- - - NRTC Adds More DirecTV Subs, C-Band Falls - - -

Members and affiliates with the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative continue to enjoy record growth with their DirecTV business.

During September, NRTC members and affiliates added 49,098 net new DirecTV subscribers. The NRTC total as of Sept. 30 was 1,306,361. With the September subscriber gains, the cooperative has added 300,000 net new subscribers so far in 1999.

C-Band, however, dropped more subscribers in September. The big dish fell to 1.731 million subscribers after losing more than 16,000 during the month, according to General Instrument's Access Control Center.

- - - Globalstar Makes News at Telecom '99 - - -

Globalstar, the blossoming international satellite telephone service provider, officially introduced its mobile and fixed telephone service Monday at Telecom '99, the tradeshow organized by the International Telecommunications Union that is currently underway in Geneva, Switzerland.

Within the next month, Globalstar will begin limited distribution to test its product in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, China, Korea, South Africa and parts of Europe. The company said this slow roll-out will allow service providers to make final adjustments before launching full commercial service, which analysts predict will happen in early 2000.

The company also said its suppliers have orders for 300,000 phones.

The Globalstar handsets, which are about seven inches long and weigh about 12 ounces, will cost $1,000 wholesale and between $1,200 and $1,500 retail. In-country telephone calls will run $1.50 per minute.

Globalstar Chairman and CEO Bernard Schwartz said, "Businesspeople, residents of communities in developing countries, and industrial users in distant or offshore locations can now access mobile, affordable telecommunications wherever and whenever they need it."

- - - Analyst Anticipates Hughes 3Q Results - - -

Banc of America Securities released research Monday in anticipation of Hughes Electronics reporting its third quarter results later this week.

In the report Banc of America analyst Armand Musey predicted Hughes will report a loss of $0.18 per share versus $0.11 per share last year, and revenues of $2.115 billion, EBITDA of $200.9 million and EPS of $0.18, driven by exceptional growth in Hughes' high-power DBS business, DirecTV. Musey also predicted DirecTV will accumulate 6.5 million subscribers by the end of the year.

Based on these predictions, Banc of America reiterated its Buy rating on Hughes Electronics shares.

- - - France's Thomson Files For IPO - - -

Thomson Multimedia Group, the consumer electronics company and primary manufacturer of DirecTV set-top boxes, has filed for a $70 million initial public offering.

Thomson is a French government holding based in Boulogne, France with offices in Indianapolis. In addition to set-top boxes, the company makes and sells televisions, VCRs, DBD players and telephones.

Thomson SA is the primary shareholder with about 67.7 percent of the shares in the electronics maker. Last year Thomson Multimedia issued about 27.5 million shares to Alcatel, DirecTV, Microsoft and NEC Corp. as part of its plans to expand. Thomson did not disclose how many shares it plans to sell in this offering, but said it will use the proceeds for debt repayment.

- - - TECHNOLOGY: - - -

• New Study Examines Satellites, Internet -
  Satellites will extend the Internet to every point on the Earth's surface - but only after operators end their obsession with telephony services. That's one of the conclusions in a new 200-page study from Datacomm Research Company and Farrar & Associates called "Satellites in Cyperspace." For more information call 314-514-9750.

• Discovery To Film Contest in HDTV -
  The Discovery Channel and Sony Electronics have teamed up to produce this year's "Discovery Channel Eco-Challenge" in digital high definition. Using Sony's HDCAM digital camcorder equipment, 19 camera crews will capture 216 participants as they compete for 12 days under extreme conditions in Patagonia, Argentina. The contest will take place December 1 - 12, 1999 and will be broadcast as a four-hour mini-series.

• PanAmSat Partners With Voice, Data Company -
  PanAmSat has teamed up with Nuera Communications for satellite delivery of packet voice telephony services throughout the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. The advanced satellite-based voice over IP(VoIP) platform employs PanAmSat's Atlantic Ocean Region satellites, the company's Florida teleport and Nuera's F200ip VoIP gateway.

• New RCA Box Reaches Market -
  RCA recently began shipping its DTC100 digital TV set-top receiver to retailers. The box receives standard analog, digital terrestrial, and DirecTV satellite channels, including HDTV programming.

• American Mobile Launches E-Mail -
  American Mobile Satellite has launched its wireless e-mail service, eLink. The service offers a two-way wireless extension of desktop Internet e-mail through a handheld device.

• Pace Debuts New ADSL Box -
  Pace Micro Technology, the European electronics manufacturer, released several announcements this week at Telecom '99. The company launched its new ADSL capable set-top box, which includes video scaling and positioning. Pace supplied 134 of those boxes to deliver the broadcast service to an eight meter high video wall at the show. Pace also commenced delivery of the boxes for the imminent launch of Kingston Interactive Television, a new subsidiary of Hull-based Kingston Communications.

• Camping Retailer Selects TracVision -
  Camping World, the recreational vehicle and accessories retailer, has selected the TracVision LM from KVH Industries as the first in-motion satellite TV system to be offered through its stores and catalog. TracVision offers DBS programming to vehicles traveling in North America. Market Quiet After Hindery Announcement used both for civilian and military applications.