BT Cuts The Cost Of Calling Mobiles From Landlines By Up To 24 Per Cent; Virgin to charge around 78 per cent more than BT for landline calls to mobiles.

M2 PRESSWIRE-May 24, 2011-: BT Cuts The Cost Of Calling Mobiles From Landlines By Up To 24 Per Cent; Virgin to charge around 78 per cent more than BT for landline calls to mobiles(C)1994-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

RDATE:24052011

BT today announced that from 28 May it will make significant cuts to the cost of landline to mobile phone calls. This announcement follows BT's leading role in the Terminate the Rate campaign, which helped persuade Ofcom to lower mobile termination rates.

In the evening, the cost of calling a mobile on all major networks from a BT landline will fall from 7p per minute to 5.3p, a 24 per cent cut. During the day, the cost will fall from 13p per minute to 11.3p, a 13 per cent cut. This announcement adds extra pressure on companies such as Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media who have yet to pass on the savings achieved through the Terminate the Rate (TTR) campaign.

Virgin in particular currently charges 31.61p per minute for daytime calls to customers on 3's network and 19.35p per minute for daytime calls to other mobile operators. This is in contrast to BT's new, lower charges for daytime calls to any mobile (11.3p), which are around 64 per cent less than Virgin charges for calls to customers of 3 and 42 per cent less than it charges for calls to other networks. As for evening calls, Virgin charges 24.46p per minute for calls to customers on 3's network and 14.25p per minute for calls from landlines to mobiles. This is up to 78 per cent higher than the new BT price (5.3p) for evening calls.

The Terminate the Rate campaign, led by BT and 3, highlighted the excessive termination charges levied by some mobile operators when people called customers on their networks, meaning customers paid more than they should. The campaign led to Ofcom cutting these rates and, as promised, BT is now passing on the first of those savings to our customers. Other companies have yet to say if they will follow BT in doing this. BT is also planning to launch the UK's first ever all-you-can-eat calls package that includes calls to mobiles.

John Petter, managing director, Consumer, at BT said: "Having campaigned for two years to get Ofcom to lower mobile termination rates, I am delighted to pass on the news that calls to mobile phones from a BT landline are to cost a great deal less. We are passing on Ofcom's reduction and what's more we'll soon be telling customers how they can stop worrying about call charges from landlines to mobiles with a new, inclusive consumer calling package. Watch this space.

"In the mean time, we are naming and shaming Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media who will be charging so much more than BT for calling mobiles. And we call upon them to give what over 160,000 members of the British public, 65 public sector organisations, unions and consumer groups and 262 MPs asked for in the Terminate the Rate Campaign: lower charges for landline calls to mobiles."

About BT

BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions and services, operating in more than 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.

In the year ended 31 March 2011, BT Group's revenue was [pound sign]20,076 million with profit before taxation of [pound sign]1,717 million.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.

For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt

Sam Ireland, Business Support Manager

BT Newsroom

Tel: 020 7356 2830

Mob: 07739 925055

Email: sam.ireland@bt.com

Web: www.bt.com

((M2 Communications disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com)).

Obama knew his duty was to kill.

There was a memorable scene in the television series The West Wing when the make-believe President was being strongly advised to give the go-ahead for an assassination.

The target was a terrorist known to be behind the loss of American lives. The President, a liberal Democrat, wrestled with his conscience and, as the opportune moment approached, told his chief of staff exactly why what he was being asked to do was morally wrong.

``I know,'' the chief replied.

``Then why are we doing it?'' asked the President.

The chief looked hard at him and said: ``Because you won''.

Scripts for that series were written in collaboration with former White House staff of the Clinton Administration. They knew what they would have done.

Put yourself in the position of a good person elected to power. You would discover, I think, that some of the things you previously thought you should do, or not do, and some of the things you imagined you would do, or not do, are suddenly no longer a matter of opinion.

With the power entrusted to you it would no longer seem right to indulge your own moral or philosophical inclinations. The national interest would have a clarity it had never had for you before, no matter how certain you had been.

This would apply I think to all important decisions, not just matters of life and death. New Zealand Prime Ministers would be aware of it in economic policy and in their response to Maori aspirations.

