Rural areas need fast broadband

42% of rural England is on slow broadband

Action needs to be taken to ensure that those living in rural areas of the UK are not left in the broadband slow lane, a report has warned.

The report, from the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC), makes a series of recommendations to ensure that rural homes can keep pace with urban areas.

It calls for more help to be given to community-based broadband schemes.

Alternative investment models need to be explored to ensure fast networks are rolled out in the country-side.

The recently published Digital Britain report - which laid out the government's strategy for broadband - announced a telephone tax to fund next-generation networks in rural areas.

It also pledged to provide a minimum speed of 2Mbps (megabits per second) to all UK homes by 2012.

Rural entrepreneurs

A CRC spokesman welcomed both moves but said it might not be enough.

"There is a danger, with the 2 megabits promise, that people will regard that as job done," he said.

He also questioned the so-called telephone tax, which will collect 50p a month from every household with a fixed telephone line to contribute to rolling out next-generation broadband to areas that providers see as economically unviable.

"It starts to address the issue but there are lots of unanswered questions and issues about whether it will provide enough funding," he said.

According to the CRC some 42% of the rural population in England are currently struggling on speeds below 2Mbps.

Rolling out next-generation broadband networks is expensive and becomes much less cost effective in rural areas.

But the report - entitled Mind the Gap - Digital England, a rural perspective - suggests ways in which offering fast broadband services to rural areas can benefit the UK economy.

It finds, for instance, that one third of people working from home live in rural areas. The government is keen to promote home working as a response to road congestion and global warming.

It also highlights how broadband services can be used by older people to improve the quality of the lives and offer access to government and health services.

A decent infrastructure would create more rural entrepreneurs which in turn could aid economic recovery, the report said.

In response to the report Lord Carter, minister for Communications and Technology, reiterated the government's commitment to a minimum broadband speed and a fund for next-generation access.

"Together these two firm commitments will help ensure that Digital Britain does not become a two-tier Britain," he said.

There are around 40 community broadband schemes around the UK, many of them bringing fibre networks to rural areas.

The Community Broadband Network, which co-ordinates a lot of these schemes, has launched an umbrella organisation to co-ordinate them.

The Independent Networks Co-operative Association will act as a unified voice for local projects, promote common standards and set up a Joint Operating Network (JON) to provide technical and operational support for the patchwork of schemes.

Source: BBC news

Solar tiles that offer style

by Candace Lombardi

Solé Power Tile system developed for US Tile by SRS Energy integrates seamlessly with its terra-cotta counterparts.

(Credit: SRS Energy)

Will a better aesthetic tempt more people into going solar? SRS Energy is betting on it.

The company has partnered with US Tile, a leading manufacturer of Spanish, slate, and shake roof tiles, to design solar panels with the exact same shapes as their clay counterparts.

The result is solar tiles that can be seamlessly integrated with the terra-cotta tiles on your roof. Instead of the solar panels being on your roof, your solar panels are the roof. Instead of consumers going solar as aftermarket adaptation, the Philadelphia-based company hopes that solar will become part of the architecture and building of residences and commercial properties.

BIPV (building-integrated photovoltaics) have been around for a while, but many of them fail to visually blend in with the existing architecture. SRS Energy is trying to improve that by partnering with roofing companies to replicate existing roof tile designs into thin-film solar panel counterparts.

The Solé Power Tile system was unveiled at American Institute of Architects 2009 National Convention and Design Exposition this past May at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. On June 15, SRS Energy unveiled one of the first commercial buildings to implement the Solé Power Tile system. The Swiss chalet-like building is Zwahlen's Ice Cream & Chocolate Company, a family-run ice cream parlor in Audubon, Penn., owned by SRS Energy's CEO Marty Low.

US Tile's Solé Power Tile system will begin to be installed in homes this November 2009 by contractors that have taken the company's Solé certification class, the first of which will be held this July, according to Abby Nessa Feinstein, director of marketing for SRS Energy.

The company plans to move into other U.S. and European markets in 2010.

The look of the tiles aside, what about solar efficiency? That's where consumers will have to think about what's most important to them. The Solé Power Tile system, which is warranted for 20 years to generate electricity at a rate of 80 percent of capacity, incorporates triple-junction amorphous solar cells produced by Uni-Solar.

Cell efficiency for the tiles is between 8 percent and 10 percent, according to Feinstein.

