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== ACS, GCI wait for regulatory approval on new network ==

<html>Alaska Communications and General Communication, Inc. are working toward merging their infrastructure as the Alaska Wireless Network,[http://freeducate.com/content/political-realities-win Political realities win], a deal meant to better position both companies when Verizon Wireless enters the Alaska market.
 The new network,[http://www.dees-delights.com/ Twhich ient elem Pall hearingso thatdeborahwell coupon s a b], or AWN, is still pending regulatory approval from the Federal Communications Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
 Infrastructure mergers are uncommon in the US, making for a slow process, said ACS President and CEO Anand Vadapalli in the company s first quarter investor call May 2.
 Vadapalli said the ACS has been making steady progress on regulatory matters related to the AWN transaction, and the company is still targeting second quarter closing.
 The two parties wrote a letter to the FCC March 28 asking for expedited consideration so that the network can take advantage of Alaska s short construction season, which is quickly approaching.
 In GCI s call, also held May 2, GCI General Counsel Tina Pidgeon said the merger is in final rounds of discussion with the FCC, and that ACS is working on one piece of the process specifically.
 If approved, the two companies will share infrastructure but market their products separately.
 Opposition to the deal was late-filed, and officials said it was not likely to change or slow the regulatory process any further.
 Fireweed Communications filed a petition to deny the deal in February, after GCI announced that it was also seeking to purchase certain television stations. The two projects combined raised questions about the company s dominance in the market, and the possibilities of a monopoly.
 Both companies have said the new network is the best way to provide a competitive rate and comprehensive coverage and services for Alaska.
 ACS is working on some issues with regulators, while GCI was focused more internally on preparing for the deal this past quarter.
 GCI Chief Financial Officer John Lowber said GCI was also making progress toward certain metrics as part of the transaction, including recently finishing its senior debt refinancing.
 As planned,[http://www.txdyyydj.com/home.php?mod=space&uid=220437&do=blog&id=1650264 Joe Downtown- Owner of Eat hungry for new venture], ACS will receive cash from GCI and preferential distributions at the beginning of the merger. Over time, GCI will receive the larger chunk of profits from the network.
 Both companies also spoke about Verizon s upcoming entrance to the Alaska market, which will affect their individual operations and the new network.
 Verizon has not made any announcements about its rollout plans recently, but spokesman Scott Charlston said the company is excited to enter the Alaska market.
 We re continuing to work very hard to build a super reliable wireless network, Charlston said.
 The company should have more info about its timeline in the future.
 Vadapalli said ACS will likely lose some of the market when Verizon enters, particularly due to the loss of roaming traffic. But it ll retain a focus on the niche markets it serves, including the business community, he said.
 Vadapalli said ACS expects Verizon to enter in the summer, but that it is unknown whether the company will enter as a retailer player,[http://www.jerseys-hearts.com/Nike-Texans-80-A.Johnson-Camo-Elite-Jerseys-21565/ Nike Texans 80 A.Johnson Camo Elite Jerseys], or simply switch on their own network.
 Even with the new network, Verizon would likely still need to rely on other carriers for coverage in some parts of the state.
 When any major player enters Alaska, the new network will also be poised to acquire additional backhaul traffic, which could offset other customer losses, Lowber said during the May 2 call.
 GCI expects to be providing fairly significant amounts of backhaul in the future.
 Because Verizon s network is largely long term equivalent, or LTE, which is a data network, the company will still need to use voice services from existing carriers, Lowber said. That roaming will be a subset of the AWN network, and should help with the Alaska companies financials until Verizon rolls out it s own voice, which Lowber said was likely in 2014.
 Despite their progress, both companies said in investor calls that they were waiting to provide guidance for the rest of 2013 until the AWN transaction closed.
 With both that and Verizon s entrance looming, too many pieces were considered moving parts to make any estimates of how their financials will pencil out at the end of the year.
 Molly Dischner can be reached at molly.dischner@alaskajournal.com.</html>

== Retrial of Egypt's Mubarak adjourned to August 17 ==

<html>Facebook Fark Digg Reddit Stumble   Retrial of Egypt s Mubarak adjourned to August17 The Associated Press Saturday,[http://www.cetreria.com/foro/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=70062 UFC 162 breakdown, betting odds and picks], July 6, 2013 | 3:51 a.m. A Cairo court has adjourned to August 17 the retrial of former President Hosni Mubarak over charges of corruption and involvement in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ousted him.Mubarak and his two sons,[http://shigao.iego.cn/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=18129&extra= 'Despicable Me' tramples 'Lone Ranger' at theaters], Alaa and Gamal,[http://www.jerseys-hearts.com/Nike-Texans-81-Daniels-Black-Impact-Kids-Limited-Jerseys-29866/ Nike Texans 81 Daniels Black Impact Kids Limited Jerseys], who are on trial for corruption,[http://www.shopbaijin.com/bbs/home.php?mod=space&uid=287456 ], appeared at the court session Saturday.Mubarak is charged with both corruption and responsibility for the deaths of some 850 protesters during the early days of the 2011 revolt.The former leader was convicted in 2012 of the charges, but an appeals court granted a retrial.Mubarak's democratically elected successor, Mohammed Morsi, was overthrown by the military on Wednesday and replaced with an interim president as part of what the army says is a roadmap to new elections.    Facebook Fark Digg Reddit Stumble</html>

