Intelsat said it postponed deadline to launch Astrium- manufactured APR-3 satellite that still hadn’t received presidential waiver it needed for launch aboard Chinese Long March rockets. Company declined to comment on status of launch, but probably would have statement before end of week, Vp-Corp. Services Tony Trujillo said. Both Intelsat and Eutelsat, which was to launch Alenia Spazio-manufactured Atlantic Bird-1 satellite aboard same rocket, said in May (CD May 4 p5) they were preparing alternative plans in expectation that U.S. would deny permission. Trujillo said no new deadline had been set and declined to comment on whether other launch options were being considered. Astrium spokesman said he thought waiver acquisition was taking longer because of April’s international spy plane incident in which 24 American servicemen and women were held in China for 12 days: “It obviously did not speed up the process… The people at the State Department were in no hurry to give an approval. I don’t think it’s an issue anymore, and the process is coming back on a more normal track.” Spokesman did say discussions were being held in attempt to obtain waiver, but “it would be difficult to get clearance before business on Capitol Hill resumes in September… The summer recess is the real issue.” This marked first time U.S. had faced issue of dealing with its components aboard non-U.S. satellite since export licensing was moved to State Dept. from Commerce Dept. 2 years ago. A recommendation from State Dept. to President is needed to secure proper export licenses. If President agrees to export, he submits plan to Congress for review. None of parties involved would comment on whether State had given recommendation and State declined to comment on any licensing issues. Space analyst said he would be very surprised if license wasn’t issued eventually because U.S. “wouldn’t want to make it more difficult to launch overseas… That would encourage European manufacturers to become more independent in every area of satellite manufacturing.” Analyst also said acquiring license had become more difficult since State Dept. had taken control of satellite exports: “Their priority is not allowing U.S. technology falling into the hands of the Chinese… I can’t imagine what technology on a satellite could be so sensitive that they could be so concerned from a security standpoint. Any one component that was so sensitive -- somebody would have uncovered it.”
Leonard R. Raish, 83, communications lawyer and international expert on spectrum matters, died Aug. 18 of natural causes in Alexandria, Va., Hospital. He received foreign service degree from Georgetown U. in 1939, law degree later from same school, and spent one career in Navy, retiring in 1969 as captain. He was in Office of Telecom Policy in White House (now NTIA in Commerce Dept.) 1969-1975, and was member of U.S. delegation to several international conferences, including vice chmn. of 1987 World Administrative Radio Conference in Geneva. Raish entered private law practice in 1975 and became partner in Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth in 1978. Wife, 2 sons, survive.
Potential interference from 3rd generation wireless base stations on defense satellites isn’t only issue to be resolved before govt. can relocate military spectrum for commercial use, Dept. of Defense (DoD) said. Deputy Asst. Defense Secy. Robert Nutwell said DoD agreed with General Accounting Office (GAO) report that more information was needed before govt. could safely reallocate 1755-1850 MHz band for 3G wireless Internet. However, while satellite issue is critical, he said, “it is just one of many that must be resolved before national decisions are made regarding the possible use of this band… DoD’s nonspace systems provide essential military capabilities and must be given equivalent attention in sharing, segmentation and relocation studies, as they have in the DoD report.”
Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) confirmed Thurs. it had rescinded Global Crossing $450 million network contract, for which 4 rivals had mounted challenges at General Accounting Office (GAO) in recent weeks. Defense Dept. agency provided no details of why Defense Research & Engineering Network (DREN) contract was being revoked just one month after DISA had made award. Contract is largest from federal govt. that Global Crossing had received and company had said it would create “world’s largest, single contiguous fiber optic network” to link defense labs, test centers, universities and other sites. DISA action comes at time when Global Crossing has been beefing up its govt. contract operations. DISA wouldn’t elaborate on next steps, but one option appeared to be that it could accept new bids for network agreement, several sources said. Network is designed to securely connect DoD supercomputer users via virtual private network.
