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.
Former FCC Comr. James Quello officially joined Wiley, Rein & Fielding law firm as govt. relations consultant, firm said. Quello had been sharing office space with firm since leaving FCC, while he wrote memoir and worked on other projects. Quello was FCC commissioner for 23 years.
Nancy Victory’s nomination as NTIA dir. cleared Senate Commerce Committee Thurs., after confirmation hearing Wed. (CD Aug 2 p5). Victory, former partner at Wiley, Rein & Fielding law firm, received friendly reception at sparsely attended committee meeting. Victory told panel that any stock in telecom companies that she had once owned she no longer owned now. She reportedly has had holdings in telecom companies such as AT&T and Motorola.
Nancy Victory, nominee for NTIA dir., received friendly reception before sparsely attended, brief Senate Commerce Committee nomination hearing Wed., despite recent discussions with govt. ethics officials about potential conflicts of interest. Only 3 Senators were in attendance: Dorgan (D-N.D.), Allen (R- Va.) and Burns (R-Mont.). Victory, until recently attorney with Wiley, Rein & Fielding, told panel that in recent weeks she has met with Office of Govt. Ethics and White House ethics experts to discuss concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Any stock in telecom companies that she had once owned she no longer owns, Victory said in response to questions, particularly from Dorgan. “To the extent that there may be other stocks to sell,” Victory said she will do so. Among stocks that Victory and her husband Michael Senkowski, also Wiley, Rein & Fielding attorney, have reportedly owned included shares in Verizon, Motorola and AT&T. Firms are among those with interest in outcome of 3rd generation wireless proceeding. Wall St. Journal reported Wed. that Senkowski has told govt. ethics officials that he wouldn’t represent companies that have business before NTIA as long as his wife holds post there. NTIA is overseeing 3G policy decisions regarding spectrum such as 1.7 GHz occupied by Dept. of Defense users. Victory told committee that in discussions with govt. ethics experts, they went through, in detail, her and her husband’s investments and personal relationships with industry companies. Victory said that White House ethics experts identified only one matter that she would have to contend with, ultra wideband (UWB) proceeding. Wiley, Rein & Fielding has represented UWB developer Time Domain at FCC in ongoing proceeding. Victory’s own past ties to wireless industry include work that she has done as outside counsel for PCIA. NTIA and FCC have been working through technical details of upcoming rulemaking on UWB, which, aside from 3G, is among biggest issues that NTIA faces. Despite many questions about ethics and her stance on issues such as 3G, all 3 Senators expressed intention to support her nomination. Dorgan asked her “are your intentions to be an activist over there” on broadcast ownership issues. He noted approvingly that former NTIA Dir. Larry Irving had taken up ownership issue every time it was raised by FCC. “I hope I have the opportunity to be an activist,” Victory said. However, she avoided answering question in any detail and instead laid out some of other top issues she expected to tackle as administrator: (1) Spectrum allocation, in which she expressed hope that she could work with industry to increase efficiency of spectrum use. (2) Broadband deployment. Victory said she believed in competition as required by Telecom Act. But regarding rural areas and various legislative proposals to hasten deployment in those areas, she said that may require “a little extra attention.” But she didn’t specify any particular legislative proposals. Regarding reallocation of military spectrum at 1.7 GHz for 3G, she said there are “tremendous emotions on all sides” and valid concerns, as well. Victory said her role would be to encourage dialog between parties and then assess “our most viable options in the time frames needed.” Burns asked her if she knew or could predict what wireless industry would look like in 5 years. Victory said if she knew, “I wouldn’t be vying in this position, I'd be investing in the stock market.”