Land mobile radio services and 218-219 MHz service users face mandatory FCC electronic filing deadlines of March 20, April 25 and June 5. FCC Wireless Bureau said dates represented close of transition periods that end 6 months after date for each of 3 phases in which land mobile services have deployed to Commission’s universal licensing system. March 20 deadline is for first phase of land mobile deployment and April 25 for 2nd phase. Bureau said application also must be filed electronically by April 25 if both radio service codes were subject to order, but may be optional for radio services code.

Comsat signed deal with Silversea Cruises Tues. providing voice and data communications service for each of 4 ships in latter’s fleet, terms not announced. Comsat will couple local and wide area networking with broadband technology and give guests voice, e-mail and Internet access.

Satellite Bcstg. & Communications Assn. (SBCA) filed amicus brief to support MPAA appeal in antipiracy case before 2nd U.S. Appeals Court, N.Y. NFL and NCTA also filed in support of MPAA. In Aug., MPAA won suit against distributor of DeCSS, computer program designed to break encryption code of Content Scramble System that prevents illegal copying from DVDs. DeCSS appealed decision, which led MPAA to ask other groups for help, including SBCA. SBCA said it continued to be “alert to other opportunities to fight signal piracy and unauthorized theft of copyrighted works” in effort to protect DBS programmers and service providers.

AT&T Labs said it started trial of next-generation open architecture for advanced voice and data services. Test, with partners including Appium, Ericsson and Wirenex, seeks to prove that new services will operate across any type of network or vendor equipment using open architecture based on Parlay Group’s Open API (application programming interface) specification 2.1. Such services include virtual personal assistant, location based- information for mobile users, others.

Five members of 13-member D.C. Council introduced legislation Tues. to restrict use of wireless phones by drivers. Bill would require that Washington Metro Police Dept. include information about possible use of wireless phones by drivers on motor vehicle accident reports. Dept. of Motor Vehicles also would be required to compile data on relationship between car and truck accidents and wireless phone use. Under legislation, no driver in Washington could use wireless phone while driving unless person had hands-free device. Exceptions are emergency use of phone, use by law enforcement or safety personnel and dialing number or turning phone on or off. If enacted, bill would carry penalty of $100. Lead sponsor is at-large Councilman Harold Brazil (D).

GE Americom and SES Astra were closed-mouthed Tues. on industry reports they were negotiating $5 billion deal that would merge 2 companies. SES Astra Senior Representative-U.S. Dean Olmstead told us he couldn’t discuss details of talks, but “we're pursuing the same strategy,” and he still hoped deal could be in place by spring. He said industry reports that purchase of GE Americom was imminent were “surprising,” but they “didn’t come from our side. I can’t say one way or another if they're true.” GE Americom spokeswoman said she never would issue statement on rumor of pending “transaction,” but admitted “we're always looking for opportunity to expand our leadership position” in satellite industry.

NorthPoint Communications said process to sell company began Tues. with receipt of first bids. Auction is planned March 20 with winning bid presented to bankruptcy court March 21. NorthPoint said it’s in quiet period and couldn’t disclose information about bids or bidders. Liz Fetter, CEO of data CLEC, said management hoped to sell company as whole “but we can not speculate on the outcome of this structured sale process.”

Alan Burch, senior vp-gen. mgr., Pegasus Cable TV, retires… Ronald Stark, ex-Star Kreative Services, named vp-affiliate mktg., Odyssey Network… Changes at ESPN: Leonard DeLuca, senior vp- program development, moves to senior vp-programming strategy; Mark Shapiro adds vp-gen. mgr. ESPN Original Entertainment to vp- gen. mgr. ESPN Classic… Declan Shalvey, ex-Tonbu, appointed senior vp-operations, Next Level Communications… Changes at High Speed Net Solutions: Randy Granovetter, ex-Microsoft, and Wendi Tush, Columbia Process Partners, join advisory board; Stuart Diamond, Global Strategy Group, becomes chmn.; Pennie & Edmonds LLP is retained as intellectual property law firm… Alan Andrus, ex-US Internet Support, appointed pres., Juniper Internet Communications… Art Salisch, ex-Rainbow Advertising Sales, named senior dir.-research, Comcast Advertising Sales… Keith Bernard, ex-Irish office, dir.-Telecom Regulation, becomes senior dir.- regulatory affairs, Hughes Network Systems/Spaceway… Kevin Keehn, ex-Cisco Systems, appointed vp-worldwide sales, Step 9 Software… Jon Knight, Sentinel International Asset Management, elected to Airwave.net board… Tim Donahue, Nextel pres.-CEO, addresses March 23 lunch of Federal Communications Bar Assn., Grand Hyatt Hotel (new site), Washington.

Ky. Senate passed bill (SB-192) to create special “no-call” telemarketing list for persons over age 70. List would supplement current state no-call telemarketing list because it would contain no exemptions. All telemarketing calls to seniors on special list would be prohibited. Measure isn’t as strong as zero-call bill (HB-54) that passed House last week, which would eliminate all current exemptions from state’s general no-call list.

Ind. House passed bill (HB-1083) that would convert now- public e-mail and Internet files of state and local public officials to confidential documents. Current law holds that public employees’ business is public’s business so all their correspondence and communications are open to public inspection. Privacy provision was last-min. floor amendment to bill addressing collective bargaining by public employees. Amendment sponsor, state Rep. Jeff Thompson (R-Danville), said making state and local employees’ electronic correspondence public was like allowing someone to tap their phones and monitoring Internet use was like checking on what they looked up in libraries. He also cited inconvenience imposed by having to produce electronic correspondence files whenever requested. Bill now goes to Senate.