SES signed a multi-year contract with a Turkish broadcaster to provide free-to-air broadcasting of TRT Turk, an international digital channel. TRT will use analog capacity on the ASTRA satellite “that became available when broadcasters in Germany switched off the analogue satellite signals on April 30,” SES said. TRT will add to the more than 800 TV channels that are broadcast through ASTRA’s 19.2 degrees east orbital position, it said.
Representatives of Motorola Solutions met with various FCC officials to raise concerns about a recent FCC order on the 470-512 MHz band, also known as the T-band, in light of spectrum legislation signed into law three months ago. “The Order raises substantial concerns regarding the T-band incumbents’ ability to update their communications systems until such time as they can be relocated, which could be several years,” Motorola Solutions said (http://xrl.us/bm86cg). “Without this relief, T-band licensees would not have access to improved equipment, including future multi-band devices that could ensure continued interoperability with neighboring or regional systems, or devices that could smooth the process of relocating the T-band licensees to alternate spectrum in the future.” The company asked the FCC to “clarify or extend the Order to lift the prohibition on new certifications for devices capable of supporting 25 kHz operation, with such 25 kHz operation restricted to only the T-band.”
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., introduced a bill that would authorize the Administration to tailor export restrictions on less sensitive satellites. The Safeguarding United States Leadership and Security Act, S-3211, is the companion to the House bill, HR-3288 introduced by Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif. Bennet’s bill is based on recommendations from the Defense and State departments that suggested a removal of some satellites and equipment from the U.S. Munitions List (CD April 19 p7), Bennet said. It allows the president to place non-critical satellites on the Commerce Control List, allowing them to be regulated “in a manner consistent with other items that could serve both a commercial and military purpose.” It also prohibits the transfer of satellites to countries like China, Iran and Cuba and to “state sponsors of terrorism identified under the Export Administration Act,” he said.
A bipartisan group of four senators introduced a bill Tuesday to encourage job growth and the formation of new businesses called the Startup Act 2.0. The bill would permit foreign-born, U.S. educated immigrants to stay in the U.S., and reduce regulatory requirements for small businesses, among other provisions. The bill was co-sponsored by Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., Jerry Moran, R-Kan., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Chris Coons, D-Del. Warner said the bill will help America “win the global contest for talent,” and builds upon his previously introduced Startup Act by including some provisions from S-1866, the AGREE Act. Rubio and Coons said that combining the most widely supported provisions of their AGREE Act into the Startup 2.0 Act will help “break through Washington’s gridlock and help entrepreneurs create new jobs through key reforms to our tax, visa and regulatory systems.” The bill was endorsed by TechAmerica, which called it “smart policy” that can deliver “much needed tools to our entrepreneurs.” CEA urged the Senate to quickly pass the “common sense” bill.
Five cable and telecom industry veterans introduced a new consulting business called Sarepta Advisors. Former Charter Chief Technology Officer Marwan Fawaz, along with Matt Bell, former vice president-IP network and development at Charter, Jim Buckley, a one-time vice president-finance at Adelphia, George Kassas, former executive vice president at Cedar Point Communications, and Sudhir Ispahani, former chief technology officer of Liberty Global Europe, will lead the group.
In Demand said it will introduce a Spanish-language pay-per-view and VOD event service before 2013. “Bringing an array of compelling Spanish-language programming is a priority for all our affiliates,” and the new service will enable them to better serve their Hispanic customers, said Bob Benya, CEO of In Demand.
The FCC launched a proceeding to create a Do-Not-Call registry for public safety answering points (PSAP), as required by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, the commission said (http://xrl.us/bm8yic). The registry would prohibit the use of automatic dialing or robocall equipment to contact those numbers, it said. The agency proposed giving PSAPs substantial discretion to designate which numbers to include on the PSAP Do-Not-Call registry as long as they're associated with the provision of emergency services or communications with other public safety agencies. The FCC seeks comments on the best and most efficient way to acquire and verify the PSAP numbers and to establish and maintain the registry. The agency proposed that anyone who uses an “automatic telephone dialing system,” as defined in the Communications Act, to make calls qualifies as an operator of automatic dialing or robocall equipment. The commission also seeks comment on several monetary penalties for entities that disclose the registered numbers or use automatic dialing equipment to contact a number on the PSAP registry, it said.
Google is preparing for an announcement this summer about its community fiber project, a spokeswoman said when asked about the schedule Tuesday. The company told us in January that it’s on track to offer service in the first half of the year (CD Jan 23 p12). Google was reportedly having a dispute over pole attachment issues with local utilities in Kansas City, Kan., as it built out fiber there. In March, Google got approval from the Missouri Public Service Commission, allowing it to offer video services over the 1 Gbps fiber-to-the-home network it’s building in Kansas City, Mo. Google’s fiber blog (http://xrl.us/bm8yki) hasn’t been updated since April 4.
FourthWall Media said it will license set-top box data collection and report processing technology from Microsoft and take over daily operations of Microsoft Advertising’s set-top box data and analytics frameworks. “FourthWall has extended its set-top box dataset and enhanced its ability to provide valuable insights on television media consumption,” said Bill Feininger, senior vice president-media measurement for FourthWall.
The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau proposed a $25,000 fine against Pacific Empire Radio Corp. for apparently failing to maintain proper public inspection files at five of its Oregon stations. An enforcement agent reviewed the files at Pacific Empire’s main studio and found they lacked issues/program lists for 12 straight quarters for each of KLBM(AM), La Grande, KBKR(AM) Baker, KUBQ(AM) La Grande, KKBC(FM) Baker and KRJT(AM) Elgin. Pacific Empire has 30 days to sign a declaration that it is now in compliance with the FCC’s public inspection rules.