Preliminary ultra-wideband (UWB) test results from FAA indicated ground-penetrating radar device caused “very, very severe” interference to aircraft at certain distances, officials said Wed. In tests on airborne helicopter at distance of 100 feet from GPR device, “it totally blocks the communications,” FAA Program Mgr. George Sakai told us. He stressed test results were preliminary and that there would be follow-up round before formal report was given to NTIA in May.

Verizon won preliminary federal court injunction blocking enforcement by Washington state regulators of tough telecom customer account privacy rules that took effect Jan. 1. U.S. Dist. Court Judge Barbara Rothstein, Seattle, said Verizon’s petition had raised “serious questions” about rules’ constitutionality and showed carrier could suffer irreparable harm if rules were enforced while court appeal was pending. Privacy rules adopted by Wash. Utilities & Transportation Commission (WUTC) offer level of protection beyond what FCC specifies. WUTC rules prohibit carriers from selling or using sensitive customer information, such as calling patterns, for marketing purposes unless customer explicitly consents to such use. FCC rules, in contrast, allow use of sensitive data for marketing unless customer specifically forbids such use. Verizon said WUTC rules infringed on its First Amendment commercial free speech rights. It said WUTC had overstepped its legal authority and had hindered company’s ability to speak with and serve its customers. Judge Rothstein said enforcing rules during pendency of Qwest’s appeal would pose more harm to Verizon’s free speech rights than to privacy interests of customers, who would remain protected by FCC’s privacy rules while case proceeded.

PCCW said it wouldn’t approach Cable & Wireless (C&W) again on possible takeover. Commenting on speculations over weekend that it would make another offer to C&W after its preliminary approach was rebuffed in Jan., Hong Kong’s PCCW said Mon.: “It is not in the company’s interest for the continuing uncertainty regarding any possible takeover offer for C&W to continue.” It said outcome of any further approach was “unpredictable” and would lead to “continuing uncertainty.” PCCW also denied speculations about its interest in Japan Telecom, calling it speculation that was “completely unfounded” and said it had “never had any discussion in relation to any transaction involving Japan Telecom.” Company requested temporary suspension of trading of its shares on Hong Kong stock exchange Mon. to review and clarify situation, which it said had caused “confusion” in market. It said trading of its shares would be resumed today (Tues.).

Judgment against Japanese FileRogue file-sharing service was obtained by Recording Industry Assn. of Japan (RIAJ) and 19 member companies. Peer-to-peer file-swapping service, operated by Japan MMO, was sued by RIAJ and other content owners for copyright infringement in Nov. 2001. In April 2002, court imposed preliminary injunction suspending FileRogue service, which survey found had almost 70,000 copyrighted music files available for download. Court now has issued interlocutory judgment that settled defendant’s liability. Damages and other sanctions haven’t been determined.

Publication schedule for final DVD-Audio recording specification hasn’t been announced, DVD Forum said in response to our query on Nikkei report citing sources who said Version 1.0 spec would be decided by end of March. Spokesman for DVD Forum confirmed that preliminary Version 0.9 was published last July, as we have reported. He also confirmed that DVD-Audio recording format would support 8 different codecs that ran gamut from highest-quality to lengthiest recording time -- range from one hour of uncompressed music to 30 hours with compression. One of codecs permits 7 hours of recording but with resolution of Red Book stereo CD.

Energizer and Monster Cable reached agreement that latter will stop using advertising claims that Energizer said were false. Energizer filed suit Jan. 3 alleging Monster’s claim that its batteries had 25% more power than standard alkalines was false, based on independent test results. Under agreement, Monster will remove claims from any Web site it controls by Feb. 1. Monster also must use “best efforts” to remove any point-of- purchase materials at retail that make similar claim. Energizer filed motion for preliminary injunction Jan. 10 and companies entered consent order in lieu of trial. Monster officials weren’t available for comment. Suit covered Monster High Capacity Alkaline PowerCells that were sold as AAA, AA, C, D and 9V batteries in 4, 8 and 20-packs. Monster also had AA Ultra Gold Alkaline PowerCells that it said had 35% more power than standard alkalines.

Consumer intentions on buying TV sets fell sharply in Jan. from Dec., reflecting overall decline in consumer confidence, according to preliminary data in Conference Board monthly survey. Of 5,000 households polled, 6.3% said they planned to buy TV set in next 6 months, vs. 7.5% in Dec., 6.7% in Nov., 7.4% in Jan 2002 . Consumer Confidence Index dropped nearly 2 points from Dec., Conference Board saying: “Overall readings continue to reflect the country’s lackluster economic activity. Now, with the threat of war looming, consumers have grown increasingly cautious about the short-term outlook.”

U.K.-based Rage and its administrative receivers at Ernst & Young said Wed. that game publisher had to close its 4 studios after sale of company couldn’t be completed. They said “it has not proved possible to achieve a sale of the business as a going concern due to the time required to resolve the complex legal issues surrounding the transfer of license and intellectual property rights.” As of our Wed. deadline, 145 of company’s 165 jobs had been cut because there wasn’t any revenue to finance wages, Ernst & Young said. Rage had announced earlier this month that following withdrawal of its banking facilities, Bank of Scotland had appointed Ernst & Young partners Hunter Kelly and Keith Hinds as receivers to handle its assets and supervise Liverpool company.

U.K. Office of Telecom (Oftel) required 4 mobile operators to reduce their charges for making calls to their mobile networks, prompting some operators to consider seeking judicial review of decision. In its ruling, Oftel said it would impose 15% cut in call termination charges for all mobile operators by July 25.

U.S. Navy intends to step up consultations with industry to develop sea-based wireless communications network, effort that will decrease agency’s need to transmit voice and data messages via multiple systems. Vice Admiral Richard Mayo, commander of Naval Network Warfare Command (NETWARCOM), said Wed. at Network Centric Warfare conference in Arlington, Va., that “industry absolutely has to be involved” to develop such direct ship-to-ship wireless capability.