U.S. Trade Representative’s office let pass first opportunity this year to seek World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement panel on U.S. concerns that Mexico hadn’t adhered to commitments to open its telecom market. USTR spokeswoman said that didn’t mean U.S. had made decision not to pursue dispute settlement panel. Dispute settlement body meeting in Geneva Feb. 1 would have marked first U.S. opportunity to request creation of panel, which USTR first sought in Dec. At that time, Mexico blocked request, as was its right under WTO process. USTR officials said at time that unless outstanding concerns were resolved, U.S. would make 2nd request around Feb. 1. Some progress has been made in interim, with Telefonos de Mexico (Telmex) reaching agreement with WorldCom unit Avantel and Alestra, in which AT&T has stake, on issues such as local network interconnection to provide local services. “We appreciate that Mexico has taken care of a number of issues,” USTR spokeswoman said Thurs. “Some concerns remain, such as in the area of international service rates.” U.S. still reserves right to move case at WTO, she said: “We have not dropped our complaint. We are in a watch-and-see mode.” Move to forestall action reflects newly installed administration in Mexico of President Vicente Fox. Among outstanding issues from U.S. perspective is lack of effective regulation of Telmex, “extremely high” interconnection rates and high settlement rates for international traffic, source said. “There’s a lot of work left to do down there,” source said. “USTR’s efforts there have been helpful.” USTR officials indicated in mid-Jan. that although some progress had been made, concerns remained about lack of effective regulatory strictures in Mexico over Telmex.
Boeing said it would provide details of its proposal to revamp U.S. air traffic control system by May, but industry officials said key issue remained $10-$15 billion cost of effort. Details of plan remained sketchy, but Boeing had said its plan could allow 50% increase in number of airline flights by using new technology, such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS). FAA spokeswoman called Boeing plan “intriguing” and said agency would be monitoring situation closely.
Mo. PSC told SBC Thurs. that if it wants agency’s endorsement for its Sec. 271 interLATA bid, it must address list of Commission concerns on interconnection pricing, access to operation support systems, network unbundling. PSC acted after discussions Wed. with SBC and CLECs. PSC didn’t vote on application, but told SBC that without more information than was contained in current record, it couldn’t recommend that FCC approve SBC’s long distance entry.
Satellite global positioning system (GPS) has one more everyday use -- Personal Safeguard Companion (PSC) system available through Counter Spy Shops in N.Y. PSC has cellular telephone service and “May Day” button that allows user to activate satellite GPS and open cellular phone connection for flat tires, running out of gas, service vehicles and tow trucks. Command center operator uses mapping data from cellular connection to pinpoint precise location.
DirecTV Pres. Odie Donald disputed charges by Pegasus and National Rural Telecom Cooperative (NRTC) that his company had made “misleading statements concerning the tentative order” issued Mon. (CD Jan 31 p7) by U.S. Dist. Court, L.A. Donald said charges “were baseless.” Contrary to NRTC claim, DirecTV said its “characterization of the tentative ruling is accurate.” Pegasus and NRTC each reported motion had been denied. DirecTV said ruling was tentative and subject to change, but “substantially narrowed the legal issues” in case that revolved around NRTC’s right of first refusal in 1992 Distribution Agreement. NRTC and Pegasus believe contract include rights to programming. Tentative order made clear that DirecTV would be permitted to have its claims proceed to trial in near term. Pegasus also had charged that public statements about case had hurt its stock price. Donald said: “While we understand Pegasus’s concern that resolution of this issue at trial may affect its stock price, no action by DirecTV was taken for the purpose of affecting the stock price of Pegasus or any other entity.” He said it was “difficult to understand” how Pegasus could make charges when DirecTV was only “trying to defend itself from overreaching claims” of NRTC.
Conference on public access to digital content is planned March 6 at Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington, according to organizer CEA. CEA said conference would focus on Internet, copyright and digital content. Speakers are expected from CEA, Digital Future Coalition, Digital Media Assn., DivXNetworks, Napster, National Assn. of Recording Merchandisers, Natikonal Consumers League, RIAA, Webnoize, academics, lawyers -- www.ce.org/events.
Washington communications law firm has advised its clients to expect “substantial changes in personnel among FCC staff” following elevation of Comr. Powell to chmn. Firm said “several of the bureaus have become much politicized” under most recent Chmn. Reed Hundt and William Kennard, “including Wireless, Cable and Common Carrier, where we would expect major changes. The Mass Media Bureau has been affected, but to a lesser extent. The Enforcement Bureau has been headed by a professional since its inception and we do not expect any changes there… All this presages shifts in both policy and attitude at the FCC” (CD Jan 24 p2). Roy Stewart has been chief of Mass Media since Oct. 1989 and told us he expects to remain -- subject to will of Chmn. Powell.
Sprint said transition of traffic from FTS 2000 contract was 95% complete and was expected to beat latest transition deadline of midyear set by General Services Administration (GSA). GSA- imposed deadlines for shifting federal agencies to FTS 2001 contract slipped several times, with contractors most recently missing latest deadline of Dec. 6. AT&T and Sprint have been vendors for FTS 2000, with FTS 2001 contract awarded to WorldCom and Sprint (CD Dec 18 p2). GSA recently extended interim FTS 2000 agreement with Sprint by 6 months and AT&T contract by 12 months, with most prices under extended contract reverting to those in place in Jan. 1999. “We expect to complete the transition in the next few months,” Sprint Vp Govt. Systems Div. Tony D'Agata told us at Comnet show this week. Company expects to beat midyear deadline, he said, meaning interim contract that GSA just extended wouldn’t apply to Sprint because all traffic would have shifted. (Qwest in Jan. challenged GSA’s latest extension to Sprint and AT&T, arguing that other carriers should have been allowed to compete for contract.) D'Agata said that once transition was complete, Sprint planned to focus on additional offerings to federal agencies under FTS 2001, including Web hosting and Sprint PCS wireless services.
Corrections: Judy Walsh is Tex. PUC member being considered for appointment to FCC -- not Judy Marsh… Phil Becker, not Becket is vp-product development, Corvis (CD Feb 1 p8).
Promotions at FCC Comr. Furchtgott-Roth’s office: Rebecca Benyon to senior counsel, Bryan Tramont to senior legal advisor… Promoted to senior dir. at NCTA: David Pierce, dir.-public affairs, and Richard Cimerman, dir.-state telecom policy… Added as members Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson & Hand shareholders board: Michael Berg, Marla Grossman, Julian Shepard, David Siddall… Changes at Terra Lycos: Robert Davis resigns as CEO, becomes nonexec. vice chmn.; Theodore Philip, CFO, moves to senior vp-strategic planning and mergers and acquisitions; Elias Rodriguez-Vina, ex-GE Capital Europe, named CFO… Judith Harris, ex-Discovery Communications, appointed exec. vp-PBS Businesses… Changes at Advanced Wireless Systems board: Resigned: Monte Julius, Demetrios Tsoutsas and David Schlueter; elected: Stanley Wilson, pres., who becomes chmn.; Thomas Howard, CFO; Jeffrey Schneider, pres.-RAP Group… Michael Kwan, Qingdao Telecom Systems, moves to COO, Lucent’s China operations… Judith Carlough, ex-Broadcastspots.com, named vp-advertiser services, Arbitron Web cast ratings division… Erin Hand advanced to dir.- learning & talent development, Cox… Carl Harnick, ex-Ernst & Young, elected to Classic Communications board… Suzanne Hutchings promoted to senior regulatory counsel, Teledisc… Christine Castro advanced to vp-corporate communications, Disney… Richard Turner promoted to vp-business affairs, programming, Starz Encore Group.