ORLANDO -- As the FCC writes its permanent UNE rules, CompTel/Ascent CEO Russell Frisby urged the Commission and the White House to keep in mind that “continued access to specific monopoly-controlled network elements is the only way that facilities-based local competition -- not to mention the growth of VoIP -- will happen.” Opening CompTel’s fall convention here, he said “much factual evidence exists to prove that competitors have no other alternative than to lease portions of the Bells’ networks in order to provide services to business and residential customers alike.” He said he hoped the FCC would consider the data gathered by CompTel and make “a more reasoned decision as it finalizes its permanent rules.”
ANNAPOLIS -- FCC Office of Engineering & Technology Chief Edmond Thomas said the Commission’s proposed advanced wireless services (AWS) auction dramatically demonstrates the need to reform how the FCC reallocates spectrum between the govt. and private sectors. Thomas told the Dept. of Defense Spectrum Summit here Fri. the 90 MHz reallocation -- 45 MHz of which is coming from govt. spectrum, possibly through federal legislation (CD Oct 29 p1) -- has taken far too long.
The U.S. Army will undergo a major overhaul of its communications network starting in 2005 with the launch of the first of 4 satellites designed to rapidly shift the military to an IP-based system and reduce its reliance on commercial vendors, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Dennis Moran said Tues. in a keynote to the Satellite Application Technology Conference (SATCON) in N.Y.C.
The U.S. Army will undergo a major overhaul of its communications network starting in 2005 with the launch of the first of 4 satellites designed to rapidly shift the military to an IP-based system and reduce its reliance on commercial vendors, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Dennis Moran said Tues. in a keynote to the Satellite Application Technology Conference (SATCON) in N.Y.C.
The President of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) offered ideas in a press conference to "break the jam and get the cargo moving" in the seriously congested ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, including the Pacific Maritime Association's (PMA) hiring of more casual workers, the use of container gangs, moving to 24-hour gates to expedite the flow of containers, etc., adding that union workers were not going to pay the price of increased accidents by working two shifts back-to-back. (ShippersNewsWire@americanshipper.com, dated 10/22/04)
On October 18, 2004, President Bush signed into law the conference version of H.R. 4567, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2005 (Public Law (P.L.) 108-334).
Several Ind. counties are asking their state lawmakers for legislation next year that would raise the cap on local 911 surcharges, citing sharp rate increases by Verizon for 911 service. The counties in Verizon’s service area say the telco is imposing increases of up to 400% when renewing 911 service contracts. Tippecanoe County, for instance, said its monthly 911 bill from Verizon rose from $5,000 to $20,000 in the new 3-year service contract with Verizon. The telco said that as contracts come up for renewal, there will be substantial 911 rate increases in every community where it is the 911 phone provider; it said the increases were prompted by audits that showed its charges weren’t covering service costs. Currently, Tippecanoe County imposes a 95 cent monthly charge on land lines and 65 cents per cellphone number. Under present state law, local 911 fees are capped at $1 for landlines, and cellphone fees at 65 cents. Even at the caps, some county officials said they would have to draw on reserves to cover their 911 bills, which would carry them only for a limited time. State Sen. Brandt Hershman (R) said he has heard from county officials in his district who want 911 fee caps raised, but he said this could be an opportunity to study how 911 in general is best funded. The only other option counties have is purchasing their own 911 routing equipment, but that would entail counties shouldering the capital and operating costs.
On October 18, 2004, President Bush signed into law the conference version of H.R. 4567, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2005 (Public Law (P.L.) 108-334).
SAN FRANCISCO -- CEA will wade through its lists of Jan. 2005 CES preregistrations to weed out “enthusiasts” who might have attended past trade shows that no longer exist, Vp-Events & Conferences Karen Chupka told reporters at a pre-CES news conference here Mon. during the CEA Industry Forum. In an apparent reference to Comdex, not mentioned by name, attendees who had grown accustomed to attending now-defunct fall computer shows in Las Vegas will be turned away if they're deemed unqualified as trade visitors.
Add “SOS” to the alphabet soup of features associated with CE products such as TV/DVD combos. In the case of Toshiba and an Ore. customer, though, the “MayDay” alert flashed from one of the company’s LCD/DVD/VCR combos isn’t too welcome.