Broadcasters and cable should simplify video encoding to make captioning easier, said Steven Blumenschein, pres. of XOrbit Software. Firm developed UltraCast software, which it said eliminates need to reduplicate shows, and provides flexibility to modify captions without re-encoding tapes.
Sirius Radio said it conducted first test of satellite radio system from orbiting satellite to mobile car radios. Ford Telematics Dir. Russ Minick said “difference between Sirius and regular radio is really impressive.” Tweeter Home Entertainment Group Buyer Marc Spatz said listening to service live “exciting.” Testing includes end-to-end testing and integration of Sirius receiver, studio, broadcast, transaction management and customer service systems, as well as feedback from listeners on programming, company said.
GSM Assn. reached agreement with TDMA wireless group Universal Wireless Communications Consortium (UWCC) to include TDMA interoperability with GSM as component of GSM Global Roaming Forum. Point of forum is to foster interoperability of GSM and non-GSM technologies with goal of intrastandard roaming among carriers. Groups said GSM and TDMA interoperability, through GSM/ANSI-136 Interoperability, has been under discussion since 1999. Agreement between 2 wireless groups brought development work under purview of roaming forum. Forum develops technical requirements for terminals, networking and commercial standards for services, billing and financial settlements.
FCC asked for comment on Rural Task Force (RTF) proposal for reforming universal service program for rural telcos. Federal- State Joint Board forwarded plan to FCC Dec. 22 (CD Dec 26 p4). In proposed rulemaking issued Jan. 12, FCC said it sought comments on: (1) In general, whether RTF plan should be adopted “as a means of providing stability to rural carriers,” whether it provided “sufficient” universal service support. (2) Effect of plan on competition, how small ILECs and new entrants would be affected. (3) More specific implementation details such as proposed “safety valve mechanism” for providing additional support to rural carriers. For example, agency asked how that support should be distributed if rural carriers were eligible for more than proposed fund cap. (4) Implementation of RTF proposal to fix per-line support at a specific level in competitive study areas. (5) Implementation issues involving “safety net additive support.” Comments will be due 30 days after proposal is published in Federal Register, probably this week.
NTL says its 4th quarter was record-breaking in subscriber additions, with 86,800 new customers joining during period. NTL also said “original” franchises had their 20th consecutive quarter of increased customer penetration, to 50.7%, and Teesside franchise continued to lead U.K. operations with 66.9% household penetration.
Ohio PUC ordered state’s 4 largest incumbent telcos to reduce their intrastate access charges to interstate levels set by FCC July 1 when it implemented CALLS Coalition’s access and universal service reform plan for large telcos. PUC directed Ameritech, Cincinnati Bell, Sprint and Verizon, which put interstate CALLS into effect July 1, to file new access tariffs by end of Jan. Agency ordered interexchange carriers to follow promptly with their plans for passing their access savings across the board to their customers. In past, Ohio set intrastate access charges by mirroring structure and rates of interstate access charges, but PUC in June 30 decision halted mirroring until it had chance to review impacts on state if access rate reductions required by CALLS plan were put into effect on intrastate basis. PUC concluded that resumption of interstate access mirroring rather than company-by-company PUC access charge reviews would be most sensible way to promote policy goals of lower interexchange rates, elimination of implicit subsidies, efficient competition and investment and regulatory certainty for telecom industry. For state’s smaller incumbents, PUC said it wouldn’t change anything until FCC decided on interstate access and universal service reforms pending for rural telcos. For CLECs, PUC said their access charges would remain capped at their present levels, with cuts permitted. Increases, however, will require full cost support.
“Of all the networks, we are situated very nicely… We are in very, very good condition” in case of strike by writers and/or actors, but “I would rather not get into specifics” about steps NBC is taking, Entertainment Co-Chmn. Lloyd Braun told TV critics in Pasadena Fri. “We really don’t want to develop or put on the air any show that we wouldn’t otherwise put on the air if there wasn’t a strike.” Some of that preparation involves reality shows, but fellow Co-Chmn. Stu Blumberg said “it’s not a function of us saying we've got to put so much reality on the air” -- programming staple being used by other networks in strike preparation (CD Jan 11 p3). On sluggish ad environment for all networks, Braun said “we are starting to see signs of improvement, but it has been tough for everybody.” ABC was last of over-air TV networks to appear before critics -- and, unlike others, it didn’t provide any official who could discuss news or other govt. issues under upcoming Bush Administration.
Pat Patton, ex-KMBC and KCWE Kansas City, named program dir., KRON San Francisco… Mercedes Walton, ex-AT&T, appointed pres.- COO, Applied Digital Solutions… Alex Best, ex-Cox Communications, joins board of Concurrent Computer… Jeff Rich, pres.-CEO, Affiliated Computer Services, elected to Pegasus Solutions board… Appointments at Pingtel: Dan Petrie, ex- Logica, to chief architect; Jonathan Ross, ex-Artisoft, to vp- sales; Mike Storella, ex-FreightQuest, to vp-customer service… Chris Clough, vp-corporate communications, leaves Network Solutions.
FCC’s C- and F-block PCS auction, which appeared to be entering home stretch, reached $15.3 billion in net high bids late Fri. Verizon Wireless and 2 designated entities with backing from Cingular Wireless and AT&T Wireless accounted for nearly 3/4 of all bids, led by Verizon with $6.2 billion. Cingular-backed Salmon PCS bid $3.1 billion and Alaska Native Wireless, which has nearly 39% AT&T investment, $2.6 billion. Other top bidders include Dobson Communications subsidiary DCC PCS with $960.8 million, VoiceStream with $558.3 million and Cook Inlet with $498.1 million. AirGate PCS, Sprint PCS Network partner, withdrew from bidding last week, following Alltel, Sprint PCS and Nextel. “The prices in our territory have increased beyond a reasonable threshold,” AirGate CEO Thomas Dougherty said. “We believe that investing in our network is a better use of corporate funds.” In all, 39 bidders remain of 87 at Dec. 12 start of auction. Only 33 new bids were placed in 51st round Fri. Bidding also has entered 3rd and final stage, meaning that under auction rules, participants must use at least 98% of eligibility credits to retain eligibility level without using waiver. Initial stage of auction requires bidders to remain active in more than 80% of bidding units on which they placed upfront payments, with threshold increasing at later stages to keep pace of bids moving. Competition still remains most fierce for N.Y.C. licenses, with bids of $1.6 billion, $1.3 billion and $1.2 billion from, respectively, Verizon, Alaska Native and Salmon PCS.
There may be “significant merit” in ALTS compromise proposal to curb high CLEC access charges (CD Jan 12 p8), Assn. of Communications Enterprises (ASCENT) said in comments filed Jan. 11. ALTS proposed setting ceilings for access charges as alternative to more drastic mandatory detariffing. ASCENT said it, too, had recommended rate ceilings and while those proposed by ALTS were lower, “they nonetheless appear to constitute a rational compromise between the conflicting interests of LECs and IXCs.”