UK GOVERNMENT: Animal experiments watchdog puts forward agenda for new millennium.

3

M2 PRESSWIRE-10 December 1998-UK GOVERNMENT: Animal experiments watchdog puts forward agenda for new millennium (C)1994-98 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD3

RDATE:091298

The Animal Procedures Committee (APC) today put forward its agenda of future work at the newly expanded committee's first meeting with Home Office minister George Howarth.

The meeting follows the APC's recent review of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, and provided an opportunity for newly appointed Committee members to meet with Mr Howarth and discuss future plans.

Chairman of the APC, Professor Michael Banner said: "The meeting provided the Committee with a valuable opportunity both to present its plans for future work to the Government and reiterate the recommendations put forward following our review of the 1986 Act.

"In particular, the Committee will be taking a long, hard look at the issues of household product testing on animals, scientific testing on primates and the benefit of allowing animal tests for so-called 'me-too' drugs.

"In addition, the Animal Procedures Committee will continue to play a crucial role in ensuring that the use of animals in scientific procedures is strictly controlled."

Professor Banner also welcomed the invitation from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Animal Welfare for a meeting of the two bodies. He said:

"This is a very positive move by the Group - clearly it makes good sense to exchange information and for us to keep the Group up to date about our plans."

The APC's proposed agenda of work includes:

- developing a strategy for research on alternatives

- reviewing progress and developments in the area of regulatory safety testing

- investigating whether it is appropriate that the protections of the Act come into force at the 50% gestation or incubation period for all mammalian, avian and reptilian species

- investigating what can be done to ensure that, when animals are acquired from overseas, they are obtained from suitable sources and journey times are minimised

- examining the position regarding the re-use of animals and concerns that farm animals may be inadvertently re-used following discharge from the Act

In addition, the review of the 1986 Act contained the following proposals and recommendations:

- To establish a working group to examine the cost/benefit assessment

- To establish an internet site providing a wide range of information, including the Committee's responsibilities, work, membership, annual report and Code of Conduct

- To examine the possibility of making information on the use of animals more widely available, including benefits from research, animal usage and suffering, and information on the use of genetically-modified animals

- To invite the Home Office to incorporate guidance on minimising overbreeding in the Code of Practice following the Laboratory Animal Science Association's current considerations of this issue and to collate and publish data on overbreeding

- To establish a working party on genetic modification and the cloning of animals

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

1. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 regulates any experimental or other scientific procedure applied to a protected animal which may have the effect of causing that animal pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm.

2. The APC is established and appointed under the terms of the 1986 Act. It has a duty to advise the Home Secretary on matters concerned with the Act and his functions under it.3

*M2 COMMUNICATIONS DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY FOR INFORMATION PROVIDED WITHIN M2 PRESSWIRE. DATA SUPPLIED BY NAMED PARTY/PARTIES.*

AT&T Earns Top Ranking for Wireless Customer Loyalty in Atlanta in Leading Marketing Research Study.

AT&T Ranked Number One in Atlanta in Brand Reputation and Product Design, and Connectivity and Performance

ATLANTA, June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* ranks first among four wireless service providers surveyed** in customer loyalty in Atlanta. According to a Brand Keys, Inc. ranking, AT&T customers in Atlanta will demonstrate the highest levels of brand loyalty and engagement over the next 12 to 18 months. This achievement builds on Brand Keys' findings earlier this year in its 2011 Customer Loyalty Index that AT&T ranked number one nationally in customer loyalty for wireless phone service.

In an effort to learn more about AT&T's position on a local level, AT&T commissioned Brand Keys, a marketing research company and recognized leader in measuring customer loyalty, to survey customers of four wireless service providers in Atlanta and rate them on four loyalty and engagement drivers: brand reputation and product design; competitive, easy-to-understand calling plans; connectivity and performance; and customer service. In Atlanta, AT&T ranked highest overall with a No. 1 ranking in brand reputation and product design, competitive, easy-to-understand calling plans and customer service and ranked in at a close second in connectivity and performance.

AT&T wireless customers in Atlanta have access to the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, the ability to talk and surf at the same time on its mobile broadband network, Rollover minutes and access to more than 24,000 Wi-Fi hot spots, including locations in all 50 states***. AT&T is a pioneer in emerging technologies, offering a wide array of popular smartphones, tablets and other devices. And, it offers a broad choice of voice, data and texting plans, including unlimited nationwide calling plans priced among the most competitive in the industry.

