Rep. Boucher (D-Va.) urged USTA members to start lobbying to prevent Judiciary Committees in both houses of Congress from acquiring additional jurisdiction over telecom legislation. At USTA conference in Washington Wed., he also asked USTA to press Judiciary members to reject ALTS proposal that would require structural separation of ILECs’ network and wholesale units before offering interLATA data services, a measure he claimed was being orchestrated with support of long distance companies.
Land mobile radio services and 218-219 MHz service users face mandatory FCC electronic filing deadlines of March 20, April 25 and June 5. FCC Wireless Bureau said dates represented close of transition periods that end 6 months after date for each of 3 phases in which land mobile services have deployed to Commission’s universal licensing system. March 20 deadline is for first phase of land mobile deployment and April 25 for 2nd phase. Bureau said application also must be filed electronically by April 25 if both radio service codes were subject to order, but may be optional for radio services code.
Although it already has secured space on AOL Time Warner’s high-speed cable lines, EarthLink urged FCC to open all high-speed cable lines to independent ISPs. In its latest ex parte filings on Commission’s open access inquiry, EarthLink argued that “Internet access is an information service that is provided to the public via a telecommunications service” and that facilities-based providers of information services must offer nondiscriminatory access to their lines. EarthLink stressed that “increasing consumer demand for broadband services makes prompt Commission action on cable open access essential if consumers are to have meaningful choices of broadband Internet access providers.” Pointing to its own 4th-quarter growth, it said broadband “has now reached the point of exponential growth that was experienced in the dial-up Internet access market approximately 5 years ago.” EarthLink also warned FCC that U.S. Supreme Court could usurp Commission’s authority if it didn’t promptly decide “proper regulatory classification of cable modem service.” At same time, Comcast in ex parte presentation to FCC complained of service advances by MSO and increased competition it faced from DBS providers and cable overbuilders. Arguing that “the market is working,” company urged Commission to avoid extending open access mandates imposed on AOL Time Warner to rest of cable industry. It said cable Internet access “will continue to develop appropriately without government intrusion.” Comcast also said it was likely to extend its multiple ISP technical trial to other ISPs beyond Juno Online Services. In separate ex parte filing, AT&T said its multiple ISP technical trial in Boulder, Colo., had grown to include more than 300 cable subscribers. AT&T said test, now in 4th month, had 4 active ISPs -- EarthLink, Excite@Home, Juno, WorldNet. Company said 3 other ISPs -- IC&C (formerly RMI.net), MSN and Winfire -- still were working through “the technical and operational details of providing service and hope to be online soon.”
Young Bcstg. disputed EchoStar claim at FCC that it “conditioned” retransmission consent for Nashville and San Francisco stations on carriage of Young stations in other markets while charging excessive fees. After having local broadcast signals shut off in San Francisco and Nashville when it couldn’t reach agreement (CD March 2 p10), EchoStar moved fight with broadcaster to Commission, where it accused Young of attempting to get “arrangement” under which it would be paid “4 times for retransmission of network-affiliated stations.” Carriage complaint at FCC charged Young attempted to receive cash fee “above norm” for retransmission deals and making carriage of independent stations prerequisite for contract.
“One-on-One” with FCC Chmn. Powell highlights NAB State Leadership Conference Mon. at J.W. Marriott Hotel, Washington. Powell will immediately follow opening panel of FCC staffers. Members of Congress scheduled to appear include House Majority Leader Armey (R-Tex.), House Telecom Subcommittee Chmn. Upton (R- Mich.), Sen. Hollings (S.C.), ranking Democrat on Commerce Committee, and Sen. Cleland (D-Ga.) of Commerce Committee.
Regulators grappled at ITU information session on IP telephony in Geneva Tues. with how to preserve universal service on new networks while opening competition beyond legacy systems controlled by incumbent operators. Day-long information session was held before start today (Wed.) of World Telecom Policy Forum on IP telephony, first summit on that topic hosted by ITU. “IP telephony can spur the deployment of Internet facilities in developing countries,” said FCC Comr. Ness on panel, echoing point raised elsewhere in information session that IP technology could “leapfrog” legacy systems in areas that still didn’t have full build-out of circuit-switched systems. “The FCC encourages governments to remain open to the development of IP telephony. To the greatest extent possible, market forces should continue to drive advances,” she said.
Research firm Jupiter Media Metric forecast that wireless Web users in U.S. would grow to 96 million in 2005 from 4.1 million in 2000. In report, Jupiter projected that of 96 million users then, 74.9 million would be using handsets centered on voice functions, 7.3 million data-centered handsets, 4.4 million Web-enabled personal digital assistants. Report predicted that national carriers would be consolidated into 3 companies within 5 years as regional operators are absorbed by larger rivals. Jupiter said 3rd-generation wireless services were “no near-term reality” in U.S., although they were scheduled to launch in Asia in next 2 years, with U.S. and European markets not seeing wireless broadband connections for 4 to 6 years. U.S. deployment of location-based wireless services will emerge in 2 years, report said, driven by FCC mandates on Enhanced 911 capabilities. Jupiter said European carriers would promote location-based mobile services in next year using less precise location data.
FCC Common Carrier Bureau declined to preempt Nev. PUC decision delegating interconnection agreement negotiations for county-owned telecom incumbent to county govt. Case involved negotiations between Churchill County Communications (CCC) and CLEC Virtual Hipster. CLEC had sought PUC arbitration of impasse with CCC, but PUC said state law gave Churchill County Board of Commissioners primary jurisdiction over county-owned telecom company. County board said it was willing to arbitrate interconnection agreement, but Virtual Hipster wanted FCC to take over on ground that state had refused to carry out its Telecom Act responsibilities. Common Carrier Bureau said preemption wasn’t justified since state law vested jurisdiction in such matter at county level and county was willing to participate in Telecom Act’s process.
There’s no requirement that long distance companies must interconnect with CLECs unless FCC imposes specific order and prescribes “economic terms associated with such obligation,” Sprint argued in reply comments filed with FCC March 2. Comments were in proceeding exploring whether long distance companies could refuse to purchase access services from certain CLECs. Sprint asked for declaratory ruling after U.S. Dist. Court, Alexandria, Va., asked for FCC input. Furthermore, said Sprint: “The Commission consistently has taken a market-based approach to the offering and provision of CLEC access service, which permits and encourages IXCs [interexchange carriers] to shift their access business to and from access service providers based on cost considerations.” Issue stems from long distance companies’ refusal to pay access to CLECs who set their fees much higher than ILEC market rates.
Verizon is now 4th largest long distance company in U.S., having just hit 5 million customer mark, Co-CEO Ivan Seidenberg said Mon. at Credit Suisse First Boston conference in N.Y. He said company was aiming for 6.4 million by end of year as it gained Sec. 271 approval in more states. Current customer base includes former GTE states and N.Y. where it won Sec. 271 entry year ago. FCC action is expected soon on Mass. application, and Verizon plans to file applications for N.J. and Pa. soon, he said. Seidenberg also told investors that Verizon was on track to meet financial targets announced in Feb., including revenue growth in 8-10% range for year and similar gain in earnings per share. He said company’s predictions were conservative because they already factored in soft economy. On wireless side, company now has 27.5 million customers, with 50% of them using digital technology. Seidenberg predicted that regulatory environment would go through “enormous changes” with new Administration and new FCC Chmn. Powell. He said he expected Powell to go from old FCC’s habit of “managing market share and picking winners and losers” to “letting the marketplace pick winners and losers.”