A bill requiring telephone companies to ensure their networks are still accessible for wiretapping by law enforcement agencies was approved by the House Judiciary Committee. A similar measure passed the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier in the week, and the legislation may be voted on before Congress adjourns. Who pays the costs incurred beyond this amount is still up in the air, and the FCC may end up deciding whether government, or industry, or both are responsible. Now that the telecommunications bill is dead, the Clinton administration is encouraging states to remove barriers to competition in the communications industry, says Anne Bingaman, head of the antitrust division at the Justice Dept. State and local laws often prevent telephone and cable operators from entering into each others' markets, says Bingaman, citing New York as an example.
Insiders say the uphill battle leaves no room for errors that have dogged the company in the past.
For instance, Motorola has moved its Iridium project's software production overseas to India where Bangalore is already the second-largest software producing area after Silicon Valley. Toshiba plans to use the chip in its mid-range computer line. Altogether 20 states have telemedical projects underway. Almost half of those who started telecommuting in January hadn't even considered it before, and almost half of those who've continued now work from home five days a week. More than half have managerial responsibilities.