It will be the reason Helen Clark never reversed the economic reforms and why John Key hasn't acted on his party's pre-election plank to abolish the Maori seats. It is the reason he is Prime Minister and Don Brash is not. Deep down, voters sense whether someone is mentally equipped for responsibility.

When Senator Barack Obama was the Democratic Party's presidential candidate he firmly believed he should, and would, stop detention without trial of suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. He hasn't.

I don't know whether candidate Obama was ever directly asked what he would do if he was in a position to decide whether to take Osama bin Laden dead or alive, but if he was wise he would have fudged his answer.

So, for that matter, would the Republican candidate.

But as President, watching his soldiers move into Osama's compound, Obama would have known capture was not an option. The rest of us have the luxury of a moral and philosophical discussion about it. He had to make it final and tidy, no civil rights, no due process, no hostage to fortune.

I was surprised he called it justice. The only evidence is videotaped threats and claims that sounded like admissions.

If Osama wasn't the mastermind of 9/11 he made himself the figurehead for it. He wanted to be guilty and he probably was. Give America vengeance.

I was surprised, too at the picture from the situation room. In The West Wing they always sat around a table in suits to watch a covert operation come in on the satellite. Obama's crew could have been watching a football game _ or election results.

The celebrations in America this week, reminiscent of a war's end, suggest we might turn a corner now, put the first decade of the 21st century behind us and get ``terrorism'' back into perspective.

It is not a war and never was _ terrorism is a crime. It can cross national borders and requires an international response but it remains a crime.

Osama should never have been built into a spectral figure with a global network and untold stateless power. He was a lout who got lucky once.

In photos he was reminiscent of western radicals of the late 1960s. Long hair, beard, a glint in the eye that seemed more amused than malevolent. He and his comrades had comfortable childhoods, family wealth, ample education and the conceit to believe their convictions justified vandalism and violence.

To win a large following Osama needed to create an alien threat. He tried provoking the United States with bombs in embassies, then a warship, but America was just bewildered not enraged. So he aimed at its heart, its twin hearts, New York and Washington.

Give him credit, it was inspired. Domestic air travel was unguarded, airliners were ready-made missiles for anyone with a death wish. Bush took his bait and invaded an Arab nation that had nothing to do with it.

Muslims were outraged but they didn't rise to Osama's banner. Their uprising in Egypt and elsewhere this year is for leaders who know their limits.

Osama meanwhile had built himself a prison. There, inside high walls, windowless rooms and sealed chambers, without phone lines or the internet, he must have waited every day for the end he understood.

Jury out on scleroderma renal crisis prophylaxis.(RHEUMATOLOGY)(Clinical report)

CANCUN, MEXICO - Scleroderma patients on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors at the onset of scleroderma renal crisis do not appear to have worse outcomes than do those not taking the antihypertensive agents prior to the acute renal function deterioration, according to preliminary data from the largest prospective cohort study of incident scleroderma renal crisis to date.

The finding further fuels the ongoing debate over the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors as prophylaxis for scleroderma renal crisis (SRC), lead investigator Dr. Marie Hudson reported at the meeting.

Although the use of ACE inhibitors since the 1980s has dramatically improved the outcome of SRC patients -prior to their widespread use for this indication, SRC mortality was more than 80% - there is still room for substantial improvement, explained Dr. Hudson, noting that the 1- and 5-year survival rates hover around 75% and 65%, respectively, and approximately 19% die within 3 months of diagnosis.

It is possible that earlier intervention with ACE inhibitors might improve SRC outcomes. Most likely to benefit are individuals considered at risk for the complication, including those with diffuse and rapidly progressing skin involvement, history of glucocorticoid use, and positive analysis of anti-RNA polymerase III antibodies. But opponents, she said, "have suggested that prophylactic ACE inhibition could delay the diagnosis [of SRC] because of normalized blood pressure and as a result lead to worse outcomes."

Because a trial of ACE inhibitors in non-SRC patients could carry some risk for participants, Dr. Hudson, a rheumatologist at the Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, and her colleagues in the International Scleroderma Renal Crisis study instead sought to evaluate the outcomes of scleroderma patients who presented with incident SRC while taking ACE inhibitors immediately prior to the onset of the condition.

