News briefs.(News Briefs)

Lockheed Martin flies into broadband business

Lockheed Martin last week announced a partnership with TRW and Telecom Italia to develop a $3.6 billion satellite company called Astrolink that will provide global, broadband multimedia and Internet access for business and consumer use. Lockheed Martin says its Global Telecommunications Group will invest $400 million in the venture. Telespazio, part of Telecom Italia, and TRW will each invest $250 million. Astrolink plans to launch the first of nine satellites in 2002 and hopes to provide broadband data communications services to Europe, North America and South America by 2003.

AT&T digests IBM Global Network

The venerable IBM Global Network is now called AT&T Global Network Services - at least in the U.S. AT&T last week completed its acquisition of the IBM net domestically, with customer contracts and 3,000 employees moving over to AT&T. Significantly, AT&T then put the entire business in its rapidly growing AT&T Solutions division, signaling the company's determination to continue to push managed networks and outsourcing along with its new network assets. Closing the IBM Global Network deal in other parts of the world depends on regulatory approval and other matters, AT&T officials say.

Kennard wants E-rate funding

Federal Communications Commission Chairman William Kennard last week pushed for full funding of the E-rate program to provide network-services subsidies to schools and libraries. That means the program would get $2.25 billion over the next school year - the maximum allowed by law - compared with about $1.3 billion for the current school year. E-rate ran out of money this past year, meaning it could provide funding for carrier services but not LAN and WAN equipment at schools in relatively wealthy districts. Kennard is expected to get a fight over his proposal, as many lawmakers have criticized E-rate for its administrative complexity. Lawmakers also have attacked E-rate for funding many regular phone services in addition to 'Net access, and because it has resulted in additional charges on all phone bills.

Informix gets a new boss

Bob Finocchio last week said he will step down as president and CEO of database vendor Informix but will continue in his role as chairman of the company's board. Replacing Finocchio will be Jean-Yves Dexmier, currently executive vice president of worldwide field operations and previously Informix's chief financial officer. The transition, which includes Dexmier being appointed to the company's board of directors, will be effective July 16.

Dick Tracy's futuristic technology becomes a reality

Faced with battling the likes of Wrathful Ralph and Piggy Bank, Dick Tracy could always phone for help or get evidence via his trusty watch. The voice- and video-enabled watch, first introduced in the comic strip in 1946, has been only a dream - until now. Researchers at Bell Labs/Lucent have mastered the technology that could make a Dick Tracy watch possible. They have created a minuscule, 100-micron microphone on a chip, which could lead to the voice and video recognition Tracy relied on.

MCI/Nextel deal no more

It's official: MCI WorldCom will not buy Nextel Communications, the McLean, Va., wireless service provider. MCI WorldCom did not offer any more detail other than to say in a printed statement: "MCI WorldCom has determined not to pursue a bid for Nextel at this time." But rumor has it that the two companies could not come to an agreement on a price. MCI WorldCom never acknowledged it was in talks with Nextel until last week when MCI WorldCom killed the potential deal.

Your digital John Hancock

Your written signature will stand up in a court of law, but will your electronic digital signature? Last week, lawmakers took the first step to make digital signatures legal and binding by introducing The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, dubbed the "E-Sign" bill. Introduced by Reps. Tom Bliley (R-Va.), Tom Davis (R-Va.), Billy Tauzin (R-La.) and Mike Oxley (R-Ohio), the legislation provides for the acceptance of electronic signatures for interstate commerce and the securities industries. The bill defines technological neutrality and says private parties should be able to pick the forms of electronic signatures that they prefer.