The Book Fiend Info Center

The Orange and T-Mobile merger is likely to trigger many regulatory hurdles and strong opposition from other market players in the UK such as Vodafone, 3, O2 etc. This deal is likely to cause significant structural changes in the UK’s telecom sector with T-Orange becoming a monopoly player. Smaller players such as 3, with a current market share of 8%, are likely to face a severe set-back with loss of its market share to the newly merged player.

Currently the onus of the decision making lies with the European Commission in Brussels and both companies were optimistic that the merger would materialise by the end of this month. However, the rival players in the market want the proposed merger between Orange and T-Mobile to be investigated by UK regulators rather than by Brussels, as they consider the UK competition authorities to be in the best position to review the planned joint venture without any bias.

This deal which was initiated on 8 September 2009 will be subject to even further delays as the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has called for a scrutiny of the deal by the UK regulatory authorities. This move has been welcomed by consumer groups and rival players who had feared that Brussels would not properly address a number of issues- such as the larger slice of market share going to the merged company, followed by the large structural reallocation of the UK’s telecom market.

If you are in the market for a new mobile phone, or are approaching the end of your contract and considering changing service provider – click on broadband deals. Several of the internet service providers add a mobile phone with minutes included within their broadband and phone bundles.

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Choosing a appropriate domain and figuring out the right web registration are the first things to research when you are building a website. But, it’s not a good idea to decide anything without some informed help. Because whenever you are wrestling to discover the best domain hosting you will most likely realize that checking out the provider based on domain hosting reviews can prove to be the best step.

Reviews of domain hosting are certainly useful but how to know what precisely it is you’re really looking for? As with all informed business decisions, you must discover which characteristics are significant to your market. Employing the same provider to host your website and register your domain is a common alternative. Customer support is another important consideration that could impact your company long after your domain is registered.

Any feedback found on that hosting provider’s website simply isn’t sufficient to go on. It’s crucial to obtain an objective appraisal before you make a decision. Make time to research into several domain hosting review sites taking into consideration what all the clients have to offer. What are the common issues? Which reviews highlight the advantages displayed by the company? Do good reviews outbalance the negative reviews? Count on reading positive and negative feedback for each company. Be objective and check out all the information you can get your hands on. Without a doubt, price is a significant factor, but think about which services are offered for the price. To help you when making a selection here are various bullets you should think through. During what times of day do the company provide customer support? Do they offer a toll free number, and can you discover from the feedback if they have an acceptable response time? Precisely how much bandwidth will you be good for? Some companies extend limitless domain hosting and bandwidth as standard, besides all sorts of other benefits. What types of payment will the company accept? Can every payment be authorized separately or do they offer a less complex option, or could you pay per annum? In the case of a server going down, what will happen? The answers to these and related questions could well be critical for your website. In the end this is a personal choice, but before you make that decision, do what makes sense: check out the reviews. Reading multiple domain hosting reviews is generally an excellent strategy that will help save loads of time and effort.

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Illegal downloading of music is a widespread problem, and there are divergent views on the most appropriate method to check it. One of the most talked about methods is to debar such people from using the internet. However, this solution has many critics opposing it on grounds that this infringes on the fundamental rights of the user to access information. Because the internet has become a basic need for most of us, and with the advent of mobile broadband and networks offering laptop deals, it can be accessed whenever and wherever a person wants, this makes the thought of people not being allowed access extraordinary.

Recently a meeting was held in which musician Lily Allen along with many other artistes came together to discuss about the best method to control the menace of illegal downloading. During the course of the meeting, the idea of throttling bandwidth was discussed. However, this solution has not gone well with the media. To soften their stand, the group agreed to the idea that all defaulters should be given two warnings wherein they will be given time to mend their ways.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson echoed the same view that punitive measures must be enforced only after warnings and other deterrent methods have failed to produce desired results. However, he further adds that such punitive measures should be temporary in nature.

Artists and musicians like Lily Allen, George Michael, and Pink Floyd have started taking an active interest in trying to stop net piracy. An earlier attempt had resulted in a lot of negative media publicity.

