TerreStar Updates Roll Out Schedule

TerreStar Networks announced it expects to begin commercial roll out of the TerreStar GENUS(TM), the world's first dual-mode satellite-cellular smartphone, in September 2010. The company has renewed the in-orbit insurance on its TerreStar-1 communications satellite for one additional year."TerreStar-1 continues to exceed performance expectations, and I am pleased with support we received from the insurance community," stated Jeffrey W. Epstein,...

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AT&T Proposes Settlement in Wireless Billing Practices Lawsuit

AT&T proposed settlements of class action lawsuits relating to certain billing practices of AT&T Wireless Services, Inc., which was merged out of existence when it combined with Cingular in 2004. The Settlements do not concern the practices of Cingular Wireless or AT&T Mobility. The class actions that are part of the proposed settlements challenge the following alleged billing practices of AT&T Wireless Services, Inc. and related entities, including Santa Barbara Cellular Systems: charges for mMode Data Service, if the subscriber...

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Telstra and Huawei Test LTE at 1800MHz

Telstra and Huawei Technologies are testing LTE operating on 1800MHz spectrum in Victoria, Australia. The 1800MHz evaluation will include tests of throughput using MIMO antenna configurations as well as several industry-leading advanced features including Inter Cell Interference Coordination to reduce radio network interference and improve throughput, and Self Organizing Networks where LTE network technology automatically optimises its performance,...

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Spain's Endesa Outsources its Network to Ericsson

Endesa, the largest utility company in Spain with 23 million customers, has selected Ericsson to operate its entire corporate telecommunication network through a four-year managed services agreement. Ericsson will be the sole services provider for Endesa's corporate telecommunication network, including the daily operation of all services associated with the telecom network; network operations in the network operations center, maintenance, installation...

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A Proposal for a New Digital Goods and Services Tax for U.S. Congress

Representatives Rick Boucher (D-Va.) and Lamar Smith (R-Texas) introduced the Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act (H.R. 5649) that calls for the creation of a national framework for taxing digital downloads and applications. Sponsors of the bill note that the first state tax on digital goods was imposed in 2007 and that already some 25 states have considered legislation imposing new taxes on digital goods and services. "Duplicative or increased...

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New Recovery Act Broadband Projects Get USDA Funding

President Obama announced $780 million in grants and loans through the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture for funding sixty-six Recovery Act broadband projects nationwide, including 37 new projects in rural America. The funding has been matched by over $200 million in outside investment, for a total public-private investment of nearly $1 billion. The announcement kicks off the U.S. Department of Agriculture's second round of broadband funding...

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