CTIA proposal for dedicated public safety network using commercial wireless technology has drawn skeptical review from Assn. of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO). CTIA Homeland Emergency Response Operational Enhancement System (HEROES) would devote unspecified continuous block of spectrum for public safety uses. Commercial wireless technology could be used to create more efficient public safety network that would handle more users and foster interoperability, CTIA Pres. Tom Wheeler said. While APCO supports concept of more spectrum for public safety, commercial wireless technology architecture doesn’t necessarily fit well for public safety, said Robert Gurss of Shook, Hardy & Bacon, representing APCO.

Industry and govt. stakeholders expressed cautious optimism on reaching agreement on financing model for collection and recycling of electronics waste (e-waste) as they headed into what they acknowledged would be crucial penultimate leg of National Electronics Products Stewardship Initiative (NEPSI) meetings in St. Paul June 24-25. CE industry, faced with prospect of maze of legislative initiatives in states, is hoping meeting will address its concerns over front-end (costs included in purchase price of product) financing system for collection and recycling of e- waste. “From the industry’s perspective, we have many legal and business concerns before we can move forward with that kind [front-end] of model,” EIA Dir.-Environmental Policy Heather Bowman told us. Representatives of state and local govts. that are concerned about bearing the costs of dealing with rising pile of e-waste said failure to reach agreement would mean increased momentum toward legislation. More than 19 states already are considering bills, ranging from collection mandates to disposal bans, and numbers would rise if national agreement isn’t reached.

Already videogame industry’s most aggressive player on wireless front, THQ expanded its wireless gaming initiatives this week in deal with Sony Ericsson (SE). As part of new gaming partnership, THQ Wireless subsidiary will develop premium licensed and nonlicensed gaming and entertainment for upcoming SE phones.

FCC received more than dozen petitions for reconsideration of its March ultra-wideband (UWB) order, seeking review on wide array of issues, ranging from power limits to transparency of device testing that Commission had planned over next year. Petitions reflected similar split of views that had made original proceeding controversial, including filings from numerous UWB developers that cited types of devices that couldn’t be deployed under certain provisions they argued were more restrictive than needed to protect against interference. Among companies that urged FCC to tighten certain power limits and not add flexibility to others were Sprint, Cingular Wireless, XM Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio, Satellite Industry Assn., Air Transport Assn., Qualcomm. They cited continuing interference concerns, characterizing limits of final order as insufficiently protective for systems such as GPS, PCS wireless systems, satellite radio.

Agreement to delay spectrum auction was reached on Hill, according to draft of bill Communications Daily obtained. Spokesman for Senate Commerce Committee said amendment to delay auctions would be added as amendment to House Commerce Chmn. Tauzin (R-La.) bill that would delay auction (HR-4560). Bill says C- and D-blocks would go forward as early as Aug. 19, 2 months later than June 19 date now scheduled. Senate Commerce spokesman said Sens. Hollings (D-S.C.), Stevens (R- Alaska), Kerry (D-Mass.) and Ensign (R-Nev.) agreed to amendment. House Commerce Committee spokesman Ken Johnson said agreement was in place and Tauzin was “hopeful and optimistic” that issue could be resolved legislatively in next few days. Johnson said he couldn’t supply details of agreement. Spokeswoman for Stevens said he wanted agreement to include specific dates for FCC to hold auction, but didn’t detail what time frame was acceptable.

FCC and National Communications System (NCS) need to make state and local govts., as well as key industries, more aware of telecom service priority program (TSP), they said in presentation Thurs. at FCC agenda meeting. TSP program, formed in 1988, gives govts. and key industries priority over other telecom users in emergencies. NCS representative said it had good outreach program with federal member agencies but needed to do more at other levels. Among ideas under study are joint FCC-NCS briefings at NARUC conferences. NCS, which represents 22 federal departments and agencies, including FCC, assists President and National Security Council on national security and emergency preparedness matters.

There’s not going to be broadband legislation this year so it’s up to FCC and state regulators to take action to assure competition, Rep. Pickering (R-Miss.) told American Enterprise Institute conference Tues. Although Tauzin- Dingell measure passed House, there are several “contradictory efforts” in Senate, Pickering said, including legislation sponsored by Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. Hollings (D-S.C.), bills by Sens. Breaux (D-La.) and Nickles (R-Okla.) which would give directives to the FCC, several bills that target broadband buildout requirements in underserved areas and initiative by Sen. McCain (R-Ariz.). “The likely outcome is nothing will happen… not out of wisdom but out of lack of consensus,” he said.

