LVLT - Level 3

[Ben Graham]

For anyone unfamilar with LightSquared, since it was mentioned in previous posts, here is a brief run down.

 

                                  A Revolutionary Approach to Mobile Broadband

 

First Truly Open, Wholesale-Only Network

 

LightSquared is building the only national 4G-LTE open wireless broadband network that incorporates nationwide satellite coverage and offers the capacity to support the explosive demand generated by new consumer devices and mobile applications. Through its wholesale-only business model, those without their own wireless network or who have limited geographic coverage or spectrum can market and sell their own products using the LightSquared network—at a competitive price and without retail competition from LightSquared.

 

Convenient Connectivity For All

 

LightSquared enables manufacturers and retailers to provide a one-box solution for consumers, while creating new customer relationships and ongoing revenue streams for themselves. Because it is a completely open network, partners can develop their own devices, applications, and services that use the LightSquared network.

 

For example, by partnering with LightSquared, retailers will be able to sell devices bundled with service, enabling potential new recurring revenue streams for every device while maintaining full ownership of their customers. Telecommunications service providers can expand their coverage and capabilities via LightSquared’s nationwide 4G network without massive capital outlays. Device manufacturers can launch innovative and integrated devices, bundled with content and broadband service, while ensuring full ownership of their customer relationships.

 

What is LightSquared Video http://www.lightsquared.com/what-we-do/

[Ben Graham]

This link was sent to me in an Email. I haven't read it, but the headline is all I really needed.

 

How the Communications Trust is Harming America’s Future

 

The telecom trust’s use of the FCC to raise your rates is a direct example of how corporate greed impacts each of us.

 

http://www.alternet.org/story/153109/occupytelecom,_occupy_the_fcc%3A_how_the_communications_trust_is_harming_america%E2%80%99s_future?page=1

 

I'm too lazy to read all the pages.  ;)

[Guest ValueCarl]

Ben Graham,

 

I don't necessarily hate men who I disagree with, until I am absolutely sure I can't find a way to agree with them as a result of proving in my own mind, that they don't have something valuable to offer.  ;D Stated differently, I am always proceeding with an open mind in order to learn everything I can, while measuring the validity of what I am learning in conjunction with being prepared to abandon my old views whenever necessary as a result of my own proven ignorance for lack of enlightenment and/or proper education or training.

 

This being said, if LS2's business model can shake the trees of old guard wireless incumbents without jeopardizing life and limb during the process, especially because they have dotted all of their i's and crossed all of their t's, I am in agreement with you.

 

The key matters for me will be the experts on both sides of the aisle coming to terms with the proper 'work around' solution regardless of Lightsquared's expense in accomplishing that goal. If it can't be done properly at reasonable expenses, it was never a valid business model by those shareholders who embarked upon it. 

 

       

[Ben Graham]

My line of vision has a DirecTV attached to it. Think ahead. There must be something to satellite for a solution.

 

* The planned COMMStellation™, scheduled for launch in 2015, will orbit the earth at 1,000 km with a latency of approximately 7 ms. This polar orbiting constellation of 78 microsatellites will provide global backhaul with throughput in excess of 1.2 Gbit/s.

 

A privately held Canadian corporation:  http://www.commstellation.com/media/video.html

 

* Buffett buys IBM, Intel and DirecTV.  (HughesNet Satellite Internet)

 

* Southeastern Asset Management, Inc. Holds 34,363,93 shares of DirecTV as of 09-30-11

 

* All I'm saying is, if the masters of the investing universe see some form of signal to transmit to global eyeballs, via satellite, then I see the fiber light being squared as well.

 

I'm just guessing my way through this, but down the road the wholesale business model - like LightSquared may be what works best. With all the right fixes and the right CEO, we have all systems go. Launch this platform!

[Guest ValueCarl]

For the record, I had seen a filing by Big (3) in Texas, one requesting zoning or ordinance approval to place a satellite on a building they are connected into, if not owning. I know DTV, a former HUGHES AIRCRAFT company, got rid of that rabid DOG MURDOCH from their shareholder flock, and Malone mostly also, except for his personal stake at approx. 24 percent of the shares outstanding, while he has placed his focus on SIRIUS SATELLITE to whom DIRECT TV dropped like a hot potato, so I am glad about these occurrences.

