FCC Acts to Cut International Phone Call Costs
WSJ: International Phone Calls' Costs Are Cut
NYT: Calling Overseas May Get Cheaper
WP: FCC Moves to Lower Cost of Overseas Phone Calls
see also
TelecomAM: FCC Sets Cap On International Call Termination Rates
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
FCC: Commission Adopts International Settlement Rate Benchmarks
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/International/News_Releases/1997/nrin702
8.html
Microsoft/Apple Deal: Let the Spin Begin
WSJ: The Battle Beyond Apple
NYT: The Apple of Microsoft's Eye
WP: Microsoft May Be Real Winner in Apple Deal
see also
NewsWorks: Business Section
http://www.newsworks.com/NewsWorks/business/front/0,1011,,00.html
Mergers
TelecomAM: BT/MCI: The Engagement Ring Has Lost Its Sparkle
Television
WP: Public TV Wants Pay-Channel Option
TelecomAM: FCC Increases Level of Closed Captioned TV
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* FCC/International Phone Calls *
*********************************************
Title: International Phone Calls' Costs Are Cut
Source: Wall Street Journal http://www.wsj.com/ (A3)
Author: John Wilke & Gautam Naik
Issue: International/Phone Regulation
Description: The average international phone call may drop from the current
$.88/minute to $.20/minute over the next five years because of rules adopted
by the Federal Communications Commission. The rules call for long distance
carriers to negotiate new, lower rates with foreign carriers to complete
overseas calls. These "settlement charges" are now often three to five times
over actual costs. Long distance carriers applauded the new rules. There is
much opposition to the plan in the rest of the world.
Title: Calling Overseas May Get Cheaper
Source: New York Times(A1)
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/financial/phone-rates.html
Author: Mark Landler
Issue: Phone Regulation/International
Description: Yesterday the FCC issued new orders to reduce the amount
U.S. companies pay foreign carriers to complete overseas calls. As a
results, call costs could drop to 20 cents per minute from 88 cents per
minute according to FCC Chairman Reed "Call Em Like I See Em" Hundt.
Representatives from international phone companies argued that the FCC could
not regulate charges of foreign carriers.
Title: FCC Moves to Lower Cost of Overseas Phone Calls
Source: Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/ (G1)
Author: Mike Mills
Issue: Phone Regulation/International
Description: The FCC established new phone regulations that could
dramatically drop consumers' costs for international calls. These
guidelines would lower what U.S. long distance companies pay foreign carrier
to complete international calls. Many foreign companies keep these charges
inflated to generate income for their governments. Some analysts argue that
the FCC does not have the jurisdiction to make such regulation. U.S.
callers spend about $14 billion a year on calls to other countries.
*********************************************
* Microsoft/Apple Deal *
*********************************************
Title: The Battle Beyond Apple
Source: Wall Street Journal http://www.wsj.com/ (A12)
Author: George Gilder, Gilder Technology Report
Issue: Info Tech
Description: The big story in information technology, Gilder's editorial
says, is *not* Microsoft's investment in Apple. The central conflict in
economics is the battle between the past and the future -- "the war between
the existing configuration of industries and the industries that will soon
replace them." Today, the battle lines are drawn by those who are focusing
on the desktop computer and the television and those who focus on
overthrowing these establishments through the Internet. "WebTV is a dancing
dog." You are amazed not by how well it dances. "You are amazed it dances at
all. AppleOS and Windows are of the past -- Java is the future.
Title: The Apple of Microsoft's Eye
Source: New York Times (A28)
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/editorial/08fri3.html
Author: NYT Editorial Staff
Issue: Mergers
Description: Microsoft will invest more than $150 million into Apple
Computer. And "odd or not, the bailout is good for both." The deal helps
Microsoft because it solidifies a demand for its software on Apple machines.
The agreement helps Apple financially. However, "With Microsoft now
moving to dominate software access on Apple machines as well, the Government
needs to make sure that Microsoft lives up to its legal obligations to make
it commercially easy for other software companies to write programs that
work effortlessly under Windows."
Title: Microsoft May Be Real Winner in Apple Deal
Source: Washington Post(G2)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-08/08/073l-080897-
idx.html
Author: Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Issue: Mergers
Description: The deal between Microsoft and Apple helps keep Apple going
but may give Microsoft more important gains. Microsoft promotes its
browsing software, lowers antitrust concerns, and calls more of the shots on
how Java standards are developed, and therefore some argue, how the future of
computing develops. Microsoft is going to invest money in Apple and Apple
is going to make Microsoft Explorer the choice of ease for Mac customers.
*********************************************
* Mergers *
*********************************************
Title: BT/MCI: The Engagement Ring Has Lost Its Sparkle
Source: Telecom AM http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Mergers
Description: MCI are British Telecommunications are conducting a "strategic
review" that may end the proposed merger of the two companies or, at least,
may get BT concessions from MCI. "It's fine by me if BT reverts to being a
U.K. cash cow," said one U.K. fund manager. "It's better than doing a deal
that fundamentally misvalues MCI, just to be a global player." Article
includes analysis of possible outcomes.
*********************************************
* Television *
*********************************************
Title: Public TV Wants Pay-Channel Option
Source: Washington Post (G1)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-08/08/076l-080897-
idx.html
Author: Paul Farhi
Issue: Public TV
Description: Public broadcasters have requested that the government allow
them in the future to raise money by charging for noncommercial programs
like "Barney and Friends," "Nova," and "Barney and Friends are Shipped to
Outerspace: The Nightmare Ends." Because of the miracle of digital, a TV
station can offer 5 or 6 channels. Public stations could make some of their
channels money-raising vehicles by renting out stations to commercial
broadcasters or selling subscriptions for programming without fund-drives.
Federal funding for public TV has been shrinking and PBS is trying to find
ways to rely less on government support.
Title: FCC Increases Level of Closed Captioned TV
Source: Telecom AM http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Disabilities
Description: The Federal Communications Commission adopted rules that will
increase the amount of television programming that is accompanied by closed
captioning for the deaf or the hearing impaired. All new programming will
have to captioned after an eight-year transition period and 75% of pre-rule
programming must be captioned by 2008. "I think Congress gave us a tough row
to hoe on captioning," said FCC Commissioner Rachelle Chong. "This is one
of those striking the balance items" where the FCC needs to implement
regulations that don't put undue economic burden on the industry.
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Fare thee well, SG.