General Accounting Office (GAO) report that will help guide Sen. Burns (R-Mont.) in developing spectrum management reform legislation is expected next week, his spokesman told us. At Comcare Conference in Washington, Burns said he was looking toward end of year for introduction of bill. He acknowledged there wouldn’t be time to move bill through Congress this session, but said he wanted to get debate started. He said he was working with Sens. Hollings (D-S.C.) and Inouye (D-Hawaii) to develop effective bipartisan bill addressing many aspects of spectrum management. “We think it should be comprehensive,” Burns said. He requested GAO report on U.S. spectrum management system nearly a year ago and it’s expected to examine system comprehensively, spokesman told us. Spokesman for Hollings told us Senate Commerce Committee chmn. believed FCC’s policy on spectrum had “flipped the law,” allowing companies to act as if they owned spectrum, instead of renting it. Spokesman cited NextWave case, saying company was allowed to treat spectrum allocations as though they were company property instead of property that it rented from govt. “If a company fails to make a payment, the license should go back to the government,” Hollings spokesman said. If NextWave case creates precedent on spectrum policy, FCC wold become “moot” in regard to spectrum, spokesman said.

Business Roundtable (BRT) developed communications hotline to alert CEOs throughout country to national emergencies such as terrorist attacks, AT&T CEO Michael Armstrong said Thurs. at McGraw-Hill conference on homeland security. CEOComLink is secure telecom network that operates separately from public switched network, he told audience. Armstrong, head of BRT’s Security & Economic Recovery Task Force, said network could be used, for example, by govt. to alert businesses, or segments of businesses, to crises. Asked what sort of information would be imparted, he gave example of AT&T’s sending staff to airports on Sept. 11 to fly to N.Y.C. and run emergency facilities. Armstrong said company didn’t know airports were closed until staff members got to airports and then they had to come back. Precious time wouldn’t have been wasted if businesses could have been alerted to airport closings ahead of time, he said. Another Sept. 11 example was Home Depot, which had emergency supplies for use in N.Y.C. and trucks to get them there, but no information on where to go and what supplies to provide, Armstrong said. Home Depot “got frustrated and just sent it,” he said. First phase of CEOComLink, which connects BRT CEOs, is nearly completed and companies will practice using it every quarter, he said. Second phase will add govt. intelligence and security agencies. In 3rd phase, businesses that aren’t part of BRT will be linked to it. Asked about security of network itself, Armstrong said it would be highly secure because govt. agencies would be linked into it.

CTIA elected Tim Donahue, Nextel, as chmn.; Scott Ford, AllTel, vice chmn.; Terry Addington, First Cellular, treas.; Mikal Thomsen, Western Wireless, secy.; new board members: Robert Dawson, Southern LINC, and Mick Mullagh, Telephia… Hank Ratner adds title of Rainbow Media Holdings vice chmn., still reporting to Rainbow CEO Josh Sapan… RCN Corp. named Timothy Stoklosa and Jeffrey White to new roles as exec. vp- corporate finance and CFO, respectively… Society of Cable Telecom Engineers (SCTE) board re-elected officers: Chmn. Keith Hayes (Region 9), Gibson Technical Services; Eastern Vice Chmn. Bob Foote (Region 12), ARRIS; Western Vice Chmn. Steve Allen (Region 1), Kramer.Firm Inc.; Secy. Wes Burton (Region 10), AT&T Broadband; Treas. William Davis (Region 6), Communications Supply Group; Thomas Elliot (At-Large), CableLabs… Amy Erwin, ex-Vertek, named vp-national accounts, Cox Business Services… Fulvio Sansone, ex-Ertico, appointed secy. gen., European Satellite Operators Assn… Jane Cobb, ex-Federal Emergency Management Agency, named dir.-congressional affairs, SEC… Minn. Gov. Jesse Ventura (Ind.) reappointed PUC Comr. Marshall Johnson to 3rd term on agency… Hawaii Gov. Benjamin Cayetano (D) named PUC Comr. Wayne Kimura as PUC chmn., succeeding Dennis Yamada, who will stay on as comr… Susan Greene, ex-e*media group, joins Cable Center as senior vp and dir.-Programming Institute, and is named to Jonathan M. Levin Chair for Cable Programming at U. of Denver.