To date, they have identified 94 cases of incident SRC nationwide using an ongoing, Internet-based survey in which the investigators e-mail nearly 600 participating physicians worldwide every other week to ask about new cases of SRC, she said. For each new case identified, the investigators collect data on patient demographics, disease characteristics, and exposure to ACE inhibitors. The investigators send recruiting physicians a follow-up case report form 1 year after a patient is identified, she explained, noting that the primary outcome measure is death or dialysis dependence at 1 year after SRC onset.

Of the 94 cases identified so far, 90% had hypertensive SRC and 10% had nor-motensive SRC; 47% had a history of glucocorticoid use immediately prior to SRC onset, at a mean dose of 17 mg prednisone/day; 15% had anti-RNA polymerase III antibodies; and 23% were on ACE inhibitors prior to the onset of disease, said Dr. Hudson. "Proportionally, more of the nor-motensive SRC patients were on ACE inhibitors than hypotensive SRC patients."

An analysis of the 1-year follow-up data collected to date showed that more than 50% of the patients have died or remain on dialysis at 1 year, Dr. Hudson reported. "So far, there is no evidence that those exposed to ACE inhibitors prior to SRC had worse outcomes," she said, stressing that the findings are preliminary as the collection of 1-year follow-up data is ongoing.

VITALS

Major Finding: Patients with incident scleroderma renal crisis who are on ACE inhibitors prior to the onset of disease do not have worse outcomes than those not on the antihypertensive agents before SRC diagnosis.

Data Source: An ongoing, international cohort study comprising a biweekly survey of nearly 600 participating physicians.

Disclosures: Dr. Hudson disclosed a financial relationship with Pfizer, which manufactures several ACE inhibitors.

BY DIANA MAHONEY

FROM THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CANADIAN RHEUMATOLOGY ASSOCIATION

SiFotonicsTM Announces World's First Commercial Integrated Optical Receiver.

SiFotonicsTM Technologies Co., Ltd., a leading supplier of optical communications components based on the Silicon Photonics technology platform, announced March 22, 2010 that the TP1001, an integrated receiver for 2.5Gb/s optical communication applications is available for volume production. The TP1001 receiver consists of a strained Germanium detector monolithically integrated with a trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) fabricated on an 8-inch Silicon wafer. The fabrication was successfully conducted at two of the leading global semiconductor foundries.

"In the past, the industry relied on a two-chip solution to produce an optical receiver: one GaAs or InP based photodetector and one trans-impedance amplifier. At SiFotonicsTM we have overcome numerous technical challenges to integrate these two functions onto a single silicon chip that can be fabricated in commercially available foundries. We are thrilled to announce that our TP1001, an integrated 2.5Gb/s receiver, has passed all functional and reliability tests. To our knowledge, this is the world's first commercial grade monolithically integrated optical receiver chip using CMOS technology. This exciting development came as a result of implementing many years of cutting edge research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the world's leading research institutions in the field of Silicon Photonics. We expect to bring a 10Gb/s version to the market using the same technologies and processes in a very short period of time" said Dr. Dong Pan, CEO of SiFotonicsTM.

"The monolithic receiver is a great achievement. It shows both technical excellence and outstanding process and design coordination," said Dr. Lionel C. Kimerling, Thomas Lord Professor of Materials Science & Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

"The TP1001 opens a new page in our industry not only for telecommunication applications but also for data communications as we are able to integrate additional application specific logic with TP1001 by using the same CMOS process," added Jack Yuan, VP of Sales and Marketing of SiFotonicsTM. "In addition, the TP1001 at 2.5Gb/s brings light speed communication capability at very low cost to enable the penetration of optical links into cost sensitive applications, such as data communications and consumer electronics."

Keywords: Advertising, Communications, Consumer Electronics, Electronics, Energy, Engineering, Internet, Leisure, Marketing, Mobile and Wireless, Nanotechnology, Networks, Other Energy, Other Technology, Photonics, Photons, Physics, Semiconductor, SiFotonics Technologies Co., Ltd., Technology, Telecommunications, SiFotonics Technologies Co. Ltd.

