Senate Commerce Technology Subcommittee Chmn. Wyden (D- Ore.) is expected to introduce today (Wed.) his long- anticipated “Science and Technology Emergency Mobilization Act.” Bill, which Wyden proposed shortly after Sept. 11, among other things would create National Guard equivalent called NET Guard that would be composed of telecom and IT professionals. Those volunteers would mobilize when critical infrastructures were threatened in terrorist strikes or natural disasters. Bill also is expected to include creation of technology center that would be testbed for new technologies for homeland security.
ORLANDO -- FCC Chmn. Powell told CTIA Wireless 2002 conference here Tues. that while Commission viewed wireless industry as “poster child” for competitive markets, increased substitution of mobile telephony for wireline services meant increased pressure from consumer expectations. “Wireless is an extraordinary success,” Powell said: “In some sense, the period that it’s entering into now is managing the fruits of its success.” But maturation of service doesn’t necessarily mean more regulation, Powell said: “That’s a reluctant trigger, not an affirmative one.” In Q&A with CTIA Pres. Tom Wheeler, Powell disagreed with suggestion that industry had been “castigated” for taking proactive steps in areas such as E911 and wireless priority access service (PAS).
ORLANDO -- FCC and NTIA officials at CTIA Wireless 2002 show here Sun. cautioned that tough spectrum policy choices lay ahead in light of new homeland security considerations, including re-evaluation of how well current priority access service (PAS) rules are working. Panelists on homeland security roundtable repeatedly stressed importance of making sure public safety community had adequate spectrum and that existing allocations were being used efficiently. Several officials also pointed to complicated govt. jurisdictional issues raised by factors such as PAS, particularly as some states contemplate legislation on their own version of wireless priority access. While Administration hasn’t formulated stance on what should be done with priority access service, “the concern that we would [do so] is against classification of network where you could have displacement of emergency calls from individuals because of priority access calls coming from government,” said NTIA Deputy Asst. Dir. Michael Gallagher.
ITU is set to release reports at World Telecom Development Conference (WTDC) in Istanbul this week showing that while gap in telephony access between developed and developing world is narrowing, divide for high-speed Internet access is widening. WTDC, which starts today (Mon.) and runs through March 27, is poised to take up international digital divide issues, including role that regulators play. Group of Asian-Pacific countries has resurrected for consideration controversial recommendation for cost-sharing arrangements involving international Internet connections. Other proposals emphasize impact of economic downturn on efforts to extend broadband access in developing countries, while still others focus on role of women and need for human resource development in information and communications technology (ICT).
National rental spending on videogames for week ended March 10 increased 14% to $15.6 million from $13.68 million comparable week year ago, Video Software Dealers Assn. (VSDA) said Thurs. Year to date, VSDA said, rental spending rose 13.6% to $163.8 million from $144.1 million year ago. Top 3-renting games in week again were State of Emergency, Grand Theft Auto 3 and Max Payne -- all for PlayStation 2 (PS2). First-place State earned additional $540,000 in week for total of $1.86 million since Feb. 2. PS2 again dominated top 10, claiming 8 slots. Wreckless: Yakuza Missions for Xbox dropped one slot to #5, while Sonic Adventure 2 Battle for GameCube held onto 6th place.
FCC took first step Thurs. toward remedying interference problems for public safety users at 800 MHz by unanimously approving notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that covered potential solutions. Proposal adopted at agenda meeting requested information on how much spectrum would be necessary to meet public safety needs. It seeks comments on band restructuring proposals by Nextel and National Assn. of Mfrs., as well as alternatives submitted by others. Most closely watched so far has been Nextel plan submitted to FCC last fall that would swap spectrum at 700 MHz, 800 MHz and 900 MHz for new capacity at 800 MHz and 2.1 GHz. NPRM tentatively concluded that increasing levels of harmful interference to public safety operations at 800 MHz “must be remedied.” Citing several recent moves Commission has taken to free up public safety spectrum, FCC Chmn. Powell said item showed “Commission’s redoubled commitment” to make sure users had adequate spectrum for critical needs in emergencies.
Residential wireline long distance (LD) min. of use will decline average 10% per year in U.S. through 2006, Yankee Group said Thurs. With 130 million U.S. wireless users at end of 2001, “penetration of wireless services will only grow in its threat to the wireline voice market,” research firm said in teleconference. Called “substitution” by telcos, consumers increasingly are using wireless phones with regional or national calling plans or sending e-mail or IM instead of calling long distance. Prepaid calling cards and Internet telephony pose much smaller challenge, but “do account for some substitution today,” it said. Yankee Group estimates by 2006 wireline direct-dial long distance market will have lost about 135 billion min. of use to other communications technologies compared with 29 billion substitution min. last year. Of this, 107 billion min. will be wireless calls (from 22 billion 2001) and 27 billion min. e-mail/IM (from 6 billion). Prepaid plans will account for 800 million substitution min., down slightly from 900 million last year. Internet telephony will take least bite from long distance carriers, accounting for 500 million min. from 200 million in 2001, it said.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Dir. Joseph Allbaugh agreed with Senate panel Tues. that ability of first responders to communicate during emergencies is important element of nation’s domestic security efforts. Because of broad requirements of those efforts, he said he was reluctant to designate specific portion of President Bush’s fiscal year 2003 budget request to deploy and test equipment used to improve cross-agency communications interoperability. White House wants to allocate $3.5 billion for FEMA-led improvements to state and local emergency capabilities, measure seen as necessary in wake of last year’s terrorist attacks. Sen. Wyden (D-Ore.) said “single most important” goal of targeted emergency response improvements should be “to enable these first responders to talk with each other.” Allbaugh told Senate Environment & Public Works Committee he was “sure some of the money could be used” for interoperability-related purposes. However, he said FEMA’s recently created Office of National Preparedness would support state and local efforts in 4 general areas: (1) Equipment purchases, including “better, more interoperable communications equipment.” (2) Emergency response planning. (3) Training for operations in contaminated environments and for responding to terrorist attacks. (4) Coordinated regional emergency exercise programs. Sen. Voinovich (R-O.) said he supported FEMA’s expanded role in coordinating federal, state and local disaster preparedness and response but he suggested Congress make sure agency remain focused on improving those capabilities and ensure authorized funds weren’t used to supplement basic emergency services and equipment.
Gustavo Gomez, ex-OpenVia, named pres.-CEO, ITS Networks… Terry Smith, ex-Sarnoff, becomes vp-chief technology officer, Sirius Satellite Radio… Bill Davidson, ex-Aether Systems, appointed vp-carrier relations, Qualcomm Internet Services… James Goercke appointed interim exec. dir., National Emergency Number Assn., replacing Mark Adams, who resigned to “pursue other career interests.”
Telecom industry cheered Fri. as Senate followed House’s lead in passing stimulus bill that included tax breaks they had been seeking since last fall. On bipartisan vote of 85- 9, Senate quickly passed HR-3090, sent up by House only day before following 417-3 vote. Two provisions of scaled-down economic stimulus bill -- dubbed “jobs creation” bill by House Speaker Hastert (R-Ill.) -- are of particular interest to high-tech community: (1) 30% depreciation allowance on capital purchases for next 3 years. (2) 5-year carryback on net operating losses. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer last week said President Bush still felt Senate needed to act on stimulus legislation, and he’s expected to sign the bill, something several members noted during debate.