"In a category where differentiation has been difficult to come by, and the definition of 'technology' has been changing at the speed of the consumer, it's a real credit to AT&T that they've been able to meet customer expectations, and garner a number one loyalty ranking," noted Robert Passikoff, Founder and President of Brand Keys, Inc. "We congratulate AT&T on its first place ranking."

"Nothing means more to us than earning the loyalty of our customers," said Keith Holmes, vice president and general manager of Georgia. "Providing an extraordinary customer experience every time is a top priority of every employee at AT&T. We thrive on the loyalty of our customers."

Another way to gauge customer loyalty is through customer churn and, in 2010, AT&T had the industry's lowest total wireless churn in three of the four quarters. And, over the past year, AT&T's wireless unit has recorded the fewest number of Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaints and received the lowest BBB complaint rate among the four largest national wireless carriers, contributing to an average national rating of A+.****

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

**AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.

***Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic. A Wi-Fi enabled device required. Other restrictions apply. See www.attwifi.com for details and locations.

****As of March 1, 2011, AT&T was rated A+ by all 108 local BBBs in the U.S. Complaint rate as of Feb. 3, 2011.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse and AT&T |DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.

About Brand Keys

Brand Keys is the global leader in brand equity, loyalty and engagement research. It provides Global 500 clients with predictive category and brand metrics in both B2C and B2B environments in 35+ countries. Brand Keys methodology is based on clinical psychology providing in-depth insights into both the rational, and, more importantly, the emotional factors that strongly bond consumers to brands.

(c) 2011 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.

Disposable Income and Gas Prices Are Influencing Vacation Plans This Year, According to Latest American Pulse[TM] Survey.

Worthington, OH (PRWEB) June 02, 2011

More than 3 in 10 (33.4%) Americans say they are not planning to take a vacation in 2011. According to these people, financial issues and high gas prices are the two biggest reasons why they are not vacationing, according to the latest American Pulse[TM] Survey of 5,331 respondents.

The majority (67.2%) of Americans staying at home this year say a lack of disposable income is a reason they are not taking a vacation. 44.5% say high gas prices influenced this decision. Even 11.8% of those who take one or more vacations a year are opting out of travel in 2011. More of these Regular Vacationers are feeling the pressure at the pumpa48.1% said high gas prices influenced their vacation plans. 1 in 10 (10.5%) Regular Vacationers are planning a "staycation" this year.

For a complimentary report: http://www.formsite.com/prosper/ampulse060211

The fear of terrorist acts may also be hindering vacation plans for some. Over half (54.0%) of Americans say they are somewhat/very concerned about such acts when they fly. 44.4% are concerned when they travel in general. Perhaps historical American cities such as D.C. will see less tourist traffic this year: 42.6% say they worry about terrorist acts when visiting government buildings.

Other Key Findings:

*     63.9% say they would have voted for a bill that would speed up oil drilling off the Gulf Coast that the Senate recently rejecteda[bar]13.9% would have voted against it and 22.2% aren't sure.

*     73.9% say now is the time to do something about dwindling funds for Medicare and Social Securitya[bar]5.7% say nothing needs to be doneathese programs will survive no matter what.

*     56.8% say the Obama Administration's strategy to change Palestinian borders back to the way they were in 1967 won't lead to peace in the Middle Easta[bar]11.7% say it will.

*     67.1% think the media is corrupta[bar]17.2% say it's not.

*     Fox News is the most trusted news source at 23%.

*     74.2% say they regularly/occasionally use Facebook. Of those, 35.3% say they "like" between 1 and 5 retailersa[bar]34.3% say they don't "like" any.

*     21.8% say they regularly/occasionally use Twitter. Of those, 29% say they "follow" between 1 and 5 retailersa[bar]47.4% say they don't "follow" any.

*     Email is the most preferred way for consumers to receive promotions from retailers at 39.3%, followed by direct mail (33.7%) and newspaper (18.6%).

