Thomson Multimedia will supply MP3 technology to Qualcomm for use in its digital wireless communications products under new agreement. Technology will allow public to use wireless devices, including wireless phones, to play MP3 music files.
Utah League of Cities & Towns created telecom taxation task force to develop recommendations for simplifying state and local telecom taxes and fees. Timetable calls for issuing recommendations in fall for consideration next year by state legislature and local govts. Task force of municipal officials and telecom industry representatives will hold work session in April or May to identify specific taxes and fees needing reform.
Satsafe signed $2.8-million agreement with Markdata that allows latter to distribute Satsafe products, including car position alarm and integrated systems solutions for fleet owners.
FCC Office of Engineering & Technology plans tutorial on operating support systems (OSS) at 9:30 a.m. March 15 at FCC meeting room. Representatives of Telcordia and Interconnection Solutions will discuss how OSS systems function and how they will evolve. -- (Kent Nilsson, 202-418-0845).
FCC asked for comments on state of Alaska’s request to use e- rate funding to support community projects beyond traditional school and library uses. State asked for waiver to let others in community use e-rate funded dial-up Internet access if no access was available elsewhere in community and outside use was limited to when schools and libraries were closed. Comments are due April 6, replies May 7.
Verizon Fla. (formerly GTE) asked Fla. PSC for 1.57% ($3.5 million) rate increase on basic exchange service and same percentage increase on 2 nonbasic services -- high-speed digital lines and part-time residential service to vacation homes. Five- year basic rate freeze under Verizon’s price cap program expired in Dec., allowing rates to come under inflation indexing. Filing Tues. is company’s first basic-service inflation adjustment under cap program. Increase would add 15 cents to average $11.50 monthly residential rate. Average single-line business rate of $30 would rise 20 cents monthly. Verizon asked for April effective date.
Iridium creditors received approval Tues. from U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Manhattan, to proceed with lawsuit against Motorola, which was primary investor in failed satellite telephone venture that was purchased out of bankruptcy by new group last Dec. (CD Dec 13 p7). Court filing called settlement “watershed event” and said approval of settlement motion was “first good news” creditors had received since Iridium entered bankruptcy. Under terms of settlement, Iridium creditors will seek $2 billion in suit against Motorola. Settlement also brings end to legal dispute between secured bank lenders and unsecured creditors.
WorldGate Communications said it deployed WISH TV, its pilot educational technology program to bridge digital divide, in its first 3 states. WorldGate said WISH TV, which gives 4th graders year of free Web access at home and in school over TV sets and cable lines, is available to students in 7 schools in Ill., La. and Ohio. Company said it planned to expand program rapidly in next school year.
New Skies Satellites signed contract with Zee Interactive Multimedia of India for 30 Mbps of satellite capacity for Internet backbone connectivity. Agreement calls for New Skies to provide Internet service to gateways in Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad for one year starting in May.
Ranking Democrats on Senate and House Commerce Committees warned FCC Chmn. Powell that Deutsche Telekom (DT) was controlled by German govt. and was ineligible for U.S. telecom licenses as part of pending VoiceStream merger. Ranking Democrat Hollings (S.C.), who repeatedly has voiced concerns about foreign ownership aspects of deal, and his House counterpart Dingell (Mich.) told Powell they “noted with interest” his desire to return agency to “a less activist agenda.” They wrote in letter sent March 6: “With the Commission’s upcoming decision on the DT-VoiceStream merger, the FCC will have a concrete opportunity to demonstrate this philosophy.” They cited recent press reports that DT Chmn. Ron Sommer faced mounting pressure, including from members of Germany’s parliament, to resign in face of company’s falling stock prices. Hollings and Dingell referred to comment by Germany Finance Ministry spokesman that agency was backing Sommer. They also cited congratulations from German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to Sommer on “setting up the company well both domestically and abroad.” Such “competing statements of concern and confidence” more typically are issued by private sector board members and not govt. officials, Hollings and Dingell told Powell. They also ticked off parts of merger record before FCC that they said pointed to German govt. control of DT -- govt. ownership stake, “large amount of debt” DT holds that is backed by govt., number of govt. employees working for DT who are statutorily protected under German law. “The Commission’s foreign participation order (FPO) was based on a Clinton Administration initiative that was neither submitted to, nor approved by, Congress,” Hollings and Dingell wrote. “To approve a transaction by relying on the FPO and the underlying executive agreement without congressional approval would be the height of agency activism.” Meanwhile, VoiceStream Vice Chmn. Donald Guthrie expressed confidence at Credit Suisse First Boston conference in N.Y. Wed. that merger would receive FCC approval around mid-April. “Chairman Powell has stressed the need to be timely,” he said. “We believe that that time frame is certainly a reasonable time frame.” Merger is on track to close in early June, with Guthrie saying he expected regulatory approvals before then.