Revised land valuation proposal for fiber and other utility infrastructure projects in marine sanctuaries is nearing completion, NOAA source said. Agency’s National Ocean Service earlier this year (CD May 2 p4) sought comment on draft recommendation to sell 25-year cable permits in protected areas for up-front $125,000 per mile right-of-way fee. Source said transition to Bush Administration, in addition to industry complaints that first 15-day comment period was insufficient, were primary reasons that Dept. of Commerce reopened matter. He said Commerce was likely to set 45-day window for comments on revised plan, which differs from original, containing updated information on fair market value of marine sanctuary properties: “We want to make sure our economists have the latest data.” He said revised plan was in “final stages of clearance” and was being reviewed by gen. counsel’s office. NOAA probably will publish revision in Federal Register by Fri.
In signal that FCC may be moving toward taking MMDS and Instructional TV Fixed Service (ITFS) out of consideration for 3G, Chmn. Powell at Thurs. agenda meeting pledged Commission action by end of month on those bands. While saying he would move quickly, he didn’t spell out his position on whether MMDS and ITFS should be taken out of running for 3G. But Comr. Tristani felt strongly enough about need to have done that in further notice approved at meeting that she dissented in part from item on additional spectrum for advanced wireless services. She said her partial dissent was because notice didn’t take step now of removing MMDS and ITFS from consideration for potential relocation to make way for 3G services. Comr. Copps expressed “sympathy” for points raised by Tristani, and Comr. Abernathy reiterated her stance advocating need to provide certainty to those licensees by removing threat of relocation. While action addressing status of MMDS and ITFS spectrum has been put off for short time, FCC still approved further notice and separate notice of proposed rulemaking to examine other spectrum bands for advanced wireless uses (see separate story, this issue).
U.S. spectrum policy should move away from current “piecemeal” approach, particularly on upcoming 3G decisions, CTIA Pres. Tom Wheeler said Wed. At press lunch, he said current 3G discussions between industry and govt. presented opportunity to craft national spectrum policy plan that would look at timelines such as 5 to 10 years and be updated periodically. “What we have to break ourselves of is this piecemeal spectrum policy approach,” he said. With larger “pot” of spectrum on which to base decisions, policymakers would have more flexibility, he said. Asked about recent FCC decision to delay Ch. 60-69 auction and impact on 3G timelines, Wheeler said 700 MHz band was “potentially part of the solution because it provides alternatives for migration and other such developments.” He said “that’s beachfront property” with potential interest for Dept. of Defense. Overall uncertainty involving NextWave licenses takes 30 MHz of wireless spectrum off table now for any carrier to use, he said. Lauding attention that govt. players such as Commerce Dept. and FCC have paid to 3G decisions, Wheeler again called for Commission to eliminate spectrum cap to provide nearer term relief. “What is happening is pressure is building up… and there has to be this escape valve,” he said. After recent House and Senate hearings on 3G, discussions have continued with wireless industry and govt. at White House “involving all of the major players” in debate on how advanced wireless spectrum would be carved out, he said. As for carriers’ Enhanced 911 Phase 2 waiver requests, Wheeler stressed extent to which both public safety answering points (PSAPs) and wireless industry had to grapple with readiness. But he cited report that Assn. of Public-Safety Communications Officials estimated 10% of PSAPs involved Phase 1 complaint. Wheeler said that by contrast. all wireless carrier switches were Phase 1 ready. “What I have been trying to say to the PSAP community is we are going to be there, what are you going to do to ensure you will be able to take that latitude and longitude information and use it? I hope they come up with a plan,” Wheeler said. Separately, he touted early attendance and exhibitor figures for CTIA Wireless I.T. and Internet 2001 show in San Diego in Sept. Exhibitor registration figures are up 122% over last year, when 206 firms exhibited. Attendee preregistration also is running ahead of last year, he said. Wheeler said reported increases in IT spending and CTIA show figures point to uptick for wireless data industry. “We're starting to come out of the wilderness insofar as wireless data is concerned,” Wheeler said.
