Terence Eden. He has a beard and is smiling.

Terence Eden’s Blog

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Food Safety vs Online Safety

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Ofcom's logo.

Analogies are like soufflés - they all collapse eventually. Food can be delicious, but certain foods can cause people physical pain or, in some cases, death. In most parts of the civilised world, governments have food safety laws. They mandate how to properly prepare, store, label, and serve food. In the UK, the laws are onerous for a large food manufacturers because we recognise that …

How much does it cost to call an 056 number in the UK?

· 3 comments · 750 words · Viewed ~1,314 times

Old BBC News website. Net calls get their own area code Blue police lamp, BBC Fixed phone firms must give access to emergency numbers In the UK, the telephone area code for cyberspace will be 056. Government regulator Ofcom has picked the prefix for customers who sign up to make calls via the internet. Users can also opt for geographic numbers. The decision on numbers comes as Ofcom reveals how it plans to regulate services that use the net rather than the old fashioned telephone network.

Here's a little telephony mystery for you - can you find out how much your phone provider charges for 056 calls? (Skip the background and jump to the survey) Background Way back in the mists of time - 2004 - Ofcom decreed that "Voice over Broadband" was going to be the next big thing. VoB (which is like VoIP, but specifically tied to a broadband line) would receive the prefix 056. In that…

4G Thoughts

· 2 comments · 900 words · Viewed ~408 times

The logo for LTE.

As part of the Parliament and Internet Conference, there was a panel discussion about 4G networks. These are my notes on the session. I've applied the Chatham House Rule - mostly because I can't remember who said what, rather than any backroom skulduggery. Any errors are mine and mine alone. Neither Vodafone nor EE have signed up to the Network Neutrality pledge. O2 have. (Disclaimer, I work …

Choosing an "Example Number" For Your App

· 2 comments · 300 words · Viewed ~501 times

You cannot fail to have noticed that in most American films and TV shows, all the phone numbers start 555. This is a reserved number in the North American Numbering Plan. It means that it's a number which will never connect to a real person or service. So you can avoid the situation where a number is spoken on a show, or in a song, and everyone tries to call it - much to the annoyance of the…

You Never Call, You Never Write...

· 2 comments · 350 words

A typewriter. The words "Write something" are typed onto the fresh white paper.

As Shakespeare said... "[Blog posts are] a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." Today Ofcom published the responses it had for its consultation on plans for the BBC to encrypt its HD broadcasts. The blogosphere went nuts! DRM? Not on our watch.  Boing Boing mobilised its army of commentators, the BBC published two blog posts which quickly filled up with comments, …