NAB protests cellular operators offering information services

Mobile Phone News, Dec 19, 1991

On the heels of PacTel's announcement to offer Star Info, a new service that provides up-to-date information ranging from traffic reports to financial news, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has petitioned the FCC to prohibit the cellular phone industry from offering pay-to-use radio services such as news, sports and weather. The NAB said that information services over cellular would duplicate the same news provided free to radio listeners by broadcasters.

"There is already a glut of sources for this information in the broadcast marketplace," said NAB in comments to the FCC. Offering such services over cellular frequencies would jeopardize cellular companies' system capacity and inhibit the operator's ability to handle conventional telephone calls, it added.

There is a growing business for private companies to offer nitch programming services to cellular operators. NAB has no objections to cellular operators who want to buy programming and to provide information services, said Doug Wills of the NAB. "We do object, however, to the cellular operators out bidding the broadcasters for sports rights and then becoming barbarian gate keepers to programming," Wills added.

The NAB said that the cellular operators are misusing their spectrum. "Cellular spectrum should be reserved for the two-way communication for which it is designed," said the NAB. "One-way transmission of news, sports, weather and traffic would be a misuse of this spectrum and a needless duplication of broadcast services."

... PacTel's Star Info Is a Breakthrough for Cellular Customers

In November, PacTel Cellular initiated the Star Info which allows subscribers one-number dialing to access information. At no additional charge, subscribers will have access to 280 local businesses and services. Somewhat like a cellular yellow pages service, Star Info includes direct lines to restaurants, stock updates, sports scores, ticket offices for Plays, movies and special events.

The information program is provided by Applied Response Systems (ARS), a private company that specializes in information services. "The Star Info service provides excellent advertising and marketing opportunities for local businesses," said Ron Lee, owner of ARS. "They can effectively reach a very specific target audience to sell their product," he added.

* EDITOR's NOTE: As we take our usual break, the editors of MOBILE PHONE NEWS wish you a safe and happy holiday season and a happy New Year. Look for your next news-filled issue of MOBILE PHONE NEWS January 16, 1991.

Sincerely,

Andrea K. Bona, Editor

Angela M. Duff, Senior Editor

Susan J. Aluise, Editorial Director

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