This article was prepared by Electronics Newsweekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2010, Electronics Newsweekly via VerticalNews.com.

Medialink Chosen as Official Satellite News Feed Provider At 1998 International CES -- The Source for Consumer Technologies

NEW YORK, October 14, 1997 -- Medialink Worldwide Incorporated (Nasdaq: MDLK), the global leader in communicating corporate news to the public via television and radio newscasts, has been chosen as the official satellite news feed provider for the 1,800 exhibitors at the 1998 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show), the foremost consumer technology event in the world. The trade show will be held January 8-11, 1998, in Las Vegas.

Medialink's team of news veterans will be available before, during and after the trade show to produce television and radio news releases, satellite and radio media tours, interactive videoconferences and provide a variety of mailing and fax services to the media. These communications services are offered to all CES exhibitors seeking recognition as they launch a new product, spotlight their latest innovation or promote their corporate image. Video and audio also will be placed on Medialink's NewStream Internet web site (www.newstream.com), making the news available directly to consumers. These video and audio news projects will be hyperlinked to the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association website (www.cemacity.org) as well as to the exhibitors' websites.

"It's a great honor to have been chosen to be part of such a prestigious event," said Mark Manoff, Senior Vice President of Sales for Medialink. "A wealth of news emanates from CES each year, and we look forward to assisting attending companies in reaching the worldwide media with their information."

Amy Kozlowski Hill of the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (CEMA), the sponsor of the CES, stated, "We are pleased to be partners with Medialink in helping our wide range of exhibitors promote the latest, most innovative and most consumer-enabling technology products that will hit the market in 1998. We are confident that broadcasters will want to cover the Show because it has such mass appeal."

Medialink is the world leader in providing video and audio production and satellite distribution services to thousands of television and radio stations for corporations and other organizations seeking to communicate their news to the public. Medialink also provides corporate consultation and production through its Medialink Corporate Television division. In addition to broadcast media services, the company also provides press release distribution services as well as tracking and analysis of print and broadcast news coverage to help its more than 1,200 clients understand how they are perceived in the media, including the Internet, and to gauge the effectiveness of their public relations efforts.

Medialink, founded in 1986, is based in New York and maintains offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, and Norwalk, CT; international headquarters in London with a regional office in Birmingham, England; and a network of affiliates in more than 17 countries in Europe, Asia, the Pacific Rim and Latin America. The New York office can be reached at 212-682-8300 and via the Internet at www.medialink.com.

With the exception of the historical information contained in the release, the matters described herein contain forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve various risks and may cause actual results to differ materially. These risks include, but are not limited to, the ability of the Company to grow internally or by acquisition, and to integrate acquired businesses, changing industry and competitive conditions, and other risks outside the control of the Company referred to in the Company's registration statement and periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

To receive more information on Medialink Worldwide: via fax at no charge, dial 1-800-PRO-INFO and enter ticker symbol MDLK, or visit Medialink's website at www.medialink.com.

SOURCE Medialink Worldwide Incorporated

     -0-                             10/14/97 

/CONTACT: Greg Jones, VP Marketing Communications of Medialink, 212-682-8300 or gjones@medialink.com/

/Web site: http://www.medialink.com , http://www.newstream.com , http://www.cemacity.org /

(MDLK)

CO: Medialink Worldwide Incorporated ST: New York IN: TLS CPR SU: PDT

DO -- NYTU023 -- 2374 10/14/97 08:36 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com

FANNIE MAE AWARDS $1,000 TOWARD CLOSING COSTS TO TWO OAKLAND AREA FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS; AWARDS CEREMONY TOMORROW AT NOON

OAKLAND, Calif., March 22 /PRNewswire/ -- "Our house may be made of bricks and mortar, but our home will be constructed of love and caring. It will shelter us as our family expands. ... It will prosper with our hopes and dreams. And our home will be there as a sanctuary to comfort us when needed. For us, owning a home is less about realizing a dream than living one."

