BEI Technologies said it had acquired digital quartz inertial measurement and miniature integrated GPS/INS tactical systems (MIGITS) units from Boeing Co., terms not disclosed. BEI said acquisition of subsystems lines would give it access to developed Microelectromechanical Systems and Global Positioning Systems for aerospace, defense and commercial applications.
Bidding in FCC’s C- and F-block auction slowed Fri., but reached $13.07 billion, with Verizon Wireless maintaining wide lead of $5.52 billion in net high bids. Other top bidders include AT&T Wireless-backed Alaska Native Wireless with $2.75 billion and Cingular Wireless-backed Salmon PCS with $1.94 billion. AT&T Wireless doesn’t appear in list of top 15 bidders, and Cingular isn’t competing as standalone entity. In all, top 15 bidders now include 13 designated entities, most of which have links to larger carriers. While Verizon is by far highest bidder, $2.26 billion of its total is in bids for 2 N.Y.C. licenses at $1.17 billion and $1.1 billion. Alaska Native Wireless bid $758 million for 3rd license in that market. After 31 rounds, Verizon had highest bids on licenses in Washington, Boston, L.A., Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia. Alaska Native Wireless had high bids for spectrum in L.A. and Atlanta and Salmon PCS in Dallas license. Dobson Communications DCC PCS edged into upper echelon of bidders, placing 4th with $957.68 million, followed by VoiceStream with $540.12 million, affiliated Cook Inlet with $348.69 million, Leap Wireless with $293.47 million. Last week marked exit of several large carriers, including Sprint PCS and Alltel. Of 87 bidders who qualified at Dec. 12 start of auction, 49 remained as of late Fri. SVC BidCo, designated entity in which Sprint has 60% noncontrolling investment, still was in auction. Other bidders who have left auction include Nextel, Sprint affiliate Alamosa PCS, Nextel-affiliated designated entity Connectbid, Cincinnati Bell Wireless.
Titan Corp. announced installment of 30 satellite gateways in Africa, Middle East and Latin America. Company said it had been attempting to capitalize on opportunity to provide telecom services to underserved markets by installing satellite gateways that use geosynchronous orbit satellites to offer voice and data capacity to global long distance carriers.
Largest AT&T affiliate TeleCorp PCS said it added 145,231 customers in quarter ended Dec. 31. TeleCorp PCS was created last year after merger of TeleCorp Wireless, which added 95,656 subscribers in 4th quarter, and Tritel, which added 49,575. Combined entity had year-end subscriber base of 666,425. Tritel said it expected to take premerger one-time charge related to reductions in roaming revenue. TeleCorp PCS said that was likely to mean $4 million reduction in roaming revenue guidance for quarter for Tritel.
FCC issued Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) Fri. that examines potential spectrum that could be tapped for 3rd- generation wireless and other advanced services. Agency seeks comments on providing mobile and fixed services in 1755-1850 MHz band now used by military, various approaches for 2500-2690 MHz now occupied by Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS) and Instructional TV Fixed Service (ITFS) licensees, proposed allocation of 1710-1755 MHz for fixed and mobile services, and other options (CD Jan 5 p1). Interim report on 3G spectrum issued by FCC last fall said segmenting MMDS and ITFS bands to allow operation of advanced mobile services would pose technical challenges. NPRM seeks comments on scenarios that would allow operation of advanced wireless services in that frequency. One possibility, FCC said, is allocating spectrum for fixed and mobile services on co-primary basis, which would allow spectrum to be used for advanced offerings such as 3G. Comment is invited on “public interest costs and benefits” of adding mobile allocation to bands without mandatory relocation. NPRM asks whether there are steps that could bolster secondary market in those bands so they could “evolve to their highest value use,” whether fixed or mobile. “Could current ITFS/MDS licensees reorganize their systems to continue providing current services and also offer new mobile services on a competitive basis with other wireless system providers, such as cellular or PCS,” FCC asked. It wondered whether part of spectrum could be made available for new entities. It asked ITFS licensees whether adding mobile service allocation to 2500-2690 MHz would help educators and, “if so, how such operations could be utilized in an educational context.” MMDS licensees are asked whether adding mobile service would benefit their band plans. If part of band were cleared for advanced wireless services and incumbents had to be moved, notice asks how licensees could be accommodated elsewhere. In that area, agency is looking for cost estimates for relocation and whether equipment would need to be retuned or facilities would have to be replaced altogether. Second phase of FCC’s 3G spectrum report, due in March, is to cover potential relocation options and related costs. NPRM also seeks comment on several band pairing schemes and pairing options. In general terms, FCC solicits feedback on range of advanced wireless services that could be introduced in future and their cost impact on manufacturers, system operators, consumers. Comment is sought on how much additional capacity is needed for advanced services, including high-speed data and multimedia applications such as full-motion video. Specifically, NPRM asks what size of spectrum blocks would be appropriate and when extra spectrum will be needed.