 

It also tells us why those scoundrels pumping Sirius for the likes of Stevie Cohen, a SAC of hedge fund miscreants linked to operators like John Malone, were more ruses than not while complimenting Big (3) not long ago, especially one, Citizen Kaine, who no longer writes in public about our (3) any longer!

 

I knew I was the patsy all along while writing back and forth with Mr. Kaine during that period. Sirius(SIRI) has significantly out performed us by HOLDING UP, and appreciating a tad since that time!

 

It's CRIMINAL how markets are priced and by whom represents the ARBITRATORS of last resort ; I promise you all.  >:(

 

 

I think we need somebody like Lee Kuan Yew to make hard line, draconian recommendations for dealing with these scoundrels in America, like he has in Singapore!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihiE4oGyYlQ   

[DCG]

It's CRIMINAL how markets are priced and by whom represents the ARBITRATORS of last resort ; I promise you all.  >:(

 

Are you taking about LVLT's stock price?

[Guest ValueCarl]

My comments are not nearly limited to LVLT as some seem here would like to think, as they are not in this case, although it's clearly applicable. If I had my dithers, I would shut this stock market game down, and there would be some rude awakenings along with corresponding radical change. 

[DCG]

Well, you are investing in a company losing hundreds of millions of dollars a year. You expect it's stock to skyrocket?

[Ben Graham]

This article will help someone better understand what is going on in America. The last mile Internet dilemma.

 

Even without AT&T-Mo, we still have no competition

 

http://gigaom.com/mobile/even-without-att-mo-we-still-have-no-competition/?utm_source=General+Users&utm_campaign=dfe141b593-c%3Amob%2Ctec%2Cvid+d%3A12-03&utm_medium=email

 

My hope is, DirecTV will have an innovative idea to use Clearwire's spectrum.

 

Michael White CEO of DirecTV - In terms of broadband, look, if there's a smart strategy, we're open-minded just as in Latin America. I think I've said this before at several different investors meaning, we talk with everybody, and I mean, everybody, about other ways that we might provide broadband to the home. But it's very clear to me that there's an awful lot of confusion going on in the whole world with spectrum and is T-Mobile going to go through, what's going to happen to Clearwire, is the LightSquared spectrum going to work? I mean, the way I look at it, Craig, I mean, the mobile wireless businesses is a really tough business. Just look at Sprint. Fixed broadband to the home is something no one's done in scale up to this point. But it's certainly something that we continue to think about and have done a lot of technical analysis on. And we'll continue to keep an open mind and, heck, I've said before, on almost every subject, I’m willing to partner with anyone if it makes good sense for our shareholders and for our customers.

 

http://seekingalpha.com/article/305164-directv-s-ceo-discusses-q3-2011-results-earnings-call-transcript?part=qanda

[Guest ValueCarl]

DCG, this must be why Charles T. Munger has told many of his followers that, LVLT is "too hard to figure." Of course, when your $37B in PP&E over a fourteen year period of investment is paying $500-600MM in annual interest expense with "usury rates" by certain "AMIGOS" described crazily so during the lowest interest rate period in the history of the modern financial world, and hundreds of millions in "non cash" depreciation and other compensation charges to the executives happy for the hand outs in future worthless paper; you can someday look forward to the "change," can't you?  8)   

 

Ben Graham, keep hitting those triples, and running hard around those bases against our naysayers!  ;D

[Guest ValueCarl]

Cardboard, our friends at Big (3) have designed this with you in mind.