Ultra-wideband (UWB)developer XtremeSpectrum said Wed. it believed FCC decision on operation of UWB devices under Part 15 rules still was on track for later this year. Xtreme, which was founded in late 1998 and has hq in Vienna, Va., is positioned to offer products as soon as FCC grants approval, CEO Martin Rofheart said at news briefing in Washington. While company isn’t releasing details such as pricing for products, announcements are expected shortly on funding and other issues, he said. Rofheart said UWB technology offered advantages over other 2.4 GHz technologies such as 802.11b and Bluetooth because it simultaneously delivered high data rates, low power consumption and low cost. Washington attorneys Michelle Farquhar and Mitchell Lazarus said Xtreme had been meeting this month with FCC 8th floor advisers on UWB proceeding, already had spoken with FCC Comr. Martin and sessions with other commissioners were in works for this month. Rofheart said company had rebutted interference concerns raised by GPS community and related industries by proposing protection margin that went beyond limits in FCC notice of proposed rulemaking. XtremeSpectrum sent letter to Dept. of Defense, Dept. of Transportation, NASA and Commerce Dept. that it said rebutted UWB interference claims made to those agencies by wide array of GPS providers, satellite interests, others (CD July 10 p4). Coalition of 39 companies and trade groups said pending FCC rule that would allow UWB operations in Part 15 spectrum would mark change in “historic prohibition on intentional transmissions” into and across restricted frequency bands. Xtreme said groups didn’t “mention the remarkably low levels of UWB emissions. Over much of the spectrum, the FCC has proposed UWB levels equal to the permitted radio noise levels from an ordinary personal computer.” It said it had proposed lower emission levels than in NPRM to provide additional assurance against interference, including spectral mask to limit UWB emissions in bands ranging from Digital Audio Radio Systems, PCS, GPS. Rofheart said proposal in GPS band would limit power to one-billionth of watt, which is 1/64th of limit for digital devices. He said company supported test for spectral lines that GPS community backs. Device passing that test would show it didn’t generate spectral lines that could interfere with GPS operations. Rofheart also cited several studies that said UWB signals didn’t aggregate. Xtreme said that means that “even if hundreds of UWB devices operate in close proximity (as in an office network), a GPS or other receiver will ’see’ only the handful of units closest to it.” Xtreme also proposed that UWB devices be restricted to indoor use to eliminate likelihood of interference to GPS users. Lazarus said company had been meeting “weekly with engineers at NTIA” on interference issue. While newly confirmed NTIA Dir. Nancy Victory has been recused from working on UWB issue, others at NTIA have been designated to work on technical issues related to that technology in her stead. Rofheart said company had signed agreements with potential customers, although it wasn’t ready to announce names.
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is researching potential sources of integrated telecom and information technology (IT) operations support services. Dept. of Defense (DoD), which formed DTRA in 1998 by consolidating weapons of mass destruction threat assessment units, is conducting market study of possible providers before issuing request for proposals. Eligible contractor would have to be solely capable of providing end-to-end support, “from the help desk to the system level,” for agency’s Washington metro area network infrastructure. Providers would have to develop telecom IT support plan that included: (1) Network incident diagnosis and resolution. (2) Network capacity monitoring, with goal of ensuring “peak performance by eliminating bottlenecks and allocating proper bandwidth.” (3) Prevention of “spread of viruses or other malicious attacks” and recovery from such incidents. (4) Web development. (5) Maintenance and ordering of phone and other communications devices and training in use of such equipment. (6) Installation and operation of cryptographic equipment. Scope of contract awarded for project could be extended to agency locations worldwide, DTRA said Aug. 7 in Commerce Business Daily’s CBDNet.
Satellite Industry Assn. (SIA) Exec. Dir. Richard DalBello praised FCC authorizations of 2nd round licenses for Ka-band service (CD Aug 6 p4). He said Commission “action underscores the increasingly critical role that satellite services play in delivering competitive broadband services” to U.S., and would ensure competition in broadband marketplace and “rapid diffusion of advanced communication technologies” to residential and business consumers. DalBello also said SIA was “extremely pleased” House International Relations Committee had voted to return jurisdiction over commercial satellites to Dept. of Commerce from State Dept.