Trucking Technology Report - Oct. 9
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Both the online report and e-mail are sponsored by @Track Communications, a supplier of wireless communications and dispatch services.
Today's Technology Headlines:
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SBC Is Going National With Its Local Service
SBC Communications (SBC has begun moving into the service areas of BellSouth, (BLS) Verizon, (VZ) and Qwest Communications. (Q). As a result, SBC hopes to snatch $1 billion in annual revenue from other regional Bells in two years.
The number of regional Bells has gone from seven to four in only a few years. But regulators have begun to require competition as a term for clearing the largest mergers. This is the reason that SBC, which purchased Ameritech last year, is under FCC mandate to enter markets beyond its service area.
Tuesday is the deadline for SBC to show the FCC that it has begun providing service to a minimum of three customers in Boston, Miami, and Seattle, the first of its new markets. The company has met that requirement and intends to provide service in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., New York, Washington, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Philadelphia by year's end. New York Times (10/09/00) P. C1; Schiesel, Seth
Four Optical Networking Start-ups Plan Collaboration
A joint venture comprised of four upstart optical networking companies will be launched today. The Iris Group is taking a unique approach by having each of its upstarts follow a shared set of networking guidelines to manufacture optical gear that can interoperate, according to Michael Zadikian, a co-founder of Monterey Networks who participated in the development of the Iris Group.Iris Group has generated $100 million in investments from venture capital companies, including the Mayfield Fund and Sevin Rosen Funds. Iris Labs, the research division of the Iris Group has received $7.5 million of the investment. Metera Networks was provided with $24 million in funding, while Latus Lightworks was provided with $28.1 million. Coree Networks, the fourth participating company, is set to finish initial financing in the near future. Iris Group said partnership members will continue as legally independent companies. CNet (10/09/00); Heskett, Ben
AT&T-Time Warner Link Draws Fire
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, cautioned that the relationship between AT&T (T) and a combined America Online (AOL) and Time Warner (TWX) could hinder competition, despite AOL's efforts to defend the relationship. AT&T holds a 25% stake in the Time Warner Entertainment joint venture. The relationship connects what is expected to be the two biggest broadband Internet access providers in the country, Hatch said. In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, which is reviewing the acquisition, Hatch voiced concerns that AT&T's ties to AOL-Time Warner could hurt competition. But AOL has sent a letter to the FCC contended that it should not be required to end its relationship with AT&T as a term for merger approval because the agency handled the issue in a review of an earlier deal. Wall Street Journal (10/09/00) P. A3; Carroll, Jill; Wilke, John
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