At a press conference held in Washington, D.C., Monday, the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association (SBCA), along with leading DBS providers and satellite companies expressed grave concern over Northpoint's DBS spectrum sharing plan. In addition to SBCA, SkyBridge Communications, Boeing, DIirecTV, EchoStar, Galaxy Latin America, GE Americom, Loral Space and Communications, PanAmSat and Pegasus sent a joint letter Monday to Federal Communications Commission Chairman William Kennard urging the agency to delay granting Northpoint's proposal. SBCA and the co-signatories asked the commission to resolve the following issues as it evaluates the Northpoint frequency sharing request: The harmful interference to more than 11 million DBS subscribers in the United States, the interference to other satellite services, and the international implications of the proposal in view of the spectrum sharing arrangements. SBCA President Chuck Hewitt said the satellite TV industry is frustrated and dismayed by the fact that Northpoint's plan to use the DBS spectrum is not being rigorously tested by an independent party. "Years of hard work by the Congress, FCC, the satellite industry and the international spectrum planning bodies to offer new services and competition to consumers will be jettisoned overnight if that (Northpoint plan) happens. The Northpoint plan doesn't belong in the DBS band, period," Hewitt said. SkyBridge, which is planning a non-geostationary satellite system using the same DBS frequencies, has worked with the DBS industry to test its spectrum sharing plan. Both sides reached a consensus based on technical issues. Northpoint has not undertaken similar negotiations, and therefore, no high quality, rigorous analysis and technical work are available on Northpoint's plan, opponents of the plan said. Northpoint conducted its own systems tests, but will not allow DBS providers to use the testing equipment utilized in those tests. Addressing the conference along with Hewitt were Guy Christenson, director of regulatory Affairs at SkyBridge and John Bryant, a former member of Congress and former ambassador to the World Radio Conference.

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Globalstar Debuts US Service

On Monday, Globalstar USA announced the full commercial availability of its mobile satellite service in the United States. Since the beginning of the year, Globalstar has been providing limited service in the United States. The full launch Monday will mean that consumers will have access to seamless voice and other services coast-to-coast. International roaming begins next month. Globalstar USA is a subsidiary of Vodafone Airtouch. Globalstar is available throughout the North American continent, including Canada and Mexico. Globalstar Canada, the provider north of the border, also announced commercial service Monday. Globalstar de Mexico is already offering commercial service.

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DISH Approves Stock Split

EchoStar Communications approved another 2-for-1 split of its common stock. Stockholders of record at the close of business on March 10 will be entitled to one additional share of common stock for each share they own on that date. The stock split will increase the number of shares of Class A common stock outstanding from approximately 113.9 million shares to approximately 227.9 million shares. The move marks the third such stock split for EchoStar in the past year.

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TECHNOLOGY: ICO Readies Launch