That puts it slightly below what others in thin-film photovoltaics have been getting. Global Solar, for example, has said its existing flexible CIGS cells convert about 10 percent of sunlight into electricity, and has plans to get to 13 percent to 14 percent soon. It's also obviously far behind the 20 percent efficiency achieved by efficient traditional silicon solar panels.

Feinstein says the SRS Energy system's overall efficiency makes up for the difference in sunlight to electricity conversion figures.

"If a homeowner bought 4kW of crystalline silicon panels and then 4KW of the Solé US Tiles, they will get 10 to 15 percent more output in terms of a KWh (kilowatt hour) on their electricity," said Feinstein.

"You have three layers of semiconductor material and so it is essentially less picky about the light it converts into electricity so whereas crystalline starts and stops converting between 10 (a.m.) and 4 p.m., our tech will wake up earlier and work later. It converts a larger spectrum of light into electricity. It has less sensitivity to heat, most start to degrade in performance as they get hotter. Our tiles get less hot because the modular is curved and with any curved tile you have air beneath keeping them cooler," she said.

SRS Energy's statistics say the average homeowner with Solé Power Tiles can get 860 kilowatt hours per square foot annually living in an area with "5.8 peak sun hours" per day.

Zwahlen's Ice Cream & Chocolate Company sporting Solé Power Tiles.

(Credit: SRS Energy)

Source: Cnet news

Palm Pre Touchstone dock hardwired into BMW 3 Series

by Antuan Goodwin

An enterprising BMW 3 Series owner has taken it upon himself to hard wire a Palm Pre Touchstone charger dock into his vehicle's center console. The Touchstone charging system is a pretty awesome bit of tech. Essentially, this charging base magnetically holds the smartphone in place while it wirelessly charges the battery using an inductive electromagnetic field.

The Pre's Touchstone looks right at home in this 3 Series' interior.

(Credit: iSmashPhone.com/bretov)

The install itself seems pretty straightforward. The power adapter is hardwired into the the vehicle's 12-volt system, then the Touchstone is secured to the center tunnel with the wires hidden from view. Instead of fumbling with chargers and dongles, the owner just hops into the car, places the Pre on the magnetic stone, and drives off.

In a vehicle that supported Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming, this would be a tremendous jump in convenience. Perhaps in the future, more phone manufacturers will support inductive charging and Bluetooth standards so that automakers will be able to implement solutions like this at the OEM level.

I wonder how the Touchstone's magnetic grip holds up under serious lateral g-forces?

Check out more images and details at iSmashPhone.

Source: Cnet news

What's the carbon footprint of your handwash?

by Martin LaMonica

A heat map gives a reading of how much energy is used in the supply chain and production of ingredients in a company's products.

(Credit: Planet Metrics)

Start-up Planet Metrics is developing software that could give consumers a better read on the embedded energy of everyday products.

The San Francisco-based company on Tuesday released the beta test version of its hosted application, which it calls Rapid Carbon Modeling. It also said Method, which makes eco-friendly home-cleaning products, is a customer.

There are a number of companies writing software for calculating how much energy is linked to a business' operations and managing carbon emissions. Planet Metrics' software is geared at manufacturers and makers of consumer packaged goods.

Using Planet Metrics' software, a person could, for example, see how much energy consumption is associated with procuring the components that make up a cell phone. With that information, a company can then look for ways to cut energy consumption, such as reducing waste or finding another supplier.

The carbon footprint picture is built by combining a company's internal data, such as bills for certain materials, with scientific and academic models for calculating embedded energy, according to Planet Metrics.

Method is using the software in product design and sourcing, co-founder Adam Lowry said in a statement. "By better understanding volatile energy and resource prices, we can make better decisions to lessen the overall footprint (of our products) and save money," he said.

Planet Metrics CEO Andy Leventhal said the company does not yet have hard return-on-investment numbers for its software, but companies with sustainability initiatives, such as Wal-Mart Stores, have found significant savings in reducing fuel use and waste.

Source: Cnet news

Tax to pay for fast net access

Advertisement

Lord Carter tells the BBC's Sophie Long why his Digital Britain report calls for phone line charges and punishing file sharing piracy.

Every Briton with a fixed-line phone will pay a "small levy" of 50p per month to pay for faster net access.

The national fund created by the levy will be used to ensure most Britons get access to future net technologies.