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Have something worth celebrating about? Do you want to surprise someone on a special day? Or just only want to show someone you care. The most ideal way is to send them freshly cut flowers. Surprising someone, men or women with flowers often brings a smile to their face.

Flowers with an companioning card or soft toy provide an excellent pick as presents for occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, Valentines Day or celebrating a new born baby. With the progression of the net, there are now websites that allow you to purchase flowers on-line and get them delivered to your adored ones. Purchasing freshly cut flowers that are professionally arranged and packaged has never been easier.

There are several rewards of using the internet to buy flowers. Convenience is the evident advantage, envisage not needing to drive out and get stuck in traffic just to get a bunch of flowers and a greeting card. With the ability to pick and choose what flowers you want, the arrangement and have them delivered without ever getting out of the house. All is needed are an internet connected laptop computer and a credit card and away you go. You can even have flowers mailed to your relative in another country across the globe. That is how easy online shopping is.

The next obvious advantage of buying online flowers is price. You will notice that on-line florists are more often than not cheaper than a brick-and-mortar florist. This is because on-line flower stores have fewer overhead costs compared to a traditional florist shop. Without a large overhead, these on-line flower stores can pass on these preservations to you.

Another advantage is quicker service, the days of standing in a queue just to be served are long gone. Most on-line florists fulfil orders nearly immediately. This ordinarily results in quicker delivery of your order, sometimes they even offer same-day delivery service. Online florists have connections with many delivery experts who can deliver your order locally as well as internationally.

Shipping flowers to your beloved ones have never been easier. All you need to do is do a quick search in the search engines, open up the internet site that sells flowers, place an order ” done! Wait for the all important phone call thanking you for the lovely flowers and for being so thoughtful.

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The ongoing recession has created major financial problems for both consumers and businesses, and hence, there is a growing reluctance to get involved in any long term payment arrangements.

It seems, Easynet Connect realises this problem very well and has provided some relief to small businesses, at least when it comes to choosing a new internet service. The company is all set to launch a new range of internet packages that have no conditions of a fixed minimum term. The businesses will have the freedom to make the broadband payment on a one-month rolling contract basis. Terminating of the connection has also been made hassle free with a 30 days notice period, which will not attract any penalty.

All of Easynet Connect’s packages, such as ADSL, SureStream, SDSL and EtherStream fall under this offer, and users of the new packages will still be able to enjoy connection speeds of up to 40MB for the higher-end products. However, any packages that are provided using the BT network will be excluded from the offer. The offer is available for a very short period, and new contracts must be signed before the beginning of May 2009.

Chris Stening, Easynet Connect’s Managing Director said at the announcement that the company has tried to move away from industry conventions by launching these packages. The main aim behind the launch was to satisfy the customers who, for a long time have been demanding packages that do not require long-term commitments. He also feels that the packages would perfectly suit small businesses looking for a new business broadband internet connection.

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Gaming laptops used to only be brought from specialist manufacturers. Though they didn’t ship a significant amount they still produced the most in comparison to other types of notebook computer. Surely I would confidently say people wanted one though. They were like the highest grade of what was possible with notebook technology. The best laptop computers around. Having mentioned that the vast number of us most likely didn’t buy laptop computers of this nature because of the price. As of late all that has looked to have transformed as the massive manufacturers have found the opportunities in gaming laptops.

They know there is money to be taken here. They can dominate the market. With computers being classed like consumer electronics this is a great profit stream for them. They can also use their massive marketing funds to persuade consumers further into spending their money or bringing out the credit cards to buy laptop computers like these ones. If I were a smaller retailer I would probably be thinking of plans to react to this type of competition. I believe once it becomes marketed to the masses it will not have the same desirability. I think the ignorant automatically feel secure by purchasing from a manufacturer they are familiar with.

