Roy Mark

NEC-Business Network Solutions (BNS) faces a six-month ban from participating in the federal E-Rate program, the nation’s $2.25 billion initiative to help schools and libraries connect to the Internet. The subsidiary of NEC America pled guilty two years ago to defrauding the program. The company agreed to pay $15 million in fines and restitution in […]

Network neutrality is now the spoiler in telecom reform. At least that’s what major portions of the tech sector, an array of grassroots organizations and Democrats desperate to differentiate themselves from Republicans in an election year, hope. In fact, it’s their only hope, dim though it may be. For the last five years, Congress has […]

It’s back: intact and apparently un-accessed. Veterans Administration (VA) Secretary James Nicholson said Thursday his agency’s infamous stolen laptop containing the personal records of 26.5 million veterans has been recovered. Nicholson told the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs the FBI found the laptop after a tipster seeking a $50,000 reward called in the location of […]

When is a loss a victory? In the U.S. Senate, apparently, according to network neutrality proponents. When Sen. Olympia Snowe broke ranks with her fellow Republicans Wednesday afternoon to join 10 Democrats voting to insert network neutrality language in a telecom reform bill, the defection created an 11-11 tie. Under Senate rules, though, a tie […]

Add the state of Indiana to the growing list of E-Rate fraudsters. Earlier this week, Indiana agreed to pay nearly $8.3 million to the U.S. government as part of a civil settlement involving the state’s now-defunct Intelenet Commission, which handled E-rate payments. The E-Rate program provides funding for needy schools and libraries to connect to […]

In a scene worthy of any caper flick, the FBI called it a wrap Wednesday in its investigation of an illegal movie camcording scam based out of New York City. In raids across the city, the FBI arrested 13 persons as part of indictments naming a total of 22 individuals who used digital camcorders to […]

Operation FastLink, the two-year-old FBI undercover investigation targeting organized Internet piracy groups known as warez dealers, claimed two more pirates Wednesday. David Chen Pui, 27, of Fountain Valley, Calif., and David Lee Pruett, 35, of Auburn, Wash., received prison terms of 18 and 8 months, respectively, for their roles in the software piracy rings. To […]

WASHINGTON — The Silicon Valley was legislatively thumped today on the issue of network neutrality. Again. After almost two hours of often contentious debate, the Senate Commerce Committee defeated a measure to insert controversial network neutrality provisions into the panel’s ambitious telecom reform legislation. Republican Senator Olympia Snow joined the 10 Democrats on the panel […]

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers continued their marathon debate today on a sweeping telecom reform bill before the Senate Commerce Committee. With more than 200 proposed amendments, the debate has been primarily marked by a succession of defeats for both Democrats and Republicans who don’t want to hew to Chairman Ted Stevens’ (R-Alaska) bill. Stevens, though, has […]

UPDATED: For the second time in two meetings, the Senate Commerce Committee ran out of time for network neutrality. After a weary day of dealing with dozens of amendments to the overall telecom reform bill before the panel, Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) announced the most controversial part of the bill — network neutrality — would […]

There’s been another government data breach. This time it’s the U.S. Navy. Late Friday afternoon, the Navy announced approximately 28,000 sailors and their family members were exposed to potential identity theft when a civilian Web site posted five spreadsheets with the personal data of military personnel. The information disclosed in the spreadsheets includes the names, […]

Reporter’s Notebook: Should Internet service providers (ISPs) be required to retain customer records for a longer period than is currently required by law? Last month, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales suggested a change in the law might be necessary for the Department of Justice (DoJ) to pursue its campaign against online child pornographers. ISPs are required […]