The proposal is part of the Digital Britain report outlined by Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw in Parliament.

The report also includes a pledge to curb unlawful file sharing by giving regulator Ofcom new powers to identify persistent pirates.

READ THE DIGITAL BRITAIN REPORT Digital Britain report(3MB) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the reader here

To encourage take-up of broadband services the government has appointed online entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox as a digital champion.

Mr Bradshaw told the Commons that the government intended to upgrade all national radio stations from analogue to digital by 2015.

It promised a "more robust" system of content classification for the video games industry.

The report, commissioned by the government last year and written by communications minister Lord Carter, offers a blueprint for the UK's digital future.

"Digital Britain is a statement of intent and ambition, a commitment to infrastructure and access, and an overdue recognition of the industrial importance of the creative industries," said Lord Carter.

The main points outlined in the report include:

• a three-year plan to boost digital participation

• universal access to broadband by 2012

• fund to invest in next generation broadband

• digital radio upgrade by 2015

• liberalisation of 3G spectrum

• legal and regulatory attack on digital piracy

• support for public service content partnerships

• changed role for Channel 4

• consultation on how to fund local, national and regional news

• £130m of BBC licence fee to pay for ITV regional news

Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw announces legislation to curb unlawful file-sharing

One of the biggest surprises in the report was the promise to introduce a levy on fixed telephone lines in order to pay for fast broadband rollout to those areas of the country - estimated to be around one-third - which won't be reached by commercial efforts.

It will amount to a 50p a month tax for every household in the country with a fixed phone line.

"It is a contribution which we are asking people to make - it's six pounds a year - offset, as we make very clear in the report, by the likely continued reduction in headline prices because of the competitive market we have in this country," said report author Lord Carter.

Antony Walker, chief executive of the Broadband Stakeholders' Group, believes the tax will mean that 90% of the UK will be able to benefit from broadband of up to 50Mbps by 2017.

"It is a top-up subsidy for the last third of the country and must focus on those areas that would otherwise be uneconomic to deliver fast services to," he said.

He thinks it will eliminate the problem of a two-tiered internet where towns and cities benefit from fast speeds while rural areas remain in the slow lane.

But Alex Salter, from broadband measurement firm Sam Knows, doubts the levy will create enough money to bring next-generation access to every home.

"It answers the main question from the last report which was who is going to pay. This is less expensive per capita than similar schemes, for example in Australia, but is unlikely to generate the full budget required - this will still have to come from the providers," he said.

Communications minister Stephen Carter said that some £200m of funding would be spent to extend coverage to the 15% of UK homes which do not receive broadband at 2Mbps.

The government has pledged to complete this by 2012.

The majority of the money will come from funding ring-fenced in the BBC licence fee for the digital switchover.

Some of this money will also be used to support regional news on commercial channels.

Sir Michael Lyons, BBC Trust chairman said it would fight any changes to the licence fee.

BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons rejects sharing income

Backstop powers

To combat the growing problem of illegal file-sharing the government has given greater powers to Ofcom and internet service providers.

It will allow them to identify illegal downloaders and pursue a "write and sue" approach for the worst offenders.

But the British Phonographic Industry, which represents the UK's record labels, was not impressed.

"The government appears to be anticipating its failure by lining up backstop powers for Ofcom to introduce technical measures later," said the BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor.

The shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said the document was a "colossal disappointment."

World class?

Gordon Brown on the impact of the Digital Britain report

Prime minister Gordon Brown said that the report would pave the way to making Britain's digital infrastructure world class.

"Britain is going to lead the world. This is us taking the next step into the future to being the digital capital of the world. It is making sure no family or business misses out," he said.

Currently Britain stands at about seventh in global broadband league tables, below nations such as Korea, Japan, Sweden and Norway.

The digital and communications industry in the UK is said to be worth around £52bn a year. Lord Carter estimated that some 22 million Britons rely on the industry for their daily work.

Digital Britain was launched in October 2008 to establish a framework for the UK's digital economy. There then followed eight months of lobbying and consultation with an interim report published in January.

Lord Carter is due to quit his post during the summer recess.

The report was a joint effort between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Source: BBC news

Ghostbusters 'not region locked'

The Ghostbusters franchise started with the movie 25 years ago

There are reports that the North American edition of the Ghostbusters video game for the Xbox 360 will be region free.

