ISPs slam attempts to reveal alleged file sharers

UK Internet service providers have slammed attempts by the music industry to persuade them to give up the identities of alleged file sharers. The Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA), an umbrella organisation for UK ISPs, described a letter by the BPI to two of its members, Tiscali and Bulldog, as 'detrimental to the spirit of co-operation' that the Internet industry wants to foster with the music business. While insisting that it does not support 'abuses of copyright and intellectual property theft', the ISPA said that its members would be acting outside the law if they co-operated with BPI demands. ...more

'Disappointed' GSMA holds MPEG-4 off mobiles

The dispute over MPEG-4 licensing for mobile devices is no nearer a resolution after the GSM Association rejected new terms. The GSMA - which represents some 800 GSM network operators and device makers - described MPEG LA's revised licensing fees for its Open Mobile Alliance's Digital Rights Management technology for MPEG-4 content as a 'serious disappointment'. 'MPEG LA is missing a tremendous opportunity to unite the industry behind one solution,'said Rob Conway, CEO of the GSMA. ...more

Chief officers for privacy

IBM has appointed Harriet P. Pearson as the company's first chief privacy officer, leading a corporate trend in America to recognise the importance of maintaining the integrity of customer data. The company intends her to guide IBM's privacy policies and lead initiatives to strengthen consumer data protection. ...more

Profitability stays out of reach for AMD

A growth in sales and reduced costs have not proved enough to get AMD back in the black, according to its latest quarterly financial report. The company reported a net loss of $140mn for the three months ending 29 June, 2003. This is slightly less than the net loss of $146mn in the previous three months and an improvement on the $185mn reported from the same period a year ago. ...more

Winstar files for bankruptcy protection and $10bn lawsuit against Lucent

Winstar Communications Inc, the troubled telecommunications provider, filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday, claiming it was forced to take this action after Lucent defaulted on a five-year supply agreement. Winstar's legal filing today alleged that "Little more than two years into the five-year agreement, Lucent has shown its promises were hollow." The agreement, which analysts predicted was worth as much as $1bn, should have seen Lucent paying Winstar $90m on 30 March. ...more