
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, October 5, 1995                   TAG: 9510050018
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

AT&T ASKS FCC APPROVAL TO BUILD SATELLITE NETWORK WITH SKY-HIGH COST

AT&T Corp., keeping its options open for addressing consumer appetites in the 21st century, is seeking federal regulatory approval to build a multibillion-dollar satellite network for carrying voice, video and computer data.

Meeting a Federal Communications Commission deadline, the telecommunications giant has submitted what a spokesman characterized as a ``technical filing'' to launch up to 12 satellites.

The FCC has the authority to approve such a service in the United States only. But the band of stationary-orbit satellites could also provide service to other counties with appropriate authorization from them.

The deadline for companies to file applications to the FCC for utilizing a newly released high-frequency radio spectrum called the Ka-band for bouncing signals off such satellites was Sept. 29. AT&T made its filing through the commission's Pittsburgh office.

A handful of other companies, among then General Electric and Lockheed Martin, also are vying for the satellite slots.

With the FCC's approval, AT&T could begin providing expanded and tailored services to its business and residential customers via the satellites as early as 2000, said company spokesman Michael Tarpey.

by CNB