High-tech e-businesses are even less inclined to add women to their boards than traditional telecom and media companies, Annenberg Public Policy Center said in study released Wed. Study shows women comprise 12% of board members at media companies, 11% at telecom and cable corporations but only 4% at Internet businesses, fact that surprised panel of top communications industry executives at conference at which study was released. Panelists said they would assume new, more youth-oriented e- businesses would be more aware of benefits of adding women to their ranks.
Linda Kinney promoted to acting assoc. gen. counsel, FCC… Nortel COO Clarence Chandran takes medical leave of absence, with CEO John Roth assuming day-to-day control… Leo Hindery, HL Capital, elected to Keynote Systems board… Michael Pirrone, ex- Vyvx, appointed vp-strategic sales for broadcast and cable industries, GeoVideo Networks… David Berman, ex-PanAmSat, named CEO, Airia Limited… Jay Kernis, ex-CBS, appointed senior vp- programming, NPR… Advanced to shareholders (partners) Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson & Hand: Marla Grossman and Julian Shepard, of counsel… James Rosenthal promoted to pres.-New Line TV… D'Anne Hurd, ex-NaviPath named CFO-gen. counsel, Vividon… Jan Aggerbeck, ex-@Network, appointed CEO, 2netFX… CNET reporter Patrick Ross, ex-Communications Daily, receives Maxwell Media Award for coverage of cable.
Alliance for Better Campaigns report “got it all wrong” in asserting that broadcasters in elections last year “gouged” political candidates and charged exorbitant air time rates, NAB officials said Wed. NAB Pres. Edward Fritts told press briefing in Washington that broadcasters “are abiding by the rules and regulations set forth by the Congress and administered by the FCC… The risks are too high and the rewards too low” for stations to break the law, he said. NAB Gen. Counsel Jack Goodman said stations didn’t steer candidates to premium spots; rather candidates were willing to pay premium rates for fixed ad spots to ensure greater visibility.
FCC rulemaking on Multichannel Video Distribution & Data Services (MVDDS)continues to stir debate in comments to Commission (CD March 14 p3). Startup Skybridge said it believed MVDDS systems such as one proposed by Northpoint were “grossly discriminatory against NGSO FSS systems that it plans to use. It said rulemaking “accepts practically every unsupported and contradictory assertion proffered” by MVDDS supporters while “ignoring the clearly documented and critical needs” of NGSO-FSS operators. EchoStar said conclusion by FCC on spectrum sharing was wrong and agency should examine its own history to make determination that “ubiquitous satellite service and ubiquitous terrestrial” cannot share same frequencies. Northpoint motives are opportunistic and form of unjust enrichment, EchoStar said: “There is no valid reason other than enrichment hopes” why Northpoint needs to operate service in DBS band (12.2-12.7 GHz). EchoStar said Northpoint could best service public interest by purchasing LMDS or wireless cable license, either at auction or in secondary market. DirecTV said rulemaking jeopardizes DBS in way that’s unfathomable. Idea that Northpoint will operate in DBS downlink band as good citizen without causing interference is untenable, it said. DirecTV said Northpoint’s proposed MVDDS was nothing more than fixed wireless service offering video and broadband capabilities and would be better off in another frequency band such as 2.5 GHz (MMDS), 24 GHz (DEMS), 28 GHz (LMDS) or 39 GHz. Meanwhile, Minority Media & Telecom Council (MMTC) backed Northpoint. MMTC said Northpoint’s service would aid minorities and rural residents while “increasing the diversity of voices available to all citizens.” Satellite Bcstg. & Communications Assn. (SBCA) and Boeing said they will challenge rulemaking launched during term of Chmn. William Kennard with petitions for reconsideration. Both plan to file next week.
ICO-Teledesic Global, which controls satellite assets of Craig McCaw announced agreement Wed. with Ellipso to collaborate on building mobile satellite system, terms not announced. ICO- Teledesic subsidiary New ICO and Ellipso will work together on financial, business and regulatory issues related to deployment of satellite systems capable of providing wide range of advanced broadband services globally, they said. Companies said deal could lead eventually to strategic alliance and merger. “This is the first step” of Craig McCaw in “acquiring assets of Ellipso,” spokesman said.
