Paid peering and interconnection agreements, not necessarily something the FCC should be regulating, are ripe for agency examination, Commissioner Mike O'Rielly said in an interview Tuesday. “I want to be careful here.” The FCC doesn’t need to look at “every single agreement,” he said. “But I am interested in learning more about how those agreements are structured, and learning how is that changing the marketplace?”
House Republicans and Democrats sharply scrutinized the first half year of FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s tenure at the agency. Wheeler appeared before the House Communications Subcommittee for the second time as chairman Tuesday, less than a week after a highly controversial FCC meeting where the agency approved its net neutrality NPRM as well as an item on broadcast TV incentive auction design. Lawmakers of both parties widely focused on net neutrality.
House Republicans and Democrats sharply scrutinized the first half year of FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s tenure at the agency. Wheeler appeared before the House Communications Subcommittee for the second time as chairman Tuesday, less than a week after a highly controversial FCC meeting where the agency approved its net neutrality NPRM as well as an item on broadcast TV incentive auction design. Lawmakers of both parties widely focused on net neutrality.
The fiscal year 2015 (FY15) appropriations legislation (here) for the departments of Commerce and Justice, along with related agencies, advanced (here) through the House Rules Committee on May 19, and was reported to the House floor. The bill, introduced on May 15 by Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., slightly boosts funding for the International Trade Administration and Bureau of Industry and Security. The legislation also significantly increases allocations for the Census Bureau.
Lawmakers will inevitably dig into implications of AT&T’s proposed acquisition of DirecTV, announced Sunday night (see separate reports in this issue), Capitol Hill aides and industry observers told us. That deal requires approval from the FCC and from the FTC or Justice Department, and Congress oversees the approval process. House and Senate Judiciary committee members announced hearings (CD Bulletin May 19). Congress has tackled such antitrust questions in recent months, as the Senate Judiciary Committee and House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee held lengthy hearings on Comcast’s proposed purchase of Time Warner Cable.
HOT SPRINGS, Va. -- The FCC spectrum aggregation order draft appeared to move in a positive direction before it was approved by the agency on a 3-2 vote Thursday, House Commerce Committee Majority Chief Counsel David Redl said Saturday at the FCBA annual retreat. John Branscome, Democratic senior counsel to the Senate Commerce Committee, said the FCC appeared to take some positive steps forward in both major auction orders approved at the monthly public meeting (CD May 16 p5).
AT&T’s initial concessions in its $48.5 billion deal to buy DirecTV are routine to get FCC approval, but more details are needed to determine whether that’s enough to win over the commission, observers said in interviews Monday. AT&T will agree to a three-year net neutrality commitment, expand high-speed broadband service in mostly rural areas and will offer DirecTV’s standalone video packages “at a consistent nationwide price” for three years, said CEO Randall Stephenson Monday during a conference call. AT&T announced its intent to buy the direct broadcast satellite company Sunday, as expected, and it’s expected to get antitrust approval.
Lawmakers will inevitably dig into implications of AT&T’s proposed $48.5 billion acquisition of DirecTV, Capitol Hill aides and industry observers told us Monday.
The FCC approved service rules for the TV incentive auction and provisions that restrict bidding in the auction, over strong objections by FCC Republicans Ajit Pai and Mike O'Rielly. Both Republicans warned Thursday that the rules as structured could lead to a failed auction next year.
The FCC approved service rules for the TV incentive auction and provisions that restrict bidding in the auction, over strong objections by FCC Republicans Ajit Pai and Mike O'Rielly. Both Republicans warned Thursday that the rules as structured could lead to a failed auction next year.