FCC commissioners are expected to approve AT&T's planned buy of DirecTV in coming days, since Chairman Tom Wheeler circulated a draft approval order with conditions (see 1507210078), analysts said. In notes to investors, New Street Research analysts said they expect approval “later this week or early next week (likely a 5-0 vote),” while Bank of America Merrill Lynch analysts said they expect FCC action in “3-7 business days” and without “any material opposition.”
FCC commissioners are expected to approve AT&T's planned buy of DirecTV in coming days, since Chairman Tom Wheeler circulated a draft approval order with conditions (see 1507210078), analysts said. In notes to investors, New Street Research analysts said they expect approval “later this week or early next week (likely a 5-0 vote),” while Bank of America Merrill Lynch analysts said they expect FCC action in “3-7 business days” and without “any material opposition.”
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls issued the following name and address change notifications in recent days (here):
Broadband industry representatives plan to tell the House Communications Subcommittee on Wednesday how to make their lives easier. The hearing on challenges of broadband infrastructure investment is set for 12:30 p.m. in 2322 Rayburn.
Broadband industry representatives plan to tell the House Communications Subcommittee on Wednesday how to make their lives easier. The hearing on challenges of broadband infrastructure investment is set for 12:30 p.m. in 2322 Rayburn.
Ongoing “challenges for broadband infrastructure build-out” include pole attachments, tower siting, access to federal lands and buildings, and tribal broadband deployment, House Republican staffers said in a six-page GOP memo for this week's House Communications Subcommittee hearing on broadband infrastructure investment. “The issue of pole attachments continues to be the subject of considerable dispute between attachers and pole owners,” the GOP memo said. “Critics claims that the terms and conditions set by utilities are onerous or obscure; that pole owners often have little incentive to provide speedy access to attachers; and that pole owners drag out the application process. Finally, the rate formulas are complicated and prone to litigation and controversy, all of which leads to delays in the deployment of networks.” An eight-page Democratic memo included sections on federal grant programs, such as the broadband stimulus grants given through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Obama administration’s efforts to allow broadband deployment on federal land and the creation of the Broadband Opportunity Council. “Broadband networks that are wholly or partially...owned by local governments also can help increase access and competition, as well as provide additional consumer choice,” the Democratic memo said, acknowledging the Republican pushback against municipally owned networks. “Many towns and cities have attempted to build out such services, but 20 states have imposed prohibitions or restrictions on public entities providing communications services.” The hearing will be at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in 2322 Rayburn.
Ongoing “challenges for broadband infrastructure build-out” include pole attachments, tower siting, access to federal lands and buildings, and tribal broadband deployment, House Republican staffers said in a six-page GOP memo for this week's House Communications Subcommittee hearing on broadband infrastructure investment. “The issue of pole attachments continues to be the subject of considerable dispute between attachers and pole owners,” the GOP memo said. “Critics claims that the terms and conditions set by utilities are onerous or obscure; that pole owners often have little incentive to provide speedy access to attachers; and that pole owners drag out the application process. Finally, the rate formulas are complicated and prone to litigation and controversy, all of which leads to delays in the deployment of networks.” An eight-page Democratic memo included sections on federal grant programs, such as the broadband stimulus grants given through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Obama administration’s efforts to allow broadband deployment on federal land and the creation of the Broadband Opportunity Council. “Broadband networks that are wholly or partially...owned by local governments also can help increase access and competition, as well as provide additional consumer choice,” the Democratic memo said, acknowledging the Republican pushback against municipally owned networks. “Many towns and cities have attempted to build out such services, but 20 states have imposed prohibitions or restrictions on public entities providing communications services.” The hearing will be at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in 2322 Rayburn.
FCC reauthorization legislation may not land on the Senate Commerce Committee’s July markup agenda, after all, Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told us Thursday. He wrote the legislation and has sought to reach bipartisan consensus with ranking member Bill Nelson, D-Fla. But Nelson underwent surgery Monday for prostate cancer and is recovering this week. “It could get pushed because of Senator Nelson’s absence, but we’ll see,” Thune said of FCC reauthorization. “We’re hoping, we’ve been trying to close the loop on some of the issues that have been outstanding but we’ve got a pretty good sense of where we want to go. And it’s just a question of getting the Dems on board. So we’re still working. It could get sidetracked a little bit. But we’ll see.” Both Thune and Nelson have told us in recent weeks that they are hopeful the unreleased FCC reauthorization bill, which addresses process and transparency issues at the agency, would make it on the July agenda. No July markup has been announced as of our deadline. Thune said last week items are “being finessed” (see 1507080048), primarily dealing with a provision on FCC rulemakings deemed economically significant, and Nelson suspected following the June markup the item would come up in July (see 1506300050).
FCC reauthorization legislation may not land on the Senate Commerce Committee’s July markup agenda, after all, Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told us Thursday. He wrote the legislation and has sought to reach bipartisan consensus with ranking member Bill Nelson, D-Fla. But Nelson underwent surgery Monday for prostate cancer and is recovering this week. “It could get pushed because of Senator Nelson’s absence, but we’ll see,” Thune said of FCC reauthorization. “We’re hoping, we’ve been trying to close the loop on some of the issues that have been outstanding but we’ve got a pretty good sense of where we want to go. And it’s just a question of getting the Dems on board. So we’re still working. It could get sidetracked a little bit. But we’ll see.” Both Thune and Nelson have told us in recent weeks that they are hopeful the unreleased FCC reauthorization bill, which addresses process and transparency issues at the agency, would make it on the July agenda. No July markup has been announced as of our deadline. Thune said last week items are “being finessed” (see 1507080048), primarily dealing with a provision on FCC rulemakings deemed economically significant, and Nelson suspected following the June markup the item would come up in July (see 1506300050).
The Telecom Committee passed five resolutions during its business meeting Tuesday during the NARUC summer committee meetings here in New York. The resolutions will be reviewed by the NARUC board Wednesday afternoon before being voted on by the organization officially. Three of the resolutions covered risk management and best practices for cybersecurity for communications providers, congressional action on the open Internet and eligible telecommunications carrier designations for Lifeline broadband services, as expected (see 1507020054). The resolutions passed with little discussion and had been edited lightly from their original versions.