Conn. regulators ruled foreign exchange (FX) and virtual exchange calls were long distance, not local, and therefore weren’t subject to local reciprocal compensation. Dept. of Public Utility Control (DPUC) denied CLEC petitions to declare FX and virtual exchange traffic local and ordered CLECs to pay Southern New England Telephone (SNET) access charges for FX and virtual exchange traffic carried between Jan. 1999 and effective date of FCC’s ISP compensation remand order. Case goes back to 1999 when SNET first complained that CLECs were charging it reciprocal compensation on FX and virtual local number traffic rather than paying it for originating access on what should be considered interexchange traffic. FX and virtual exchange services make it appear for retail billing purposes as if calls were terminating within local calling area even if they terminated elsewhere and were popular with Internet service providers who wanted to offer customers more “local” access. DPUC gave SNET until Jan. 31 to file data on amount of traffic routed to FX and virtual local numbers, while CLECs that charged SNET local reciprocal compensation for that traffic must file their traffic data by Feb. 28.
Country of origin cases
In continuing duel of economists over effect of Tauzin- Dingell bill on economy, 8 of them issued reply Tues. to Dec. 11 letter sent to Administration by 8 other economists criticizing Dec. 4 letter from original 8 (CD Dec 12 p3). Most recent letter, signed by Robert Crandall of Brookings Institution, Jeffrey Eisenach of Progress & Freedom Foundation and others, took issue with other group’s argument that Bell company deregulation through means such as Tauzin- Dingell would hurt economy because it would eliminate unbundling. Just opposite is case, said latest letter, arguing that forced unbundling hurt economy: “Both theory and evidence show that awarding rivals access to risky facilities at incremental cost reduces investment incentives for both incumbents and entrants.” Opposing group includes N.Y.U. Prof. William Baumol, Stanford U.’s Douglas Bernheim - - www.pff.org.
FCC should make it clear that terrestrial repeaters for satellite radio service should be allowed to transmit only exactly same programming at exactly same time, NAB said in comments on proceeding (IB 95-91). Group, like others, objected to phrase “nearly simultaneous” proposed by satellite licensees, and said proposed definition didn’t absolutely close door on locally originating programming. NAB also said all incumbents should be protected from interference by repeaters, and satellite interests should have to make public full parameters about repeaters. NAB said it was particularly concerned repeaters would interfere with Broadcast Auxiliary Service. Wireless Communications Assn. (WCA) and others said they backed rules proposed by FCC International Bureau that would protect MMDS and Instructional TV Fixed Service (ITFS) operations from potential interference by imposing advance notice and cure provisions on DARS operators. But WCA said Wireless Communications Service Coalition planned to make separate filing on “serious flaws” in bureau’s proposal for addressing interference that terrestrial DARS facilities caused to WCS operations and to propose alternative. Filing will outline mechanism for DARS licensees to transition to use of 2 kw terrestrial facilities that “will minimize interference to other services.” Still, WCA said it supported bureau proposal insofar as it would compensate licensees of older MMDS and ITFS operations that experienced interference and for providing advance notice of terrestrial DARS rollouts.
FCC extended comment deadlines for special access performance measurement proceeding (CC Doc. 01-321) to match those of related proceeding on unbundled network element (UNE) measurements (CC Doc. 01-318). New special access deadlines are Jan. 22 for comments, Feb. 12 for replies, changed from original Jan. 9, Jan. 30 dates. UNE dates already had been revised on Dec. 7 because they originally conflicted with Christmas holiday period.
Columbia Communications wants FCC to modify Nov. 14 order that gave it authority to launch and operate C-band replacement satellite at 37.5 W. SES Global subsidiary Columbia still plans to launch and operate satellite, but present business plan will not permit it to comply with Loral proposal that satellite be brought into service at same time old one is taken out of service. Columbia now operates Columbia 515 satellite at 37.7 W. That bird originally was owned by Intelsat but was transferred to Columbia as part of coordination agreement. Intelsat has informed Columbia that satellite should be retired in Oct. 2002. New satellite isn’t expected to become operational until Sept. 2004. SES Global hasn’t had opportunity to assess whether it can modify business plan to satisfy requirement, filing said.