The game, which goes on sale on 19 June, will be available in Europe only on PlayStation.

But it is thought gamers could get round this exclusivity by buying the US 360 versions online, through so-called "grey imports".

The Xbox 360 European release is scheduled "later in the year".

Sony's PlayStation and Microsoft's Xbox 360 have been battling for a larger stake in the console market.

Both firms have tried to tie down exclusive game deals to give their hardware a marketing edge.

But the number of exclusive titles has fallen in recent years and the ability to buy a rival format online has further eroded the two companies' ability to lock down exclusives.

Sony Europe declined to comment, but a spokesman said it "wasn't the first time a 360 title had been released region free".

Cross the streams

PlayStation 3, PSP and Nintendo DS titles are usually region free, meaning they can be played on any console in the world. The exception to this is the Nintendo Wii; titles can be played only on a console from the same region.

Retailers are worried that the ability to buy a format online - but not in the shops - could damage sales.

The associate editor of games industry journal MCV, Tim Ingham, told the BBC retailers would be banking on consumers waiting for the European 360 release.

"They will be hoping these gamers wont be savvy - or bothered - to order from the US," he said.

"In a way they are lucky, because the Ghostbusters franchise will appeal to more casual gamers, rather than the hardcore.

"Had this been a Final Fantasy or Halo game then people would have been online ordering it in spades."

It is thought some retailers might buy stock from the United States and then sell direct to European customers in what is known as "grey importing".

Although legal, the practice is discouraged by European publishers as it means they are excluded from the buying process.

"It's unlikely firms will resort to grey importing as it would damage their relationship with publishers," said Mr Ingham.

Source: BBC news

DTV transition is nearly here. Are you ready?

by Marguerite Reardon

In less than 24 hours all full-power broadcast TV stations in the U.S. will flip a switch to stop broadcasting their analog TV signals and will only broadcast TV signals in digital. And for millions who are unprepared, it could mean lights out on their favorite TV shows.

I know what you're thinking. "We've heard this before." In fact, you've probably been hearing about the transition to digital television for the last decade. You likely started seeing public service commercials last year encouraging you to buy a digital converter box to turn your old analog TV into one that could receive digital signals.

In early February another supposed deadline loomed. And then it didn't happen. Congress, fearing that too many people weren't prepared, postponed the switch, and more than 6 million procrastinators were saved.

But now the new deadline of June 12 is upon us once again. And this time it's for real. President Obama himself issued a statement last week:

"We have worked hand in hand with state and local officials, broadcasters and community groups to educate and assist millions of Americans with the transition...I want to be clear: there will not be another delay."

So here we are, less than a day away from the final transition. And despite months of public service announcements and more than $2 billion spent by the U.S. government to help people prepare, millions will still face a blank screen when they hit that little power button on their TV remotes starting Friday at 12:01 a.m.

The good news is that delaying the switch from February to June has given the Federal Communications Commission some time to ramp up efforts to get the public prepared. The agency has enlisted the help of dozens of groups including volunteers from AmeriCorps, civil rights groups, and even firefighters to help people purchase and install their converter boxes and antennas.

Congress also kicked in additional cash, about $650 million on top of the $1.5 billion that had already been allocated for DTV readiness. The bulk of the $650 million was given to the Commerce Department to fund its voucher program. And Congress authorized $90 million of the $650 million to be used by the FCC for outreach programs. So far, the FCC has received $65.7 million of that money, and the Commerce Department has authorized another $9.65 million to help pay for call centers that are in place to address consumers' questions and concerns.

The Commerce Department has been issuing $40 vouchers to help people pay for the new equipment necessary to turn their older analog TVs into ones that can receive digital TV signals. But just before the February deadline, money for the program ran dry and more than 2.5 million people were left on a waiting list for vouchers.

In its most recent report to the FCC, representatives from the Commerce Department said that the program is in good shape, and there is enough money in the program to provide vouchers to all households that still need them until the final deadline of July 31.

It looks as though these last ditch efforts to prepare Americans for the DTV switch have made a big difference. The number of households that are unprepared for the June 12 transition has been cut in half from what it was in February, according to the Nielsen Co., which has been tracking the number of households prepared for the transition

But even though most people are prepared, millions will still not have access to TV on June 12. In its final update before the June 12 deadline, Nielsen reported that 2.8 million American households, or 2.5 percent of the television market, are completely unready for the transition. As of the end of May, another 9 million homes that subscribe to cable or satellite services but that have spare television sets, in bedrooms or kitchens and that are not connected to a paid TV service, are expected to lose reception.