ALTS said FCC could promote DSL competition if it barred ILECs from offering DSL capabilities to customers served by remote terminals until they gave competitors same capability. In reply comments on ILEC line-sharing requirements, ALTS said such action would “eliminate ILEC incentives to continue stonewalling competitors who want to provide services to those customers.” It said that while there was competition for DSL-based services there was “virtually no competition in the provision of the underlying local loop on which DSL rides.” ILECs’ arguments that they should be exempt from unbundling rules because DSL competition exists are “red herring,” filing said.
FCC denied petition for reconsideration of its June decision to approve AT&T-MediaOne merger. In order adopted Feb. 8 but not released until Wed., FCC rejected arguments for review in joint petition by Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America and Media Access Project. Rejecting petitioners’ contention that agency’s decision was tainted by violation of ex parte rules, Commission said it had “relied on no other information or arguments” that were not part of voluminous record compiled in proceeding. Petitioners had alleged that AT&T had hundreds of meetings with Commission staff without filing adequate notification of substantive issues presented, violating agency’s rules. As for charge that Commission’s “overly generous” determination to give AT&T 12 months to come into compliance with cable ownership limits was “arbitrary and capricious,” FCC said decision rested on its finding that special circumstances warranted additional time and that grant, as conditioned, served public interest. Order doesn’t address any of issues presented to FCC by U.S. Appeals Court, D.C., in remanding agency’s limits on cable horizontal and vertical ownership, Commission said.
U.S. carriers outlined litany of concerns to FCC International Bureau Wed. on challenges they face when entering foreign telecom markets, with several companies stressing lack of enforcement in countries that have deregulation measures. Bureau held forum to solicit information it will use to supplement its 2000 edition of International Markets Report. Western Wireless International Pres. Brad Horwitz told forum that company had focused on foreign markets where cost of entry to obtain licenses was low, through processes such as comparative hearings rather than auctions. Having entered markets, process of obtaining interconnection is one of largest challenges, Horwitz said. On regulatory side, company faces challenge of lack of enforcement powers by agencies in countries where incumbent telco may be “the largest hard currency earner,” he said. “You make progress but it’s in small steps -- circuit by circuit.” Joanna McIntosh, AT&T vp-international affairs, told International Bureau that it would be helpful to have U.S. regulators link telecom issues discussed with foreign counterparts to market access issues. “There is no sense talking about joint statements on e-commerce if there is no infrastructure to take you there,” she said. Dan Gonzalez of XO Communications outlined gamut of market entry requirements, with U.K., Germany and Netherlands tending toward more flexible regulations. Countries such as Belgium and France are on more restrictive end of spectrum. Lawrence Spiwak, pres.-Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal & Economic Policy Studies, said “fundamental problem” was that foreign regulators frequently looked to example of U.S. telecom policy for guidance. “The U.S. is not setting a good example,” he said.
FCC is seeking comment on Cingular Wireless request for waiver to exclude from CRMS spectrum cap 1.5 MHz of 900 MHz SMR spectrum held by its subsidiary Cingular Interactive. In request filed March 7, Cingular said that spectrum company wanted to exclude was well below recognized amount needed to compete in broadband CMRS market and wasn’t interchangeable with any of Cingular’s cellular or PCS spectrum. Granting waiver would permit Cingular, in nonrural markets where it already has cellular license totaling 25 MHz, to obtain 2nd 10 MHz broadband PCS license without exceeding cap. Comments are due April 3, replies April 13.
FCC modified methodology used to assess contributions carriers make to federal universal service support mechanisms by reducing interval between accrual of revenues and assessment of contributions based on those revenues. To base assessments on revenue data more reflective of current market conditions, interval was reduced to 6 months from one year. Agency said existing process “may place carriers with decreasing interstate revenues at a competitive disadvantage as compared to carriers with stable or increasing interstate revenues.” Some carriers had complained that basing contribution on year-ago revenue was unfair. They said if their revenue went down in current year they would end up paying greater percentage of their current revenue into universal service fund than other carriers. Agency said it still thought current methodology was “competitively neutral” and met Telecom Act but “we conclude that reducing this interval will be superior to the current methodology by basing assessments on revenue data that are more reflective of current market conditions.” FCC said it decided against alternative of basing contributions on current revenues as AT&T sought because it would increase reporting burdens on carriers.