AT&T Broadband executed across-board trimming of its Atlanta- area work force, laying off 309 employees last week in what spokesman said was cost-saving and realignment operation. Cuts involved employees in call center, field operations, marketing, finance, human resources and midlevel management, he said. Action follows 6-month “top-to-bottom” review of entire Atlanta operations, spokesman said, and jobs were seen as not “mission critical” to improve customer service, efficiency, competitiveness. He said 40-50 of jobs involved inbound sales calls that were outsourced to company in Tex. “It is strictly an Atlanta initiative,” spokesman said when asked whether company was planning job cuts in other areas.
WorldCom went live with 1.6 terabit Nortel optical network Mon. N.Y.C.-Washington leg is first section of highest capacity network in world to be lit, Nortel said. Network is Nortel Networks’ OPTera long-haul 1600 optical line system using dense- wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) to split light into as many as 160 channels. “This is the initial phase of a 5-phase migration to the use of optical equipment,” WorldCom spokeswoman said.
New technology may allow engineers at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., to stay home and do their jobs. Service provided by eTrue may allow engineers to use biometric authentication to log on from off-site computers or repair unmanned space craft. After test project is completed within year, NASA will test 3 other biometric products and select one to implement in 2 years.
EchoStar could receive valuable Ka-band slot over continental U.S. if FCC approves request from VisionStar to transfer its Ka- band satellite slot to company, VisionStar said in Dec. 15 filing at agency. If Commission agrees, VisionStar/EchoStar partnership would take control of satellite licenses at 113 degrees W, directly over continental U.S. Commission granted VisionStar license for slot in May 1997 in first round of Ka-band allocations.
U.S. Navy has authorized Boeing Satellite Systems to begin production of 11th in series of UHF Follow-On (UFO) satellites, which provide global communications for armed forces. UFO F-11 will carry UHF payload for narrowband 2-way battlefield connectivity and EHF payload. Subsystem provides enhanced antijam telemetry, command, broadcast and fleet interconnectivity communications, using advanced signal processing techniques.
AT&T named Oscar Munoz, ex-Qwest senior vp, as vp-CFO of its new consumer unit…. Va. Corp. Commission named Steven Bradley, ex-Verizon sales exec., as dir. of Communications Div., replacing retiring Alan Wickham… Janet Cooper, ex-Qwest Communications, named CFO-senior vp-finance & administration, McData… Dipesh Shah, ex-Lucent Labs, appointed vp-engineering, U.S. Wireless… Robert Perry, ex-Webhire, named senior research analyst-Internet Computing Strategies Planning Service, Yankee Group… David Marvento, legislative dir. for Rep. Tauzin (R-La.), will follow him to House Commerce Committee as staff dir… Paul McGuire resigns as UPN senior vp-communications to become Disney media consultant… Patrick Scannell, ex-Silknet, appointed CFO, PhotonEx… Promotions at USA Affiliate Distribution: Douglas Holloway to pres.-network distribution & affiliate relations, Peter Ruben to exec. vp-affiliate relations,Tom Smith to senior vp-eastern division, Mark Bienstock to senior vp-business affairs & gen. counsel… Andrew Fisher promoted to pres., Cox TV… Traver Gruen-Kennedy, chief strategist at Citrix Systems and chmn., ASP Industry Consortium, appointed pres., Tech. Forum of S. Florida… Alain Briancon, ex-Motorola, named exec. vp-chief technology officer, InterDigital… Oscar Munoz, ex-Qwest, appointed vp-CFO, AT&T Consumer… Appointments to PrivacyRight Board of Advisers: Ray Everett-Church, founder of PrivacyClue LLC; Michelle Kraus, founder of MagicMaker… Paul Yazge, ex- Zaffire, named vp-sales & mktg., Codeon… Jonathan Chauvin-Blitt, ex-Allied Global, appointed pres., Americas, ITT Industries, Network Systems & Services… Robert Allen promoted to vp- accounting & financial reporting, Regent Communications… David Brown, chmn. of U.K. subsidiary Motorola Ltd., awarded knighthood… Don Cameron, former exec. dir., National Education Assn. and founding partner of CEO Forum on Education & Technology, awarded Presidential Citizen’s Medal… Scott Dinsdale, ex- FirstLook, appointed exec. vp-Digital Strategy, MPAA.
Astrolink signed $30 million contract with ViaSat to develop and manufacture service provider gateways for Astrolink system, companies said in joint statement. Contract includes development, integration and delivery of gateways supporting Astrolink’s service rollout in 2003. Viasat produces advanced digital satellite telecom and wireless signal processing equipment for commercial and govt. markets. Other products include information security devices, tactical communication radios, communication simulators. Astrolink is global broadband company owned by Liberty Media.
Sweden’s Telia, which is battling govt. decision not to award it 3rd-generation wireless license, unveiled plan Mon. to create 50-50 joint venture with Tele2, subsidiary of NetCom. Tele2 received one of four 3G license from Sweden’s National Post & Telecommunications Agency (PTS). It said venture will build next- generation mobile network. Agreement gives Telia “equal access” to 3G license that Tele2 has received. “The risk related to the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) investment is radically reduced through this joint venture,” NetCom CEO Lars- Johan Jarnheimer said. Companies said they were considering similar venture in Norway. Agreement with Tele2 will remain valid regardless of outcome of Telia’s appeal with PTS, companies said. Telia is asking country’s courts to suspend PTS decision, citing what it charged were problems in process of awarding spectrum (CD Jan 8 p6).
Gemstar International Group took fresh shot at Time Warner (TW as FCC continued to ponder AOL’s pending acquisition of TW. In 2-page letter to FCC Thurs., Gemstar, which has been sparring with TW over MSO’s temporary blocking of Gemstar’s electronic program guide on TW cable systems last year, warned Commission that cable operator easily could do same thing again because it had shown no remorse. Despite TW’s June “decision to desist from stripping,” Gemstar said, TW “neither acknowledges that stripping is a violation of the FCC’s rules and policies, nor undertakes that it will not resume stripping without awaiting definitive FCC action.” Gemstar urged Commission to “deal with the issues” raised “regarding the anticompetitive nature of Time Warner’s behavior” before approving AOL-TW deal. Specifically, Gemstar wants agency to impose conditions on AOL-TW prohibiting it from discriminating against rival interactive TV content providers.
USTA Pres. Roy Neel, who has been on leave of absence to work in Vice President Gore’s campaign for President, won’t be returning to his post, Assn. announced Mon. Neel officially leaves USTA March 31 but will be working on special projects until then. Interim Pres. Gary Lytle will stay on to run USTA while search committee seeks permanent replacement. Neel, who had been at USTA 7 years, didn’t say what he planned to do.