Justice Dept. said April 18 is new release date for amended federal appraisal guide, document that has come under fire from industry for containing provision purportedly enabling government appraisers to increase rights-of-way (ROW) fees for fiber and other utility infrastructure deployment. Edison Energy Institute last week (CD April 13 p1) criticized Justice-led interagency task force for revising federal “desk guide,” which it said escaped congressional restriction against federal agencies’ formally changing ROW fee policies. Justice spokesman said new manual, to be published by Appraisal Institute of Chicago, wasn’t secret and was posted on DOJ’s Environment & Natural Resources Web site. Industry source said Sen. Smith (R-Ore.) sent letter to U.S. Attorney Gen. John Ashcroft inquiring about proposed changes in federal rules on ROW charges, which recently brought pressure from Sens. Burns (R-Mon.) and Craig (R-Idaho) on Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service.
Interagency task force led by Justice Dept. April 15 will publish final revised standards on federal appraisal of public lands, action that telecom and energy interests said could increase cost of using rights-of-way (ROW). They said such action also would violate restrictions last year set in 2001 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. Edison Electric Institute (EEI) spokesman said task force, known as Interagency Land Acquisition Conference, was attempting to slip under Congressional radar by publishing revised govt. land appraisal desk guide, rather than formal regulations, enabling federal appraisers to assess inflated costs on companies seeking to deploy fiber and other utility infrastructure on public land.
Radarsat tightened Radarsat 1’s orbit constraint from +/- 5 km to +/- 2 km, company and Canadian Space Agency said Fri. Clients now can use satellite’s data for interferometric applications, including interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (INSAR) data. Data’s uses include mapping and monitoring changes in movement of Earth’s land or ice and creating digital elevation models.
Creation of “a multibillion-dollar” Digital Opportunity Investment Trust -- with much of proceeds earmarked for public broadcasting -- is recommended in 2-year study to be released today (Thurs.). Fund would be financed by proceeds from future spectrum auctions, which Congressional Budget Office estimated would produce $18 billion over next several years. Authors of report are Newton Minow, FCC chmn. in Kennedy Administration, and Lawrence Grossman, former pres. of PBS and NBC News. Recommendations in report would require approval by Congress for use of federal money before fund could be established.
U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has set June deadlines for deciding whether to take next steps at World Trade Organization (WTO) on concerns about lapses in telecom market-opening commitments in Mexico and Colombia. Annual report released Mon. by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick set June 1 as date by which U.S. would decide whether to take concerns over Mexico to WTO, with June 25 target for Colombia. While Mexico has made some progress on domestic local and long distance front, USTR officials said in background briefing that concerns remained over lack of enforcement of new dominant carrier regulations against Telefonos de Mexico (Telmex) and inaction on international long distance interconnection. USTR also urged: (1) S. Africa to complete regulatory process that addresses refusal by state-owned, dominant carrier Telkom to allow value-added service providers, including ISPs, to increase capacity on its network. (2) Taiwan to take steps to deregulate its telecom market consistent with bilateral agreement with U.S. concerning its yet-to-be granted WTO entry.
Rising from ashes, new owners of Iridium will begin offering “cheaper, more reliable, pole-to-pole service” Fri. In interview between sessions at Satellite 2001, CEO Dan Colussy, Exec. Vp Dannie Stamp, Chief Marketing Officer Ginger Washburn and Chief Technology Officer Mark Adams met with Communications Daily to push merits of new system and management of revamped company. Iridium Satellite LLC bought more than $5.5 billion of assets of now defunct Iridium company, including low-orbiting satellite network, from U.S. Bankruptcy Court in N.Y. Dec. for $25 million. New owners immediately signed 2-year, $72 million deal with Dept. of Defense and revamped business plan with strong concentration on maritime, oil, aviation, gas, mining, construction, forestry, military and govt. markets. Stamp said “truly mobile, truly global” voice services would be available through 66-satellite network and Tempe, Ariz., gateway to land-based networks.
Telenor will acquire Lockheed Martin’s Global Telecommunications (LMGT) Comsat Mobile Communications unit for $116.5 million in cash, companies announced Tues., pending regulatory approvals. Comsat provides global mobile service through Inmarsat fleet to maritime, land mobile and aeronautic customers. Deal includes Earth stations in Southbury, Conn., and Santa Paula, Cal., and moves Telenor into satellite communications business for first time, Norwegian company said. Telenor said current deal, along with purchase of LMGT’s Inmarsat shares, made it Inmarsat’s largest owner, with maximum allowed stake of 15%. LMGT spokesman said move didn’t take company out of satellite business, but “we're just selling this one piece of business. We're still in mobile communications satellites in other ventures.” MS
PEBBLE BEACH, Cal. -- Because so few consumers get their TV over air, broadcasters may soon have difficulty justifying their continuing control of big block of spectrum unless they refocus on public service, analyst Thomas Wolzien said in speech opening NAB Futures Summit here Sun. Although he said figure probably was inflated by various factors, Wolzien said recent auctions indicated broadcast spectrum could be worth as much as $367 billion, even though total market value of all TV stations is only about $100 billion.
FCC and NECA will host 2 Indian Telecom Training Initiative (ITTI 2001) conferences intended to increase telecom services in Indian tribal lands. Conferences are scheduled June 3-5, Radisson Hotel, St. Paul, and Sept. 23-26, Bally’s Hotel, Las Vegas. FCC said first meeting would target marketing, finance, sales and business development executives of telecom and utility companies. Conference speakers will be tribal govt. leaders, elders and college professors. Second meeting will provide information to Indian tribal leaders and other parties.
FCC sought comment on PCIA request for rule change on modifications in paging stations. Assn. asked that Commission treat as minor modifications expansions of paging composite interface contours (CICs) that occur solely beyond land border of U.S. or over large bodies of water. Comments are due April 16, replies May 1.