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A CD-ROM format that not only reads standard CD-ROMs, but can read and write CD-R disks, and also read and re-write CD-RW media. CD-RW media is more expensive than CD-R media, but it can be written to more than once in the same location, much like a hard drive or floppy disk on a computer. Standard CD-RW disks store up to 640 MB of data, similar to CD-ROM and CD-R disks.
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CD-RW - FCC to Look at Phone Firms' Use of Internet to Carry CallsBy Christopher SternWashington Post Staff WriterThe telecommunications industry, eager to find a route around a 100year-old regulatory regime, has turned to a new path: the Internet.In the month since a federal court in Minnesota ruled that callsdelivered over the Internet are not subject to state regulation, QwestCommunications International Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and SBCCommunications Inc. have announced intentions to beef up theirability to deliver phone calls over their data networks.The Federal Communications Commission traditionally has had ahands-off policy when it comes to regulating the Internet. But onMonday, it will hold its first hearing in its effort to decide whetherit needs to step into an issue that has the potential to transform theindustry.The stakes in the debate are huge. Federal and state governments couldlose billions of dollars in revenue from regulatory fees if callsmoved onto the Internet are no longer subject to the charges. And ifthe FCC chooses not to regulate Internet calls, it could raisequestions about the future of the Universal Service Fund, a $6 billionfederal program funded by telephone fees that subsidizes phone servicein rural areas and Internet service for schools.In moving more voice calls over the Internet, the telephone companiesare taking advantage of a new technology that translates the sound ofa voice into small packets of data and sends them over the Internetlike a batch of tiny e-mail messages. Because e-mail isn't regulated,the telephone companies argue that neither should calls completed viathe Internet.Local and long-distance companies are migrating quickly to the newtechnology to avoid the cost of maintaining separate voice and datanetworks. Nortel Networks, the Canadian telecommunications equipmentmaker, estimates that local telephone companies could cut their costsof running a network by 30 percent by shifting to a Internet-basednetwork. Nortel also contends that carriers can cut their capitalinvestment costs by 50 percent. "The market is absolutely moving inthe direction of the convergence of these networks," said MarthaBejar, president of carrier solutions at Nortel.Long-distance companies also hope to reap huge savings by using theInternet to bypass local telephone networks. Long-distance companiesnow pay local companies $25 billion a year in "access charges." Thefees cover the cost of connecting long-distance customers to the localnetwork. The long-distance companies argue they should not have to payaccess charges for calls that travel over the Internet.FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell had initially been reluctant to jumpinto the debate. As recently as October, he had said the agency wouldlaunch a notice of inquiry, an agency proceeding designed to invitepublic comment on an issue without reaching a final decision. Butearlier this month, Powell suggested in a letter to Sen. Ron Wyden(D-Ore.) that the agency could issue a final rule within the next 12months.Powell lost a battle at the FCC earlier this year to preempt stateregulation of local telephone companies. Now the Minnesota federalcourt decision could give him an opportunity to reverse that ruling --at least for calls that are delivered over the Internet. AlthoughPowell has said he has an open mind on the issue, he has indicatedpublicly that he is reluctant to impose traditional telephoneregulations on Internet calls."I think the worst thing we could do is, again, regulate it like atelephone, regulate it by an accident for no other reason than that'swhat we know and that's what we understand," Powell said in a speechlast month.In addition to getting answers about regulation of Internet calls,companies are eager to set guidelines that define when a call is movedover the Internet and when it moves over traditional voicecircuits. For instance, local telephone companies worry thatlong-distance companies will seek to avoid paying fees for connectinglocal customers to the long-distance network
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