NCTA called for entries for its 3rd annual “Community Spirit Awards” for local programming. Assn. said it also would host symposium for local and regional programming professionals in conjunction with awards March 27-28. Workshop will include sessions on current issues in local programming and advanced applications with technology. Deadline for entries is Jan. 19.
CWA and IBEW members ratified 2-year extension of existing collective bargaining agreement with Qwest. Contract, negotiated in 4th quarter last year, covers wage and pension increases, including 3.5% wage hike effective Aug. 19. Original CWA contract, covering most Qwest union employees, was signed in Sept. 1998 following 3-week strike. Agreement was to expire Aug. 16, with extension now keeping it in place until Aug. 16, 2003. Other provisions include: (1) 5% wage increase that takes effect Aug. 18, 2002. (2) 6% pension increase effective July 1, 2002. (3) 10% pension raise July 1, 2003. IBEW extension with Dex directory unit provides similar increases with different timelines depending on contract schedules, Qwest said. Contract extension between Qwest Dex management and CWA has been tentatively ratified and must be approved by union members, Qwest said. Company said it expected to be informed of Dex vote results next month. “The union membership voted 98% in favor of ratification,” said Peter Pusateri, business mgr. of IBEW Local 1269.
Sweden’s Telia plans to ask that country’s court system to suspend decision by National Post and Telecommunications (PTS) Agency to award 3G licenses. PTS last month awarded 4 Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service licenses, in process in which Telia failed to win 3G spectrum. Telia, which is country’s largest carrier, said it is asking county administrative court system in Sweden to freeze PTS decision until it has processed company’s appeal. Telia appeal contends that PTS: (1) Made incorrect technical applications in license award process. (2) Failed to comply with its regulations, including not evaluating “commercial viability” of applications. (3) Ignored Swedish law which requires that license allocations be made at lowest possible cost to national economy. Telia charged that PTS awarded licenses in process that reflected public procurement proceeding and not license allocation procedure. Other issues raised in Telia appeal include concerns about role of external consultant hired by Swedish govt. to help process applications. Telia contends that consultants added “important information” to examination of applications which PTS, in alleged violation of administrative law, didn’t inform Telia about. Telia also said it wasn’t informed about questions on its application that consultants asked and that PTS didn’t refer to company for consideration. “The law states that private individuals are to have access to efficient telecommunications at the lowest possible cost,” said Telia Pres.- CEO Marianne Nivert. “But the PTS has certainly taken no law into consideration.”
Corning Precision Lens will unveil HDTV optical platform for new model RCA TV it produced with Thomson Multimedia. Set, to be showcased at current CES in Las Vegas, creates images using liquid crystal light valves and high-intensity discharge lamp instead of CR tube.
Titan Corp. announced installment of 30 satellite gateways in Africa, Middle East and Latin America. Company said it had been attempting to capitalize on opportunity to provide telecom services to underserved markets by installing satellite gateways that use geosynchronous orbit satellites to offer voice and data capacity to global long distance carriers.
ABC said it will begin broadcast of drama series “NYPD Blue” in high definition TV (HDTV) with show’s premiere 10 p.m. Jan. 9.
FCC asked Fri. whether it should adopt access charge reform plan for rural carriers in its entirety, as proposed by Multi- Assn. Group (MAG), or whether certain parts should be adopted or incorporated into other proceedings. Plan was developed by coalition of groups representing rural telcos -- National Telephone Cooperative Assn., National Rural Telecom Assn., OPASTCO, USTA. Comments will be due 30 days from publication in Federal Register, with replies due 15 days later. Federal Register publication generally occurs within days after item is released by FCC.
President-elect Bush “is increasingly turning his attention to the agencies, and so I think you can anticipate announcements on those at any time,” Press Secy. Ari Fleischer told reporters Thurs. after being asked when FCC and SEC chairmen would be named. He said Administration would appoint someone at Office of Management & Budget to focus on technology issues, and said it still was undecided whether higher level “technology czar” would be appointed.
NextLevel said revenue growth in 2001 would be lower than expected because of “slower than anticipated customer deployment.” Company said it would revise its guidance for year in Jan. 24 conference call on 4th-quarter earnings. NextLevel also reported that progress in growing its customer base in 4th quarter had been “offset by reduced revenue from Qwest and slower than anticipated customer development in Korea.” Revised 4th-quarter revenue will be about $31 million with net loss, excluding special items, of about 22 cents per share, company said.
France Telecom (FT) said its Itineris GSM wireless service added 2.5 million subscribers in quarter ended Dec. 31, increasing total wireless base to 14.3 million. FT said it added record 278,000 in weekend before Christmas. In Dec., more than 450,000 Itineris subscribers used Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) services, threefold increase from Sept. FT has target of one million “active” WAP users by summer.