FCC CONSIDERS ADDITIONAL SPECTRUM FOR 3G SERVICES
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed five possible spectrum bands below 3 GHz to support advanced wireless services in the US. Specifically, the FCC:

• proposes to allocate for mobile and fixed services the 1710-1755 MHz band, which was designated for reallocation from Federal Government to non-Federal Government use
• proposes mobile and fixed service allocations for the 1755-1850 MHz band, if spectrum in the band is made available for non- Federal Government use;
• proposes to designate advanced mobile and fixed service use of the 2110- 2150 MHz and 2160-2165 MHz bands that are currently used for a variety of fixed and mobile services;
• and seeks comment on various approaches for the 2500-2690 MHz band, which is currently used for MMDS and Instructional Television Fixed Services.

The FCC also denied a petition filed by the Satellite Industry Association requesting that the 2500-2520 MHz and 2670-2690 MHz bands be reallocated to the Mobile-Satellite Service.   http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/News_Releases/2001/nret0101.html

• In November, the FCC issued its an interim report on the current 3G spectrum uses in the US and potential for reallocation or sharing between 3G networks and incumbent spectrum holders in industry and government.   http://www.fcc.gov/3G/

TELCORDIA ESTIMATES TOTAL WORLDWIDE HOSTS TOPS 100 MILLION
The number of Internet hosts worldwide has exceeded 100 million, up by 45% over the past year, according to the NetSizer service provided by Telcordia Technologies.  The number of hosts includes routers, Web servers, mail servers, workstations in universities and businesses, and ports in modem banks of ISPs.  Telcordia NetSizer estimates that there are more than 350 million Internet users worldwide, with an average of 3.4 users per host.  http://www.netsizer.com/
Telcordia Technologies, January 5, 2001

XO ANNOUNCES $450 MILLION CONVERTIBLE DEBT OFFERING
XO Communications will issue $450 million of 5.75% convertible subordinated notes due 2009 in a private placement.  XO Communications plans to use the proceeds for expansion of its existing networks and services, the development and acquisition of additional networks and services, and to fund operating losses and working capital.   http://www.xo.com/news/52.html
XO Communications, January 5, 2001

• XO Communications, which was formed through the merger of NEXTLINK and Concentric, has more than 570,000 metro and inter-city fiber miles in operation in the US. The company is also North America's largest holder of fixed broadband wireless spectrum, with licenses covering 95% of the population of the 30 largest US cities and a partnership with licenses covering all of the top cities in Canada. 
  
• XO has also acquired metro fiber networks and conduits being constructed in Europe that, when complete, will serve the London, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Brussels, Amsterdam and Paris markets and an 88,000 fiber-mile pan-European fiber network connecting 21 major European cities and transatlantic capacity that will eventually expand to 10 Gbps.

TURK TELEKOM SELECTS ALCATEL'S 32-CHANNEL DWDM
Turk Telekom selected Alcatel's 32-channel DWDM equipment for a new high-speed national backbone connecting major cities across Turkey.  The contract was valued at US$30 million.  The network will use Out-Of-Band Forward Error Correction (OOB-FEC) technology, which Alcatel originally developed for undersea networks.  FEC is a technique that uses a pre-determined algorithm to transmit redundant data together with transported data, thereby enabling the receiving device to detect and correct multiple bit-errors that may occur during transmission.
http://www.alcatel.com/vpr/?body=/latestnews/05012001uk
Alcatel, January 5, 2001

TI TO EMBED REAL NETWORKS’ STREAMING MEDIA INTO DSPs
Texas Instruments will embed Real Networks’ streaming and downloadable audio and video capability into its platform for next-generation wireless consumer devices, including portable Internet audio players, mobile handsets, and personal digital assistants (PDAs).  Specifically, Texas Instruments plans to integrate RealNetworks' RealPlayer technology into low power DSPs, including its DSP-based Open Multimedia Applications Platform (OMAP) architecture and fourth generation Internet audio DSP.
http://www.realnetworks.com/company/pressroom/pr/2000/ti_alliance.html?src=noref,rnhmpg_010301a,rnhmhl
Real Networks, January 7, 2001

AGERE SYSTEMS INTRODUCES ADSL CHIPSET FOR LINUX
Agere Systems (formerly the Microelectronics Group of Lucent Technologies) introduced an ADSL chipset for residential gateways, home networking and PCs that use Linux.   Agere expects a growing number of Linux-based consumer equipment because of Linux's low licensing fees and open software code architecture.  http://www.lucent.com/micro/NEWS/PRESS2001/010501a.html
Agere Systems, January 5, 2001

ASTROLINK PARTNERS WITH VIASAT FOR KA-BAND SATELLITE NETWORK
ASTROLINK International LLC, which plans to launch a Ka-band global satellite Internet service, selected ViaSat to develop and manufacture service provider gateways.  The contract was valued at $30 million.  The gateways will provide Astrolink and its service providers with a high-capacity interface with the terrestrial networks.  http://www.viasat.com/  http://www.astrolink.com
ViaSat, January 5, 2001

• Astrolink is backed by Liberty Media, Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications, Telespazio, and TRW.
  
• Astrolink initially plans to launch four geostationary satellites located 23,000 miles (37,000 kilometers) above the earth's equator.  Each satellite will feature 44 "spot beams" as well as an on-board packet switch.  Astrolink expects its satellites will have a life span of 12 years, nearly double that of low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellites.  An additional five satellites are planned for a complete network deployment that would cover 92% of telecom markets.
  
• The estimated total cost of Astrolink system, with the first four geostationary satellites, is approximately US$3.6 billion.  So far the company has raised $1.33 billion in equity from four strategic partners: Liberty Media - $425 million; Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications - $400 million; TRW - $255 million; and Telespazio - $250 million.

HUGHES TO INTRODUCE TWO-WAY SATELLITE INTERNET SERVICE IN Q1
Hughes Electronics Corporation will add a satellite uplink capability to its DirecPC satellite Internet access service during Q1.  Currently, the DirecPC service combines a satellite downlink with a conventional modem uplink.  The new DirecPC Satellite Return system provides uplink speed of up to 128 kbps and a downlink speed of up to 400 kbps.  The system requires a new DirecDuo antenna, which provides broadband Internet access as well as access to more than 225 channels of DIRECTV programming.  Pricing will be announced upon launch of the service, and availability covers the continental US.   http://www.direcpc.com
Hughes Electronics Corporation, January 6, 2001

• DIRECTV is the nation's leading digital satellite television service provider with over 9 million customers.  DirecPC's dial-return service has over 200,000 users worldwide.