 

http://blog.level3.com/2011/11/30/why-level-3-had-and-sold-a-coal-mine-business/ 

[Ben Graham]

                        The Ideal Internet Ecosystem

 

        From creation or capture to consumption. End to End

 

 

 

* Content - HD video, Live & On Demand

 

* Fiber Optic Network - Level 3

 

* Wireless Access - DirecTV via Satellite & Radio Frequency Spectrum

 

* Screen - Microsoft's X-Box with Kinect

 

==========================================================

 

Level 3 is a World-class video fiber network - offers a broad set of video solutions to a large base of media clients worldwide, including broadcasters, cable and direct-to-home (DTH) programmers, and sports and news distributors.

 

"From the transport of native or source HD and 3D television signals to the delivery of Internet Broadcast applications, we are exceedingly well positioned to fully manage end-to-end video for our broadcast and media clients," said Taylor. "We are extremely excited to put these tools to work for broadcasters and programmers everywhere."

 

http://level3.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=23600&item=67449

 

[Ben Graham]

[move]Walter Scott Built Level 3 ... "One Network Connecting Us All"[/move]

 

 

 

Level 3's Mission: To make all the content ever produced available any time, any where, on any screen.

 

Mission accomplished. Thank you Walter Scott

 

Commenting on the TV-centric software update, James McQuivey of Forrester Research said: “Microsoft has just built and delivered it: A single box that ties together all the content you want, made easily accessible through a universal, natural, voice-directed search. This is now the benchmark against which all other living room initiatives should be compared. With more than 57 million people worldwide already sitting on a box that’s about to be upgraded for free, Microsoft has not only built the right experience, it has ensured that it will spread quickly and with devastating effect.”

 

http://www.iptv-news.com/iptv_news/december_2011/xbox_tv_update_arrives

 

[Guest ValueCarl]

http://www.globaltelecomsbusiness.com/Article/2950002/Interviews/25239/Jim-Crowe-plans-budget-to-expand-Level-3-further-after-Global-Crossing-merger.html

 

It’s “a hand-in-glove fit”, says Crowe, who has run Level 3 and its predecessors since 1997. And the expanded Level 3 has the support of its customers for the deal, he adds.

“We did a fair amount of research with third parties who talked to quite a large number of our customers, our employees — from both companies,” says Crowe. “And this I’m sure may be somewhat obvious, but customers — big, small, global — all say the same thing: ‘We want someone with the size, financial stability, scope, reach and set of services that we get from the PTTs, AT&Ts, Verizon, but is easy to do business with and cares about our business.’ That’s what we want to be.”

The deal was welcomed in the financial markets too, he adds: “We’re a company that’s going to be generating a significant amount of cash. The pricing of our bonds improved remarkably.”

Now, Level 3 has “the financial capability, the size, the scope, the set of services and the global reach to give folks something they could only get from PTTs or some combination of PTTs, but with a degree of customer service that we’ve shown them in the past. That’s our goal.”

The two companies have been working on integration since the deal was announced in April. But Level 3 and Global Crossing were talking for long, long before that. “We’ve been working together now, talking about this acquisition and talking in detail with teams on and off for seven years, and intensely for a couple of years,” says Crowe.

[Ben Graham]

http://www.globaltelecomsbusiness.com/Article/2950002/Interviews/25239/Jim-Crowe-plans-budget-to-expand-Level-3-further-after-Global-Crossing-merger.html

 

It’s “a hand-in-glove fit”, says Crowe, who has run Level 3 and its predecessors since 1997. And the expanded Level 3 has the support of its customers for the deal, he adds.

“We did a fair amount of research with third parties who talked to quite a large number of our customers, our employees — from both companies,” says Crowe. “And this I’m sure may be somewhat obvious, but customers — big, small, global — all say the same thing: ‘We want someone with the size, financial stability, scope, reach and set of services that we get from the PTTs, AT&Ts, Verizon, but is easy to do business with and cares about our business.’ That’s what we want to be.”

The deal was welcomed in the financial markets too, he adds: “We’re a company that’s going to be generating a significant amount of cash. The pricing of our bonds improved remarkably.”

Now, Level 3 has “the financial capability, the size, the scope, the set of services and the global reach to give folks something they could only get from PTTs or some combination of PTTs, but with a degree of customer service that we’ve shown them in the past. That’s our goal.”

