IN THE PAPERS
In The Papers 4 February
04-02-2011
by Sylvia Leatham
Icann pushes for move to IPv6 | Vodafone increases customer numbers
The Irish Times reports that Icann (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) handed out the last batch of 4 billion internet protocol (IP) addresses on Thursday, saying "there are no more". "After years of rapid internet expansion, the pool of available unallocated addresses for IPv4, the original internet protocol addressing system, is completely depleted," the corporation said in a statement. Icann urged tech and telecoms firms to accelerate their investment in a new system, IPv6, that would allow for trillions of internet addresses, to support the massive growth in smartphones, tablets and other devices that connect to the internet.
The paper also says that smartphones and mobile broadband were behind an increase in customer numbers in the last quarter at Vodafone Ireland. At the end of the quarter finishing 31 December 2010, Vodafone Ireland had 2.4 million subscribers to its mobile, fixed line and DSL business. This compares to 2.38 million at the end of the previous quarter. The company said almost half of all devices it sold in December were smartphones. Minutes of use per customer grew 5 percent, but average blended monthly revenue per user fell by 6.9 percent. Separately, the company launched a new device called the Sure Signal that's designed to boost the 3G signal indoors.
The same paper reports that Microsoft plans to sell USD2.25 billion of debt as investment-grade companies tap the corporate bond market. Proceeds may be used for working capital, stock buybacks and acquisitions, the software giant said in a regulatory filing.
The paper also notes that Enterprise Ireland expects two more international venture capital funds to establish Irish operations this year, under the Innovation Fund Ireland programme. The state development agency also expects local VCs to invest EUR65 million in about 60 companies this year through its partnership programme where it co-invests with the private sector.
The paper also reports that businesses and governments could save USD950 billion on their technology spending by 2020 if they embrace sustainable and energy-efficient systems, according to the Innovation Value Institute, a consortium that includes NUI Maynooth, Intel and the Boston Consulting Group. The institute made the claim at its winter summit, which was held in Toronto this week. It has now included "sustainable ICT" as a central component of its framework to manage technology more efficiently.
The same paper notes that Openet, a provider of software to telecoms companies and other service providers, has said its 2010 revenues were up by more than 60 percent. The company did not release a turnover figure.
The Irish Independent says that a laptop containing banking and personal information has been stolen from the home of Anglo Irish Bank chief executive Mike Aynsley. The theft is being investigated by Gardai. The files on the computer were not encrypted, but did have password protection. Anglo security personnel said that while the laptop held banking and personal information, none of the material could be deemed "sensitive" in nature and none of it related to customers.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Vodafone Group and France Telecom, who are facing heat for complying with the Egyptian government's order to pull the plug on their networks last week, said the government forced its way onto their mobile networks to send text messages directly to the country's people. Vodafone said the government invoked emergency powers under Egypt's Telecom Act to send the text messages against the company's will. Vodafone said it protested the action and "made clear that all messages should be transparent and clearly attributable to the originator." France Telecom said the Egyptian army forced it to send texts to its customers, though it said the only army-endorsed messages concerned "national security and general safety."
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