American Pulse[TM]

The American Pulse[TM] Survey is collected online by BIGresearch(R) twice a month exclusively utilizing SSI's U.S. panel covering topics such as politics, pop culture and the economy. 5,331 respondents participated in the 2nd May American Pulse conducted 5/24-5/26/2011. Margin of error is +/- 1.4%. http://www.biginsight.com

Survey Sampling International (SSI)

Survey Sampling International (http://www.surveysampling.com) is the premier global provider of sampling solutions for survey research. SSI reaches respondents in 72 countries via Internet, telephone and mobile/wireless. Client services include questionnaire design consultation, programming and hosting, and data processing. SSI serves more than 2,000 clients, including 48 of the top 50 research organizations. Founded in 1977, SSI has 17 offices in 15 countries.

BIGresearch                         

Chrissy Wissinger                     

chrissy(at)bigresearch(dot)com    

Randi Honkonen                            

randi(at)bigresearch(dot)com

614.846.0146

SSI

Ilene Siegalovsky

Ilene_Siegalovsky(at)surveysampling(dot)com

203-567-7230

###

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/6/prweb8521285.htm

WSIS FORUM 2011 UNITES GOVERNMENTS WITH GRASSROOTS TO RE-ENERGIZE THE DEVELOPMENT AGENDA.

GENEVA -- The following information was released by the International Telecommunication Union:

World leaders are gathering in Geneva this week to work on strategies to more effectively harness the power and reach of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals in crucial areas like health and education.

Co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNCTAD and UNDP, the World Summit on the Information Society (16-20 May) is the world's largest annual gathering of the world's 'ICT for development' community, including UN agencies, governments, civil society and ICT industry representatives.

Guest speakers at this morning's opening ceremony included Ministers and deputies from 17 countries, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Burundi, El Salvador, Finland, Gambia, Ghana, India, Mexico, Montenegro, Oman, Philippines, Poland, the Russian Federation, Serbia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Delegates also heard interventions from ITU Secretary-General, Dr Hamadoun Toure; Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD; Juan Somavia, Director-General of the ILO; Janis Karklins, Deputy-Director of UNESCO; Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanim, Director-General, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of the United Arab Emirates; John Davis, Vice-President, Intel Corporation and General Manager of Intel's World Ahead Program, and Cyril Ritchie, President of the Conference on NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the UN (CoNGO)

This year's WSIS Forum also welcomes more than 70 Members of Parliament and many other senior government figures. Over 1,000 representatives from around 140 countries are expected to attend the week-long event.

In his opening address, Dr Toure stressed the importance of broadband to national economic and social development. "I think we are all very much aware of how close we are to the 2015 deadline for meeting the WSIS targets and the Millennium Development Goals. We have made quite extraordinary progress in terms of connectivity, the creation of an enabling environment, and cybersecurity. The next major step must be to repeat the 'mobile miracle' for broadband Internet," he said.

The Forum will also serve as the venue for the UN Group on the Information Society's first meeting of the open consultation process on the overall review of the implementation of the WSIS outcomes. Stakeholders will jointly brainstorm on the action plan for the Review Process (WSIS+10), to be held 10 years after the conclusion of the Summit, as recommended in the Tunis Agenda.

In addition to reviewing progress towards the WSIS targets set for 2015, this year's WSIS Forum will foster interactive debate and information exchange on a wide range of key topics such as rural development, multilingualism, environmental sustainability, education, healthcare and innovation.

The opening ceremony was followed by a High Level session, Working Together Towards 2015. Ongoing High-level Dialogues throughout the course of the week include:

Right to Communication

Innovation for Digital Inclusion

ICTs to Enable Least Developed Countries

Building Confidence and Security in Cyberspace

Alongside an exhibition component, the Forum offers participants a diverse range of meetings and activities, including Interactive WSIS Action Line Facilitators Meetings, Interactive Sessions, Country and Thematic Workshops and Knowledge Exchanges. Afternoon sessions each day will also feature the release of a number of new publications and briefings from participating organizations. The Forum programme also includes the Parliamentary Forum as well as meetings of the Internet Governance Forum.

The WSIS agenda is the result of a comprehensive open consultation process involving all stakeholders. Spanning three phases, this year's process welcomed 150 contributions from 50 countries.

Remote participation is an integral component of the WSIS Forum 2011. Each session can be viewed remotely at: http://groups.itu.int/wsis-forum2011/Home.aspx.

This year's WSIS Forum 2011 programme has been greatly enhanced thanks to the strategic partnership and contribution of the United Arab Emirates. The Forum has also benefited from contributions of Oman for the series of workshops, and Mexico for Spanish interpretation.

