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To: Maurice Winn who wrote (4315)	4/30/1999 4:14:00 AM
From: djane	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 29987

1840s Treaty Hinders New Zealand Auction From the April 26, 1999 issue of Wireless Week By Stewart Taggart SYDNEY, Australia--New Zealand postponed an auction of third-generation spectrum while a tribunal considers whether a 19th century treaty between native Maori and European settlers applies to resources such as wireless communications. In 1840, outnumbered New Zealand settlers struck a pragmatic deal with the warlike Maori. The resulting Treaty of Waitangi committed both sides to sharing the islands' abundant natural resources. But no one knew about radio waves in 1840. Does the treaty apply? That's just one of the questions the 17-member Waitangi Tribunal must examine before the auction can proceed. Following hearings later this month and in early May, the panel will make a final report by the end of June. The report will serve as the basis for negotiations between Maori and the government. If the Waitangi Tribunal decides the spectrum sales are covered under the treaty, the report could suggest that Maori share in the financial proceeds of the auctions, or that some spectrum be set aside for Maori use. The New Zealand Commerce Ministry planned to sell various rights in the 1710-1880 MHz, 1920-1965 MHz, 2025-2155 MHz and 2208-2300 MHz frequency ranges via simultaneous ascending auction beginning March 29. Just three days before bidding was to start, Communications Minister Maurice Williamson announced a three-month suspension of the auction so the treaty issues could be examined. Perhaps the biggest question the New Zealand panel must consider will be whether the Waitangi Treaty extends to resources unknown in 1840. In a preliminary report, the tribunal acknowledged a mixed record of precedents regarding exploitation of other resources undiscovered in 1840 such as gold and oil. It also must consider whether the treaty can cover a resource that is largely useless without an advanced technology to access it. Meanwhile, auction participants are anxious to start the proceedings. "It would have been more convenient for us if the auction had proceeded as planned," said Clive Litt, spokesman for Telecom New Zealand, the nation's former monopoly telecom company. "But there's nothing we can do about it." Mark Champion, spokesman for Vodafone NZ Ltd., also said his company would have preferred for the auction to go ahead as scheduled. \| Home Page \| Site Map \| Search Archive \| PowerSearch \| \| International \| Wireless Web Sites \| Hot Stories \| Please send comments and suggestions on this Web site to jcollins@chilton.net Wireless Week, 600 S. Cherry St., #400, Denver, CO 80246 Voice: 303-393-7449, Fax: 303-399-2034 Published by Cahners Business Information © Copyright 1999. All rights reserved.

To: Maurice Winn who wrote (4315)	4/30/1999 4:28:00 AM
From: djane	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 29987

Boeing in talks for control of Ellipso Compiled by CBS MarketWatch Last Update: 4:00 AM ET Apr 30, 1999 NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Boeing Co. is in discussions on gaining a controlling stake in the $2.4 billion Ellipso satellite mobile-phone project. According to The Wall Street Journal, long meetings over the past week at Boeing's space and communication unit in California focused on Boeing's cost to acquire a majority interest in Mobile Communications Holdings Inc. The Washington, D.C. based company has a Federal Communications Commission license to launch the novel 17-satellite system. Executives told the Journal the talks could linger for another month. The cost to Boeing (BS: news, msgs) could exceed $700 million, while others said that price is too low to conclude a sale. Boeing made a $50 million equity investment in Ellipso a year ago, when the Seattle aerospace company agreed to be the prime contractor and integrator for the project.The Wall Street Journal

To: Maurice Winn who wrote (4315)	4/30/1999 4:35:00 AM
From: djane	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 29987

WSJ. Boeing Is in Talks for Controlling Stake In Ellipso Satellite Mobile-Phone Project April 30, 1999 By JEFF COLE Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL Boeing Co. is in serious talks on acquiring a controlling stake in the $2.4 billion Ellipso satellite mobile-phone project, according to executives familiar with the discussions. Lengthy meetings in the past week at Boeing's space and communication unit in California focused on Boeing's cost to acquire a majority interest in Mobile Communications Holdings Inc. The closely held Washington, D.C., company holds a Federal Communications Commission license to launch the novel 17-satellite system. Executives said the talks could linger for another month. Some said the cost to Boeing could exceed $700 million, while others said that price is too low to conclude a sale. Boeing made a $50 million equity investment in Ellipso a year ago, when the Seattle aerospace company agreed to be the prime contractor and integrator for the project. A Boeing spokesman called the talks "exploratory." He said that Boeing sees "potential" in Ellipso, but is studying "other investments" in the space-communications realm. An MCHI spokesman said that the company would "entertain" a broader Boeing investment. The talks shed light on two key developments in the volatile market for satellite-based systems for use -- anywhere phones and data communications. The talks mark Boeing's first known effort to own and operate a satellite-services system. Boeing has struggled to profit from a boom in commercial-jet deliveries. So it has been committing billions of dollars to expand its presence in promising commercial-space markets. However, Boeing officials have publicly insisted that they are focused on selling hardware such as rockets and satellites. For Ellipso's owners, including scientist David Castiel, MCHI's chief executive, the talks betray the increasing difficulties of satellite-system operators who need to raise large sums of development capital. To many experts, those difficulties have been exacerbated by the technical and financial problems experienced by Iridium LLC, the 66-satellite global mobile-phone system already launched by a consortium including Motorola Inc. The comparatively low-cost Ellipso, one of just three global mobile-phone systems that holds a license for U.S. operation, expects to begin service late in 2001. It uses unusual oblong orbits to focus service on underdeveloped countries. Return to top of page \| Format for printing Copyright © 1999 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.