Thames Tech Wire

Angelfire ISP Group Buys Broadsurf for Undisclosed Sum

London -- According to ISP Review, the Angelfire ISP Group, a U.K.-
based Internet service provider (ISP), has acquired Broadsurf, a U.K.-
based broadband provider, for an undisclosed sum. The Angelfire
Group -- more commonly known as Firenet Ltd. -- already owns such
ISPs as Firenet, Surfnet24, ISPBOX and Action. "This acquisition will
be of great importance to our customers, and to the brand we have
developed over the years," Broadsurf Managing Director Dan Journo
told the ISP Review. "Selling this company to the Angelfire group was
an easy decision knowing the reputation they have had over the years, I
am proud to see the company in very good hands." While Angelfire is
planning some to do some upgrade work in the coming weeks, the
company ensured that existing Broadsurf services would change in no
way.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?K376255EB

Cambridge's Global Silicon Secures £5.7-Million Investment

Cambridge, England -- Global Silicon, a Cambridge-based supplier of
integrated circuits for the consumer electronics industry, announced
that it has raised 5.7 million in venture-capital financing. Quester, a
U.K.-based venture-capital firm specialising in unquoted growth
companies, led the round, with Celtic House and MTI Partners also
participating. Global Silicon said the investment would allow it to add
to its product range and expand its operations in Cambridge and China.
"This new capital will be used to recruit new engineers and further
develop our software and chip design resources in Cambridge,
application engineers in Fenggang, China, and strengthen our
management team with the appointment of a CEO," said Global Silicon
Chairman Bill Jeffrey. Under the terms of the investment, Quester's
Jeremy Milne, Celtic House's Roger Maggs and MTI's John Polden will
join Global Silicon's board.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?L287325EB

EU Proposes Creation of Market for Trading Radio Bandwidth

Brussels -- The European Commission has proposed the creation of a
single pan-EU market for the trading of radio bandwidth by the year
2010. Currently, each of the 25 EU member states runs a different
system for regulating bandwidths, which can vary from 400 MHz for
TV to 5,000 MHz for Wi-Fi. The Commission believes the status quo is
too inefficient and that a unified market would free up more of existing
bandwidth and ensure that a greater range of operators are able to use
parts of the spectrum. "Radio spectrum is fast becoming the lifeblood
of the Information Society, whether you use a mobile phone or watch a
TV broadcast," said EU Information Society and Media Commissioner
Viviane Reding. "The direct economic contribution of industries using
the radio spectrum is already considerable, between 1 and 2% of
national GDP in the EU, but could be greatly increased if national
regulators and all stakeholders can identify common approaches at EU
level to create a single market for equipment and services using radio
spectrum."
http://makeashorterlink.com/?M2B3513EB

EU to Hold Technology Venture-Capital Summit in London

Brussels -- The EU announced that the European Commission and the
U.K. Presidency are holding a conference in London (Oct. 5-6) to make
recommendations on how risk capital should support the "establishment
of Europe as a leader in innovation, growth and enterprise". One topic
of discussion at "Risk Capital Summit 2005: Investing for Growth and
Competitiveness in Europe" will be the European Technology Facility
(ETF), a start-up finance scheme that provides equity to venture-capital
funds investing in young SMEs with growth potential. Organisers cited
Luxembourg-based Skype Technologies SA as the perfect example of
how venture capital can lead to "spectacular technological and
commercial breakthroughs". Skype, whose Internet telephony service
allows people to talk to each other by linking their PCs, received an
EFT two years ago when it was still a fledgling company. Just two
weeks ago, online auctioneer eBay acquired the company for about 2.2
billion euro.
http://www.riskcap2005.com