Videos, photos, live and archived webcasts, and transcripts of speeches can be found at the event Newsroom at www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/wsis/index.aspx, or on the main event website at http://groups.itu.int/wsis-forum2011/Home.aspx. Follow the event on Twitter at #WSIS.

Internap Continues Expansion of Data Center Footprint With New High-Performance Facility in Los Angeles.

News Highlights

- New facility demonstrates Internap's continued execution of strategy to build a geographically diversified platform of company-controlled data centers that deliver intelligent IT Infrastructure solutions

- Site will meet growing demand for premium colocation and route-optimized connectivity services

- Internap's presence will address supply shortage for Los Angeles colocation space

ATLANTA, April 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Internap Network Services Corporation (NASDAQ: INAP), a provider of intelligent IT Infrastructure services, announced that it will open a new data center in Los Angeles to serve increased demand for premium colocation. This facility will be Internap's eleventh company-controlled facility in its eighth North American market and continues the company's strategy to build a geographically diversified platform of premium data centers serving customers' high-performance IT Infrastructure needs. The new Los Angeles facility will feature Internap's route-optimized Performance IP(TM) service and will deliver best-in-class performance and availability across a portfolio of enterprise IP, CDN, colocation, managed hosting and cloud services.

Located in the South Bay, just 6 miles from Los Angeles International Airport, Internap's new Los Angeles data center will include 55,000 square feet of premium net sellable data center footprint over time. The state-of-the-art facility will leverage modular designs and the latest power and cooling technologies to deliver power densities of up to 12 KW per cabinet to economically support long-term customer growth. The facility will minimize energy consumption and environmental impact through green data center practices such as a high-efficiency Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system, a cooling system that maximizes outside air for free cooling, reclaimed building materials and sustainable operational best practices. It will also feature a full range of customer amenities, including fully equipped office areas, technical workspaces, dedicated customer work environments and a full-service customer lounge. The first phase of approximately 15,000 net sellable square feet is expected to open in 2Q 2012.

"According to Tier 1 Research, the utilization of colocation space available in the Los Angeles area exceeds 90%," said Mike Higgins, senior vice president of data center services at Internap. "Explosive growth in demand from the city's media and entertainment, aerospace, technology, petroleum and finance industries has outstripped limited data center supply. With the addition of Los Angeles to our portfolio, Internap is able to provide these growing enterprises with data center space that can be tailored to their specific IT Infrastructure needs - from colocation, managed hosting and cloud services to high-performance enterprise IP and Content Delivery Network services - and can quickly scale to support their business growth requirements."

Underscoring the company's commitment to green data center objectives for efficiency and sustainability, Internap plans to submit the data center for Green Globes certification, LA County Green Building Standards compliance, LEED certification and an Energy Star rating.

About Internap Data Center Facilities

* Internap's data centers offer a highly reliable and scalable IT Infrastructure to deliver and store content, data and applications. With more than 40% of Internap's company-controlled footprint deployed within the last three years, these facilities feature the latest innovations in data center design, including scalable power and cooling density and environmental efficiencies.

* Customers can access Internap's Performance IP service, which connects to all of the major Internet backbones globally and leverages patented technology that analyzes network performance characteristics - such as available bandwidth, delays and packet loss - to ensure that Internet traffic is routed over the best path 100% of the time.

* Along with SAS 70 Type II compliant practices, the facilities also offer multiple layers of security with 24/7 on-site technical support as well as proactive monitoring by engineers in Internap's redundant Network Operations Centers.

Tweet this: http://clicktotweet.com/QghlG

About Internap

Internap provides intelligent IT Infrastructure services that enable our customers to focus on their core business, improve service levels, and lower the cost of IT operations. Our enterprise IP, CDN, colocation, managed hosting and cloud solutions are differentiated by unparalleled levels of performance, availability and support. Since 1996, thousands of businesses have entrusted Internap with the delivery and protection of their online applications. Transform your IT infrastructure into a competitive advantage with IT IQ from Internap. For more information, visit http://www.internap.com/, our blog at http://www.internap.com/blog, or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/internap.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements related to our expansion of company-controlled data center capacity, including expected features, benefits to our customers and timing as well as overall demand for data center space. Because such statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors include our ability to complete expansion of company-controlled data centers within the expected timeframe; our ability to sell into new data center space; the actual performance of our IT infrastructure services; our ability to respond successfully to technological change; the availability of services from Internet network service providers or network service providers providing network access loops and local loops on favorable terms, or at all; failure of third party suppliers to deliver their products and services on favorable terms, or at all; failures in our network operations centers, data centers, network access points or computer systems; our ability to provide or improve Internet infrastructure services to our customers; and our ability to protect our intellectual property, as well as other factors discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. We undertake no obligation to update, amend or clarify any forward-looking statement for any reason.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110426/CL90009LOGO )

