Seeking Universal Service Fund reform they can live with, telecom companies have been meeting in small groups for months trying to agree on proposals for the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service. As the joint board’s self- imposed Nov. 1 deadline nears, meeting participants have become more closed-mouthed about progress.

Rural broadband deployment would get a boost under the farm bill approved Thursday in the Senate Agriculture Committee. The omnibus measure kept intact provisions dealing with loans to rural broadband providers, along with new definitions billed as ensuring that help is targeted to truly rural parts of the country. The bill also would set up a national clearinghouse to track how many broadband providers serve a particular area. The underlying bill would extend for five years rules governing federal agriculture spending.

Commissioners remain undecided on how to vote on an order set for consideration at the Oct. 31 FCC meeting that would ban exclusive video contracts between pay-TV companies and owners of multiple dwelling units, said agency and industry sources. No commissioners have reached final opinions on the order other than Chairman Kevin Martin, who circulated it in late August, said an FCC source. Eighth- floor negotiations over the item may go down to the wire, said an agency source and an industry source. In contrast, they said, commissioners seem largely set in their positions on another order set for a vote next week that would guarantee cable operators the same video franchise deregulation Bells got in March, but only when cable contracts expire.

Draft legislation authorizing the five-year farm bill would provide broadband grants for rural areas, according to draft Senate legislation to be discussed publicly Wednesday. The omnibus bill was still in the final stages of drafting Tuesday and a hearing on its provisions was postponed by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Thomas Harkin, D-Iowa, because of conflicts with a separate appropriations measure. The committee released its discussion draft of the bill late Tuesday afternoon.

Several FCC commissioners are undecided whether the FCC would overreach by throwing out current contracts for video companies to sell TV to apartment buildings, agency and industry sources said. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin circulated in August an order that would ban existing and future deals between cable operators and housing developments, apartments and other multi-unit dwellings (CD Sept 4 p2).

The House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday for a bill (HR- 3678) to extend the Internet tax moratorium four years. The bill heads to the Senate. Industry lauded the 405-2 vote, which came despite a Republican-led effort to force a vote on a permanent ban. House leaders foiled demands for a permanent vote by placing the bill under suspension of the rules. That bars amendments, limits debate and requires a two-thirds vote for passage. Had the bill not passed, it would have gone to the Rules Committee and then back to the House floor. The Senate doesn’t have that option.

News Corp.’s Gary Ginsberg adds responsibility of head of global marketing, joins office of the chairman… Mike Greco, ex-MTV, becomes Lifetime Network executive vice president, research… David Krone, ex-NCTA, moves to Comcast as senior vice president, corporate affairs… Univision parent NBC Universal promotes Steve Mandala to new position of executive vice president, cable ad sales… USTelecom names Patrick Brogan, ex-Deloitte & Touche, vice president, industry analysis… Fuse promotes Andy Meyer to vice president, development and original series… Verizon promotes Emilio Gonzalez to vice president, strategic alliances… New members of E9-1-1 Institute board: Mary Boyd, Intrado; Janice Partyka, Technocom; Michael Amarosa, TruePosition; David Aylward, ComCare; Art Prest, Illinois Valley Cellular… Tom Wheeler, ex-CTIA, joins advisory board of mobile e-mail firm Visto.

An appeals court in Philadelphia rejected challenges to an FCC order that reduced regulation of wireline Internet access by reclassifying it an “information service.” The U.S. Appeals Court for the 3rd Circuit found the August 2005 order to be “based on a reasonable interpretation of the Communications Act” and “a proper exercise of agency discretion.” DSL is the most common wireline Internet access service.

DALLAS -- There’s “absolutely no harm” to competitive providers if incumbent telecom carriers remove copper wire when they install fiber, USTelecom Vice President Robert Mayer told competitors at CompTel’s convention Wednesday. If a customer wants to go back to a CLEC, the copper feeder wire can be put back, he told the audience. FiOS installers “work to protect the wires,” he said. “I think this is much ado about nothing,” Mayer said of petitions asking the FCC to require incumbents to leave copper wires in place. Although “maintaining a legacy network makes little economic sense,” the wire will be restored on request, so “I don’t think you need safeguards.” The issue arose when Verizon began installing its fiber-based FiOS system, said participants on a panel with Mayer.

DALLAS -- Pole attachment rates are too high, unevenly applied to different parts of the communications industry and could put some providers at a disadvantage in offering broadband services, panelists complained at the CompTel convention Tuesday. Electric-utility companies that levy the charges because they own many of the poles are “passionate” about this issue “and we need to be, too,” said Time Warner Telecom Vice President Don Shepheard. Utilities are concerned but not for the same reasons, responded Jack Richards, a Washington attorney who represents electric utilities. Electric utilities are already subsidizing the companies that attach their lines to the poles, he said.