EU and U.S. at Loggerheads over Governance of Internet

Geneva -- The EU has set the stage for a major showdown with the
U.S. after insisting the Internet be overseen by a UN body composed of
government representatives and the private sector. As it is, Internet
governance is the sole province of the U.S. Earlier this week in Geneva,
the EU pitched the idea of wresting U.S. control over the Internet --
particularly the management of its addressing systems and traffic
routing -- at the last preparatory meeting before November's pivotal
World Summit on the Information Society in Tunisia. The U.S.,
however, has flatly rejected the idea. "We will not agree to the UN
taking over the management of the Internet," said Ambassador David
Gross, coordinator for international communications and information
policy at the U.S. State Department. "Some countries want that … we
think that's unacceptable."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4296646.stm
http://makeashorterlink.com/?I38A225EB
http://makeashorterlink.com/?E39A215EB
http://www.icann.org/

Survey: Most Consumers Say Web Poses Threat to Children

London -- The vast majority of consumers believe that the Internet
poses a threat to children, especially from online predators and
pornography, according to a new poll conducted by Harris Interactive
for Zone Labs. The survey shows that 94% of consumers believe that
the Internet presents a threat to children, with 61% citing predators in
chat rooms as the biggest threat and another 16% citing pornographic
websites. The survey also showed that only 23% of respondents had
installed software to secure their personal computer against such
Internet threats, while 78% said they felt no safer online now than they
did a year ago.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?H2E0315EB

EU Funds MONA Optics and Nanotechnology Project

Brussels -- The European Commission announced that it has agreed to
fund a collaborative project to coordinate research in photonics and
nanotechnologies. Under the Sixth Framework Programme, the
Commission has earmarked about 950,000 euro (£647,500) for the
MONA (Merging Optics and Nanotechnologies) project. Scheduled to
run for 25 months, the MONA project is designed to work out what
projects should be supported in the forthcoming seventh framework of
European collaborative research. The partners set to use the funding
include IMEC, Acreo AB, Aixtron GmbH, ASM International NV,
Schott GmbH and Yole Development.
http://www.cistrana.org/

Ireland's ThirdForce Acquires Creative Learning Media

Dublin -- ThirdForce Plc, an Ireland-based e-learning firm listed on the
London Stock Exchange's Alternative Investment Market, announced
that it has acquired Creative Learning Media (CLM) Ltd., a U.K.-based
specialist in e-learning, for approximately 8.1 million euro (£6.8
million). "This strategic acquisition expands our business into a wider
range of e-learning categories and advances our growth in the U.K.,
which is a key market for our principal operating company Electric
Paper," said ThirdForce CEO Brendan O'Sullivan. "CLM is a dynamic
young company with a successful and proven range of products."
http://makeashorterlink.com/?F2E7325EB

Wolfson Microelectronics Opens Second China Office

Edinburgh -- Wolfson Microelectronics Plc, a Scotland-based
semiconductor maker, announced that it has opened its second office in
China with a new operation in Shanghai. Wolfson now has seven sales
and engineering offices Asia, including Taipei, Shenzhen, Shanghai,
Seoul and Singapore, as well as Tokyo and Osaka in Japan. The
company also has a logistics hub in Ipoh, Malaysia. "We are seeing a
large number of new companies in the area that are producing goods
for both the domestic Chinese and international markets, especially in
the (mobile) handset arena, for which Wolfson's new devices that bring
hi-fi quality audio to mobile phones will be a natural target," said
Wolfson Marketing VP Julian Hayes.
http://www.wolfson.co.uk/whatsnew/press/PI178/

Report: Average Brits Clueless about Meaning of "Blogging"

London -- According to a survey by London-based advertising firm
DDB London, the average Brit has no clue what the term "blogging"
means. In fact, most of the taxi drivers, pub landlords and hairdressers
surveyed said they thought "blogging" -- a term related to online
journals or "web logs" -- was synonymous with "dogging", the practice
of watching people have sex in car parks. Only 28% of respondents
said they understood "blogging", and even fewer (12%) knew the
meaning of "podcasting". DDB said the survey suggested that many ad
agencies might be pushing clients to use new technologies and media
formats too quickly. "Our research not only shows that there is no buzz
about 'blogging' and 'podcasting' outside of our media industry bubble,
but also that people have no understanding of what the words mean,"
said DDB Planning Director Sarah Carter said. "It's a real wake-up
call."
http://www.ddblondon.com/