Vulnerable markets
The FCC has targeted 49 markets that it considers particularly vulnerable. These markets include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami, Boston, and Dallas-Fort Worth. Aside from inner cities where many low-income people live, people living in rural areas, particularly in the West where fewer subscribe to cable and satellite services, are the least prepared for the transition, according to Nielsen's latest report.

Acting Federal Communications Chairman Michael Copps has said that he is pleased and impressed by the cross-agency and volunteer group collaboration and cooperation over the past few months.

"In January I feared where we were headed with this transition," he said during a recent public meeting. "But it has turned into an inspiring and enjoyable experience to see how these different agencies can work together. "

He also acknowledged that many people will still face problems during the transition.

"Even though we are better prepared this time," he said. "There will still be disruptions for some consumers. And candor compels us to inform viewers of these issues."

Not only are some households completely unprepared, but officials also say that millions of people who have already bought converter boxes and/or antennas will still experience problems, such as poor reception. These problems may occur from improperly installed antennas or people using the wrong kind of antenna for their region. But it may also be due to the fact that digital signals travel differently through the air than analog signals. So some TV viewers who may have been able to tune in analog channels may not be able to receive digital channels.

Because many TV broadcasters have already been transmitting some or all of their channels already in digital, some viewers who made the switch early and are watching digital TV should rescan their boxes. And they may need to readjust their antennas to get signals after June 12. The reason for this is because some stations will have to move some digital channels when spectrum is vacated. And some broadcasters may also be broadcasting the signals at different power levels to avoid interference.

To help answer questions and deal with confused and frustrated TV viewers before and after the transition, the FCC has staffed nearly 4,000 call centers at a cost of more than $40 million. The voucher program, which provides up to two $40 coupons per household to help defray the cost of digital converter boxes, will also be extended to July 31.

The switch to broadcasting in digital instead of in analog was mandated to free up wireless spectrum so that it could be used for other purposes. Digital signals use up far less spectrum than analog signals. The FCC has already auctioned off the spare spectrum in its 700MHz auction, which raised $19.6 billion for the government.

This auction generated more revenue for the government than any other wireless auction the FCC has ever held. Not a bad tradeoff considering that the government spent a total of about $2 billion to help get people ready for the transition. The Bush administration spent about $1.5 billion on DTV transition preparation, and Congress allocated another $650 million when it delayed the transition in February.

The move to digital TV has also proved to be a big boon for retailers, TV makers, and other consumer electronics makers. Millions of consumers have bought digital TVs, converter boxes, and antennas to prepare for the switch. The Consumer Electronics Association says that TV sales are up about 32 percent in 2009 compared to the same period in 2008, and this is despite the fact that the U.S. is in a recession. But some experts attribute the uptick in new digital TV sales to lower prices and more digital programming.

Even though buying a new TV, an antenna, or a digital converter box for an older TV is a hassle and an expense, consumers also benefit from the transition to digital TV. These signals provide better picture quality. And because digital consumes less wireless spectrum when it transmits, broadcasters can offer viewers several more channels of programming. Many stations throughout the country that have already been broadcasting some or all of their signals in digital have already added channels.

The FCC has also been emphasizing to consumers that if they're already subscribed to a paid TV service, they will not have to worry about the transition at all. The DTV transition applies only to full-power broadcast television stations. These are stations that use the public airwaves to transmit their programming to viewers through a broadcast antenna. That said, satellite customers who receive local stations through an antenna, rather than by satellite, may be affected. The FCC recommends checking with the provider.

"Analog nightlight" services
So in short, the vast majority of Americans are already prepared for the digital TV transition. But for the small percentage of people who are still unready, all hope is not lost.

About a hundred TV stations around the country serving nearly 70 percent of all households are providing "analog nightlight" services. The "nightlight" program is a voluntary program in which TV stations agree to keep an analog signal turned on in addition to their digital signals to provide information about the DTV transition and to notify unprepared TV viewers of emergencies, such as hurricanes. More than half the stations broadcasting the "analog nightlight" service will remain on air for 30 days. And the rest will be on for at least two weeks. In total, these stations will reach 69 percent of TV households.

