Group lags in race over TV advance

Article Abstract:

The Advanced Television Research Consortium, one of the primary contenders in the competition to develop the official transmission standard for high-definition television (HDTV) broadcasting, may not be able to make its deadline for federally supervised laboratory testing scheduled in Jun 1992. The consortium, which consists of NBC, North American Philips, France's Thomson S.A. and the David Sarnoff Research Center, reports difficulty in integrating the components of its system. The winner of the competition will be a primary manufacturer of HDTV products, and will also receive royalties from other firms that license its technology. The consortium is competing against two teams, one of General Instruments Corp and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the other of AT&T and Zenith Electronics Corp. The fourth contender is NHK Japan Broadcasting Corp, whose analog system is unlikely to be popular with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC is unlikely to extend the test period for the consortium, even though it earlier gave an eight-day extension to a competitor.

Computer terminals, Household audio and video equipment, Electronic components, not elsewhere classified, Electron tubes, Standards, Research, Management, Conferences, meetings and seminars, United States. Federal Communications Commission, Standard, Standardization, General Instrument Corp., Tests, Television equipment industry, Digital video, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, High-definition television, High definition television, Consortia, Zenith Electronics Corp., ZE, Licensing, Testing, Consortium, GRL, Advanced Television Research Consortium, NHK Japan Broadcasting Corp.

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The A.T.&T. deal's big losers

Article Abstract:

The companies most threatened by AT&T's planned $12.6 billion acquisition of McCaw Cellular Communications Inc are the seven regional Bell telephone companies and GTE Corp. For AT&T could use McCaw's cellular telephone network to bypass local telephone companies for completing long-distance telephone calls, depriving them of their access fees. The Baby Bells themselves, however, not AT&T, are their own worst enemies, according to industry analysts. Instead of teaming up to meet the AT&T-McCaw challenge, the regional Bells are competing to secure cellular franchises in each other's territory. Though six Bells combined with GTE to form the Mobilink cellular consortium in 1992, even this attempt at cooperation will likely fail to withstand the AT&T threat, since government regulations prevent the local phone companies from linking their networks to provide their own long-distance services. In consequence, some Baby Bells are forming alliances with large cable television companies to develop long-distance networks linking new, non-cellular wireless-data-communications services.

Telephone and telegraph apparatus, Radiotelephone communications, Television broadcasting stations, Cable and other pay TV services, Mergers, acquisitions and divestments, Telecommunications services industry, Telecommunications industry, Market share, GTE Corp., GTE, Product development, Regional Bell Operating Companies, Forecasting, AT&T Wireless Services Inc., Telecommunications Service, Acquisition, Bell Regional Holding Companies, MCWA

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