As expected, FCC issued decisions Wed. modifying licenses of 10 companies to launch and operate geostationary (GEO) satellites to provide fixed satellite services (FSS) with intersatellite links (ISLs) in Ka-band (CD Jan 31 p1). Companies also received downlink operating frequencies for satellite-to-user transmissions. Holders of 10-year licenses also are required to coordinate service with U.S. govt., NTIA, ITU and each other. Motorola, EchoStar, CyberStar, GE Americom, Hughes, Loral Space, PanAmSat, Teledesic, VisionStar and WB Holdings were recipients of modified licenses. In wide-reaching orders from International Bureau, Commission set stage for companies to offer broad range of advanced broadband services, including telephony, video, high- speed Internet, data. Each of licensees received additional 250- 500 MHz of spectrum.
Jan Constantine adds exec. vp, News America, to senior vp- News Corp., senior deputy gen. counsel, News America and gen. counsel, News America mktg. and publishing groups… Walter Liss resigns as pres., ABC-owned TV stations… James Byrd, 360networks, elected to DataCentric Broadband board… Changes at Cox: Sonya McLaughlin, ex-Go.com, appointed dir.-sales programs, Cox Interactive Media; Howard Tigerman, vp-accounting and financial planning, Atlanta office, moves to vp-business operations, Cox Communications, Phoenix… Valerie Green, ex-Women Entertainment Network, named vp-product strategy, Cablevision Systems high-speed data products dept… Susan Mayer, Worldcom Ventures, appointed to LCC International board…David Sieradzki named partner, Hogan & Hartson… Dennis Hoffman promoted to vp- head of visual effects, Cinesite.
Henry Kaiser Family Foundation plans Feb. 6 news conference in L.A. on what it’s billing as “the largest-ever study of sexual content on television.” At same time, Foundation will release survey of some 3,500 viewers of NBC’s ER. News conference, at Museum of TV Radio, will be followed by 10 a.m.-2 p.m. conference of industry executives on TV sex.
FCC could issue 11 Ka-band rulemaking and orders as early as today (Wed.), Commission spokesman said. Decisions would grant intersatellite link (ISL) authorizations and impose construction milestones on several Ka-band licensees. New milestones would require companies holding licenses to sign construction contracts for Ka-band satellites within one year and begin launch operations shortly thereafter or face losing licenses unless there were “extenuating circumstances” that forced delays, spokesman said: “The idea is milestones that are established should be kept.” Actions could set tone for 2nd-generation broadband market, industry sources said, and companies are working privately on compromise to stave off FCC-mandated order.
Scott Diener, ex-WCPO-TV Cincinnati, named vp-news, KNTV San Jose… Richard Agostinelli, ex-Continental Graphics, appointed COO-CFO, NeTune Communications… Adrienne Lavalle, ex-Commerce Dept. Office of Gen. Counsel, moves to Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo… Changes at Everest Broadband: Philip Veneziano, ex-Juno Online, become CFO; Christopher Dalrymple, ex- Interliant, appointed gen. counsel… James Anderson, ex-Peak Productions, named Cable Center dir.-development… Ben O'Connell will leave job as spokesman for Sen. Burns (R-Mont.) soon to do production at C-SPAN.
On same day as Swedish rival Ericsson released quarterly and annual results, Nokia reported $28.14 billion in sales for year, up 36% from 1999. Finnish telecom maker also had $3.6 billion profit for year, up 53%. In quarter ended Dec. 31, sales soared 46% to $8.6 billion. Nokia estimated sales growth in first quarter 2001 would be 25-30% and earnings per share would remain level. It said earnings projection reflected “somewhat slower- than-anticipated market growth during the first quarter.” Nokia also estimated first-half revenue growth would be in 25-35% range, although it had topped 50% last year. It forecast wireless phone sales would rise 20% by 4th quarter “at the latest.” Wall St. sent Nokia’s shares down 4.62% to $35.28 on N.Y. Stock Exchange.
Ericsson reached $400 million agreement with Turkish wireless provider Turkcell covering network upgrades in carrier’s GSM system, including mobile positioning system, Wireless Application Protocol, core network transport solution. Turkcell and Ericsson also signed earlier equipment contracts, including $850 million deal last Feb.
L.A. will require AT&T to pay franchise fee on cable modem service, said Paul Janis, exec. officer of city’s Information Technology Agency. City hasn’t responded to company’s letter requesting waiver of franchise fee, he said, but it has taken position that only possible way it could be liable for class action lawsuits for refund would be if it required AT&T to collect franchise fees from subscribers. AT&T had asked cities wanting to continue to assess franchise fees on cable-delivered Internet service to sign agreement acknowledging potential refund liability. “We are requiring only that AT&T pay the fees, not collect it from subscribers,” Janis said. Several cities, including Lakewood, Cal., and Portland, Ore., have rejected proposal for waiver.
U.S. Dist. Court, L.A., denied DirecTV motion for partial summary judgment in case relating to right of first refusal (ROFR) in lawsuit filed by affiliates and National Rural Telecom Cooperative, Pegasus TV said Tues. Tentative order denied DirecTV motion that sought to limit rights to programming services and transponder capacity that company believes are included in ROFR. Pegasus said it expected court to issue final order shortly and said “certain parties may have materially misstated the tentative decision of the court for purpose of manipulating Pegasus stock.” Company said it would inform Nasdaq of possible violations. It was unclear whom Pegasus would direct charges against, but satellite analyst William Kidd of C.E. Unterberg, Towbin, released report citing industry analysis in SkyReport to its investors Tues. that said “the court might be leaning toward DirecTV.” Report said court might deny summary judgment, but endorse DirecTV’s “interpretation of survivability” in coming weeks. “Even if the court denies DirecTV’s summary judgment allowing a long protracted legal war” to begin, “we believe the court’s leanings can’t be considered favorable for Pegasus.” Kidd said companies still had time to come to diplomatic resolution of problems.
NAB said it would add new technology conference and expo -- Xstream -- to Sept. 5-7 Radio Show in New Orleans. Xstream will be designed “to bridge the gap between traditional content and… streaming technology.” Show will feature content development, storage and digital asset management, encoding, broadband delivery systems and e-commerce, NAB said. In sponsoring its 2 annual trade shows, “it became apparent that there was a demand for more access to streaming technologies [by broadcasters] and for more exposure for our new technology exhibitors,” NAB Pres. Edward Fritts said.