ISP

Google's gift to travelers might have something else hidden inside.

In today's podcast: China blocks access to Google; US bans imports of Sharp TVs; and DOJ says names should be kept secret in ISP investigation.

In Thursday's IT Blogwatch, Richi Jennings would us want to keep an eye on journalists shutting down spam sites. Not to mention google suggestions...

Brian Krebs was busy at work:

For the past four months, Security Fix has been gathering data from the security industry about McColo Corp., a San Jose, Calif., based Web hosting service whose client list experts say includes some of the most disreputable cyber-criminal gangs in business today.

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In today's podcast: McAfee buys Secure Computing; notorious ISP knocked offline; and DRAM prices plummet.

I'm a Comcast customer --- pity me. Yet again, I've been hit with speeds slower than a 2400 bps modem, an unexplained Internet outage, the dregs of customer support, and utter incompetency.

The February issue of Consumer Reports says Verizon FiOS is your best bet when it comes to triple-play services of phone, broadband Internet, and TV. This shouldn't surprise Computerworld readers --- our own survey of broadband providers put Verizon FiOS at the top as well.

It's IT Blogwatch: in which we debate the pros and cons of open-access Wi-Fi. Not to mention a really messy server rack...

Bruce Schneier raised eyebrows with this:

I run an open wireless network at home. There's no password. There's no encryption ... To me, it's basic politeness ... But to some observers, it's both wrong and dangerous ...

I can see where worries could arise over potential loss of some freedoms, but any such concerns should be set aside when it comes to protecting children when possible. This article reports that the Australian Telecommunications Minister, Stephen Conroy has announcement that it will be mandatory for Internet service providers to send "clean," filtered feeds to schools and homes. "Clean" here means free of inappropriate material and pornography.

FIOS is ordered. Goodbye Comcast/Vonage. What can I expect, besides disaster?

Leech this! It's IT Blogwatch: in which Comcast gets outed for secretly disconnecting BitTorrent seeds. Not to mention contrasting views of the West and the Middle-East...

The AP's Peter Svensson makes the accusations:

Comcast Corp. actively interferes with attempts by some of its high-speed Internet subscribers to share files online ... runs counter to the tradition of treating all types of Net traffic equally ... confirmed through nationwide tests ... the most drastic example yet of data discrimination ... It involves company computers masquerading as those of its users ... an aggressive way of managing its network to keep file-sharing traffic from swallowing too much bandwidth.

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An open letter to Ivan Seidenberg, Chairman & CEO of Verizon Communications Inc.:

Dear Mr. Seidenberg,

I am proud to say that I am a "Double Freedom" residential customer with Verizon, whatever that means. I hope it is a good thing.

I learned I had this designation at the end of a 90-minute marathon call to four Verizon service representatives this morning to find out why I was not getting my Verizon DSL service to provide Internet and email access to my home. The voice part of the service was fine.