The Senate Commerce Committee pulled the two-year FCC Reauthorization Act (S-2644) from its Wednesday markup agenda, despite persistent efforts to include the bill sponsored by Chairman John Thune, R-S.D. Democrats generally backed the reauthorization effort but said more time is needed to review the proposal, one staffer told us Tuesday. Amendments were already filed.
The FCC appears poised to overhaul rural telco USF subsidies in coming days, given commissioner public statements and agency voting procedures confirmed by two staffers. Chairman Tom Wheeler said recently at a Senate hearing there are three votes -- a majority -- for a draft order that would revamp rate-of-return carrier high-cost USF support mechanisms for the broadband era. Under internal FCC rules, the remaining two commissioners have until Wednesday -- 12 days after March 4, which was three weeks after the draft circulated -- to vote on the item, though either one could obtain a one-week extension until March 23, an agency spokesman and an official told us Friday.
The FCC appears poised to overhaul rural telco USF subsidies in coming days, given commissioner public statements and agency voting procedures confirmed by two staffers. Chairman Tom Wheeler said recently at a Senate hearing there are three votes -- a majority -- for a draft order that would revamp rate-of-return carrier high-cost USF support mechanisms for the broadband era. Under internal FCC rules, the remaining two commissioners have until Wednesday -- 12 days after March 4, which was three weeks after the draft circulated -- to vote on the item, though either one could obtain a one-week extension until March 23, an agency spokesman and an official told us Friday.
Sky invested $6 million in fuboTV, a U.S.-based video streaming service that provides “a premium, over-the-top bundle” of sports TV channels, Sky said in a Thursday announcement. Though it launched just a little more than a year ago, fuboTV “has quickly become the second largest aggregator and distributor of linear OTT sports content in the U.S., growing to more than 40,000 subscribers,” Sky said. The service is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese through a range of platforms and devices, and has landed U.S. distribution deals with TV channels that hold rights to major worldwide sporting events, including live soccer matches from more than half of the leading international leagues and tournaments, Sky said.
Sky invested $6 million in fuboTV, a U.S.-based video streaming service that provides “a premium, over-the-top bundle” of sports TV channels, Sky said in a Thursday announcement. Though it launched just a little more than a year ago, fuboTV “has quickly become the second largest aggregator and distributor of linear OTT sports content in the U.S., growing to more than 40,000 subscribers,” Sky said. The service is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese through a range of platforms and devices, and has landed U.S. distribution deals with TV channels that hold rights to major worldwide sporting events, including live soccer matches from more than half of the leading international leagues and tournaments, Sky said.
Sky invested $6 million in fuboTV, a U.S.-based video streaming service that provides “a premium, over-the-top bundle” of sports TV channels, Sky said in a Thursday announcement. Though it launched just a little more than a year ago, fuboTV “has quickly become the second largest aggregator and distributor of linear OTT sports content in the U.S., growing to more than 40,000 subscribers,” Sky said. The service is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese through a range of platforms and devices, and has landed U.S. distribution deals with TV channels that hold rights to major worldwide sporting events, including live soccer matches from more than half of the leading international leagues and tournaments, Sky said.
Industry representatives on March 4 made their case to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to add all 29 HTS subheadings covering travel goods under review for addition to the list of eligible products under the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences. During USTR’s public hearing for the U.S. GSP Program 2015/2016 Annual Review of Products and Competitive Need Limitation Waivers, Allison Baron, a lawyer representing Michael Kors, claimed that, if added, the higher volume of “certain handbags and travel goods products” flowing to the U.S. would benefit U.S. consumers by allowing importers to offer “desirable goods” at competitive prices, defraying higher labor costs. USTR has published a list of subheadings for travel goods it accepted for GSP review during this cycle (here).
A bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers on March 1 introduced versions of legislation aimed at taking another step toward expanding CBP preclearance facilities at land, marine, air, and rail ports of departure in Canada (here). The bill would give the U.S. jurisdiction over prosecutable incidents involving U.S. personnel in Canada, per the terms of the preclearance agreement signed with Canada in March 2015 (see 1503160009), said a fact sheet from Leahy's office (here). Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Leahy introduced the Senate version of the "Promoting Travel, Commerce, and National Security Act." Reps. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Annie Kuster, D-N.H., introduced the House version of the bill. According to Leahy's press release (here), the bill helps set the stage for U.S.-Canada talks during the upcoming visit of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The FCC should include an Alaska Plan in a looming rate-of-return USF overhaul, General Communications Inc. (GCI) and other Alaska telecom interests are telling commission officials. The plan is aimed at supporting broadband deployment in rural Alaska, and time is of the essence, given the state's construction season, they say. Native American groups are separately pushing for including a Tribal Broadband Factor, citing a projected reduction of almost $33 million in support for carriers serving tribal lands under a draft FCC order. Alaska Communications Systems (ACS) also has asked the FCC to adopt its price-cap USF proposal for Alaska.
The FCC should include an Alaska Plan in a looming rate-of-return USF overhaul, General Communications Inc. (GCI) and other Alaska telecom interests are telling commission officials. The plan is aimed at supporting broadband deployment in rural Alaska, and time is of the essence, given the state's construction season, they say. Native American groups are separately pushing for including a Tribal Broadband Factor, citing a projected reduction of almost $33 million in support for carriers serving tribal lands under a draft FCC order. Alaska Communications Systems (ACS) also has asked the FCC to adopt its price-cap USF proposal for Alaska.