Media Contact:	Investor Contact:
Joanna Horn	Andrew McBath
Davies Murphy Group, Inc.	404-302-9700
678-242-8081	ir@internap.com
internap@daviesmurphy.com
www.daviesmurphy.com

SOURCE Internap Network Services Corporation

Small Domestic Electrical Appliances 2010 - Market Report.(Report)

M2 PRESSWIRE-December 7, 2010-Bharat Book Bureau: Small Domestic Electrical Appliances 2010 - Market Report(C)1994-2010 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

RDATE:07122010

The small domestic electrical appliances market, as covered by this Key Note Market Report, includes the market for small kitchen appliances, personal-care appliances and other non-kitchen appliances (irons and hand-held vacuum cleaners). In 2009, the total UK market was worth [pound sign]976.9m at retail selling prices (rsp), a rise of 1.5% on 2008.

The small kitchen appliances sector accounts for slightly more than half of the total market and includes both staple commodity items, such as kettles and toasters, as well as more aspirational, high-end appliances such as espresso coffee machines. Appliances targeted towards healthy eating continue to enjoy positive sales, along with those that promise a professional result. Sales of appliances such as slow cookers have also performed well, as consumers are increasingly opting to cook low-cost meals from scratch at home, a trend boosted by the recession.

Personal-care appliances represent a third of the total market by sales value, with hair-styling appliances holding the largest market share within the sector, followed by shaving appliances and toothbrushes. Within the non-kitchen appliance sector, irons generate the largest number of sales, with steam generator irons also increasing their contribution to the market.

A number of the appliances discussed in this report are already operating in a stage of maturity, with high penetration levels seen across the majority of UK households. These items are directly influenced by consumers' replacement purchasing cycle and have shown some resilience during the current economic downfall. With consumer confidence and spending reduced, they may have held onto their appliances for a little longer; therefore, the market is in a strong position for future growth, with manufacturers concentrating on new design features to entice consumer upgrade purchases.

Initiatives such as the recent cut in VAT were implemented throughout 2009 to boost sales, with many retailers within the market continuing to offer this saving throughout the start of 2010. High degrees of discounting have led to a continued erosion of price, strengthening the position of the large multinationals within the marketplace at the expense of the small independent retailer.

The Internet continues to grow its share of sales within the market, boosted by its ease of price comparison and continued investment from the major retail groups. Future predictions indicate that, by 2020, expenditure of electrical goods online will surpass in-store electrical purchases.

After a more difficult 2009, the small domestic electrical appliances market is forecast to show a steady and sustained growth between 2010 and 2014. Rising population and household numbers will continue to provide a positive backdrop to the industry, with product and technological advances also expected to be a key feature of the market's future success. Environmental concerns and legislation will further impact on both manufacturers' designs and consumers' purchasing decisions; new appliances incorporating and meeting the changing needs of the consumer are expected to succeed in this highly competitive environment.

To know more and to buy a copy of your report feel free to visit :

http://www.bharatbook.com/detail.asp?id=145724&rt=Small-Domestic-Electrical-Appliances-2010-Market-Report.html

((M2 Communications disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com)).

Research and Markets: 2008 Global Digital Economy: Examine the Trends and Developments in the E-Government, E-Health and Tele-Education Sectors.

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/1a7824/2008_global_digita) has announced the addition of the "2008 Global Digital Economy - E-Government, E-Health and Tele-education" report to their offering.

This annual report offers a wealth of information on the trends and developments taking place in the worldwide e-government, e-health and tele-education sectors. The report provides analyses of the issues surrounding the growth of such services and includes global and regional statistics. Comprehensive information on the exciting developments taking place on a regional level is also included.