The two companies have been working on integration since the deal was announced in April. But Level 3 and Global Crossing were talking for long, long before that. “We’ve been working together now, talking about this acquisition and talking in detail with teams on and off for seven years, and intensely for a couple of years,” says Crowe.

 

ValueCarl,

 

I have to hand it to you again for providing this message board with links that are hands down, some of the best! Are you talking to your hand again?

 

Points from that article:

 

1.  “Our goal, our opportunity almost uniquely is to use what we’ve put together to begin developing the first local-national-global communications company."

 

James Crowe has said, "it may as well be us."

 

2.  Singapore Technologies Telemedia, an investment arm of the government of Singapore is now the biggest shareholder in the new Level 3, with 25% of the company.

 

Owning the network. - You can’t own largely in Asia Pacific on the land. So indirectly Level 3 has STT own it for us. Thus making it a barrier to entry, competitive advantage on the international front. Shutting out the likes of AT&T or Verizon, who need to concentrate on wireless LTE and run off their land line business.

 

You’re going to need fiber to every tower installed and maintained by a world-class video fiber network, Level 3 Communications.

 

3. Jim Crowe: We’re a company that’s going to be generating a significant amount of cash.

 

Today, the combined operation has “about $37 billion invested in our global network”, he says. “That’s the original investment in the two companies and the acquired companies.”

 

 

[Guest ValueCarl]

AT&T, the second-largest U.S. wireless carrier behind Verizon Wireless, faces paying Deutsche Telekom $3 billion in cash and may have to enter into a roaming agreement with Deutsche Telekom, while transferring it the rights to spectrum it doesn't need for the rollout of its planned, next-generation "4G" network.

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/t-agrees-drop-bid-t-214118755.html

[FFHWatcher]

3. Jim Crowe: We’re a company that’s going to be generating a significant amount of cash.

 

Today, the combined operation has “about $37 billion invested in our global network”, he says. “That’s the original investment in the two companies and the acquired companies.”

 

It seems LVLT is always a company that 'will' be generating significant amounts of cash.  At some point shareholders want ownership in a company that 'is' generating significant amounts of cash.  Is anyone more patient than Valuecarl or BenGraham?

[Guest ValueCarl]

FFHWatcher, thank you for your concern, but I am not sure if you are asking a rhetorical question based upon Jim Crowe's commentary inclusive of the great respect he offers up to his key investors, especially one who your moniker is designed after.

 

Let's review:

 

As it was a stock deal, ST Telemedia is now the biggest shareholder in the new Level 3, with 25% of the company. Crowe is delighted with that arrangement: “If we could, we would have our company owned entirely by long-term investors who understand our business, are supportive of it, and believe in the industry over time.” ST Telemedia “is just such an owner”, he adds.

Level 3 has two other significant investors: Southeastern Asset Management with about 20% and Fairfax Financial with 10%. “We are very pleased to have that kind of stable, long-term ownership. It allows us to focus on the long term, and long-term shareholder value creation.” There are about six shareholders in all “who have been with us a long time who between them own approaching two-thirds of our company”. ST Telemedia has three representatives on Level 3’s board, including two Singaporeans. “Our next board meeting is going to be in Singapore,” he notes. ST Telemedia is “a very sophisticated group [that is] known as savvy investors. They invest in communications and technology around the world. So we certainly seek their advice and counsel.”

 

[Guest ValueCarl]

One other thing, FFHWatcher. Prem, etal will need more than the Patience of Job if they're going to avoid CURSING Jim Crowe before dying--Old Testament Biblical reference to be sure-- because according to some phantom poster in nether-lands, there is an OPPENHEIMER REPORT out there calling for another TEN YEAR BROADBAND GLUT minimally.

 

Big Prem will be O.K. though, more so than Longleaf, aka, SEAM, I'm sure, because nobody hedges like Watsa's crew. And should all other safety valves fail, they have no problem charging USURY.

 

If you happen to get your hands on the report, and want to share the supply/demand factors they are looking at inclusive of the magic math formulas they are extrapolating into the future, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

"Bring it on!," FFHWatcher!