And only high-power broadcasters are required to switch to digital, a few low-power analog stations and rural relay stations known as "translators" will still be available in some areas.

The FCC and the Commerce Department also won't leave DTV laggards in the lurch after the June 12 deadline. Converter box coupons will still be available, while supplies last, until July 31. But consumers must keep in mind that the coupons expire 90 days after they are mailed, so they are urged to act quickly to redeem them. The FCC also recommends calling retailers ahead to confirm availability of coupon-eligible converter boxes on the day people go shopping.

And if you're still confused and frustrated and you don' t know what to do, the FCC is also planning to provide assistance to TV viewers after June 12. In some areas the FCC will continue to offer free in-home installation services and walk-in centers to consumers who need technical assistance. These programs will be available until the end of June, and in some locations, through July. And the FCC will keep its call center available to consumers at least through the end of July for anyone who has questions.

Source: Cnet news

Intel 'Braidwood' chip targets snappier software

by Brooke Crothers

Intel appears ready to take another crack at flash memory-based acceleration--this time offering it with future chipsets.

Intel Braidwood technology is based on a flash memory module.

(Credit: Intel)

"Braidwood is a flash memory technology that provides faster boot-up time, faster application launch, and a snappier, more responsive system," said Rob Crooke, vice president and general manager of Intel's Business Client Group, speaking during a presentation streamed over the Web from the Computex conference in Taipei, Taiwan, earlier this week.

Braidwood will be offered with the future "5 Series" chipset family--which is Intel's first single-chip chipset--and the future "Clarkdale" processor (see discussion below).

The chip accelerates I/O (input/output) accesses by saving that data to flash memory, according to Crooke. In a demonstration at Computex, Crooke showed Braidwood "caching the I/O...And then, when it launches that application again, it happens very quickly," he said.

Intel's first stab at technology analogous to Braidwood came in 2006. That product was code-named Robson and eventually branded as Turbo Memory. But it only received lukewarm reviews and was never adopted widely.

"Clarkdale," a Nehalem-based processor, will be offered with Braidwood, according to Intel documentation released at Computex. Clarkdale will integrate graphics silicon into the same package as the main processor. It is on track to begin production in the fourth quarter of this year--with systems available in 2010--and is built on Intel's second-generation 32-nanometer process technology. Clarkdale will be offered with the Intel 5 Series chipset.

On another front, Crooke also talked about the mainstreaming of Intel's Nehalem Core i7 desktop chips, which are currently limited to high-end enthusiast systems. Due later this year, the "Lynnfield" processor is a new four-core, eight-thread processor that will be paired with the P55 Express chipset. Threads essentially double the number of tasks a processor can perform.

Users can expect 40 percent better performance on widely used SPECint benchmarks with the Lynnfield-based platform, compared with last year's mainstream Core Q9650 processor-based technology, Crooke said.

Source: CNET news

US cuts off 'criminal' net firm

The FTC said the ISP helped funnel spam on to the internet

An American ISP allegedly involved in distributing spam and images of child abuse has been thrown off the net.

The US Federal Trade Commission asked for Pricewert LLC's net links to be severed after it had gathered evidence of the firm's 'criminal' connections.

The FTC alleges that Pricewert had created one of the "leading US-based havens for illegal, malicious, and harmful content".

Pricewert denied the allegations and said it would fight them in court.

Legal fight

In an official complaint filed in a San Jose Federal court, the FTC described Pricewert as a "rogue" or "black hat" ISP that acted as a hosting centre for many hi-tech criminals.

The FTC alleges that Pricewert was paid to host "child pornography, botnet command and control servers, spyware, viruses, trojans, phishing-related sites, illegal online pharmacies, investment and other web-based scams".

The evidence against Pricewert was gathered with the help of Nasa's computer crime division, Symantec, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, as well as groups such as Spamhaus and the Shadowserver Foundation.

In its statement accompanying its filing, the FTC said its complaint was "not a finding or ruling that the defendant has actually violated the law". That, it said, would be decided by a court. A preliminary hearing will be heard on 15 June.

So far, the FTC has not been able to identify who was behind Pricewert. Although its servers are based in the US, it is registered as a business in Belize and many of its employees are thought to be located in Eastern Europe.

Talking to technology news site Network World, a spokesman for Pricewert said the action was "unfair" and it would take legal action to defend itself.

Source: BBC news