WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission will be a less exciting place after Andrew C. Barrett leaves early next year. No more of those probing-sometimes direct, sometimes drifting-colloquies with FCC staff or light-hearted, off-the-cuff remarks to other commissioners during open meetings.Without Barrett's banter, FCC open meetings...
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati last week stayed the entrepreneur block auction for broadband personal communications services licenses after Radiofone Inc., a cellular operator in New Orleans, challenged PCS-cellular cross-ownership rules.The Federal Communications Commission planned to auction the...
As a native Washingtonian, I always become suspicious when Democrats and Republicans jointly embrace anything. My suspicions heighten when the executive and legislative branches-and the "independent" Federal Communications Commission-all rush to claim credit for their particular contributions to the field of communications. In this...
Before 1995, people with a moderate to total hearing loss couldn't carry on an ordinary phone conversation, according to Jo Waldron, co-inventor of the Hearing Aid Telephone Interconnect System. Today, using the HATIS device, it is possible for people with up to 99 percent...
WASHINGTON-Federal Communications Commission Chairman Reed Hundt directed the wireless telecommunications industry to develop a plan by next week to address interference from European-designed digital pocket telephones to hearing aids.Hundt, according to sources, met last Monday with representatives from the Personal Communications Industry Association, the...
WASHINGTON-The Clinton administration has signaled problems with Comsat Corp.'s planned investment in a global pocket telephone system developed by the International Mobile Satellite Organization, but said it is still willing to support the firm's participation in the telecommunications venture."The Executive Branch believes that the...
Of all the recruits at the Hundt-led Federal Communications Commission, perhaps none has received fewer headlines and contributed more than Christopher Wright.Wright, deputy general counsel, successfully defended entrepreneur block rules for personal communications services licenses that were made race-and gender-neutral by the FCC after...
DCR Communications Inc. and Westinghouse Electric Corp. reached an agreement in principle for a multimillion-dollar investment commitment by Westinghouse in the new personal communications services company. Westinghouse's communications systems division will become DCR's primary network systems integrator and provide technical services to support the...
WASHINGTON-Senate Commerce Committee lawmakers say microwave relocation rules may have to be revisited by Congress or the Federal Communications Commission if it is determined microwave users are demanding excessive payments from personal communications services licensees in exchange for being relocated from the 2 GHz...
The recent scuffle between Time Warner Inc. and U S West Inc. over the former's proposed acquisition of Turner Broadcasting System Inc. may terminate yet another much-ballyhooed telecommunications partnership that couldn't survive changing industry conditions.On Sept. 22, U S West filed a lawsuit asking...
WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission early next year will hold a spectrum summit as policymakers rethink fundamental programs that have governed the airwaves for a half century, instead turning to the marketplace for answers.The all-day conference, inspired and organized by Commissioner Susan Ness, will address...
WASHINGTON-Many specialized mobile radio operators, convinced-though not supportive-of Federal Communications Commission plans to auction 800 MHz wide-area licenses, are trying to salvage concessions for existing systems forced to relocate frequencies.The FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, which outlined its latest proposal to industry last month, is...
WASHINGTON - Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, chairman of the House Commerce subcommittee on oversight and investigations, said he may offer a switched wireless resale bill next year unless this week's hearing on cellular telephone competition and subsequent industry developments convince him otherwise."If it can...
WASHINGTON-The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, acting swiftly, lifted the stay of the entrepreneur block auction for personal communications services licenses and opened the way for bidding to begin Dec. 11.The court's 2-1 ruling on Sept. 28-issued only hours...
Nearly half of the 20 companies holding licenses for broadband personal communications services have made firm technology decisions, but others continue the difficult task of weighing options."It is like building 10 years of cellular all at once," said Jack Finlayson, vice president and general...
On a recent trip across Europe to visit some of the major operators and manufacturers of the blossoming cellular industry there, I was asked to describe the state of the industry in the United States. Of course I spoke of the great advancements we...
WASHINGTON-All the turmoil, chaos and confusion of merging two major trade associations and sponsoring a huge industry conference in a year's time might drive one to write one of those heart-felt country and western songs that Personal Communications Industry Association President Jay Kitchen likes...
udith St. Ledger-Roty and Lee Rau Inherent in the co-carrier status the Federal Communications Commission has expressly granted the wireless industry, including paging, cellular and personal communications services, is the right to fair and reasonable interconnection with the local exchange carriers.Among other things, this...
In the nation's capital, where I work, it's not uncommon to be approached on the sidewalk by strangers handing out leaflets. Typically, these are advertisements for coupons for local restaurants, delis and shops. I know this because I never refuse to accept one of...
WASHINGTON-Brian Fontes has been named head of the United States delegation at the Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva next month.Fontes, senior vice president for policy and administration at the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association and a former long-time aide to Federal Communications Commission member James Quello,...
Federal regulators late last week approved final rules for the 900 MHz specialized mobile radio service auction on Nov. 28.The Federal Communications Commission said 1,020 licenses, or 20 1-channel blocks in 51 major trading areas, will be sold in a simultaneous multiple round auction.The...
WASHINGTON-Congress' desire to raise $14 billion over the next seven years from expanded spectrum auctions has turned into a fierce debate about whether that goal can be attained without auctioning digital TV broadcast channels.The controversy has major economic and a competitive implications for the...
WASHINGTON, D.C.-A committee under the Industry Carriers Compatibility Forum submitted to federal authorities a plan for providing personal communications services users with number portability.The Industry Numbering Committee's proposal would allow PCS subscribers to keep one non-geographically assigned phone number, even if they change service...
WASHINGTON - MCI Communications Corp. filed with the Federal Communications Commission protesting a proposed investment by France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom AG in rival telecommunications provider Sprint Corp. until French and German telecom markets are opened to competition."Allowing foreign monopolists preferential access to the...
