Roy Mark

Google said Feb. 10 it plans to build and test 1G-bps ultrahigh-speed broadband networks in selected areas around the country. The fiber-to-the-home networks will reach between 50,000 and 500,000 people.In addition, Google said, the networks will follow the network neutrality policies it has been urging the Federal Communications Commission to adopt as part of its […]

Sprint Nextel managed to staunch its chronic subscriber loss problem in the fourth quarter, reporting Feb. 10 that it lost a net 148,000 subscribers during the last three months of 2009, a substantial improvement over the 545,000 who dropped Sprint in the third quarter. Much of the improvement can be attributed Sprint’s focus on pre-paid […]

Cisco’s $2.9 billion acquisition of Starent began to pay off Feb. 9, as the company announced it has expanded its ASR Series platforms with the introduction of the Cisco ASR 5000, the rebranded Starent ST40. Cisco has built upon the mobile data platform to create an end-to-end IP NGN (Internet Protocol Next-Generation Network).According to Cisco, […]

After inspecting their spacecraft for any launch damage, the crew of the space shuttle Endeavour began Feb. 9 to prepare for an early Feb. 10 docking with the International Space Station. Once there, the crew over three space walks will begin constructing the final U.S. portion of the space station.Endeavour is scheduled to dock with […]

The Pentagon and broadcast networks can expect continuing pressure to turn over some of their spectrum to make more airwaves available to the private sector. According to Cisco Systems’ annual Visual Networking Index, released Feb. 9, global mobile data traffic increased 160 percent in 2009 to 90 petabytes per month.Cisco predicted that “annual global mobile […]

To accommodate the increasingly number of requests for climate change information, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Feb. 8 it is creating an NOAA Climate Service line office dedicated to bringing together the agency’s climate science and service delivery capabilities.NOAA said unifying its climate capabilities under a single climate office will integrate the agency’s […]

After a one-day weather delay, the space shuttle Endeavour blasted off in a fiery pre-dawn launch Feb. 8. With the space shuttle program due to be discontinued at the end of the year, the launch was the last night launch in the history of the shuttle program. “What a beautiful launch we had this morning… […]

Last-minute weather concerns forced NASA to scratch the Feb. 7 predawn launch of the space shuttle Endeavour. Less than an hour before the scheduled 4:39 a.m. EST blastoff, NASA was hopeful the weather would clear, but the space agency finally ordered a stand-down at 4:31 a.m.NASA now hopes a 24-hour delay will find an open […]

NASA officials gave a thumbs up Feb. 5 for the Feb. 7 launch of the space shuttle Endeavour, which is currently set for a 4:39 a.m. liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As things currently stand at NASA, the mission to the International Space Station is the first of five last missions for […]

Google’s reported deal with the National Security Agency to work together on cyber-security issues is raising questions among privacy advocates, including Electronic Privacy Information Center, which filed a Freedom of Information Act request Feb. 4 seeking records regarding the relationship between Google and the NSA. EPIC also filed a lawsuit separate from the FOIA seeking […]

The December cyber-attacks against Google and a number of other tech companies originating from within China has earned the unanimous condemnation of the U.S. Senate. In a Feb. 3 resolution, the Senate called on the Chinese government to conduct a thorough review of the cyber-attacks and make the results of the investigation transparent.The resolution also […]

The U.S. House of Representatives approved the Cyber-Security Enhancement Act Feb. 4 by a 422-5 vote. The bill reauthorizes several National Science Foundation cyber-security programs, providing $396 million in research grants over the next four years and calls for $94 million in cyber-security scholarships.The legislation (H.R. 4061) also aims to improve the transfer of cyber-security […]