Iridium satellite system will last until mid-2010 when overhaul probably will be required, said internal analysis of 66-satellite constellation, and study by independent company released Wed. Aerospace Corp. of El Segundo, Cal., said it based results on several years of actual in-orbit reliability data provided by Iridium. Study incorporated assumptions of planned future software and operational improvements. When they purchased assets of bankrupt predecessor last year for $25 million, owners of Iridium had expected satellite system to last only until 2007. Satellite burnout was major concern, industry sources said. “A lot of people didn’t believe the company could be viable beyond the next couple of years because of failing satellites,” source said. However, Iridium CEO Gina Picasso said that, based on Aerospace study, he was confident system would continue to “operate beautifully” and without major flaws. Iridium is “poised for continued growth and success,” he said. Picasso, former dir. of Space Satellite Systems, said “constellation has not required the use of any in-orbit spare” over last 2 years, but several satellites have returned to atmosphere following burnout. “Through a robust architecture and a highly skilled team of operators and engineers, the reliability of the Iridium satellite constellation is far exceeding original design predictions.” Iridium said it would launch additional spare satellites in 2002 to ensure long-term quality. It also said it would extend life of satellite system through technical changes, including conserving energy.
Senate resumed consideration Tues. of Agriculture Committee report (S. Rpt. 76-567) for agriculture, nutrition and rural development bill (S-1731) that would provide $100 million in annual assistance for FY 2002-2006 for rural broadband deployment projects. Rural Utilities Service- administered program would provide grants for broadband infrastructure and equipment in communities with populations under 20,000, but committee wants to focus that assistance on localities with fewer than 2,500 residents. Report also would finance loans for projects in those communities at 4% annual interest or “current applicable market rate.” Loans could be used to refinance outstanding obligations under previous Dept. of Agriculture loans for telecom projects “if the use of the proceeds for that purpose will further the construction, improvement or acquisition of facilities or equipment for the provision of broadband services in eligible rural communities.” Report recommended support for broadband projects without making preference for type of technology used. It also sought to clarify definition of what constitutes broadband service by requiring that Agriculture Secy. periodically review definition to ensure that it applies to technologies that have “the capacity to transmit data to enable a subscriber to the service to originate and receive high-quality voice, data, graphics or video.” It said that action “would encourage new broader bandwidth technologies that provide significant progress toward higher bandwidth service in rural areas and that the program will foster the development of a variety of technological applications including terrestrial and satellite wireless services.” Committee said it expected Secy. to participate in any FCC or Dept. of Commerce proceedings or studies involving “the future of broadband services and the markets for such services.”
Ind. Attorney Gen. Steve Carter extended deadline for getting on first edition of state’s no-call telemarketing list by 2 days, through today (Dec. 11), because consumer response to original Dec. 9 deadline overwhelmed phone center and Web site and thousands of consumers were unable to get through. State’s no-call list takes legal effect Jan. 1, and will be updated quarterly. But Carter said in last 2 days of registration period for first list, volume soared with 50,000 requests per day to add numbers filed by phone and Internet. Those were in addition to roughly 500,000 numbers put on list via Web. State signed contract with Ind.-based CallNet Services to handle phone registrations, anticipating surges of up to 12,000 calls per day near list deadlines, but phone volume exceeded 20,000 calls on last day before deadline. Those who still don’t make today’s deadline can sign up for April 1 edition.
Little over 2 years after it was created, NPR2 is set to debut on Sirius Satellite Radio Feb. 14. However, NPR member stations remain displeased about potential new competition, despite NPR decision to withhold some popular programs from satellite radio.
Two House Judiciary subcommittee panels expressed doubt Congress could move NextWave legislation by year-end, as required by recent settlement on bankrupt company’s return of wireless licenses to the govt. Senate Commerce Committee leaders went step further, declaring that panel won’t touch NextWave case until next year. NextWave has agreed (CD Nov 19 p1) to surrender its C- and F-block licenses for $5.85 billion after taxes, while govt. will get $10 billion from spectrum re-auctioned in Jan.