Mobile satellite service satellites and spectrum could end up in the hands of the major wireless players after MSS companies move through their bankruptcies, said several panelists at the Satellite 2011 conference in Washington. The panelists showed a reticence to predict who will end up with the MSS assets, but many pointed to the wireless players as a logical end, due in part to the FCC’s focus on making that spectrum available for terrestrial use.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission published notice of the following voluntary recalls on March 10, 2011:
Rovi’s customers are pushing for media cloud-based interactive program guides (IPG) as demand for embedded versions declines, Chief Financial Office James Budge said Wednesday at the Wedbush Technology, Media & Telecommunications conference in New York.
The Canada Border Services Agency has issued regulations amending the procedures for break-bulk carrier exemptions to the Advance Commercial Information (ACI) requirements for inbound cargo, which are contained in its Reporting of Imported Goods Regulations. CBSA states that the amendments are of an administrative, non-substantive nature and were made in response to a request from the Standing Joint Committee on the Scrutiny for Regulations (SJCSR).
The FCC Wireless Bureau approved a waiver giving Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) additional time to build a wide-area private land-mobile radio system in California using Part 22 and Part 90 spectrum. PG&E had asked that the construction deadline be extended through June 2013. The utility, with 16 million customers, wants to replace its conventional voice mobile radio systems with a single integrated system at 450 MHz. The order said PG&E plans to spend about $30 million on the system, which will have more than 100 repeater sites and thousands of mobile and portable units. The purpose of the construction and permanent discontinuance rules is to ensure that use is made of licensed spectrum, the bureau said. “PG&E does not intend to warehouse the spectrum associated with its new Part 90 stations or its Part 22 and 90 stations acquired by assignment,” the order said. “Rather, it will use that spectrum in a new system, and already has taken concrete steps in addition to acquiring spectrum."
The Foreign Agriculture Service issued the following GAIN reports:
Interoperability is not a “naturally occurring state” and will require a big push from the FCC, Public Safety Bureau Chief Jamie Barnett said Friday at the start of a bureau forum on technical specifications for a national public safety broadband network. Other speakers at the day-long event agreed that the decisions made in coming months will determine whether the network succeeds or fails.
The Government Accountability Office has issued its first annual report to Congress identifying federal programs, agencies, offices, and initiatives, either within departments or government-wide, which have duplicative goals or activities.
Assistant Commissioner of Field Operations Tom Winkowski gave an informal speech on Commissioner Bersin’s leadership at TradeWatch 2011 in Long Beach, CA on February 17, including his views on security after Yemen, the Pharmaceutical Center of Excellence and Expertise (CEE), and other government agencies. Winkowski further commented on ACE priorities, untimely ISFs, and federal budget constraints.
The FCC Thursday unanimously approved three items aimed at improving communications and radio service on tribal lands. Commissioners also heard testimony from tribal leaders about the state of communications in Indian country. The meeting came as the White House held a follow up meeting on last year’s Tribal Nations Summit.