Sirius Satellite Radio announced agreement Mon. with Sony to develop car, home and portable satellite radios. Sony joins group of manufacturers, including Alpine, Clarion, Delphi Delco, Jensen, Kenwood, Panasonic, Pioneer and Visteon with licenses to produce Sirius radios.
Lucent plans to begin producing high volumes of commercial GSM radio base stations in Campinas, Brazil, after completing test run at plant. Lucent said Brazilian govt. would award 1800 MHz licenses next month in 3 spectrum bands. Plant will produce GSM dual-band base stations for 900-1800 MHz systems.
Rapid growth in broadband Internet access will make streaming media even more attractive for consumers and make it even more important that broadcasters become involved in streaming media, Arbitron and Edison Media Research said in joint study released Fri. at Radio Ad Bureau conference in Dallas (CD Jan 31 p6). Study said 13% of households had broadband access by end of 2000 and another 13% planned to get it in next year. Study, based on more than 3,000 telephone interviews, said 49% believe streaming video was “very easy” on broadband, vs. only 26% on narrowband, and of those online, more than 20% have used streaming media in last month. Following up on earlier statements that 33% of online households would give up TV rather than Internet if forced to choose, Arbitron said figure grew to 50% among those age 12-24, and 47% among those who regularly used streaming media. Other findings in report included: (1) Home Internet access grew to 53% of U.S. households in Jan., from 43% year ago. (2) Average time online dropped slightly to just over 7 hours per week from 8 hours per week year ago as more people used Internet. (3) Amount of money spent online grew to $806 million in year ended in Jan., from $650 million year ago. (4) 54% of those listening to streaming audio listened to local radio stations, 39% to stations in other parts of country, 7% to stations in other countries. (5) 39% of those listening to radio stations online said they now listened to same station more over-the-air, while 27% said they listened less over-the-air. (6) Persons who regularly used streaming media averaged about 2 hours per day online.
New bill in Hawaii (HB-1180) would extend state’s business franchise tax to include telecom and cable TV businesses. Measure would require phone and cable providers to pay tax equal to 2.5% of intrastate gross receipts for preceding calendar year. Bill by Democratic state Rep. Calvin Say is pending in House Commerce Committee and House Finance Committee.
Intelsat and American Tower subsidiary Verestar announced start of satellite-based OC-3 duplex Internet service between U.S. and China. Service uses Brewster facilities in Washington state that provides access to Intelsat space segment as well as connectivity to U.S. fiber backbone.
Cablevision Systems signed agreement with Princeton Video Image (PVI) to use all of latter’s digital imaging technologies, including its virtual first down marker for football telecasts. Under agreement, Cablevision and PVI also said they jointly would develop additional technologies and products, including targeted ads for use on MSO’s new digital cable set-top boxes. Cablevision will invest $17.5 million in PVI in return for 4 million shares of PVI stock and seat on PVI board.
Assn. of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) contends FCC’s new universal licensing system (ULS) “is causing many delays and setbacks for frequency coordinators.” APCO said in news release that Wireless Bureau’s ULS, which manages frequency licensing under standardized structure, didn’t give “adequate consideration” to needs of frequency coordinators who submit applications electronically. Third phase of land mobile radio service converted to ULS in Dec., including industrial business pool. APCO contends no public certified frequency coordinator has been able to submit application to FCC electronically since ULS system went online. APCO has said frequency coordinators’ issues are different from other wireless ULS users because they operate their own databases, using FCC database information and application information. While frequency coordinators have been working with FCC “for years” to prepare for changeover, “even with this lead time, there was little or no indication what impact the ULS would have,” said APCO Automated Frequency Coordination Dir. Ron Haraseth. File structures of database that FCC ran before ULS conversion for land mobile radio service licensees diverged from current system, he told us. “The relationships within an application or within a license are totally different than what it used to be,” he said. “We had no idea or concept of how that would affect our database.” One issue at FCC has been that verification routines for applications now are automated, he said. Haraseth said that means “simple errors” that previously would have passed through now result in filing being returned or dismissed. Without “hard core testing,” switchover didn’t account for ability of frequency coordinators to handle new system, he said. Industrial Telecommunications Assn. (ITA) Pres. Mark Crosby said: “I would suspect that many, if not all, of the frequency advisory committees have had some difficulty adapting to the new ULS requirements. ITA, for its part, is working to address those very diligently.” Hand-off between databases such as that kept by ITA and FCC’s has been challenging, Crosby said. “ITA is close,” he said. “There’s been some delay in getting licenses out, which has segments of the industry somewhat concerned. They have a right to be concerned,” he said. FCC said agency officials plan to meet with frequency coordinators next week to discuss ULS implementation issues.
AT&T announced bundled consumer service that combines dial-up Internet access with 7 cent per min. interstate long distance service for $7 per month. Called 7/7 offer, plan has no minimum usage requirements for long distance portion, uses AT&T WorldNet service for Internet access and combines both on one bill. New service comes as AT&T works to shore up its faltering consumer business. “We are confident that the AT&T 7/7 offer will help us attract new AT&T WorldNet subscribers and strengthen relationships with our current long distance customers,” said Howard McNally, AT&T Consumer co-pres.
“The ‘e-rate’ program is in jeopardy of elimination,” 19 Democratic House members said in letter to President Bush’s Chief of Staff Andrew Card Mon., asking Card to “clarify” Bush’s intentions. E-rate supporters have warned that Bush Administration’s plan to roll the school and library wiring program into block technology grants for states could be first step toward elimination. House Democrats didn’t state their specific worries, but said they're “wary of proposals that would eliminate the right of all K-12 schools and libraries to seek discounted rates for technology.” They said Bush plan “may not result in robust funding for high technology in the classroom nor in greater efficiency in administration for the program. Moreover, it may disenfranchise thousands of schools currently eligible for E-rate funding.” Letter was circulated by Telecom Subcommittee ranking member Markey (Mass.). Signatories included Reps. Eshoo (Cal.), Wynn (Md.), Dooley (Cal.), Jackson Lee (Tex.), Fattah (Pa.), Sawyer (O.), Conyers (Mich.), Rush (Ill.), Owens (N.Y.), Payne (N.J.), Towns (N.Y.), Hinojosa (Tex.), McCarthy (Mo.), Capps (Cal.), Bishop (Ga.), McKinney (Ga.), Clyburn (S.C.) and Becerra (Cal.).
Tokyo Broadband Entertainment will supply broadcast content via Internet beginning March 1 under joint venture announced by NTT, Nohon Keizai Shimbun, Sharp, NEC, others. Tokyo Broadband will sign agreements with TV companies, including revenue sharing, for rights to distribute programming, they said. It also will distribute some programming on consignment basis, it said.