Interim step toward making rival XM Satellite and Sirius Satellite Radio digital audio radio services (DARS) systems interoperable could be achieved by early next year, although full- scale integration won’t occur for 4-5 years, Sirius CEO David Margolese told us. In interview at C.E. Unterberg, Towbin conference in N.Y.C., he said vehicles would be prewired for DARS reception and device would be installed in trunk to accept either Sirius or XM receiver. Interim step, which moves companies part way toward satisfying FCC mandate that competing DARS service be interoperable, is required under OEM agreements with Audi, Honda, Nissan and Toyota, Margolese said. However, XM spokeswoman said interim step wasn’t part of OEM pacts, but rather was “solution” companies were developing as bridge to integrated product. Full integration will require dual chipset, industry sources said.
WorldGate Communications said it would introduce upgraded version of its interactive TV (ITV) service to cable operators and subscribers in first quarter. Company said new ITV service would feature improved Web browser, greater TV commerce capability, various image enhancements and Spanish-language chat. WorldGate said it would deploy new ITV features in both U.S. and Latin America.
FCC issued order Wed. requiring incumbent LECs to make their directory assistance databases accessible to competing directory providers. Agency said it was essential for competitive directory providers to have access to those updated databases. Because ILECs derive their databases from their telephone service order processes, they continue to maintain control over most listings, FCC said. Commission said access must be on nondiscriminatory basis and be available at reasonable rates. CLECs often don’t have resources to provide their own directory assistance so they depend on those alternative providers, FCC said in order. However, Commission said ILECs didn’t have to grant access to national or “nonlocal” directory assistance databases because ILECs didn’t have monopoly control over them. Agency also resolved some outstanding issues relating to access to subscriber information by Internet-based directory publishers. It said Internet publishers should have same nondiscriminatory access and reasonable rates as other directory providers. Commission also concluded that publishers of telephone directories on Internet shouldn’t be restricted in how they displayed or allowed customers to access such data. Like several other orders issued this week, this one was approved on Fri. and included then-FCC Chmn. Kennard’s vote.
Andrew Corp. said Wed. net sales increased 20% to record $280.5 million in fiscal first quarter ended Dec. 31, up from $233.6 million in same quarter year ago. Net income climbed 25% to $20.9 million, up from $16.8 million.
Ex-FCC Chief of Staff Kathryn Brown will be honored at reception today (Jan. 25), 4-7 p.m., at Club at Franklin Square, 1300 I St. NW., sponsored by group of FCC staffers -- Joy Howell, 202-418-0505.
FCC Wireless Bureau’s Auctions Financing & Mkt. Analysis Branch denied waiver request by IVIDCO to be deemed eligible to participate in agency’s restructuring plan for 218-219 MHz. Company argued it had pending grace period or waiver request on file at Commission before it missed payment for 218-219 MHz licenses, resulting in automatic cancellation. However, Bureau granted IVIDCO request that it be able to examine grace period requests filed by current and former licensees. In 1999, FCC issued order that modified rules for 218-219 MHz, formerly Interactive Video & Data Service band, and created financial restructuring plan for eligible licensees. Ineligible licensees included those that weren’t current in their installment payments as of March 16, 1998.
WideOpenWest signed deal with DemandVideo to offer latter’s video-on-demand (VoD) service in markets where it’s building competitive cable systems. Using DemandVideo’s VoD technology and service, WideOpenWest said it would offer subscribers choice of recent Hollywood movies, classic films, children’s and family programming and instructional shows. Customers will have 24 hours of unlimited viewing of any title they select and will be able to pause, play, rewind, fast-forward or restart titles. Cable overbuilder announced deal Wed., day after concluding 3-year pact with Source Media to use latter’s interactive program guide and local programming service. WideOpenWest said it planned to start offering 2 services first in Denver area in March.
OpenTV signed deal with Bell ExpressVu to offer interactive TV services to Canadian DBS subscribers, starting in summer. OpenTV said services would include interactive weather and TV commerce. Bell ExpressVu will add 725,000 subscribers to OpenTV’s potential reach of more than 30 million TV viewers worldwide.
Ameritech told Mich. PSC Tues. that it wasn’t able to keep its promise to be in compliance with state’s 36-hour outage restoration standard by Dec. 31. Ameritech said it ended year 2000 with 48-hour average outage repair interval. It said it also failed to meet its internal target of reducing pending installation and repair orders below 19,125. Carrier said it had 25,354 pending orders at end of Dec., and 23,305 pending as of Mon. Ameritech attributed its failure to meet promised targets to record cold weather and snowfall in Mich. in Dec., plus out-of- state technicians’ taking vacation days to return home for holidays. In other Mich. matters, PSC approved Ameritech’s plan to prevent identity theft. Program includes: (1) Verifying identity of person ordering service. (2) Ensuring that accounts going to collection agencies and credit bureaus are attributed to responsible party, and keeping records on such accounts for period adverse report stays on credit record. (3) Responding promptly to customer complaints about fraudulent accounts or identity theft and making sure that credit bureaus have removed negative information created because of account fraud perpetrated against customer. Mich. Attorney Gen. Jennifer Granholm told PSC she wouldn’t ask state Supreme Court to review Dec. state appeals court ruling allowing PSC to hire outside counsel when agency is being sued by AG’s office on behalf of utility customers. AG normally defends state agencies in lawsuits, but also can sue them. Court ruled AG’s office was subject to state legal canon that prohibits private law firms from representing both sides of same case. PSC went to court in 1999 after one AG division sued PSC on behalf of Detroit’s electric ratepayers while another AG division was to handle PSC’s defense.
FCC’s latest report on long distance industry -- Statistics of the Long Distance Telecommunications Industry -- includes variety of data for 1999: (1) Long distance industry had $108 billion in revenue in 1999, up from $105 billion in 1998. (2) International revenue has grown fivefold since 1984 to more than $20 billion in 1999. (3) AT&T’s share of long distance market had fallen to 40% in 1999 from 90% in 1984. WorldCom’s share in 1999 was 25%, Sprint’s 10% and more than 700 other long distance carriers had remaining 25%. (4) Average household spent $64 per month on telecom services, $21 for services provided by long distance carriers, $34 for local exchange, rest for wireless carriers. (5) Residential phone bills showed 38% of toll calls in 1999 were interstate and accounted for 50% of toll min.; 33% of residential long distance min. were accrued on weekdays, 30% on weekday evenings, 37% on weekends.