Lawmakers slam net neutrality scheme

The "suggested legislative framework" for Internet regulation proposed last week by Google and Verizon has run into a buzz saw of opposition from four well-connected US Congress members, writes The Register.

Four members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet outlined their concerns in an open letter to FCC chairman Julius Genachowski.

"The recent proposal by Google and Verizon of an industry-centred net neutrality policy framework reinforces the need for resolution of the current open proceedings at the [Federal Communications] Commission to ensure the maintenance of an open Internet," they wrote.

Spain has become the latest country to conduct an investigation into the collection of sensitive WiFi data by Google, reports The BBC.

Google has admitted its Street View cars had "accidentally" collected data from unsecured WiFi networks in more than 30 countries.

A Google representative has now been summoned to appear before a judge in Madrid on 4 October, to explain what data was collected, how it was obtained and the number of people affected. It is in response to a complaint by a privacy watchdog called Apedanica.

India has asked Tata Teleservices to ensure monitoring capability for BlackBerry services by 31 August, the company said on Tuesday, according to The Economic Times.

"We have received a letter... asking us to ensure that legal intervention capability is put in place for BlackBerry services by 31 August 2010," a Tata Teleservices statement said.

RIM faces a 31 August deadline to give authorities the means to read e-mail and instant messages sent over the BlackBerry. New Delhi says it will pull the plug if RIM won't comply, threatening its future in the world's fastest-growing telecoms market.

US broadband and mobile services provider Verizon Communications has successfully tested its 1Gbps FiOS broadband connection, says ITProPortal.

The company said it had tested the service with an existing FiOS customer in Taunton on a local server and a remote server located 400 miles away.

Verizon found the download speed for the local server was 925Mbps while the remote server registered 800Mbps. The company said it has no plans to launch the service in the near future.