The notebooks being released by branded companies are all contending for the best laptop status. In my opinion though, this is really a ray of promise for the small players in retail. On occasions the smaller resellers are able to offer the latest components quicker and so provide higher specifications as well. Such consumers are usually techies and can consider all the fine literature. For this kind of segment, the specifications are traditionally more sought after ahead of the design. This would be rather beneficial from the customers view. As this forces down the prices even further, top end technology will get even more obtainable to the mass market. Don’t forget that’s just my opinion on the current conditions. Premium prices will continue and be normal with the newest laptop computers is what I’m guessing. As the gaming notebook market becomes crowded with large manufacturers, many will take a wait and see approach.

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Broadband is ultra fast speed worldwide web access, & is notably speedier than super slow dial-up access over a modem. If you are reading this guide then you are seemingly looking at securing worldwide web access for the 1st time, or looking to upgrade to broadband.

The perk of high speed internet access is you are able to watch movies over the worldwide web this has became really popular with the BBC launching their new software which will allow you to watch the very latest shows of Hollyoaks. With broadband you might well also get dance music and scary movies at a much higher speed than super slow dial-up access.

Broadband is effortless to put in. The first step users will need to do is sign up with an ISP, of course known as an Internet Service Provider, & the internet corporation will supply you yourself with a high speed connection using your phone connection. If you currently have a broadband provider then please make sure you seek an internet provider comparison service for unprejudiced guidance on the finest high speed internet deals. Users can quickly acquire the finest deals with a broadband comparison site by just putting in your postcode and then the site will give a list of broadband packages in your town. surfers will be under no obligation to sign up with any internet while people browse the provider offers. Discover broadband deals and packages, use the comparison site Compare Broadband UK.

Once surfers have signed up with your Internet Service Provider the business will often arrange a day for turning on the broadband and supply users with any necessary hardware & cd software. The routers & CD software can often come with step by step guides & most internet organisations will offer you tech advice if needed.

Once surfers have successfully connected to the worldwide web you will probably start to rejoice in the extremely fast speeds of internet access. If surfers are going to download music, television shows such as Roseanne or scary movies please be aware of any download limits surfers may have on your broadband package. Rock music and telly downloads such as Star Trek may take up most of your ‘download allocation’ as the business are massive in file size.

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Boosting your Business Opportunity
with eRate Services

ERate is a vital piece used by schools today to meet their budget demands for
technology. ERate is a federally funded process that must be requested by
application annually.

Just like filing for your income tax each year, some do the simple form, while
others seek the services of professionals that can help them qualify for funding
either they were not aware of or have not been successful in receiving.

By making eRate application services part of your repertoire, you can either
open new doors or expand your opportunity of multiple services for existing
clients.

To often this process is either done by an outside entity who knows nothing
about telephony or illegally by a vendor hoping to bind the sale of service.

NOTE:
After we have covered the basics of eRate, Dr. Jim Earle our top eRate
specialist will answer your questions.

Overview
1.1. General History of eRate?
2.2. Who Qualifies for eRate Funding?
3.3. eRate Funding Process
4.4. Who Traditionally Files eRate applications for Schools and Libraries?
5.5. Time Line for eRate Filing
6.6. What Things Do I Need to Know about a School District?
7.7. Bidding Process for Services
8.8. What Must a Vendor/Service Provider do to be Eligible to bid and/or be awarded an eRate funded project?
9.9. What Basic Step and Forms are necessary for Processing an eRate Funding Application?
10.10. Q&A

Presented by: Corporate Telecom Inc.
Dan Burns
Principle Consultant, CEO
Contact info:

866-858-1100
danb@corptele.com
Dr. James Earle
eRate & Grant Specialist
Contact Info:

866-858-2202
jime@corptele.com
1. General History of eRate
Telecommunications Act of 1996
Congress directed the FCC to “establish competitively neutral rules . . . to enhance, to the extent technically feasible and economically reasonable, access to advance telecommunications and information services for all public and non-profit elementary and secondary school classrooms . . . and libraries.”
Process established:
.•Provides discounts to eligible schools and libraries for Telecommunications Services, Internet Access, and Internal Connections
.•Applicants can be schools, libraries, or consortia, but only eligible recipients of services can receive discounts
.•Applicants must apply for discounts each year
.•Disbursements are capped at $2.25 billion annually

