Sprint Nextel’s buyout of Clearwire will result in redundant leases at 1,800 American Tower tower sites where both companies currently hold separate leases for antenna space. American Tower said Wednesday that Sprint’s leases represented 15 percent of its Q3 consolidated operating revenue, while Clearwire’s leases represented 3 percent. Clearwire leases at the 1,800 sites where Sprint also holds antenna space represented 1 percent of American Tower’s Q3 consolidated operating revenue. An average of nine years remains on Sprint’s leases, while an average of five years remains on Clearwire’s leases, American Tower said (http://xrl.us/bn67k6). Crown Castle International released information Tuesday on how the Sprint-Clearwire deal would affect its revenue (CD Dec 19 p14).
Differences between the European Commission and Google over antitrust concerns have been substantially narrowed, said Competition Policy Commissioner Joaquín Almunia Wednesday. Google is under fire to resolve four competition issues: (1) The way its vertical search services are displayed within general search results as compared to rivals’ services. (2) How it may use and display third-party content on its vertical search services. (3) Exclusivity agreements to deliver Google search products on other websites. (4) Restrictions in the portability of AdWords advertising campaigns. After meeting with Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, Almunia decided to continue trying to reach an agreement, he said. Based on the progress made, Almunia has given the search giant until January to propose detailed antitrust commitments. The EC will then prepare a preliminary assessment of its competition concerns, after which Google’s proposed solution will be market-tested with a view toward binding conditions, he said.
The FCC has approved AT&T’s buy of Wireless Communications Service licenses from various other market players, as AT&T seeks to deploy LTE in the band, commission officials said Tuesday. The order had not been released at our deadline. FCC officials said last week release of the order was imminent (CD Dec 17 p11). The order approves AT&T’s buy of 10-25 MHz of A-, B- and C-block WCS spectrum from Comcast in 149 cellular market areas, 10 MHz of A-block WCS spectrum from Horizon Wi-Com in 132 CMAs and 5-30 MHz of A-, B-, C- and D-block WCS spectrum from NextWave in 476 CMAs, according to FCC documents.
Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., introduced a bill Tuesday aimed at creating better privacy protections for data collected by unmanned aircraft. The Drone Aircraft Privacy and Transparency Act (HR-6676) would limit and minimize the data that domestic drones can collect via video cameras and wireless network “sniffers,” among other surveillance technologies.
Freeing up more spectrum for commercial use will be a “high priority” for Republicans on the Senate Commerce Committee, said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., in an interview at the Capitol Tuesday. “Spectrum is an issue we have got to deal with,” he said. “We have to figure out ways to free up more spectrum that can be used. More and more of our economy is built around that, so if and when we get the opportunity to be involved in some of those issues, it’s going to be a high priority.” Thune wouldn’t say whether he would become ranking member of the committee in the next session of Congress, something which has been widely speculated since the abrupt resignation of Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., to head the Heritage Foundation (CD Dec 7 p1).
Several factors affect the efficient use of backup power for wireless facilities, PCIA President Jonathan Adelstein and others from the group said in meetings with FCC Wireless Bureau officials. The agency is expected to hold field hearings next year on communications following disaster, in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. Factors impacting backup power include “the wide array of state and local zoning, environmental, and noise laws that may limit the use of generators and batteries at certain facilities,” PCIA said (http://xrl.us/bn63vo). There are “inherent characteristics and deployment methodologies of [distributed antenna system] and small cell solutions that impact their use of backup power,” the group said. “Often DAS and small cells are used to address capacity and coverage in areas where macro wireless sites may not be feasible, and their ability to provide this vital function could be hampered by rigid backup power requirements."
The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) said its new Interoperability Compliancy Program (ICP), which began Tuesday, will streamline the way the industry association’s members collaborate on a common set of technical and commercial frameworks for Wi-Fi roaming. AT&T, BT and China Mobile are among the Wi-Fi participants that have agreed to participate in the program, WBA said. While many carriers are beginning to see public Wi-Fi as an essential part of mobile connectivity, fragmentation remains in the way devices connect to and roam onto Wi-Fi networks, WBA said. The program will outline compliance guidelines for operators with different support levels, which range from simple integration requirements for roaming partners to more complex charging models for implementation of next generation hotspots. The program will also make it easier for operators to enter into roaming agreements, WBA said. “The program’s guidelines help Wi-Fi providers plan for future network enhancements and introduce new products and services,” WBA CEO Shrikant Shenwai said in a news release (http://xrl.us/bn63u9). “The ICP helps players across the Wi-Fi ecosystem work together to deliver a more simplified roaming experience. By encouraging our members to go that extra mile to expedite interoperability, consumers worldwide will benefit from a far superior connectivity experience wherever they are.” WBA has given its members a Wi-Fi roaming compliance checking tool to promote their compliance with the program. WBA released its Wi-Fi roaming guidelines, which it said will help operators develop a Wi-Fi roaming business based on the group’s Wireless Roaming Intermediary Exchange framework (http://xrl.us/bn63u7).
The FTC will announce the rulemaking updates to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Wednesday, the agency said Tuesday. The press conference to release the update will be hosted by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., and will include Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark.; Reps. Joe Barton, R-Texas, and Edward Markey, D-Mass., co-chairs of the Congressional Privacy Caucus; and April McClain-Delaney, director of Common Sense Media, according to a release. The news conference will be at noon in Room 253 of the Russell Senate Office Building and will be webcast via the Senate Commerce Committee website (http://xrl.us/bn63vu).
Google still claims the largest online video audience, as of November. ComScore released its November Video Matrix numbers, which showed that of the 182 million unique viewers who watched an online video during the month, nearly 153 million watched it at YouTube or another Google site. BrightRoll delivered more ads than any other online video source, serving 1.77 million of them during the month. That adds up to about 951 total minutes per ad, reaching about half the total U.S. population, comScore said. Google served some 1.7 billion ads, reaching about 31.2 percent of the population, it said.
Next-generation 911 deployment should be overseen at the national level, with the FCC in charge, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials said in a filing at the agency. “A current challenge facing stakeholders in NG911 deployment is the lack of coordination among the myriad federal and state roles,” APCO said (http://xrl.us/bn63ui). “A number of federal agencies are involved with NG911, each with specific areas of jurisdiction and different tasks depending on prior federal legislation. Accordingly, at the national level, there should be a multi-federal agency program to guide NG911 consisting of the Commission, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Telecommunications & Information Administration, and the Department of Homeland Security that leverages and combines each individual agency’s expertise.” State coordination is critical, APCO said. “To best create an effective working relationship between the federal program and the states, the FCC should recommend that Congress craft incentives for state-level (or multi-state) NG911 coordination. Congress could do so, as it has with prior grant programs, by imposing as a condition of receipt of federal funding that states create a state-level NG911 office."