997 and earlier designed AT&T’s first ISP, said some blame attaches to VoIP providers for having no action plan. “We weren’t ready,” he said: “Many couldn’t find a way to volunteer and donate, we couldn’t get attention from the FCC, we haven’t made the case” that VoIP is better suited than the public switched telephone network (PSTN) for disaster recovery, he said.

BOSTON - VoIP technology is well-suited for disaster work but wasn’t used to its full potential after Hurricane Katrina, VoIP pioneer Tom Evslin said in a speech at the VON Conference here late Mon. Evslin, who began VoIP wholesale provider ITXC in 1997 and earlier designed AT&T’s first ISP, said some blame attaches to VoIP providers for having no action plan. “We weren’t ready,” he said: “Many couldn’t find a way to volunteer and donate, we couldn’t get attention from the FCC, we haven’t made the case” that VoIP is better suited than the public switched telephone network (PSTN) for disaster recovery, he said.

Prepaid wireless carriers likely will get limited access to the Universal Service Fund (USF)in the Gulf Coast region under initiatives FCC Chmn. Martin outlined last meeting (CD Sept 16 p5), said Medley Global Advisors in a research note. Martin proposed to amend eligibility rules for carrier support under the Lifeline and Linkup programs that subsidize phone service to customers with incomes at or below 135% of federal poverty guidelines, Medley said. The proposed changes would mean Lifeline and Linkup eligibility for TracFone, AT&T, U.S. Cellular, Virgin Mobile, Liberty Wireless, Sprint Nextel, Cingular, Alltel, T-Mobile and other prepaid wireless carriers serving low income customers in storm affected areas, the researchers said. “This proposal is modeled off of a recent Commission decision allowing Miami-based TracFone to become eligible for federal Lifeline subsidies once they receive ETC designation in a particular state and offer E-911 service [CD Sept 7 p2],” Medley said.

A new nonprofit R&D organization charged with creating new technologies to prevent online film theft and unauthorized distribution has been created by 6 major movie studios. Disney, Fox, Paramount, Sony, Universal and Warner are backing the Motion Picture Laboratories, also known as Movielabs. The project will get more than $30 million financing for its first 2 years, according to Hollywood executives involved.

BOSTON -- “I'm not quite sure what the FCC was thinking when it laid out the 120-day time frame” requiring VoIP providers to offer full E-911 capability by Nov. 28, Sen. Sununu (R-N.H.) told the VON Conference here Mon. Sununu said the FCC may have thought the tight deadline would “accelerate the process” of VoIP providers updating to full connections to emergency services, but it also carries risk.

The Universal Service Administrative Co. (USAC) praised an FCC plan (CD Sept 16 p5) to aid Gulf Coast storm survivors via the Universal Service Fund (USF), and said it would work with the Commission “to ensure that monies from the USF will flow where there is the greatest need.” USAC is a nonprofit organization designated by the FCC to administer USF programs.