(Philadelphia Business Journal - March 14, 2007)
Bank of America has stepped forward to donate $200,000 towards a wireless enabled cafe in the main branch of the Philadelphia Public Library at 1901 Vine St.  The cafe is a partnership between Project HOME and Metropolitan Bakery.  Project HOME provides occupational training for former homeless people and at-risk teenagers.  They will staff the cafe while Metropolitan Bakery will provide baked goods, coffee and operational support.
(Link)

(Information Week - March 20, 2007)
Earthlink is in the early phases of offering an internet enabled phone and service package.  A beta test is underway in Anaheim where Earthlink is building a municipal wireless network.  Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a way of making phone calls over the internet.  All calls cost as much as a local call no matter where in the world they are sent.  Earthlink is offering the phone along with two different calling plans, one for 500 minutes and another with unlimited minutes.  When used within a wireless network such as those in Anaheim and Philadelphia the phones should be able to work throughout the city.

The website VoIP News believes VoIP phones could be a killer application in these new municipal networks, filling in to save cellular minutes or replace home phones.  While current technologies are not yet capable of meeting widespread demand upcoming WiMax and 3G networking technologies would get over the hump.
(Information Week - Earthlink Link)
(VoIP News Killer App Link)

As many of you already know the fate of Internet Radio was dealt a serious blow on March 2.  A group called the Copyright Royalty Board announced a new royalty structure that would take the vast majority of webcasters off the air and force the largest stations to owe billions of dollars in fees. 

The rates, retro-active to 2006, add up to over 100% of many internet radio stations entire revenue.  The rates are supposed to go to the performers of the material and is handled by the group SoundExchange, a spinoff of the RIAA (the recording industry's lobbying group).  Both of these organizations have often worked against consumers and music lovers, not to mention the artists, to line their own pockets at the expense of future earnings.  This particular ruling weighs heavily in their favor.  At the very least they have substantial leveraging power in negotiating a 'better' rate with webcasters.  The involvement of lawmakers and the general public is crucial to letting the CRB and the RIAA know this proposed rate schedule is unacceptable and must be re-negotiated in good faith.

You can get involved by clicking on the link at the top of the home page, signing the petition and learning more about this story.  The site is SaveTheStreams.org.  For thorough coverage of this story we encourage you to visit the Radio and Internet Newsletter (RAIN) by Kurt Hanson.  This site has been a champion of Internet Radio from the beginning and an important gathering place for news on this revolutionary new media format.  If you have ever listened to Internet Radio and valued what you heard as something unique and important you owe it to yourself to lend your voice to this cause.

(Computer World - January 18, 2007)
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, and three other senators introduced the Platform Equality and Remedies for Rights Holders in Music (Perform) Act on Jan. 11.  This backwards, misguided piece of legislation would require copy protection that would effectively ban the use of the MP3 format in internet radio.  A variety of groups have spoken against this bill citing encroachment on the rights of consumers as well as stifling technological development.

The bill clearly favors the Recording Industry's lobbying group, the RIAA, which has consistently engaged in thuggish, backward thinking behavior in matters of digital distribution of music.  As opposed to developing innovative business models to take advantage of new technology the industry seeks to stop progress in its tracks to preserve their assets.
(Computerworld.com)
(arstechnica.com)
(Radio & Internet Newsletter)

(Stop Big Media - February 13, 2007)
The FCC will hold an official public hearing on media ownership rules in Harrisburg, PA on Friday, February 23, 2007.  A public comment session will be held after a panel presentation.  Anyone in attendance can submit comments.  The FCC Chariman, Kevn Martin, has expressed a desire to further relax limits on local media ownership.  These public hearings (Harrisburg is third of six) may be the only opportunity for concerned citizens to voice concerns on this matter.  Visit www.stopbigmedia.com to learn more.  If you live in Philadelphia and would like to attend visit the Media Tank or Prometheus websites for news on carpooling and bus service.

G-town Radio encourages you to make your voice heard during these critical presentations.  Consolidation of media ownership hurts everyone by ignoring points of view contrary to the owner's best interests.  Learn more today about making your voice heard.
(StopBigMedia.org)
(MediaTank.org)
(PrometheusRadio.org)

(Iwon.com - February 13, 2007)
The city of Houston has contracted with Earthlink to build a city-wide wireless network.  At 600 square miles the project will be the largest in the nation.  The announcement trumps Los Angeles' claim to building the nation's largest network only one day prior.  No tax payer money will be used in construction.  Earthlink was selected because of prior experience in building wireless networks (including Philadelphia and New Orleans).
(Link)