Satellite Bcstg. & Communications Assn. (SBCA) filed motion Nov. 13 with 4th U.S. Appeals Court, Richmond, Va., for delay in start of FCC must-carry requirements because of pending litigation involving constitutionality of law. SBCA said issue probably wouldn’t be decided before Jan. 1 deadline for implementation of requirements. Appeal said if must-carry requirements took effect before case was resolved, it would violate First Amendment rights of satellite carriers. “The recognition that time is short and that much is at stake was the basis for the satellite carriers’ opposition to a U.S. motion to hold in abeyance the petitions for review,” Assn. said. Constitutional issues at stake could go to Supreme Court, SBCA said. It said it didn’t seek relief from District Court because it would be “impracticable” and “time is of the essence.”
One favorable result of structural regulations imposed on broadcasting has been diversity of media voices, FCC Chmn. Powell told Media Institute symposium in Washington Fri. But, he said, “I have no idea” how many such voices there should be for any given market. He said he perceived “a slow movement away” from structural regulations by govt. and “it’s time to say I want proof now” that regulations still were necessary.
Following delays caused mainly by chip problems in its receivers, Sirius Satellite Radio Wed. set Feb. 14 launch date in Denver, Houston and Phoenix markets, saying national rollout would be complete by 3rd quarter next year.
Telecom equipment vendors at UBS Warburg Global Telecom Conference in N.Y. Wed. stressed extent to which they were reacting to reduced spending by service providers and altered buying patterns in face of sagging demand. “The best-laid plans will be slowed,” Tellabs CEO Richard Notebaert said. “Physical deployments or expenditures will not perhaps go as quickly as people thought 6 months ago.” Like several other top executives at 3-day conference, Notebaert, former Ameritech chmn.-CEO, said carriers still would invest in networks because broadband demand remained. But while network investments will continue, “I think it will go a little slower than some startups led people to believe,” he said. Several wireless equipment manufacturers were bullish on prospects that mobile data finally would take off, with emphasis on target marketing to niche user segments and technology that pushed content to consumers. Ericsson Investor Relations Vp Gary Pinkham said company expected international market for mobile systems to be flat to down 10% in 2002, although he added: “We think we are in a position to grow faster than the market overall.”
GM was expected to make decision on sale of Hughes Electronics over weekend as speculation mounted that it would select EchoStar over News Corp. Board had meeting scheduled for Sat. in N.Y. However, industry sources said top GM management still was divided on which offer was best for stockholders and company. Deal with EchoStar was contingent on EchoStar’s completing transaction for $5.5 billion line of credit from UBS Warburg and Deutsche Bank.
Fujitsu Microelectronics America unveiled single-chip camera small enough to use in cellphone. MB86S02 module combines lens, image sensor and color processing circuitry on single compact chip. Designed for advanced telephony or handheld computer applications, camera has low power usage of 30 mW at 15 frames per sec. and includes power down and power save modes. Camera module is available at $42 for samples, company said.
FCC issued new advisory to public on how to stop children or others from seeing objectionable TV programs. Commission reminded consumers that, under Communications Decency Act of 1996, cable companies were required -- upon consumer request -- to fully scramble or block channels not part of that consumer’s chosen programming package. Consumers also may utilize V-chip available in most TV sets manufactured after July 1, 1999, or lockbox technology, which can be leased from cable company or retailer.
DTV chip maker NxtWave Communications said it received $12.5 million in venture capital funding in 4th equity round. Company, which recently partnered with Zenith on DTV technology development, said much of the new equity came from earlier investors, plus Alps Electric, Disney, NEC.
Hughes Network Systems is working with wireless carriers to investigate use of VSATs in new emergency 911 technology facilitating location finding and connectivity to Public Safety Access Points (PSAPs), Hughes Vp-Corp. Mktg. Arunes Slekys said: “Within the next year we expect to be in that space in some form or another… We're working with partners and companies to deliver that kind of capability.” Slekys said Hughes was crafting various performance and cost models, but said it was clear that use of terrestrial backhaul systems would be significantly more costly than VSAT counterpart. “VSAT is a lot cleaner and simpler business model… The way you get to a PSAP is quite expensive. Landline facilities have to be dedicated, and it’s expensive to use a terrestrial backhaul system. Ultimately, the costs are passed on to the wireless customer.” Slekys said Hughes VSATs could reach a “huge audience” and could provide “opportunity for marriage between wireless and VSAT delivery.” Hughes declined identify wireless carriers with which it was working. Spokesperson for Verizon said VSATs “were not something we're actively considering now.” Verizon has detailed for FCC in Limited Waiver Request its plan to use Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) chips in handsets, but spokesman said he “doesn’t know of any additional things that are currently under consideration… We believe that our plan will allow us to provide location technology to vast majority of Americans the fastest.”
Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS) said it had completed design of 9 types of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for Spaceway broadband satellite system. Spaceway is next-generation broadband satellite system from Hughes, scheduled for N. American service in 2003. High-speed communications platform employs satellites with on-board digital processors, packet switching and active phased-array antenna technology. IBM will use designs to build multimillion-gate ASICs that consume half as much power per function while delivering 4 times processing capability of current-generation chips. Spaceway ASICs range in size from 136,000 to more than eight million gates each, record-breaking space performance milestone made possible by BSS design and IBM’s 0.16-micron SA 27 copper ASIC technology.