US citizen detained over illegally providing phone services in Belarus

[951]

MOSCOW, Oct. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- US citizen Ilya Mafter has been detained in Belarus because he was believed to have caused about 100,000 US dollars in damage to the country's communications providers, the Interfax news agency cited sources in the State Security Committee as reporting on Tuesday.

"A preliminary report suggests that damage of about 100,000 US dollars was caused to Belarussian communications providers, including the Beltelecom company, as a result of illegal communications services using IP telephony that were organized by Mafter," the source said.

The US citizen, who was detained on Oct. 16, is also suspected of "working as an entrepreneur without registration or permission," said th...

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-10/19/content_2112718.htm

[Spinzonner]

1. Oh my, getting a cell over a cell

[papau]

2. Soro's ISF is "saving" Russian science - but Mafter's gone solo with this

ploy of his - granted it would make the ISF the most powerful institution in the country if he succeeded.

What is going on is about the same as it would be in this country if the three largest Japanese banks were to sign a deal with the NSF where **they** and not Congress would provide the money for the completion of NREN and National information infrastructure.

International Science Foundation (ISF) - the entity created by financier George Soros to pour up to several hundred million dollars into alleviating the very serious plight of Russian scientists in 92.

In addition to doing much good with grants to Russian scientists, his investment of up to 50 million dollars in Russian and Eastern European networking began with the subsidy of a satellite link from Moscow to Washington last summer that has really helped science in Russia.

But the backbone was supposed to finished well before summer 04 - but a power grab by ISF has caused Relcom - the largest Russian network, and RELARN -the body charged with building the backbone and looking after the interests of Russian academic network users - to get upset. A review of the problem was given ISF's Alex Goldfarb, Mafter's boss and the Director of all ISF activity for Russia, and to Mafter on June 16, 04 - and Steve Goldstein, the International Internet "Ambassador" for the National Science Foundation who has put hours in as advisor to ISF and those working on Russian networking, has been so dismayed by the actions of the ISF that he publicly dissociated both himself and the NSF from their activities and ended his role as advisor.

If the ISF finishes the Moscow backbone under terms where it controls it, Relcom may be unable to go out very quickly and build a competing back bone (something very unlikely if ISF reaches the finish line first). This would leave the ISF, the Ministry of Science, and the Russian Fund for Basic Research in control of what may be the most critical telecommunications infrastructure for all of Moscow. If ISF then spends upwards for $50 million over the next several years for an extension of the Moscow infrastructure via satellite, and terrestrial fiber links into other major Russian cities, Soros through ISF could exert a major influence on telecom throughout the huge Russian nation. Certainly such a network would far outclass Relcom's so far impressive achievements.

But Soro's is reluctant to invest in infrastructure - citing a preference for training of end users and putting email in the hands of as many people as possible - and does not want this ISF power grab. But he is only an investor and the management of ISF has not been open about their intentions.

My read is that Russia's "GOP" has snookered a generous "Dem" in Soros as it tries for that GOP treasure - the monopoly!

:-)


on edit - OK the above is all true - but why is VOIP illegal? - Did they bypass the folks that regulate telephone service?

[GHOSTDANCER]

3. I really don't think its as mush about technological or scientific

advancments as it is the control of information. Pooty is regressing the place back to KGB style. Just the way he likes it. I can almost understand why..... "Western Dmocracy"is fuqin out of control. Like take the whole planet whith us....out of control.