Corning Precision Lens will unveil HDTV optical platform for new model RCA TV it produced with Thomson Multimedia. Set, to be showcased at current CES in Las Vegas, creates images using liquid crystal light valves and high-intensity discharge lamp instead of CR tube.
TechNet formally announced appointment of former Rep. Rick White (R-Wash.) as its new CEO. White founded Congressional Internet Caucus and was involved in numerous Internet-related laws, including Internet Tax Freedom Act. He has been partner in Perkins, Coie since losing reelection bid in 1998. “I'm really excited about it,” White told us in interview. He said TechNet would set its agenda for year in executive committee meeting Jan. 11, but he expected hot issues to be trade and education. “I don’t see a whole lot of threats from the government,” White said. “Both parties still want to do business with us. We still have a window of opportunity” for key issues, and “frankly I can’t think of a lot of people opposed to technology.” He said that during his time in Congress, “there was an aversion in the technology community to spend time with government, and government quite frankly didn’t get it… There’s been a gradual evolution in the right direction.”
NorthPoint and Verizon are arguing over legal venue in their merger breakdown suits. Verizon’s motion for stay to halt suit brought in Cal. court, heard Jan. 3, was countered by NorthPoint’s motion for stay to keep proceedings out of Del., where Verizon began proceeding. NorthPoint said it would be “hardship” to litigate in Del., its counsel said, but Verizon said Del. was appropriate. Hearing on NorthPoint’s motion is scheduled Jan.17.
As FCC continued to wrestle with imposing additional regulatory conditions on AOL’s pending purchase of Time Warner (TW), Microsoft and other online rivals of AOL pressed their furious campaign for instant messaging (IM) requirements. In latest letter to FCC Chmn. Kennard Thurs., Microsoft called again for “imposition of a meaningful and enforceable condition that facilitates IM interoperability by enabling consumers to communicate with each other regardless of the IM system they use.” Along with brief letter, Microsoft and its allies sent 2-page fact sheet listing 8 consumer groups, 53 companies and associations, 10 senators, 12 House members and 7 publications that are calling for IM interoperability. At minimum, Microsoft argued in separate filing with FCC Tues., “the Commission should obligate AOL to enter into multiple contracts with leading IM providers to allow for interoperability prior to offering any advanced services over the broadband infrastructure of Time Warner’s cable systems.” In earlier filing with Commission, nationwide group of ISPs that had brought class action lawsuit over AOL’s 5.0 and 6.0 software urged agency to force company to modify its offending software feature. They argued that regulatory condition changing that feature, which directs modem calls away from user’s desired ISP to AOL access number, “would do more to introduce competition in Internet access than the instant messaging condition that has been the subject of recent press reports.” Meanwhile, new op-ed piece published by Cato Institute said FTC’s open access conditions on AOL-TW merger would hurt consumers and hamper competition and innovation by dampening incentives for rivals to build competing high-speed data systems. “The entire forced access campaign is an unfortunate example of unelected regulators overstepping their bounds,” wrote Clyde Crews, Cato technology studies dir. “They are exploiting their power over industries to make regulatory ‘law’ that should require an act of Congress. Forced access represents a regrettable new incarnation of industrial policy.”
Time Warner Cable began offering commercial video-on-demand (VoD) service in Tampa Bay, expanding total reach of its nascent VoD service to 130,000 digital cable homes in Fla.’s Pinellas County. Concurrent Computer Corp., which is supplying technology for Time Warner, said deployment now exceeded total U.S. installed base claimed by other VoD suppliers. Time Warner also is using Concurrent’s video server and software system in Honolulu area.