Verizon submitted reply comments Tuesday in support of its request for a limited waiver of phantom traffic rules passed in the USF/intercarrier compensation order, arguing that in certain situations implementing the new call signaling rules is “simply not possible” (http://xrl.us/bm2pib). Verizon said the record evidence is “undisputed” that there are “limited situations in which flexibility is necessary to accommodate legacy technology or other practical concerns.” Even opposing commenters “focus on the breadth of an appropriate accommodation, not the need for one,” Verizon said.
Spacecom, operator of the AMOS-5 satellite, extended its contract with an African communications provider to supply data services over the satellite’s pan-African C-band service. The five-year extension is worth about $11 million, Spacecom said in a press release. AMOS-5 began commercial operations this year and it serves Africa from 17 degrees east in C-band and Ku-band, Spacecom said.
The FCC’s Technical Advisory Board for First Responder Interoperability will hold a public workshop April 23 to collect “additional input on topic areas which the Interoperability Board has determined are relevant to the development of minimum technical requirements to ensure a nationwide level of interoperability for the nationwide public safety broadband network,” the FCC said in a public notice (http://xrl.us/bm2peb). The board was created as one part of the recently enacted Spectrum Act and will oversee the development of a national wireless network for first responders in the 700 MHz band. Four panels are scheduled, details to follow. The workshop is set for 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EDT at FCC headquarters.
SES signed a satellite distribution agreement with SkyGate, an ISP in the Middle East. The five-year contract will support the distribution of SES Broadband in that region, SES said in a press release. The satellite broadband service is “ideally suited for areas that lack terrestrial broadband access.” It’s a fast solution for small and medium-size enterprises and residential users, especially in remote areas, SES said.
Windstream has already seen “significant variations in the IP factors provided by various large carriers” after the USF/intercarrier compensation order reducing certain VoIP access charges to interstate levels, it told FCC Wireline Bureau officials and an aide to Chairman Julius Genachowski (http://xrl.us/bm2pbe). Based on the VoIP factors submitted to Windstream by interexchange carriers (http://xrl.us/bm2pdk), calls that either originate or terminate in VoIP make up between 10.6 percent and 34.2 percent of its total wired calls, depending on the state, it said. Because Windstream can’t determine whether traffic terminated on its network originated in IP format, or whether traffic it originates is terminated in IP format, challenging “surprisingly high factors” will be “time-consuming and resource-intensive,” it said. Windstream urged the commission to give carriers time to address “IP factor implementation concerns” before pressing ahead with originating access reform. If the commission does mandate reductions to originating access, it should provide an access recovery mechanism, Windstream said.
At the FCC’s request, Level 3 submitted data about the financial impact of the Frontier/Windstream proposal for clarification that the commission’s USF/intercarrier compensation order did not intend to flash-cut originating access rates for public switched telephone network-to-VoIP traffic to interstate rate levels (http://xrl.us/bm2pao). The commission asked about revenue gains from collecting intrastate originating access as compared to the increased payments as a result of intrastate originating access, ICC payments versus receipts, the percentage of its ICC payments between origination and termination. Level 3 said it was “not yet able to estimate the long-term effects” of the order on its business, but it “stands to efficiently and effectively compete with AT&T and Verizon, who control more than 70% of the toll-free marketplace.” Specific financial data were redacted for public inspection.
NTelos Wireless signed a deal with Apple to offer the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 to subscribers, starting April 20, the company said Wednesday. The iPhone 4S will be available starting at $149.99 for the 16 GB model, with prices increasing to $249.99 for the 32 GB model and $349.99 for the 64 GB model. Ntelos will offer the iPhone 4 at a subsidized price of $49.99. Customers can choose between a $79.99/month plan offering 600 minutes or a $99.99/month plan with unlimited minutes. NTelos raised its prices for smartphone plans $20 across the board. CEO Jim Hyde said on a call Wednesday that there is “a high level of excitement throughout the nTelcos organization” over the addition of the iPhone. “As we have consistently noted, any wireless operator serious about remaining competitive in the retail wireless spaces has got to offer the most compelling, most requested product available,” he said. NTelos has already picked up “its fair share” of smartphone customers and the iPhone fills out its line-up, he said. “In lock step with industry trends, nTelos expects a disproportionate share of our growth to come from increased smartphone penetration,” Hyde said. Hyde added he couldn’t share most details but had given the matter considerable thought before signing the agreement with Apple. Many small carriers want to add the iPhone, but working out an agreement to do so with Apple isn’t easy, various CEOs said during a panel discussion last week at the Rural Cellular Association conference (CD April 2 p1).
Entravision must show cause why its authorization for KVTV-CA Brownsville, Texas, should not be modified to specify the station as a low-power TV station, a letter from Media Bureau Video Division Chief Barbara Kreisman said. The station appears to have met the requirements of broadcasting 18 hours of programming a day and at least three hours of locally produced programming per week for only three of the last 22 months, the letter said. “Under these circumstances, Entravision should have notified the Commission of its inability to meet ongoing Class A eligibility requirements,” it said.
AT&T discussed several implementation issues regarding intercarrier compensation implementation with officials from the FCC Wireline Bureau, according to an ex parte filing (http://xrl.us/bm2me9). AT&T had several comments about rule 51.907(b)(2), which discusses the methodology price cap carriers must use to establish rates for Transitional Intrastate Access Service. AT&T also posed questions regarding the rate to be used when calculating various terminating rates, and scenarios that would require price cap carriers to re-file rates for a given tariff period.
Entravision can’t change the community of license of its WJAL-TV Hagerstown, Md., station to Silver Spring, Md., a letter from FCC Media Bureau Chief William Lake said (http://xrl.us/bm2mep). The station’s application had some procedural problems, Lake said. But “even if we were inclined to overlook the procedural irregularities of Entravision’s new proposal and waive the filing freeze on petitions for rulemaking by television stations to change their community of license, the Commission’s priorities no longer support such an action,” the letter said. Allowing Entravision to move a DTV station closer into a top-10 TV market runs counter to the policy goals of the National Broadband Plan, and the planned incentive spectrum auctions, he said.