House Commerce Committee adopted amended version of “2% carrier” bill (HR-496) by Rep. Cubin (R-Wyo.) Wed. and sent it to House floor. Measure seeks to reduce regulation of ILECs that control less than 2% of nation’s access lines. Committee Chmn. Tauzin (R-La.), before introduction of amendment, said deregulatory bill was “indicative of future action on telecommunications reform.” He said committee and full House last year passed similar bill, which then stalled in Senate.
Mediacom Communications reported wider loss of $54 million in 4th quarter despite big surge in revenue to $87.5 million. It blamed much of increased loss on $28.5 million noncash charge it took on its holdings of shares of SoftNet Systems, 3rd party provider of high-speed data over cable lines that recently went out of business. MSO said its operating loss before depreciation, amortization and noncash stock charges also increased to $41 million from $28.4 million. Mediacom, which swung $2.215 billion deal with AT&T Broadband Tues. to more than double size of its cable operations (CD Feb 28 p2), said it ended 2000 with 779,000 basic cable subscribers, up 1.1% from year earlier, and signed up 12,000 digital cable and 4,400 cable-modem subscribers in 4th quarter to end year with 40,000 and 12,000, respectively. With capital budget of $180-$200 million in 2001, Mediacom said it expected to upgrade 80% of its homes passed to 2-way capability by year-end, offering data to 940,000 households and digital video to 550,000 basic subscribers. Besides expected new service gains from AT&T transaction, company projected that it would close year with 90,000-100,000 digital video and 45,000-50,000 cable modem customers.
DTV sales figures were strong in Jan., CEA said, exceeding 80,000 units. Figure is more than 3 times Jan. 2000, it said.
Barry Drake resigns as CEO, Sinclair Bcst. Group TV Div… John DuBois adds board chmn. to CEO, Nx Networks, replacing Steven Francesco, resigned… Changes at Gannett: Samuel Rosenwasser, ex-KXTV, Sacramento, and John Remes, ex-KARE, Minneapolis, named senior vps, Gannett TV; Russell Postell succeeds Rosenwasser at KXTV… Scott Barton, ex-On Command, named dir.-subscription video-on-demand, Starz Encore… Robert Chalfant, ex-StoragePoint, appointed vp-sales and mktg., Standard Communications… Bradley Jansen, ex-office of Rep. Paul (R-Tex.), joins Center for Technology Policy of Free Congress Foundation… Amy Girwood promoted to vp-international human resources, Discovery Networks International… Michael Rauch advanced to exec. vp-production, Showtime Networks… Colette Fleming, ex-Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, named senior wireless telecommunications services analyst, UBS Warburg… Changes at USA Cable: Ray Giacopelli promoted to senior vp-research; Andrew Cohen, ex-CBS News, named vp-original production; Kris Slava, ex-A&E Network, appointed vp-acquisitions and scheduling for new Trio network.
Pasifik Salelit Nusantara and Telekom Indonesia agreed Wed. to distribute fixed telephony equipment and services over Asia Cellular Satellite mobile telecommunications network to provide telephone service to Eastern Indonesia under name Patsi, terms not announced.
Eutelsat signed contract with Boeing Satellite Systems for e- Bird satellite to be sent to geostationary orbit at 25.5 degrees E. Boeing 376 HP satellite will have 20 Ku-band transponders and is designed for Internet access.
Senate Commerce Committee scheduled following witnesses for hearing today (Thurs.) on transition to DTV (9:30 a.m., Rm. 253, Russell Bldg.): Jeff Sagansky, CEO, Paxson Communications; Ben Tucker, exec. vp-bcst. operations, Fisher Bcstg.; Michael Willner, CEO, Insight Communications; Mark Cooper, dir.-research, CFA; Joseph Kraemer, dir., Law & Economics Consulting Group; Tom Hazlett, resident scholar, American Enterprise Institute.
Pax TV said it now has joint sales and marketing agreements with 42 NBC affiliates, including 15 in top 20 markets. Latest to sign with Pax are KPNX Phoenix-Mesa, WMC-TV Memphis, KHQ-TV Spokane. As part of agreements, NBC affiliates provide sales and marketing for local Pax stations, which in turn rebroadcast affiliates’ local news.
Globecast will supply full-service broadcast transmission/production services for 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Proposal by Multi-Assn. Group (MAG) to reform universal service and access charge regulation for rural telcos received mixed reviews by groups filing comments with FCC Mon. Organizations that developed MAG plan -- National Rural Telecom Assn., National Telephone Coop Assn., OPASTCO and USTA -- urged FCC to adopt it as it was written because it “best meets the Commission’s multiple policy goals for rural and insular areas.” However, several state regulatory bodies opposed plan, as did several groups representing consumers and business users. NARUC expressed concern Tues. when its Telecom Committee adopted resolution urging FCC to refer MAG plan to Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service for further review (CD Feb 28 p6).