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Today's report from Web Editor
Susan Rush
• Verizon Isn't Fighting Fair
• AOL-TW: Access Remains An Issue At FTC
• NorthPoint Donates Broadband
• President Calls For 3G
• Broadband Briefs
Verizon Isn't Fighting Fair All
may be fair in love and war, but what about in DSL? The DSL market is ripe
in Massachusetts and WorldCom would like
to enter the fray, but says Verizon
Communications is not playing fair. What it claims are high leasing
prices, an under-tested OSS and unresolved line splitting issues have led
WorldCom to ask the FCC to reject Verizon's petition to offer long-distance
in Massachusetts. Verizon did not return BroadbandWeek Direct's calls
for comment before deadline.
Verizon reportedly filed a tariff with the Federal
Communications Commission on Friday to fix the pricing problem, but
according to Julie Moore, a WorldCom spokesperson, "the tariff falls
short of fixing the problem." WorldCom filed opposition comments today
with the Commission. "The key for filing our comments [with the FCC] is
that Verizon is not opening competition," Moore says.
Related Stories:
Opening Days,
Broadband Week, 10/00
Broadband
Advocates Petition FCC, Congress, Multichannel News, 8/2/99
AOL-TW: Access Remains An Issue At FTC
Could the honeymoon be over? Last week America
Online and Time Warner got the
green light on their merger plans from the European
Union, but U.S. regulators may turn that light from green to red. The Federal
Trade Commission is reportedly considering blocking the merger unless
the two sides can come to an agreement on Internet access. Despite these
reports, AOL remains confident that the deal will win approval in the United
States. The FTC declined to comment.
The FTC is set to rule on the $135 billion deal on October 27, so an
agreement would have to be reached, within the next two weeks, on how the
combined AOL-TW plans to ensure competitors have access to its high-speed
cable networks. "We are continuing to have constructive conversations
with the FTC and they are nearing an end. We are on track to close this
fall," says Kathy McKiernan, an AOL spokesperson.
On Friday, the FCC put a hold on its review of the merger until after the
FTC rules on the deal. FCC officials said it is "normal practice"
for it to wait until after the FTC concludes its antitrust review.
"Once the Federal Trade Commission has acted we will promptly publish
an anticipated timeline for FCC action," explained Christopher Wright,
the FCC's general counsel.
Related Stories:
EU
Says Yes; U.S. Says What About AT&T?, BroadbandWeek Direct,
10/11/00
AOL
Battles The Mouse, BroadbandWeek Direct, 10/4/00
NorthPoint Donates Broadband
You've heard of Hands Across America, well how about DSL
Across America? NorthPoint
Communications is giving something back at the community level, with
a donation of free high-speed Internet access to 800 community centers
in distressed neighborhoods throughout the United States.
To make its nationwide connectivity initiative a reality, NorthPoint is
working with the Federal Department of
Housing and Urban Development and various technology partners,
including ISPs Zyan Communications, MegaPath
and Flashcom, as well as hardware
provider Netopia.
The two-year program will kick off this week in Pittsburgh, New York,
Hartford, Cambridge and Boston, as part of HUD's National Network
Neighborhood Week.
Related Stories:
Don't
Fall Into The Broadband Divide, BroadbandWeek Direct, 10/2/00
NAMIC
Project Aims at Digital Divide, Multichannel News, 3/6/00
President Calls For 3G
High-speed, next-generation wireless has caught President
Clinton's eye. Whether it is the lure of cash third-generation wireless
could bring to the United States, or the desire to keep up with the
competition, the President is calling for 3G licenses to be auctioned within
the next two years. Billions have been plunked down this year in Europe for
3G licenses, but already crowded airwaves have hindered deployment of
services in the Untied States.
"The United States must move quickly and purposefully so that
consumers, industry and government agencies all reap the benefits of this
third generation of wireless products and services," said Clinton in a
prepared statement. In memorandum on Friday, the President directed the U.S.
Department of Commerce to identify available airwaves by October 20, as
well as work with the FCC to explore ways to speed up deployment of these
high-speed services.
The FCC commended the Executive Branch's placement of priority on the issue.
"We look forward to working with the Executive Branch...to ensure that
the American public has widespread and timely access to the next generation
of advanced wireless services," said FCC Chairman William Kennard in a
statement.
Related Stories:
3G:
Poised At The Door, Wireless Week, 9/11/00
3G
Wins Big In Germany, BroadbandWeek Direct, 8/18/00
Broadband Briefs:
- Lucent Technologies signs a multi-year deal to resale
Ensemble Communications' next-generation wireless access equipment as part of a complete, point-to-multipoint broadband wireless network solution. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
- Geocast Network Systems Inc.
inks a deal with EchoStar Communications
to nationally deliver its personalized broadband services to PC users using dedicated bandwidth on one of EchoStar's primary direct broadcast satellites.
- United Pan-Europe Communications
selects Motorola, Inc.'s DVB-compliant MediaCipher conditional access system for its digital set-top terminals.
- Qwest Communications
expands its DSL services in five California business markets, including San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego. The service was first launched in Sacramento in May.
- To reduce the number of truck rolls necessary to install its DSL services,
XO Communications will implement Turnstone
Systems' Copper CrossConnect XC100 as the local loop management platform for its DSL services nationwide.
- Everest Broadband Networks
inks a deal to wire three Muss Development Co. buildings in New York. Everest already has contracts with Muss to wire 7 other commercial buildings throughout Canada and the United States.
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