 

   

[Guest ValueCarl]

Lightsquared is running out of time, money as well as friends. Maybe they can call The President to save them?  >:(

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-falcones-wireless-company-running-204034689.html

 

It's been no secret in the telecom world that LightSquared is in need of cash, but the financial statement paints a fairly bleak outlook for the Reston, Virginia-based company. A failure of LightSquared would be another jolt to investors in Falcone's hedge fund, which has committed more than $3 billion in equity and loan commitments to the company. Falcone gained fame after making billions in 2007 by shorting subprime mortgages.

 

A spokesman for LightSquared said the company "has cash through the next several quarters." A person familiar with LightSquared said the company does not need any additional money until the Federal Communication Commission rules on a company plan for dealing with potential interference issues with global positioning systems. It is not clear when the FCC will rule.

 

A Harbinger's spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

 

In July, Falcone's hedge fund loaned about $184 million to LightSquared in return for warrants that can be converted into 2.9 million shares of LightSquared stock, according to the financial statement.

 

New York-based Harbinger already is LightSquared's largest equity holder - owning all but a small sliver of the company.

 

 

[Ben Graham]

                            NBC, NFL TO STREAM SUPER BOWL LIVE ONLINE

 

Wild-card playoff games, Pro Bowl also will be shown online, on mobile phones.

 

The Super Bowl, Pro Bowl and NBC's wild-card playoff games will be streamed online and on mobile phones for the first time, the NFL announced Tuesday.

 

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45737082/ns/sports-nfl/

 

 

Level 3 Vyvx Video Broadcast will deliver again.

[brker_guy]

Lightsquared is running out of time, money as well as friends. Maybe they can call The President to save them?  >:(

 

When it rains, it really soaks!!!!  In LS case, it's going to be an avalanche and flooding.

 

LightSquared Intefered with 75% of GPS Receivers:

 

http://click.questexenews.com/?qs=b6b4473dbde9d93bfeb09bde07dae80f0b3cc04399949dc1fdb0a88fcec876ca3251ab3ef7d0eb26

 

 

[KFRCanuk]

LightSquared Intefered with 75% of GPS Receivers:

 

Those GPS receivers were designed using cheap, poorly designed chipsets or so the company says.

[Guest ValueCarl]

A Sprint spokesman said the Dec. 31 deadline for getting FCC clearance still stood, though the carrier has the option to extend it. "Both Sprint and LightSquared are pulling back on expenses and will stop new deployment design and implementation for LightSquared on the Sprint network," said the spokesman, Bill White.

 

LightSquared this summer agreed to use only a portion of its airwaves and lower the power of its cell towers to help mitigate GPS interference. It has agreements with Best Buy Co. (BBY), Leap Wireless International Inc. (LEAP) and others to provide 4G mobile broadband service after it gets FCC approval.

 

The company also faces an uncertain future over how it will fund its operations. LightSquared officials have said it has enough cash to operate until after an FCC ruling, though the startup--funded largely by Falcone's Harbinger Capital Partners hedge fund--will need to find an additional $3.5 billion to be cash-flow positive over the next two years.

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20111220-712383.html

[Ben Graham]

Forget LightSquared, make Box Top Solutions available. Do I have to hit you over the head with a sledge hammer?  ;)

 

Toll-Free TV Broadband? BoxTop.tv Is Making it Happen.

 

A very fresh start-up appropriately named BoxTop has recently emerged out of Silicon Valley, and is now diving straight into an accelerated roll-out of an entirely new platform. FreeBand, as the start-up named it, is aimed at delivering free broadband to homes, businesses and even government sectors, and is supported by none other than TV-based applications apparently eliminating the need for a PC.

 

“By using the FreeBand Platform, the application providers are able to subsidize the bandwidth consumed by the user of the application. The FreeBand Platform is the market’s first scalable and commercially sustainable solution for providing toll free Internet connectivity (just like a “1-800″ number on your voice line).”

 

Bring free broadband – FreeBand – to households globally:  http://www.boxtop.tv/