FCC: FCC QUESTIONS EXCLUSIVITY OF VIDEO SERVICE CONTRACTS
The FCC released a Report and Order (R&O) and Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making (FNPRM), which bans cable operators from exclusive contracts with owners of multi dwelling units (MDUs) and which proposes to extend the ban to other multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), such as direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers. The FCC found that "contractual agreements granting such exclusivity to cable operators harm[s] competition and broadband deployment and that any benefits to consumers are outweighed by the harms of such clauses." The ban only affects cable operators, but there was evidence on record in the proceeding that DBS firms and other MVPDs also enter into exclusive deals – and so the FCC initiated a further rulemaking to consider if it could or should ban those deals as well. The FCC has promised to decide that issue within six months. Comments on the FNPRM are due 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register, and reply comments are due 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register.
CONGRESS: HOUSE PASSES BROADBAND CENSUS BILL
According to TR Daily, in an effort to increase broadband deployment in the United States, the House passed the "Broadband Census of would require the FCC to collect data from broadband carriers and supply the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) with a map of broadband availability in the U.S. Many industry leaders and vendors welcomed the bill as a modern and effective method of tracking broadband activity in order to plan for future investment. The bill also proposes grants of $8 to $12 million for three years to states that gather broadband data, and up to $300 million over three years for local technology planners who create a demand for broadband services. The bill has now been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. For more information, contact the UPLC Legal/Regulatory Department.
INDUSTRY: DS2 DEMOS 400 MBPS BPL CHIPSET
UPLC was on hand last week in New York City as DS2 unveiled a new 400 Mbps chipset that will support access as well as in-home applications. Introducing the new chip, Jorge Blasco, CEO of DS2 explained that the current 200 Mbps chipsets will not provide enough speed to support increased demand from multi-HD applications in the home and for Access BPL system subscriber growth for utilities in the future. With the new chipsets, the application layer speeds are approximately 250 Mbps, and there are additional features such as noise immunity, 256 AES bit security, Video QoS and remote management capabilities that are built in. Plus, the 400 Mbps chip will be interoperable with existing 200 Mbps chipsets. DS2 reported that 3 million 200 Mbps chipsets have been shipped, many of which have gone to British Telecom. For more information, contact the UPLC Legal/Regulatory Department.
INDUSTRY: TELKONET SELLS STAKE IN BPL GLOBAL/
PROVIDES iWIRE BPL TO SUNWING RESORTS
Telkonet announced that it sold its shares of BPL Global for $2 million in cash – approximately 20 times ROI. Reportedly, the sale will help to pay for the cost of Telkonet's acquisition of a 30% share in Geeks on Call, a Norfolk-based computer tech-support firm.
Also, late last month, Telkonet reported that it had installed its iWire system to provide broadband service to SunWing Resorts at their properties on the Greek islands of Crete and Rhodes. Marco Schenk, IT Manager for Sunwing Resorts, explained that, "[i]t was essential for us to provide our guests with broadband facilities, in order to remain competitive. We had originally been considering WiFi, but our research showed that the Telkonet iWire System represented a far more economical solution, especially given the complexity of our resorts. The widely-spread multi-building layouts, and construction of some of our resort sites – such as the concrete walls of the Sunwing Resort Fañabé on Tenerife – would have made it extremely difficult to get adequate overage from a WiFi solution within a feasible budget. Telkonet's solution offers quick and straightforward installation, and even our most complex site, on Rhodes, was up and running within a few days. The system's easy installation, which avoided disturbing our resorts' operation, combined with its low Total Cost of Ownership, makes it an ideal solution for any hotel complex without an existing CAT 5 infrastructure."
INDUSTRY: AMBIENT LANDS 2.5 MILLION INVESTMENT/
EMPHASIZES GREEN POWER TO INVESTORS
Ambient reported that it received $2.5 million from Vicis Capital Master Fund, which was a previous investor, increasing its overall investment in Ambient to $10 million. Shad Stastny, a partner with Vicis Capital stated that, "[o]ur overall interest in Ambient and BPL is the potential it has to dramatically improve the efficiency with which utilities serve their customers and reduce their environmental footprint."
Ambient is positioning itself in the green power space. Last month it joined over 50 other green companies at the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center's 3rd Annual Conference on Clean Energy to represent Smart Grid communications, and was present at the New York meeting of ValueRich, connecting Ambient with clean energy institutional investors. Ambient promoted the green theme in its shareholder update this month, and also reported that it had won its fourth patent this year (bringing the total to 18). Ambient also discussed its lobbying efforts in support of Smart Grid legislation and standards work to drive industry adoption of Smart Grids worldwide.
INDUSRY: UPLC AT UPCOMING EVENTS
UPLC will attend the Gridwise Annual Conference, December 10-11 in Charlotte, NC and the IEEE P1901 standards meeting on December 11-14 in San Diego, CA. These meetings will offer an opportunity to strategize on Smart Grid lobbying, and to discuss features to include in BPL standards to support interoperability between in-home and access BPL systems. For more information, contact the UPLC Legal/Regulatory Department.
