October 1, 2005

By Staff

Early bird

Question | I'm a teenager. Where should I invest my money? - F.R., Mobile, Ala.

Answer | College money shouldn't be in stocks, as the market could drop in the short term. Long-term investments can patiently ride out downturns, so consider keeping money you won't need for five or 10 years in stocks. Short-term investors should stick to safer plays, such as money market funds or CDs.

You're smart to start young. Let's say you're 14, you invest $500 in a stock index fund, and it earns the market's historical average annual rate of 10 percent. In 30 years, when you're only 44, it'll become $8,725. Sock it away until retirement at 65 and it'll be nearly $65,000. Add to it over the years, and you're looking at early retirement!

September 28, 2005

By Drew Clark

Providers of Internet telephone service are enjoying a boost on Capitol Hill as Senate Commerce Committee members have gravitated toward how their story of success in responding to Hurricane Katrina contrasts with the failure of other telecommunications services.

Companies like Vonage are promoting a bill that would grant them relief from an FCC order mandating that they provide "enhanced 911" (E911) calling capabilities by Nov. 28. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., sponsored the measure, which among other things would grant emergency responders immunity from lawsuits arising from taking 911 calls from VoIP providers -- something they have when they take calls from traditional telephone and wireless companies.

September 27, 2005

By Bruce Meyerson

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission backed off again Tuesday on enforcing a deadline for Internet phone service providers to disconnect all customers who haven't acknowledged that they understand it may be hard to reach a live emergency dispatcher when dialling 911.

The agency explained that the status reports required from every Internet phone company last week showed that by "repeatedly prompting subscribers through a variety of means, the majority of providers .... have obtained acknowledgments from nearly all, if not all, of their subscribers."

The decision came a day before a deadline that would have required Internet phone companies to cut off at least 10,000 of the estimated 2.7 million users of the service in the United States.

The FCC said providers who have received confirmations from at least 90 per cent of their subscribers will no longer face the disconnection requirement, but still must continue seeking the remaining acknowledgments.

All carriers below the 90 per cent threshold will have until Oct. 31 to reach that level and avoid the disconnection requirement.

Vonage Holdings Corp., the biggest carrier with more than 1-million subscribers, told The Associated Press on Monday that 99 per cent of its customer base have responded to the company's notices about 911 risks. But that still meant that about 10,000 accounts stood to be shut off as early as Wednesday.

September 27, 2005

By Brian Blackstone

The Federal Communications Commission extended a deadline, previously set for Wednesday, for Internet phone companies to receive acknowledgements from customers of the limitations of 911 capabilities or disconnect their service.

Internet phone providers that have achieved a 90% response rate from customers saying they understand the limitations of their service's 911 capabilities will be exempt from any enforcement of the FCC's May order, which required Internet phone companies to provide 911 access. Under that rule, Web phone companies would have had to disconnect service for those customers who didn't acknowledge receipt of letters.

Vonage Holdings Corp., the nation's largest Internet phone provider with over 800,000 subscribers, said in an FCC filing last week that it had achieved a 98% response rate but that it wouldn't reach 100% compliance by Sept. 28.

September 29, 2005

By Staff

Vonage praised the FCC for extending the deadline for interconnected VoIP service providers to get customers' affirmative acknowledgments about 911 service limitations. The FCC Enforcement Bureau said Tues. it won't act against VoIP providers who got such acknowledgments from at least 90% of their subscribers. Providers missing the 90% cutoff won't face enforcement until Oct. 31, the Bureau said.

September 27, 2005

By Staff

The food stocks are going up, and that doesn't bode well for the economy or the stock market, said Jim Cramer on his "RealMoney" radio show Tuesday.

The last time the food stocks went up in tandem, said Cramer, was the spring of 2000, when the Federal Reserve took interest rates too high and the economy started to fall apart. Cramer told listeners to pay heed to the big sea change as people are selling companies that need a strong economy to do well, like the chemicals, paper, steel, heavy machinery and homebuilding stocks. Meanwhile, they're buying food stocks, which have consistent growth regardless of economic conditions.

The best way to play the food stocks is Altria (MO:NYSE), said Cramer. He believes Altria can go to $100.

September 23, 2005

By Staff

No. 36 Jeffrey Citron, chairman and CEO, Vonage

Last year's position: Not placed

Long talked up as a threat to incumbent telcos, voice over IP is proving itself thanks to solid businesses such as Vonage. Under Jeffrey Citron's leadership, Vonage aims to bring low-cost VoIP service to the masses - eschewing the need for a PC, unlike the 'soft phones' from the likes of Google, Skype and Yahoo!.

Vonage offers VoIP phone service to residences and small businesses in Canada, the US and, most recently, the UK, and is singled out by the Agenda Setters panel for being an innovative operation with legs, not just a passing fashion.

Sources say the banks will make the usual preparations for issuing stock, while privately holding conversations with potential acquirers. Vonage spokeswoman Brooke Schulz says her company can't comment on the matter.

September 27, 2005

By Wendy Brown

Steve Bumpous of Santa Fe signed up for Internet phone service nearly a year ago, and so far he says it has worked great for him.

Bumpous likes the fact that he can take his access box with him anywhere he can get high-speed Internet service and still use the same phone number. “It’s kind of like the mark of the beast,” he said. “You take it with you everywhere .”

He also likes the cost — currently $21.95 a month for unlimited local and long-distance calls through Computer Network Service Professionals of Santa Fe.

September 24, 2005

By Stephen P. Jensen



If the name doesn't grab you — and it should — then this will: Marco Andretti has started only three Indy Racing League Menards Infiniti Pro Series events, all from the pole.

Not impressed? You should be.

He won them all.

At 18 years old and looking all of 14, Andretti is already a race veteran, and not just through fireside chats with father Michael and legendary grandpa Mario. He moved into open-wheel racing in 2003, winning the Skip Barber Eastern Series championship.

In 2004 he partnered with Motorola, Vonage and Twizzlers, capturing Skip Barber's Formula Dodge National Series title, as well as the Formula TR 1600 championship. And this year, while he competes as a rule in the Star Mazda Championship Series, Sunday's Corning 100 will be his fourth Infiniti Pro Series start.