U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is monitoring recent research by NASA on interference to aircraft communications systems posed by ultra-wideband (UWB) devices, agency spokeswoman said. She said CAA would have to be convinced by airlines or UWB developers that technology didn’t pose threat before its use would be allowed on planes in laptop PCs or other devices. Issue has received flurry of attention in U.K. with news reports that any CAA ban would have to entail outlawing use of all laptop computers on aircraft because there would be no way to pinpoint only devices with UWB technology. Earlier this year, NASA’s Langley Research Center conducted tests on United Airlines aircraft in Victorville, Cal., examining impact of UWB emissions to plane radios. NASA in presentation in May to Air Transport Assn. said preliminary test results showed UWB source caused loss of targets on Traffic Alert & Collision Avoidance System of planes. Limited testing also recorded interference incident at lower emission levels involving part of instrument landing system (ILS). CAA spokeswoman said NASA tests appeared to have involved higher power levels than what would be available on commercially offered UWB equipment. One industry source said ILS system that was tested operated in 108-137 MHz band, below 3.1 to 10.6 GHz at which UWB handheld and indoor systems are allowed to operate. Only emissions from UWB at those levels would be unintentional, source said. TCAS system tested also operated on 2 frequencies that UWB operators aren’t allowed to use, 1030 MHz and 1090 MHz, source said. For now, CAA hasn’t made any decisions on possible UWB ban. “We are waiting for more research to be done,” CAA spokeswoman told us, and “for the technology developers and the airlines if they are looking into it to come to us and tell us that it is not a threat to flight safety.” In U.K., portable electronic devices can’t be used during take-off, landing or when seatbelt sign is on, she said. CAA already has conducted research on interference from wireless phones on ground on frequencies used by those headsets, she said. “We did find that there was potentially significant interference coming from those frequencies.” That led to retention of ban on cellphone use, spokeswoman said, with wireless phone users required to switch off devices when plane’s engines are turned on.

Consumer intentions on buying TV sets fell in Aug. from July for 2nd straight month, according to preliminary data in Conference Board monthly survey. Of 5,000 households polled, 6.7% said they planned to buy TV set in next 6 months, vs. 7.4% in July, 7.7% in June, 7.3% in Aug. 2001. Consumer Confidence Index fell nearly 4 points in Aug., its 2nd decline in as many months, and was at its lowest point since last Nov. Conference Board said findings suggested “consumer spending is not likely to gain momentum any time soon.”

SES Americom asked FCC to force DBS incumbents EchoStar and DirecTV to discuss technical issues as part of petition for declaratory ruling (PDR), it said in ex parte filed late Fri. SES said companies’ refusal to hold coordination discussions on proposed satellite licensed by govt. of Gibralter that would provide DBS service in U.S. violated FCC and ITU regulations. SES plans to establish open DBS platform on which SES Americom2Home customers can lease capacity on satellite that can be used to transmit DBS programming directly to consumers. New satellite, which is expected to be completed by 2004, would be placed at 105.5 W orbital location between EchoStar and DirecTV DBS satellites at 101 degrees W and 110 degreesW (CD Feb 6 p6).

CTIA is soliciting proposals for next phase of research under its Cooperative R&D Agreement (CRADA) with Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on cellphone health effects. Upon FDA’s recommendation, CTIA said new research would focus on epidemiology, including tools for measuring exposure to radio frequency energy from wireless phones. Issues that may be examined include patterns of usage, duration of calls. transmission mode and analysis of exposure changes over time. CTIA and FDA had reached agreement on CRADA in June 2000 for follow-up on cellphone research. Last year, CTIA signed contracts for research under first phase of CRADA with FDA, as part of followup to issues raised by earlier study overseen by Wireless Technology Research and funded by CTIA over 5 years, which had become caught up in controversy and raised preliminary questions for further study. Last year, Sen. Lieberman (D-Conn.) and Rep. Markey (D-Mass.) had stressed need for changes in CRADA to ensure that CTIA followed FDA recommendations on specific research proposals and urging that independence of FDA judgment not be compromised (CD May 22/2001 p1). CTIA said Fri. that FDA “is responsible for the scientific and technical guidance of the research conducted.” Group said studies would be “conducted independently of CTIA and the wireless industry… Changes regarding the scope of work or the direction of research can only be made with FDA approval. Further the FDA will actively oversee the research through a series of regular reports and can request additional reports as necessary.” CTIA said scientists “will own their research,” although contracts require that final results be published in peer- reviewed, scientific journals.

