- - - Pay-Per-View Events Generate Record Revs - - -

Showtime Entertainment Television (SET) reported Monday that the pay-per-view industry amassed an estimated $267 million in revenue for the first half of this year.

That number, which represents a 114 percent increase over the first half of last year, makes 1999 the highest grossing year to date for pay-per-view. Much of the industry's success, according to SET, has been driven by high-profile boxing and wrestling events. Together those two sports accounted for roughly 98 percent of the reported revenue.

Boxing raised about $120 million during the first half of 1999. That's a 715 percent increase over last year, according to SET. A total of 19 pay-per-view boxing events were distributed through the end of June.

Sixteen wrestling events generated roughly $140 million during the first half of this year. Mark Greenberg, SET's executive vice president and general manager, said, "These record-setting numbers clearly prove that the pay-per-view industry is strong and healthy."

- - - What Is Next For Iridium? - - -

There's still support out there for Iridium, the ailing sat-phone operator that filed for bankruptcy late Friday, from its chief backer Motorola.

But there are also calls for help - and a little amount of suffering - from parties with a substantial stake in the company but haven't yet stepped up to assist.

Motorola said it will continue to back Iridium, promising to keep up production of new products and support sales and marketing efforts.

However, "Motorola's willingness to participate in providing additional financial support to Iridium continues to depend on a substantial degree of participation in a financial restructuring by all other relevant parties with a significant financial interest," the company said in a recent statement.

The bankruptcy, according to Banc of America Securities' Armand Musey, "lead us to believe that the odds of an out-of-court restructuring have dropped significantly."

In a research note released Monday, Musey said he believes the hold-up in negotiations are related to requests for Motorola to provide additional funds.

"Large shareholders continue to express verbal support for Iridium, but gave no clarification on specific financial support," he said. "Iridium stated it needed to raise roughly $400 million to $600 million to ensure financial viability."

For Iridium's chief competitor, Loral-backed Globalstar, the bankruptcy may not be a big deal. "We view Iridium's bankruptcy as neutral to Globalstar," said ING Barings analyst Rob Kaimowitz.

Kaimowitz has a strong buy rating on Globalstar.

"Some may say that with Iridium's bankruptcy, Globalstar now has one less competitor and therefore presents a more compelling investment - we would argue that this was always the case," he said. "Some may argue the reverse, that Iridium's failure proves that there is no market for Globalstar's services. We believe that this too is wrong."

- - - DirecTV Gets FOX Sports World - - -

DirecTV will offer FOX Sports World, a network delivering sporting events from around the globe, beginning Sept. 1.

FOX Sports World will be added to DirecTV's Total Choice Gold and Platinum packages at no additonal cost. It will air on channel 613.

The channel provides a strong slate of international events, including soccer from the English Premier League and soccer games from Germany, Argentina, Chile and Mexico. In October, FOX Sports World will present extensive coverage of the Rugby World Cup.

- - - Delta Launches With Globalstar Birds - - -

Boeing's Delta 2 rocket fleet aimed for a launch vehicle milestone early Tuesday morning with the launch of four Globalstar satellites from Cape Canaveral Air Station in Florida.

As of press time, things were running smoothly for the mission.

The $110 million flight was the fifth and final launch scheduled during an intense 68-day period that began June 10. If there is a successful launch, Boeing would have placed 17 satellites into space in a record pace that lasted a little more than two months.

The launch surge was created when Globalstar ordered additional Delta 2 rockets to deploy half of its planned 48-satellite system. The flight also helps Globalstar, backed by Loral and others, meet its planned fall debut.

- - - TECH: - - -

• Hughes Renews Military Contract -
  The Army Air Force Exchange Service has renewed its contract with Hughes Network Systems to provide wide area very small aperture terminal satellite network management services for another five years. HNS will continue to provide end-to-end communications services and back-up systems to military bases throughout the United States.

• Flextronics To Manufacture GI Boxes -
  Flextronics International, a global supplier of design, engineering a nd electronics manufacturing solutions, announced Monday that General Instrument has selected it as a global manufacturing partner. Flextronics will manufacture General Instrument satellite TV set-top terminals for the Satellite Broadcast Network Systems business unit based in San Diego.

• ICG To Sell Satellite Division -
  ICG Communications said recently that it has agreed to sell its satellite division to a subsidiary of AmericanTower Corporation for $100 million in cash. Englewood, Colo.-based ICG supplies high-speed data network services to Internet service providers, along with local and national business communication solutions. ICG's Satellite Services Division uses satellites to provide voice, fax, data and Internet communications to the maritime and international markets. American Tower is the nation's second largest owner and operator of broadcast and wireless communications towers.

• SAFCO Releases New Wireless Tool -
  SAFCO Technologies recently announced the release of a newly-designed, smaller version of its in-vehicle wireless voice quality measurement system. The redesigned system, now called the Portable VoicePrint MultiPak, is an automated tool designed for measuring wireless network quality.

• SoftCom Completes Venture Funding -
  SoftCom, a New York-based company that provides technology that synchronizes interactive content and e-commerce links in video, has completed an initial round of venture funding from a group of institutional and private investors. SoftCom reports that the proceeds from this financing will be used for continued company growth, including expansion of the company's business development, sales and marketing efforts.