This responsibility is contracted by the Universal Services Administrative Company who’s SLD (Schools and Libraries Division), oversees eRate distribution process.
Website: http://sl.universalservice.org/

2. Who Qualifies for eRate Funding?
.•K-12 Public Schools
.•K-12 Private Schools
.•Libraries
.•Preschool or Head start programs (consult each state)

Must meet the statutory definition of elementary or secondary school found in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
a.oMust be a non-profit institutional day or residential school, including a public charter school, that provides elementary or secondary education, as determined under state law
b.oMust not be operating as a for-profit business
c.oMust not have an endowment exceeding $50 million
d.oPre-kindergarten, Adult Education, Juvenile Justice

Must meet state definition of elementary or secondary education

3. eRate Funding Process
Eligible Services
a.oEligible Services are broken down into two different groups. Funding for all Priority 1 filings are considered and funded prior to funding considered for Priority 2.
b.oAfter funding is completed for Priority 2 applications the SLD begins with the highest percentage level of Priority 2 (90%) applications.
c.oPriority 1 funded first, then Priority 2 funded beginning with neediest applicants (90%, 89%, 88%, etc.)

Priority 1
a.oTelecommunications Services local and long distance (POTs, Trunks, T1) wire line and wireless Pagers Cellular Phones
b.oData, Video and Internet Services
WAN
LAN
T1

Priority 2
a.oInternal Connections
Data switches, hubs, routers, wiring
Telephone switches
Cabling

b.oServices which are conditionally eligible

Exceptions
•ERate funding does not apply to end-user equipment.
a.oTelephone handsets
b.oComputers (desktop or notebook)
c.oEtc.

4. Who Traditionally Files eRate applications for a School or Library?
.• Internal Staff: IT or Finance Department
.•Independent School Service Entities
.•Telephone Service Providers/Vendors
.•Consultants

5. Time Lines for eRate Filing
.•The eRate fiscal year is July 1 – June 30
.•Initial filing (Form 470) must be posted on the SLD website for 28 days prior to the close of the funding window
.•Second Stage (Form 471) must be completed generally by the 1st week in February

6. What Things Do I Need to Know about a School District?
A. Free & Reduced school lunch program percentages for the district? Contact the State Board of Education and they should supply you with information about;
.• Total Students
.• Free enrollment
.• Reduced enrollment
.• Percentage of free and reduced lunches
.• For both District Totals
.• By Building

B. What is the Matrix level for this district?
http://sl.universalservice.org/reference/dmatrix.asp
INCOME URBAN LOCATION RURAL LOCATION
Measured by % of
students eligible for the National School Discount Discount
Lunch Program
If the % of students in …and you are in an …and you are in a
your school that URBAN area, your RURAL area, your
qualifies for the discount will be… discount will be…
National School Lunch
Program is…
Less than 1% 20% 25%
1% to 19% 40% 50%
20% to 34% 50% 60%
35% to 49% 60% 70%
50% to 74% 80% 80%
75% to 100% 90% 90%

*School District MUST show in their budget that they can pay their percentage of the project/services.
C. Do they have an approved Technology Plan?
.•When is a tech plan needed?
.oFor any funding requests accept local and long distance services.
.•How long is a tech plan good?
a.oA tech plan can be established for 1-5 years
b.oAdditions can be made to existing plans
c.oLater Jim will explain the strengths and weakness to a multi-year compared to a single year plan.
.•Besides writing a tech plan, what other steps must be done for SLD to accept it?
.oMust be approved by an SLD-certified approver before Form 486 filing or start of services
.•The five areas the plan must cover:
a.oGoals / Strategies for using technology
b.oProfessional development
c.oNeeds assessment
d.oSufficient budget for the schools obligation
e.oEvaluation process
.•Points to Remember:
a.oTech Plan must establish the connections between the technology and specific curriculum reforms or library service improvements
b.oTech Plan should provide evidence of securing the resources needed to make effective use of the discounted services
c.oTech Plan should include an evaluation process to monitor progress toward established goals
d.oTech Plan Approver listed on Form 486 must be SLD certified.

