May 26, 2012 · www.gothamgazette.com

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Tech
Internet resources for what you need to know about NYC Tech
Five Favorite Sites For Beginners

The Topic
"Tech" refers to computers, telecommunications and the Internet, as well as public utilities such as cable and pay phone services, and the important issues that New Yorkers will increasingly face, including consumer issues, because of the growth of these technology-based industries.
The Context
New York City's 4,000 high-tech and new media companies are a $9.2 billion industry. New Yorkers are tech savvy; two-thirds of us are online. Yet the speed with which new technologies and tech-related industries have developed means that many policy issues are only now beginning to be addressed, such as how to protect consumer privacy online, ensure equal access to new technology, bring government services to the Internet, allow online trading of digital music, and tax e-commerce. While the Internet began free-wheeling, governments are looking more and more to regulate it, and New York will be among the first places in the nation to feel the impact of these decisions.
The Reporter
Laura Forlano is a doctoral student studying communication technology policy at Columbia University.
The Archives
See past monthly updates for Tech.

by Laura Forlano

Damage And Restoration To Electricity, Phones, TV

(Sept '01) The September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center caused significant damage to New York City's electric, gas, broadcasting and telecommunication networks in lower Manhattan. The effects rippled throughout the tri-state area. As Senator Clinton told CBS news on September 17, we must make sure that our electricity and communication networks are restored quickly and efficiently. Because each of these networks relies on the smooth functioning of the other, it is important that electric, gas, water, transportation and communications networks are restored in harmony. Below is a brief recap of the damage done to our infrastructures and the efforts that have been taken to restore services in lower Manhattan.

Electricity
Electric, gas and steam service was down in a large part of lower Manhattan due to a combination of equipment problems caused by the attacks and the fire at 7 World Trade Center. The fire and collapse of 7 World Trade Center permanently damaged Con Edison's energy infrastructure because two substations and major electric transmission cables were located in the immediate area. An additional substation near South Street Seaport also lost service. The destruction of these three substations left five electricity networks without power in lower Manhattan. In addition, the gas system in a 30-block area was cut off from the energy infrastructure.

The attacks left 12,000 customers without electric power. Due to interruptions in telephone service caused by the attacks, it was difficult for people to call for emergency services and report electricity outages. As a result, Con Edison added the following additional customer service and emergency lines: 212-243-1900 and 800-75-CONED.

Since the crisis, 1,900 Con Edison crews have worked to inspect and test equipment in order to restore service to lower Manhattan. At first, temporary generators were used to restore electricity to streetlights, residences and businesses in the affected areas. By September 17, power had been restored to more than 5,000 customers in lower Manhattan. Con Edison is urging customers not to use air conditioners and other high-energy devices and to limit their electric usage to only essential needs. This is because the attacks damaged the electric distribution infrastructure. This infrastructure manages the distribution of energy to meet the city's normally high demand. Damaged electric cables and transmission lines have been removed from the network and more than 26 miles of new high-voltage cable has been laid. The company is continuing to work with the government in order to restore full-service to lower Manhattan.

Broadcasting & Telecommunications
Radio and television broadcasting throughout the New York tri-state areas was disrupted as a result of the destruction of the 300-foot broadcasting tower leaving many New Yorkers without access to news and information about the attacks. Time Warner Cable www.aoltimewarner.com was able to keep broadcast stations on the air using fiber-optic links after the destruction of the antenna. I was only able to receive broadcasts from CBS for most of the first day of the crisis. Many stations made arrangements to be rebroadcast on other stations but full-service has still not been restored to broadcast audiences.

The attacks destroyed the Verizon offices at the World Trade Center where 488 people worked, most of whom have been accounted for. This knocked out service to ten wireless cells because calls were connected through the World Trade Center offices. In addition, Verizon's switching center directly across from the World Trade Centers suffered structural and water damage and was isolated from the telecommunication network. This caused a loss of 200,000 phone lines and three million data networks and the displacement of 1,737 workers. In addition, landline and wireless telecommunication networks were overloaded due to the doubling of call volume which is normally 115 million calls per day. Calls to directory assistance were also doubled. As of September 19, 14,000 businesses and 13,000 residences were still without phone service.

Following the attacks, Verizon provided free calls at all of Manhattan's 4,000 pay phones and supplied 5,000 cellular phones to emergency workers. In addition, additional payphone and cell phone facilities were deployed in the disaster area to provide additional service to emergency workers. Hundreds of technicians were deployed to the disaster area in order to restore data and phone service to emergency services, the New York Stock Exchange and the financial district. This allowed the New York Stock Exchange to open successfully on September 17. In addition, phone calls to businesses in the affected areas were rerouted to other offices. Verizon is continuing to work to restore full-service to lower Manhattan.


Laura's Five Favorite Sites For Beginners:

  • The New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) is the third oldest scientific organization in America. The Manhattan-based Academy promotes the role science and technology in fostering social and economic development through analysis and discussion of public policy issues. The Science and Technology Policy Forum, a NYAS project, organizes public meetings, examines science and technology policy and brings leaders in the field.
  • The Internet Policy Institute (IPI) is the nation's first independent, nonprofit research, and educational institute created to provide objective, high-quality analysis, research, education, and outreach on public policy issues affecting and affected by the global development and use of the Internet.
  • Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) is a public interest research center in Washington, D.C. established to focus public attention on emerging civil liberties issues and to protect privacy, the First Amendment, and constitutional values.
  • E The People is a nonpartisan site helping over 400 online newspapers, television stations and Internet portals bring government closer to the people. E The People is the organizer of America's Interactive Town Hall, an initiative that has collected 180,840 electronic signatures on 3,520 petitions. This Web site allows you to sign petitions and pay tickets on-line.
  • The New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) is responsible for the city's effective utilization of existing and emerging voice, video, and data technologies in government operations and its delivery of services to the public.
  • The Industry Standard is a news site and weekly newsmagazine that features a Policy & Politics Section. Their Special Report "Net Election 2000" helps define the technology policy issues that are important in the forthcoming election.


Other Recommendations:

Privacy and Security:

  • The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) works to promote democratic values and constitutional liberties in the digital age. The center seeks practical solutions to enhance free expression and privacy in global communications technologies. It is dedicated to building consensus among all parties interested in the future of the Internet and other new communications media.
  • The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces federal antitrust and consumer protection laws. This Web site includes information on consumer protection issues such as privacy and identity theft, and business and economic issues such as e-commerce and antitrust.

Digital Divide:

  • Digital Partners is a nonprofit institute that helps create economic development opportunities for the poor by fostering collaboration between digital entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders.
  • New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) works with the private sector to generate jobs and strengthen the economy by attracting business expansion and helping the established businesses in New York. The Digital NYC program helps hi-tech businesses find affordable, pre-wired office space in New York's new technology districts.

Intellectual Property and Copyrights:

  • The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade group that represents companies and individuals in the recording industry. They work to protect intellectual property rights worldwide and the First Amendment rights of artists; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor, review and influence state and federal laws, regulations and policies.

E-commerce:

  • United States Department of Commerce promotes job creation, economic growth, sustainable development and improved living standards by working with the private sector, universities and communities. Year 2000 initiatives include formulating e-commerce policy and closing the digital divide.

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