Industry and govt. spectrum users agreed on need for more regulatory certainty and flexibility in govt. spectrum policy at NTIA Spectrum Management & Policy Summit Thurs. But at start of 2-day summit, panels struggled with how to define spectrum property rights, incumbent relocation, global harmonization, incentives for efficient spectrum use, accurate forecasts of future demand. FCC Chmn. Powell and NTIA Dir. Nancy Victory stressed renewed commitment of both agencies to engage in regular spectrum planning meetings. While overarching govt. goal is to develop national spectrum policy and improve spectrum management policy, Victory said NTIA was in “listening mode” to assess what was and wasn’t working under current policies. “This is clearly a significant moment in spectrum management,” she said, noting spectrum review outcome could involve changing “slightly or drastically” way bands are managed. Much of day-long discussion focused on thorny transitional issues that face govt. policymakers in areas such as how incumbents are treated when more flexible spectrum policies like sharing and leasing are introduced. “Our challenge is this: How do we fit new world-leading technologies into the U.S.’s own cramped spectrum allocation,” Commerce Secy. Donald Evans said.
Telecom Industry Rights-of-Way (I-ROW) Working Group said it didn’t address cable issues, but opposed efforts by some local govts. to impose “cable-type” regulations and “rent-like” fees on telecom networks. Such efforts are contrary to federal law and regulations in some states under which local authority over telecom network is limited to ROW concerns, I-ROW spokesman said. Charging official of National Assn. of Telecom Officers & Advisors (NATOA) with disseminating “misinformation” that I-ROW was seeking reduction of franchise fees paid by cable operators, spokesman said I-ROW didn’t deal with cable issues and took no position on cable franchise fees. Coalition focuses exclusively on issues related to ROW access and public lands for telecom networks, he said. I-ROW members include ALTS, AT&T, BellSouth, CompTel, Qwest, RCN Corp., SBC, Sprint, Time Warner Telecom.
Documentaries with rare color footage from Korean War and World War II are shipping on DVD from special-interest video studio Goldhil Home Media (800-240-8760). Korean War in Color includes previously unreleased archival films of conflict’s various campaigns. Besides recently declassified materials, DVD includes seldom-seem filming of U.S. Marines in action by director John Ford, as well as morale-boosting performance for G.I.’s by Marilyn Monroe. Documentary also includes home movies from troops on front, biographies of President Truman and Generals Dwight Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur. DVD WWII in Color: The British Story tracks period from 1934 to 1945 and includes footage from D-Day landings, liberation of P.O.W. camp in Burma, antiappeasement campaign of Winston Churchill before his succession as U.K.’s wartime prime minister. DVDs have $29.95 MSRP.
Intelsat said it signed 3-year contract with Verestar subsidiary Maritime Telecommunications Network (MTN) to provide mobile voice and data services to cruise ships, terms not disclosed. Intelsat network will be used to support telephone calls, fax, e-mail, shipboard data operations, video and Internet applications from ships to land and communications between ships.
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) is seeking sources of high-speed communications hotline technology, which must provide incident notification simultaneously to hundreds of govt. personnel via landline, wireless and Web-based networks. For security reasons, alert system can’t have radiofrequency transmitters, but must allow for system access and activation through cellular and satellite phones “that terminate at telephone land lines and from the Internet via secure server.” DIA needs programmable system that at minimum can send messages to work, home and wireless phones and pagers of 600 personnel, with continuous transmissions until intended recipients acknowledge they have received emergency data. Potential sources must send information by April 5 -- 202-231-8458.
Office of Management & Budget’s Office of Information & Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) said it would intensify reviews of regulatory costs and benefits and would continue to develop “transparent and open approach to regulatory oversight” to “demystify” process. It said late last week in draft of its annual report to Congress that in assessing federal department and independent agency rulemakings, it found FTC and FCC contrasted sharply in degree to which they provided financial impact data. Basing conclusion primarily on General Accounting Office reports, OMB said FTC “consistently considered benefits and costs in their rulemaking processes while [FCC] did not prepare benefit-cost analyses.”
It’s highly unlikely FTC could gain jurisdiction over common carrier regulation in this session of Congress because there’s too little time left, FTC Chmn. Timothy Muris told Communications Daily in interview. “We're trying to raise the importance of the issue,” he said: “On the other hand, we're a long way from any legislation moving.” Muris said he had held informal conversations with many on Capitol Hill about common carrier jurisdiction. He first raised issue publicly March 15, when he told Consumer Federation of America conference that FTC needed its exemption from common carrier lifted (CD March 18 p1). Legislation prevents FTC from common carrier oversight, and only Congress could give agency that jurisdiction, Muris said.
Barnes & Noble signed lease for West Jordan, Utah, store in Jordan Landing Shopping Center. Company said 23,500-sq.-ft. store was expected to open in Oct. and would “stock close to 200,000 book, music, DVD and magazine titles.”
Federal Radionavigation Plan (FRP) for 2001 was released Tues. after being signed recently by Secy. of Transportation Norman Mineta and Secy. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Transportation Dept. said FRP would continue to strengthen U.S. commitment to Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) and its modernization as primary means of navigation in support of U.S. transportation infrastructure. Transition to GPS from current systems and determination of what part of current radionavigation infrastructure to retain is complex matter involving govt., industry and users, Mineta said: “We are seeking a sensible transition to satellite-based navigation services as our primary means of navigation, while recognizing the need to maintain backup navigation aids where required.” FRP includes revised schedules for phasing down most land-based radionavigation systems to allow more time to transition to GPS. DoT is building on capabilities of constellation defined in 1960s and 1970s, DoT Radionavigation Dir. Michael Shaw said. System augmentations are being fielded, he said, “to improve on the system’s integrity, accuracy and availability.” GPS will provide performance needed for aviation and other safety-of-life applications, Shaw said. Signed FRP “institutionalized DoT’s March 7 announcement that it would implement action plan to maintain adequacy of backup systems for each area of operation in which GPS is being used for critical transportation applications,” Shaw said. Announcement followed DoT review of study assessing vulnerability of national transportation infrastructure that relies on GPS. Study by Volpe National Transportation Systems Center said GPS was susceptible to unintentional disruption from atmospheric effects, signal blockage from buildings, and interference from communications equipment and potential deliberate disruption. FRP is joint product of DoT and DoD and is required to be revised and updated at least every 2 years. On news that funding for European counterpart system Galileo had been approved, Shaw said U.S. preferred that new system be used “in conjunction” with GPS and that govt. would continue to consult with European leaders to convince them to build “complementary system that would support interoperability.”
GSM-based pilot wireless priority access service (PAS) program will be implemented in N.Y. and Washington in May, National Communications System (NCS) Deputy Mgr. Brent Greene told James Quello Communication Policy & Law Symposium Tues. VoiceStream has partial waiver request pending before FCC and company told Commission last month it was in “final negotiations with NCS” to roll out PAS system in those 2 markets. Greene said NCS was close to finalizing competition for initial PAS capability that would have national reach by year-end, with “full operational capability” in 2003. NCS is looking at ways to broaden “and radiate out our systems to provide other kinds of networks that can be ready in the event that we have other kinds of emergencies.” Several panelists said new challenges faced policymakers involving balancing competition and consumer interests against national security concerns. On broader issue of broadband access, NTIA Dir. Nancy Victory said theme she had seen emerge among all providers was that accessing public rights of way and tower sites might be holding back network construction.