Fighting to stay alive, Globalstar dramatically reduced prices for handsets and rates for calls to unprecedented level as it moved closer to leaving bankruptcy that started 6 months ago, spokesman said Wed. As expected (CD July 22 p4), Globalstar reduced cost for certain high-volume users packages to 17 cents per min. for high-usage calls in U.S. and Caribbean. Similar price plans are expected to be introduced in other global markets, spokesman said. Before cuts were announced, Globalstar prices ranged from 79 cents to $1.60 per min., virtually same as rival Iridium. Handsets also have been reduced 25% from $799 to $599.

U.S. Dist. Court, Atlanta, denied motion by BellSouth for temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against Access Integrated Networks (AIN), which BellSouth is suing for allegedly misleading sales practices that it said falsely associated its products and services with BellSouth (CD Aug 12 p6). Judge Willis Hunt said in decision issued Thurs. that AIN’s suspension of telemarketing activities made injunction unnecessary.

N.H. PUC ordered America’s Digital Satellite Telephone to show cause why it shouldn’t be punished for slamming. PUC acted after receiving more than 60 consumer complaints against carrier in last 3 months alleging it had used deceptive telemarketing tactics that tricked customers into making unwanted carrier switch. PUC said preliminary review indicated cause for state action. Carrier has until Sept. 6 to respond.

SBC/Southern New England Telephone (SNET) filed suit in U.S. Dist. Court, New Haven, charging AT&T Broadband had engaged in false advertising. SBC SNET took issue with ads that began appearing in Conn. newspapers in July that compared price of AT&T local and long distance services against similar offerings by SBC SNET. SNET said ads contained “false and misleading statements” because they compared local service prices offered by SBC SNET in only certain areas of state “without indicating that SBC SNET customers in other areas of the state, with smaller local calling areas, pay significantly less.” Suit also took issue with prices quoted for SBC SNET services that included caller ID, 3-way calling, call forwarding. SBC SNET asked court to put halt to AT&T ads and to compel company to compensate SBC for impact of statements in ads. SBC cited Conn. Unfair Trade Practices Act. Company also requested temporary restraining order and preliminary and permanent injunctive relief.

Rent-a-Center (RAC), despite taking $2 million charge to cover costs in settlement of discrimination lawsuit, said 2nd- quarter net income jumped to $41.9 million from $27.5 million year ago as sales rose to $494.6 million from $442.7 million on 6.6% gain in same-store sales. Rentals and fees rose to $456.1 million from $409 million, while merchandise sales inched up to $23.9 million from $20.1 million. Merchandise sales at Colortyme franchisees increased to $12.4 million from $11.2 million, while royalty income and fees were down slightly to $1.64 million from $1.84 million. Federal judge has given preliminary approval to settlement under which RAC will pay $47 million to more than 5,300 women and make changes in its employment policies. Settlement is expected to be finalized by year-end, capping legal battle that stemmed from suit filed by Claudine Wilfong in Aug. 2000 that applied to women employed in middle management in regional offices. It was followed by one filed by Margaret Bunch covering store managers. RAC also paid $2 million fee in quarter in connection with its paying off $128 million in debt in reducing total to $564 million. Chain also opened 16 stores in quarter, while acquiring another 38 including Conn.-based Rentown. It spent $27.2 million in first half acquiring chains and accounts, CFO Robert Davis said. In cost-saving move implemented earlier this year, 15% of chain’s 2,000 employees are covered by pay scale based on of living in 3 geographic regions with goal of hitting 40-50% by year-end, CEO Mark Speese told analysts in conference call. New pay scale, which was first implemented in Feb., is expected to eventually generate $10 million in annual savings in labor costs, company officials said. As RAC continues to expand based of more than 2,200 stores, chain sees room for 4,000 in U.S., Pres. Mitch Fadel said. Overall rent-to-own market, which encompasses 8,000 stores, could “double before it reaches saturation,” he said.

Vivendi Universal delayed publishing June 30 earnings report until Aug. 14, citing “nonaudited preliminary consolidation results for the second quarter and first half of 2002,” CEO Jean-Renee Fourtou said. Vivendi has “too much debt,” Fourtou said, so company obtained 1 billion euros of unsecured credit and is identifying “assets and holdings not core” to its mission.