Aircell is expanding its in-flight connectivity service to include calling and texting for smartphones. The expansion of its Gogo Biz service will be available Oct. 1, it said in a news release Wednesday (http://bit.ly/12M5Kja). Gogo Biz offers “Internet and voice capabilities from a single system, which can eliminate the need for separate systems, dramatically reducing equipment requirements and installation costs,” it said. The service will allow passengers to use their own contact lists and hands-free devices, it said. It can be obtained by purchasing a software key “for the aircraft’s onboard equipment and installing a free app on passengers’ smartphones,” Aircell said.

Federal agencies and the private sector should develop and implement a malware prevention approach “based on current and future attack vectors” and suiting each entity’s organization environment, said the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) in a set of new recommendations Wednesday. An organization should also ensure that its organizational policies address malware prevention, with its policy statements reflecting threat mitigation, awareness and defensive architecture, ITL said. Organizations should also incorporate malware prevention and incident handling practices into its awareness programs, and document policies and procedures to help mitigate potential vulnerabilities, ITL said. The lab also recommended an organization use its threat mitigation capabilities to contain malware incidents, including deploying antivirus software, firewalls, content filtering and “application whitelisting.” ITL recommended organizations develop a “resilient incident response capability” that includes malware incident handling. The incident response process includes four steps -- preparation, detection and analysis, containment or eradication, and “post-incident activity,” ITL said. Defensive architecture methods can also “lessen the impact of malware incidents,” said the lab (http://1.usa.gov/14EabxV).

The FCC Wireless Bureau Wednesday “accepted for filing” AT&T’s proposal to buy Leap Wireless. The order establishes a pleading cycle on what so far has not proven to be a controversial transaction. Petitions to deny are due Sept. 27, oppositions Oct. 7 and replies Oct. 15. “Preliminary review of the Applications indicates that AT&T would acquire, through a transfer of control, 10-50 megahertz of spectrum in 1,354 counties in 356 Cellular Market Areas nationwide,” the bureau said (http://fcc.us/148Lg1N). “AT&T would temporarily acquire a Lower 700 MHz A Block license, to be sold for the benefit of the Leap shareholders, in Chicago. Post-transaction, in markets in which there is geographical overlap, the merged entity would hold 46 to 180 megahertz of spectrum covering approximately 137 million people, or approximately 44 percent of the population of the mainland United States.” The two assert that the proposed transaction “would combine AT&T’s nationwide network with Leap’s prepaid/no-contract business to the benefit of consumers seeking a high-quality, competitively-priced prepaid wireless experience,” the bureau said. AT&T said in a surprise announcement in July it would buy its much smaller competitor (CD July 15 p1). The bureau notes that at the end of 2012, AT&T had about 107 million wireless subscribers and as of June 30, Leap had some 4.8 million subscribers.

ESPN is making ESPN Deportes and ESPNEWS available on WatchESPN online and on smartphones and tablets to Verizon FiOS customers, said Verizon in a news release Wednesday (http://vz.to/17i0Eih). It said customers will be able to watch these channels through the WatchESPN app and on Apple TV.

States and local governments should use their jurisdiction to require all owners of poles, ducts and conduits to make those facilities available to new entrants at reasonable rates, terms and conditions, said the Fiber to the Home Council in a position paper released Wednesday (http://bit.ly/16SobQw). These authorities should condition use of public rights-of-way to require incumbent users to share their poles, ducts and conduits at a reasonable cost, said FTTH. The association gave examples of how public service commissions in Vermont and Massachusetts created new statutes for attaching facilities to poles. Regulating the public rights-of-way is an aspect of the local government’s power to “promote the health and welfare of its citizens,” and cities can adopt conditions aimed at “minimizing disruption and hazards and promoting the availability of services to new residents,” said FTTH.

The U.S. Army will use ViaSat’s Link 16 small tactical terminals for its AH-64E Apache helicopter fleet. In flight, STT “provides simultaneous communication, voice or data, on two key waveforms for the battlefield of the future -- Link 16 and Soldier Radio Waveform,” ViaSat said in a news release (http://bit.ly/17k99HM). STT satisfies the Army requirement for an airborne and maritime/fixed station small airborne link 16 terminal, the release said. It also reduces the size, weight and power of tactical data link equipment “and includes a range of software-defined VHF/UHF military radio and Link 16 functions,” ViaSat said.

Former U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel will join BSA/The Software Alliance as president and CEO, the group said in a Wednesday news release (http://bit.ly/1dqMFd6). Espinel stepped down from her position in the administration earlier this month, and her hiring at the alliance had been expected (CD Aug 14 p8). “BSA will continue to be a forceful and effective advocate on issues central to the next phase of the industry’s growth as rapid changes in the digital landscape create new opportunities and policy priorities,” said Espinel, whose first day will be Tuesday. Ron Kirk, a former U.S. trade representative in the Obama administration, said Espinel “is recognized around the world as a preeminent leader on intellectual property and trade issues.” Robert Zoellick, USTR under President George W. Bush, said “the BSA appointment will enable the industry, government, innovators, and consumers to draw on her energy, experience, international reach, and innovative spirit."

Comments are due Sept. 4 on an Aug. 19 public notice by the FCC Public Safety Bureau on a FirstNet filing on whether the commission should consolidate technical service rules for the 758-769 MHz and 788-799 MHz bands under its Part 90 rules (CD Aug 20 p12). NTIA made the filing Aug. 2 on behalf of FirstNet (http://bit.ly/12jlsSB). “This proposed rule consolidation is intended to ‘facilitate the transition’ of spectrum to the First Responder Network Authority ... the entity licensed to establish a nationwide public safety broadband network using both the public safety broadband spectrum (763-768/793-798 MHz) and the adjacent ‘D Block’ (758-763/788-793 MHz) previously slated for commercial auction,” said an FCC notice published in the Federal Register (http://1.usa.gov/1dPGayk).

The FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau approved an extension for Texas to operate a 700 MHz public safety broadband network in Harris County (http://bit.ly/19Nwxxm). The state filed a request for renewal of a special temporary authority (STA) on Aug. 15, and the FCC granted the request Tuesday for a 90-day period. The state said further renewal of the STA would permit continued deployment and operation of its network in a timely manner and additional time is needed to conclude its spectrum lease negotiations with FirstNet. The commission decided to okay renewal for 90 days, rather than 180 days requested by the state, because of FirstNet’s recommendation. But the FCC said this doesn’t “foreclose the possibility further extensions may be granted."

Intelsat requested modification of its authorization for Clarksburg, Md., earth station KA264. Intelsat wants the antenna relocated to its Mountainside, Md., teleport, and it seeks to revise certain parameters in the existing license, it said in its application to the FCC International Bureau (http://bit.ly/14DNutD).