Subjects covered include:

* The importance of broadband infrastructure;

* Key issues and strategies needed for countries to develop their digital economies;

* E-government market overview, analyses and statistics;

* E-health market overview, analyses and statistics;

* Tele-education market overview, analyses and statistics;

* Overview of e-government markets in North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific;

* Overview of e-health markets in North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific;

* Overview of tele-education markets in North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific;

* Fibre-to-the-Home (FttH) market overview and statistics.

Key highlights:

* The 'business case' for FttH networks is also no longer based solely on the commercial returns from Internet access and other communication services. It also incorporates the social and economic benefits provided by such infrastructure.

* Millions of people worldwide can potentially benefit from e-health applications. There is currently an estimated shortage of over 4 million doctors, midwives, nurses and support workers worldwide.

* In North America, many e-health initiatives are still in early formative stages, although during 2008 a number of significant ventures started moving from the drawing board to implementation.

* E-health schemes are pivotal to the broadband strategies of Europe's Member States. Alleviating cost pressures on overburdened hospitals and health services is a key justification for governments to part-fund NGNs.

* While there are many successful examples of e-health development taking place in Asia, this is not widespread. Much more can be done in the health sector for providing basic health care and services, especially for the poor communities.

* Tele-education is being used around the world for training, vocational training and formal education.

* The E-education sector in North America has grown rapidly in the last 10 years, both at the secondary school and post-secondary level, and will continue its expanding role in the broader education sector.

* More and more countries are now investing in online government services and parts of Europe, Asia Pacific and North America are considered leaders in this area. Many have been implementing and developing their e-government strategies for a number of years and other governments around the world are now endeavouring to catch up.

* Brazil is also considered a world leader in terms of e-government, especially in the areas of e-participation, electronic voting, online tax filing, and e-procurement. Chile is at the forefront in terms of e-government, its tax system having attracted worldwide attention because of the high filing rates achieved.

* For several years the US and Canada have had well-established policies for developing e-government services, including the Canadian Government On-Line Initiative and the US's 24 E-Gov Initiatives.

* Ongoing improvements in broadband access and backbone infrastructure are set to bring further progress with e-services to Africa.

Executive Summary:

Many governments around the world now understand that broadband infrastructure can provide real benefits - not just in delivering high-speed Internet, but also in delivering services that are critical to the communities they serve. Important social services that depend on high quality broadband infrastructure include e-government, e-health and tele-education.

Around the western world we are facing a massive dilemma in relation to healthcare. New advances in medical technologies are increasing life expectations and improving quality of life. The cost of this however is enormous and we simply can no longer afford to finance these huge advances via the public health systems. In countries with proper broadband infrastructure, e-health is shaping up as a way that allows us to access these services at a more affordable cost. The alternative to not embracing e-health is to accept a significantly inferior healthcare service in the future. Countries that are lagging in these broadband infrastructure developments are going to face not just a telecoms dilemma, but, more importantly, they are going to face a health crisis.

There is no doubt that e-health is going to totally transform the national healthcare systems and that society will need time to make the adjustment. Training is vital, and not just of medical professionals. Equally important is the training of other careers, volunteers, and the patients themselves. This is where tele-education can play an important role. Tele-education is becoming more and more important, particularly in developing markets, as it offers the potential for millions of people to access education that they would not be able to otherwise. Telecommunication technologies, such as mobile devices, the Internet and associated Web 2.0 applications, have further broadened the quality and possibilities for remote education and the 'virtual classroom'.

Now that the broadband markets are moving in the right direction, we have shifted our focus from access to actual broadband services and applications - such as e-government. While one of the primary aims of e-government is to improve customer service for citizens; e-government applications can also assist in improving communication and information sharing between government departments. For citizens, one-stop services can reduce time and confusion when dealing with a number of departments. Interactions between government, business and industry can also be improved via e-government applications and the increased transparency of such services can lead to less corruption. In addition, streamlining services can lead to cost cutting and less waste of public resources.

This annual report explores and analyses the trends and developments taking place in the e-government, e-health and tele-education sectors. The report provides an outline of the benefits of such services and explores the issues surrounding their development. The report includes global and regional statistics and provides valuable insights into the developments taking place at a regional level for North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

Key Topics Covered:

* THE IMPORTANCE OF BROADBAND

* E-GOVERNMENT MARKET

* E-HEALTH MARKET

* E-EDUCATION MARKET

* FTTH INFRASTRUCTURE

* REGIONAL OVERVIEWS

* GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/1a7824/2008_global_digita.