== Retailers report strong January sales ==

<html>Americans shopped the winter clearance racks in January, resulting in strong sales during the month for retailers. But spending is expected to slow as the deals dry up heading into the spring, and Americans digest rising gas prices and a 2 percent payroll tax hike that started in January.
 Noelle Perillo, 34, was certainly lured in by deals last month. She says that she spent a total of $100 in January on deeply discounted holiday ornaments, home items and clothes for her toddler son. But she also says her spending may slow in the months ahead.
 I have what I need, and I am kind of shopped out. I m set for now, says Perillo, a freelance public relations consultant who lives in Silver Springs, Md. I am optimistic that things will improve but when I hear things like gas prices spiking, that s a concern. 
 Overall, 20 retailers reported on Thursday that revenue at stores opened at least a year an indicator of a store s health rose an average of 5.1 percent, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. That s above the trade group s 3 percent estimate and the 4.5 percent increase posted in December. It also marks the highest reading since last August when the figure was up 6 percent.
 Only a small group of stores that represent about 13 percent of the $2.4 trillion U.S. retail industry report monthly revenue. But the data offers a snapshot of consumer spending, which has been heavily influenced by big discounts during the economic downturn.
 Retailers are coming off a ho-hum holiday season in which they had to do a lot of discounting to get shoppers to buy. And January, which marks the end of retailers fourth quarter, typically is the time when stores have clearance sales on winter merchandise to make room for spring items.
 But once the clearance goods disappeared last month, so did shoppers. Analysts say the absence of big discounts coupled with gas prices that have risen for the past 20 days and the higher payroll tax caused sales to taper off in the last week or so of the month. Such pressures also hurt consumer confidence last month, which fell to the lowest reading in 14 months, according to the Conference Board.
 Cato Corp., which sells women s and girls clothing, said sales worsened throughout the month because of delays in shoppers tax refunds and the hit to their income from higher payroll taxes. As a result, the company, which runs about 1,300 stores in the U.S., said revenue dropped 12 percent in January.
 Sales at the beginning of the month were in line with our year-to-date-trend, John Cato, CEO of Cato Corp., which sells moderately priced women s and girls clothing, said in a statement. However sales at the end of the month were significantly worse than trend. We think this was primarily due to the timing of tax refunds and the effect of higher payroll taxes. 
 Overall, January was good for most retailers,[http://www.terracottawarriorstours.com/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=3891718&extra= USA dumps Canada 5], though.
 Macy s, which runs Bloomingdale s and Macy s stores, said revenue rose 11.7 percent in January, nearly doubling the 6.4 percent increase analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected. And the retailer raised its fourth-quarter adjusted earnings forecast due to its strong performance in January.
 Even Gap Inc., the owner of the Gap,[http://www.jerseys-hearts.com/NBA-Caps-019-9717/ NBA Caps-019], Old Navy and Banana Republic chains that has struggled to regain its relevance, said its January revenue rose 8 percent on strength in its North American stores. That s above the increase of 4 percent Wall Street expected.
 Meanwhile, Target Corp., a discounter that sells everything from clothes to home goods to groceries, reported a solid 3.1 percent increase in revenue, helped by strong sales of clearance items. That beat the 1.7 percent estimate from Wall Street.
 Despite the strong showing, Gregg Steinhafel, Target s CEO, said its customers continue to shop with discipline in the face of a slow economic recovery and new pressures, including recent payroll tax increases. 
 As a result, Steinhafel said Target remains focused on providing unbeatable value combined with a superior guest experience in both our stores and digital channels. 
 Going forward, analysts say that retailers may have a tough time luring in shoppers.
 Consumers were shopping and hunting for those clearance items, said Michael Niemira,[http://www.citafgsr.org/wikioda/index.php/Usuario:Stonerqmxf34 Confusion on Snowden acceptance of Venezuela offer], chief economist at the ICSC, the trade group. Despite the strong reading,[http://nmosow.org/wiki/%E7%94%A8%E6%88%B7:Moylelcurh11#Findlay_Prep.27s_Todd_Simon_pegged_to_join_UNLV_staff Findlay Prep's Todd Simon pegged to join UNLV staff], January may be one of the highest points of the year.</html>