Commerce Secy. Donald Evans met with wireless industry executives again Tues. to discuss spectrum issues, following up on similar session last month on 3rd-generation wireless challenges. CTIA Pres. Tom Wheeler said Evans met with executive committee of association, which stressed international ramifications of U.S. spectrum needs and “spectrum gap” in U.S. compared with other countries. Wireless executives also emphasized need for plan that “identifies and delivers harmonized spectrum and does that in a very expeditious way.” Wheeler said, “he is very aware of the fact that this is something that has to be resolved at a principals level,” referring to need for discussion among top- ranking officials of different federal agencies. In general, one challenge of Bush Administration has been that some of principals still needed to be in place to begin carrying out discussions, including head of NTIA, which hasn’t yet been named. “He’s very interested in seeing things happen,” said one source. To that end, Evans has discussed spectrum issues with Defense Secy. Donald Rumsfeld and “both Powells,” source said, meaning Secy. of State Colin Powell and FCC Chm. Michael Powell.
Multichannel Video Distribution & Data Services (MVDDS) could cause “significant interference threat” to DBS services unless “wide variety of mitigation techniques” are used, according to independent Mitre report released by FCC late Mon. Report said mitigation techniques, if applied properly under appropriate circumstances, could greatly reduce potential MVDDS interference impact upon DBS. Report stopped short of endorsing Northpoint or supporting DBS claims (CD April 9 p6). Instead it left final decision up to FCC, but did provide technical assessment of issues surrounding interference. “MVDDS/DBS bandsharing appears feasible if and only if suitable mitigation measures are applied,” report said: “Different combinations of measures are likely to prove best for different locales and situations.” Supporters of DBS and Northpoint claimed victory following release of report.
Three communications lobbyists have written how-to guide FCC Lobbying: Handbook of Insider Tips and Practical Advice. Authors Erwin Krasnow, David Siddall and Michael Berg practice at Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson & Hand. Book published by Telecommunications Reports International is $199 in print, $179 on Internet -- www.tr.com or 800-822-6388.
LAS VEGAS - FCC is stepping up tower enforcement activities and is focusing field investigations on repeat offenders in order to use Enforcement Bureau’s field resources more efficiently, bureau Chief David Solomon said in NAB convention panel discussion here. Although patterns of violations will elicit greatest scrutiny from Commission investigators, Solomon said broadcasters and other wireless infrastructure operators that voluntarily disclosed violations might lessen FCC penalties.
Ex-FCC Public Affairs Dir. Joy Howell has formed Cambridge Strategic Partners, public policy and marketing communications company with Precursor Group, Pulver.com and ex-FCC Chmn. William Kennard among its clients.
Opponents of Bell company data relief bill put on show of solidarity and attacked measure’s merits at Tues. news conference, but they were very quiet on what tactics they could use to defeat it, except procedural objections, with time running out before Thurs.’s House Telecom Subcommittee markup (CD April 24 p2). USTA, on other hand, made very clear that its rhetoric would ignore criticism of bills and focus on critics, which it said were fronts for AT&T’s attempt to protect cable Internet business. House Commerce Committee Chmn. Tauzin (R-La.) and ranking Democrat Dingell (Mich.) were poised to reintroduce last year’s HR-2420 just after our deadline, when House reconvened.
VoiceStream reported late Mon. that it added 484,700 subscribers in first quarter, increasing its base to 4.4 million as of March 31. Carrier outlined preliminary results and said it would announce full financial report May 7. VoiceStream said it expected pending merger with Deutsche Telekom, which still awaits FCC approval and decision by Committee on Foreign Investment in U.S., to close May 31. Earlier this year, Deutsche Telekom told SEC that deal wasn’t expected to close until “at least” May 31. Meanwhile, VoiceStream said it expected consolidated service revenue for 2001 to grow 120-125% in 2001. It also anticipated cash flow losses to be less than $300 million for year, with most coming in first quarter.
LAS VEGAS -- On distant horizon is “complete marriage” of all facets of all communications industries, “but not in the generation of anybody in this room,” FCC Chmn. Powell said at NAB convention here Tues. Answering questions from ABC correspondent Sam Donaldson before standing-room-only breakfast, chmn. said “I have no idea what the future is” but he was confident that total convergence in all communications segments would become reality in very long term.
Jeff Eisenach, Progress & Freedom Foundation, named to Tech Center Exec. Board of Advisers… Todd Dickinson, ex-Undersecy. of Commerce for Intellectual Property and ex-dir., U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, joins Howrey, Simon, Arnold & White as partner… Julian Shepard, ex-Verner, Lipfert, Bernhard, McPherson & Hand, named partner in Washington law firm Venable, Baetjer, Howard & Civeletti… James Miller, InterDigital, elected vice chmn., Third Generation Partnership Project’s Radio Access Network technical specifications group… David Abraham, ex-St. Luke’s Communications, named gen. mgr.-networks for Europe, Africa and Middle East, Discovery Networks, Europe… Raymond Kowalski, ex- Keller & Heckman and ex-Compliance Div. chief, FCC Private Radio Bureau, appointed technology policy dir., U.S. Chamber of Commerce… Marty Dugan promoted to dir.-corporate mktg., Artel… Rick Harris, ex-Allgon Telecom, joins SkyCross as vp-sales… Peter Lee, ex-MyPotential, named pres.-CEO, GeoVideo Networks… John Miner, Intel, elected to Pacific Broadband Communications board… Hank Nothhaft, ex-XO vice chmn., named pres.-CEO, SmartPipes, remains dir. on XO board… Francisco Padinha moves from CEO, Portugal Telecom Prime, to CEO, Joint Venture with Telef?nica… Changes at Teledesic: Michael McGowen, ex-Perkins & Coie, named gen. counsel, succeeding Dennis James, who becomes pres.; Len Quadracci advanced to vp-system engineering… John Young, ex-Cybermoola, appointed dir.-advertising and creative services, Comcast.
Verizon N.Y. filed Sec. 271 application with FCC seeking approval to offer long distance service in Conn. Verizon said that it served only small slice of Conn.-- Byram and Greenwich -- using operations in N.Y., where company received long distance approval in Dec. 1999. Southern New England Telephone serves most of rest of Conn., with Verizon having corner that had been part of former Nynex service area in N.Y.C. suburbs. “We are using the same wholesale systems and processes in Greenwich and Byram that the FCC reviewed when it approved our applications for New York,” Verizon Senior Vp-Public Policy & External Affairs Thomas Tauke said. “These are the systems and processes we have used to provision more than 3 million competitive lines and the same ones the FCC has already found satisfy the requirements” of Telecom Act’s interLATA 14-point checklist, Tauke said. Earlier this month, Conn. Dept. of Public Utility Control concluded Verizon met 14-point checklist in that state. Conn. filing followed FCC approval of Verizon’s long distance application in Mass. last week. DPUC also adopted performance assurance plan that is same as one approved by N.Y. PUC, with penalties scaled down to reflect Verizon’s much smaller presence in Conn. In Conn., Verizon serves 60,000 lines, which it said was about half of number that it provided to competitors in average month in N.Y. FCC has until July 20 to rule on Conn. application. In past, Verizon has referred to applications such as one in Conn. as “me-too” filings because they used same operating support systems as those in states already approved for long distance. FCC said it was seeking comments on Verizon’s Conn. application by May 14. Conn. DPUC must file consultation by May 14 and Dept. of Justice by May 29. All replies are due by June 7. MG