Despite concerns of sales slowdown for wireless equipment, Nokia reported Tues. it had sold more than 128 million phones in 2000, level that it said beat overall market growth. It also reported preliminary estimates of 405 million wireless phone units sold in last year, short of 420 million forecast by rivals such as Ericsson. Still, Nokia said 405 million number marked 45% increase from 1999. In preliminary numbers released before financial results are reported Jan. 30, it also indicated that global wireless subscriber base reached 700 million by year-end, which Nokia said represented international penetration of 12%.
CTAM and Cablevision called for entries for 18th Annual Mark Awards competition with Feb. 9 deadline. Awards recognize marketing and advertising excellence in cable and telecom.
Interim committee of W.Va. legislature, studying ways to regulate telemarketers, filed report that recommended no legislation for 2001 session. Group had considered restrictive measures such as state “no-call” list, but concluded existing laws were sufficient to address any telemarketing problems. Several state legislators said they planned to disregard panel’s report and would be introducing telemarketing bills this session.
Bills introduced in Neb. and Wyo. would make wireless carriers eligible for state universal service support. Neb. bill (LB-389) would give Neb. PSC limited jurisdiction over wireless phone carriers for universal service purposes. It would authorize PSC to require that wireless carriers contribute to state universal service fund and adopt rules under which wireless carriers could receive subsidies from state fund for local service to high-cost areas. Wyo. measure (HB-52) would make flat-rate wireless local service eligible for state universal service support. Bill would authorize Wyo. PSC to determine amount of money available for wireless universal service subsidies and adopt disbursement rules for payments to wireless carriers. Present law in both states denies commissions any authority over wireless services. Another new Neb. bill relating to universal service (LB-89) would annually earmark 1% of money in state universal service fund to subsidize broadband telecom services for county and municipal govt. agencies, starting in 2002.
U.S. Appeals Court, D.C., handed important victory to Assn. of Communications Enterprises (ASCENT) late Tues., vacating FCC order on one of conditions imposed on SBC-Ameritech merger in 1999. Court vacated order that covered tradeoff FCC made with SBC in which company was permitted to provide advanced services free of interconnection requirements if it created separate affiliate to provide those services. Decision focused on arguments by challenger ASCENT that FCC essentially was forbearing from regulating when it decided to bypass interconnection requirements of Telecom Act’s Sec. 251 because SBC would be providing advanced, not basic, service through separate subsidiary.
Arbitron Co. said it has placed Portable People meters (PPM) with first 50 consumers for its upcoming Philadelphia market trial. Arbitron plans to install meters in another 250 homes over next 6 to 8 weeks. Company said 54 radio, broadcasting and cable outlets are now encoding their signals in preparation for trial, with at least another 16 expected to be added to list.
DirecTV said it was giving $200 mail-in rebate for new residential customers who purchase system with professional installation Jan. 25-April 11 if they commit to one year of Total Choice premium programming package by April 25.
Excite@Home said it met its year-end subscriber target, closing 2000 with 2.95 million high-speed data customers worldwide, up from 2.31 million at close of 3rd quarter. Company said it grew more than 25% in 4th quarter, thanks partly to introduction of its QuickStart Kit self-installation in RadioShack stores in several major Comcast markets. Excite@Home said it plans to expand its retail presence by hundreds of stores this year, extending its QuickStart Kit program to AT&T and Cox territories as well. Separately, Excite@Home said it had withdrawn from its earlier deal to buy online games company Pogo.com for undisclosed price. Company, which didn’t give reason for pulling out of agreement, said it will retain its 10% stake in Pogo and continue to offer Pogo’s online games to subscribers.
PASADENA “The audience has spoken and they've demonstrated that they have a huge appetite for this type of nonscripted programming” and Fox TV Network plans to capitalize on reality shows “within the boundaries of appropriateness.” That was message delivered here by Fox Entertainment Chmn. Sandy Grushow and Pres. Gail Berman to TV critics -- who were highly critical of Fox program Temptation Island, which airs tonight. One critic questioned network about “the ethics and perhaps the morality of bringing in people and trying to pry couples apart.”
Level 3 plans to build western link to previously announced pan-Asian undersea cable system it’s constructing with Flag Telecom to connect Hong Kong and Japan. Total cost of system is $900 million, with Hong Kong-Japan segment expected to be in service by June. New western segment will include connections to Korea and Taiwan and is expected to begin operating in early 2002. Taiwan segment is to start late this year. “Our partnership with Flag enables us to mitigate the cost of this expansion, as well as our initial cost of building the Hong Kong-to-Japan segment,” Level 3 Asia CEO Steven Liddel said. Companies said that Asian undersea cable system would connect to N. America and Europe through Level 3’s ownership in Japan-U.S. cable and company’s own transatlantic cable. Level 3 is overseeing construction of eastern link of pan-Asia system and Flag has purview over western link and management of entire system when it’s completed. Each company will own 3 fiber pairs in new system, which will have capacity of 320 Gbps. Carriers said upgrades could provide maximum capacity of 2.5 terabits per sec (tbps) on eastern link and 3.8 tbps on western segment.