Although he signed FCC filing on Transportation Dept.- funded research on ultra-wideband, Stanford U. Prof. Bradford Parkinson said he wasn’t involved in conducting study, meaning his corporate ties to GPS developer Trimble posed no conflict. In Sept. 2000, Parkinson, who is widely viewed as “Father of GPS,” jointly submitted to FCC ex parte filing with other Stanford researchers outlining preliminary results of UWB tests conducted by GPS Research Lab at Stanford and funded by DoT. “We urge the Commission to proceed with great caution and deliberation,” said filing by 4 professors, including Parkinson, that described research challenges of analyzing UWB-to-GPS interference. But Parkinson said Mon. his role in research, which had been among studies cited by federal agencies concerned about potential of UWB emissions to cause harmful interference to GPS, was to evaluate results after test phase was complete. He said Assoc. Prof. Per Enge oversaw research itself.
New partners at Wiley, Rein & Fielding: Timothy Brightbill, Internet and trade; Dorann Bunkin, communications and Internet; Meredith Fuchs, Internet and privacy; Christopher Kelly and David Kulik, intellectual property… Edmond Sanctis, ex-NBC Internet, named pres.-COO, Acclaim Entertainment… Michael Thurk, ex-Ericsson Datacom, joins Avaya as group vp-systems… Tom Rutledge, ex-Time Warner Cable, appointed pres.-N.Y. Metro Area, Cablevision Systems… Motorola COO Edward Breen elected to board… Consultant David Kenin named Hallmark Channel exec. vp- programming… William Payer promoted to CONUS gen. mgr…. David Beckwith resigns as NCTA vp-communications following appointment of Rob Stoddard as senior vp-communications and public affairs… Philip Smith, former Moai Technologies CFO, joins RHK Inc. in same position… Dara Khosrowshahi promoted to CFO, USA Networks, replacing Michael Sileck, appointed CFO, TMP Worldwide… Ex-journalist Kate Gerwig becomes principal analyst, Current Analysis.
FCC Deputy Gen. Counsel John Rogovin told Practising Law Institute conference in Washington that agency was “seriously hopeful” that Congress would pass legislation implementing NextWave agreement by year-end. But in response to question by panel moderator Richard Wiley, he declined to place odds on Congress’s acting in time to meet condition of settlement agreement that legislation be approved by Dec. 31. He said that beyond that date, “there can be no guarantee we will hold that coalition together. It was pretty fragile.” Under scenario in which request for certiorari before U.S. Supreme Court would move forward next year, even with ultimate ruling favorable to FCC, certainty on disposition of licenses still might not be assured until 2004, he said, citing court scheduling issues.
Bush Administration is working closely with FCC and NTIA to ease regulatory burdens to broadband deployment and free up spectrum, senior official said Fri. However, Administration contends there’s little need for broadband policy, Commerce Dept. Asst. Secy. for Technology Policy Bruce Mehlman told ALTS conference: “Rather than policy fixes, it’s going to be technology developments that get broadband to all Americans.” He dismissed idea that Administration would weigh in on either side of debate on Bell-friendly bill promoted by House Commerce Committee Chmn. Tauzin (R-La.) and ranking Democrat Dingell (Mich.).
Patriot Act has left unchanged FTC’s mission on overseeing privacy disclosure policies, which ISPs may want to take another look at to reflect new voluntary disclosure provisions, Comr. Orson Swindle said Thurs. He stressed in audio conference sponsored by Warren Communications News that act dealt mostly with federal agencies that had criminal enforcement authority. But he said that Sec. 212 of the Patriot Act says that if ISPs discover alarming information involving potential threats to safety, they voluntarily can provide that information to law enforcers. “Service providers who have privacy policies stating that customer communications or records may be disclosed where required by law may now wish to think about how they will deal with the Patriot Act,” Swindle said.
Speakers at American Enterprise Institute conference on govt. role in DTV transition Oct. 26 are to include former FCC Comr. Harold Furchtgott-Roth, NAB Pres. Edward Fritts, NCTA Pres. Robert Sachs, CEA Pres. Gary Shapiro, attorney Richard Wiley. Conference is 9:30-noon at AEI hq.
Brian Mulligan resigned as chmn. of Fox TV to pursue other interests, will remain consultant… Gavyn Davies promoted to chmn., BBC… Changes in FCC Wireless Bureau: Barry Ohlson, ex- Winstar, and Scott Delacourt, ex-Wiley, Rein & Fielding, named legal advisers in Office of Bureau Chief; Roger Noel moves to deputy chief in bureau’s Commercial Wireless Div… Suzanne Toller, ex-AT&T Wireless, joins San Francisco office of Davis Wright Tremaine as head of telecom practice… Mark Floyd, ex- Efficient Networks, named pres.-CEO, Siemens Information & Communications Networks U.S… Michael Specht, ex-Juice Networks, joins Wallman Consulting to create Emerging Communications Technology Group… Francisco Navarro, ex-Global One, named head of Equant Latin American mktg… Kristen Verederame promoted to BT N. America vp-U.S. regulation & govt. relations… Michael Lawrence, ex-AT&T, named pres.-COO, Amplidyne… Jan Smith, pres., Disney Interactive, also named pres. of Disney’s new business unit, Buena Vista Entertainment Studio… Thomas Burchill, ex- Petry Media, named chmn.-CEO, Mitra Technologies… William Tafoya, ex-FBI, appointed dir., Information System Security & Education Center, National Intellectual Property Law Institute… Lee Larsen promoted to vp-mkt. mgr., Clear Channel Denver cluster… Harry Cole named partner in communications law firm Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth.
Catherine Bohigian, ex-Wiley, Rein & Fielding, named FCC Comr. Martin’s adviser on cable and mass media… Rogers Communications named Bruce Mann, ex-MetroNet, vp-investor relations, and promoted Richard Harvey to dir.-financial analysis… Samuel Starr advanced to chief delivery officer, SBC Communications’ Sterling Commerce subsidiary.
Some of reality of Tues.’s terrorist attacks set in Wed. as the list of known victims revealed a wide spectrum of people from communications sector. Among them ware a corporate official on his way to the PCIA show, a Washington wireless attorney, technicians who manned telecom facilities atop World Trade Center towers, TV technical personnel.
Verizon was working Wed. to restore some service to its heavily damaged West St. central office, punctured on one side by steel beams thrust down by collapse of World Trade Center’s Building #7, flooded with water, covered with inches of soot and without commercial power. Verizon Vice Chmn. Larry Babbio, who had just returned from visiting West St. facility, told reporters that scene was horrible but technicians were planning to vacuum, clean and dry every piece of equipment on 12 levels, including 5 basements, all waterlogged, in hope of getting some service restored soon. Company is bringing in generators to provide power.