"Owning a home means many things to me. It means putting down roots so that my children will have a place to grow. Home is where you start your day, return at night, celebrate holidays and mark the milestones of life -- another birthday, another inch taller marked on the door jamb."

These are the words of Quentin Falconer and David Newdorf -- the two winners of the Fannie Mae Foundation's 1996 Essay Award. Entrants were asked to write a 500-word essay on "What Owning a Home Means to Me." The essays were judged by representatives of local businesses, non- profit groups, and government. Each of the two winners will receive $1,000 toward closing costs when purchasing a home in California.

The awards will be presented on Saturday by Mayor Elihu Harris and Warriors Vice President and Assistant General Manager Al Attles at noon at the Fannie Mae Foundation Home-Buying Fair in the Oakland Coliseum. The Fair is sponsored by the Fannie Mae Foundation and the Golden State Warriors and is free of charge to the public. The Fair is open Saturday only, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Fannie Mae Foundation supports national and local non-profit organizations working to provide decent and affordable housing in communities throughout the United States. To promote homeownership, the Foundation also sponsors public service outreach efforts, including consumer education and home-buying fairs.

The Foundation's sole source of funding is Fannie Mae, a private corporation with a congressional charter and a public mission to increase the availability and affordability of housing for low-, moderate-, and middle-income Americans.

For a menu of Fannie Mae news releases available by fax 24 hours (no charge) or to retrieve a specific release, please call 1-800-758-5804, ext. 305450, or access the address http://www.prnewswire.com on the Internet.

     -0-                        3/22/96 

/NOTE TO EDITORS: The essay award winners, as well as representatives from Fannie Mae and the Golden State Warriors, will be available to the media after the noon awards ceremony.

Readers or viewers who would like more information about the Fannie Mae Foundation's Home-Buying Fair may call toll-free, 1-800-732-6643 and ask for Operator 7./

/CONTACT: Carol Blymire of Fannie Mae, 202-752-4330, pager, 1-800-SKY-8888, PIN 197-0417 or Internet: carol_blymire@fnma.com /

(FNM)

CO: Fannie Mae ST: District of Columbia, California IN: FIN SU:

JA-KW -- DCF002 -- 3366 03/22/96 11:00 EST

Daily News lifestyle briefs.

May 24--Musical comedy on teens is Aug. 4

FORT WALTON BEACH

-- Striving for Perfection Ministries will present "After School Moments," a musical comedydrama, on Aug. 4 at 7 p.m. at their Bass Avenue facility. The story depicts a day in the life of pre-teens and teens as they try out for a part in an after-school production. Admission is free. Striving for Perfection Ministries is at 24 S.W. Bass Ave., Fort Walton Beach. For information call Nellie Bogar at 986-0549 or 897-3166. E-mail njbogar@yahoo.com. Browse www.nelliesyouthvillage.org.

Music show to feature local talent

Songwriters and musicians have a new way to get that big break -- "XLR Live." The show is a production of XLR Records out of Pensacola and provides both musical performances and interviews with musicians in the Southeast.

The show will air Fridays and Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. in Fort Walton Beach and Destin on Cox Communications Channel 39, and in Santa Rosa County on Channel 27.

For information call 877-816-7655, e-mail info@digitalmediaeducation.com or browse www. xlrrecords.net.

EVENTS

MAY 24: Fort Walton Beach Library Internet searching class: One hour. Free. 10 a.m. Class meets in meeting room. Jennifer Kepple, 833-9590.

THROUGH END OF SCHOOL: Kidz Klub, Destin Community Center, Monday-Friday until 5:30 p.m. each day. Pre-K through fifth grade. $10 for Destin residents, $20 otherwise. 654-5184.

NO DEADLINE: Game Room

at Destin Community Center, for kids ages 10 and older, Monday through Friday, noon-9 p.m. 654-5184.

May 25: CD release party for Reed Waddle at the Village of Baytowne Wharf, 6 p.m., plus concert.

SUMMER PROGRAMS

Teen Book Club, Fort Walton Beach Library, kids 13-17, June 12-July 24, Tuesdays at 2 p.m. Stephanie Galipeau, 833-9590.

Copyright (c) 2007, Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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