7. Bidding Process for Services
As services/equipment are considered, the SLD states that the process of elimination should follow guidelines that will encourage competition between the bidders to establish best value through an open bidding process.
All e-Rateable items are to be posted in a competitive bidding process. This does not mean that the entity must go with lowest bid price (consult state board of Education).
It is up to the entity to decide whose product is of their best value. It is vital that all posted RFPs establish specifics to clarify parameters that are mandatory and process followed for determining these factors. This is for clarification of any bidders and for the protection of the entity.
.•Request for Proposal (RFP)
a.oOn all services/equipment that funding is requested for, these services/equipment must be posted for bid for a minimum of 28-days according to SLD.
b.oDescribes your project scope, location, other requirements in detail
c.oTraditionally this RFP is posted on a website so that any interested vendor/service provider will have equal opportunity to bid on services or the project.
d.oSLD list all mandatory information that must be included for the RFP process.
.•Competition Oriented
a.oGoal is to have as many bidders as possible
b.oPromotes better service and lower prices
.•Fair and open process
a.oAll bidders treated the same, no advance knowledge of RFP information
b.oNo secrets in the process, all bidders know what is required of them

8. What must a vendor/service provider do to be eligible to bid and/or be awarded an eRate funding project?
•A vendor/service provider must apply and receive a SPIN
1.1. File Form 498 with SLD.
2.2. Request a Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN)
3.3. Provide/update contact information

9. What Basic Steps and Forms are necessary for Processing an eRate Funding Application?
Forms page: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/menu.asp
.•Form 470
.•This stage is a general overview of what type of services you are requesting funding applied to.
.•This is general information including number of lines, cell phones, size of internet access, etc.
.•Opens a competitive bidding process
.•Applicant responsible for ensuring an open, fair process and selecting the most cost-effective provider of the desired services
.•Must wait 28 days after POSTING of Form 470 to select service provider, sign contract/agreement, and sign and submit Form 471
.•Service providers who will participate in the bidding process cannot complete Form 470
.•Can be filed once for multi-year contracts, but 470 and RFP must indicate intent to sign multi-year contract
.•Make RFP available or list specific service/function and quantity/capacity
.•Form 471
.i.This form informs SLD of who the school has awarded the service/project to and the amount of cost.
.ii.This will also include the vendor(s) SPIN number(s).
.iii.Provides specific information on services, service providers selected, and contracts and/or agreements
.iv.Provides discount calculation information
.v.Must be filed for each funding year
.vi.Applicant certifies compliance with rules, which include securing access to resources to make effective use of discounts
.vii.Must be postmarked on or before the last day of the Form 471 application filing window
.•Form 486 and or 472
.i.After receiving the Funding Commitment Decision letter for SLD, additional forms can establish that funding is sent directly to the vendor/service provider so the school does not need to go through the additional process of sending and confirming that the funds are sent to the vendor/service provider.
.ii.This also removes concerns of fraudulent actions by the school district.
.iii.Notification that services have started and the SLD can pay invoices
.iv.Certifies that Tech Plan (if required) has been approved
.v.BEAR (Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement) Form 472 filed by the applicant and certified by the service provider after the applicant receives services and pays for the services in full
.•Audits and other assistance of forms and filing for both the vendor/service provider and SLD staff.

Other items that may be discussed:
Recent fraud has complicated to process.
How can offering eRate services help my business opportunities?

10. Q&A

www.corptele.com

About the Author

Dan Burns, Principal Consultant

Mr. Burns is a telecommunications professional with over ten years comprehensive experience in the telecommunications expense reduction and management, telecommunications system hardware design, implementation, project management. Mr. Burns is recognized as a reliable leader in this field as an active member of the Society of Telecommunications Consultants (STC).

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