The FCC Wireless Bureau denied requests for time extensions by three companies seeking to show compliance with the substantial service requirements for various Local Multipoint Distribution Service licenses (http://xrl.us/bmbmr7). The bureau denied requests by the West Carolina Rural Telephone Cooperative, Advantage Cellular Systems and BTA Associates in orders released Thursday.
Two energy groups urged the FCC to take action on an American Petroleum Institute request that the agency allocate the 2.5 GHz Educational Broadband Service band to the oil and gas industry and other industry users in the Gulf of Mexico. “This proceeding was initiated by the Commission more than four years ago,” said a filing by API’s Telecommunications Subcommittee and the Regulatory Committee of the Energy Telecommunications and Electrical Association (http://bit.ly/XnGldw). The groups “urge the Commission to move forward without further delay.” They also asked the FCC “to allow preemptory emergency use of this spectrum by entities actively engaged in supporting an oil spill response.”
The FCC Wireline Bureau granted three requests from Internet service provider Net56 seeking review of decisions by the Universal Service Administrative Co. under the E-rate program (http://xrl.us/bnyny2). USAC had denied or sought to rescind funding from Harrison School District 36’s applications for funding years 2007 through 2009, saying Harrison did not have signed contracts with Net56, included ineligible services without cost-allocating them, and failed to pay its discounted share for eligible services. The FCC reversed the decisions, saying the Illinois school district did have contracts in place and complied with all applicable rules (http://xrl.us/bnynyy).
The FCC adopted new data specifications for collecting study area boundaries to implement universal service reforms adopted as part of the USF/intercarrier compensation order. In an order, the Wireline Bureau required ILECs to submit certified study area boundary data in esri shapefile format, and established a procedure for resolving overlaps and voids in submitted data. The bureau will also accept boundary information from state commissions and state telecom associations on behalf of ILECs, it said. “Having these data will assist the Commission in implementing universal service reforms as accurately and effectively as possible,” the order said (http://xrl.us/bnynxr).
It’s important that in WC Docket 11-10 the FCC collect data from “one-way” VoIP providers, AT&T told officials from the Wireless and Wireline bureaus Tuesday, an ex parte filing said (http://xrl.us/bnynww). The commission should also update the filing interface so filers can submit data for multiple states as a single data file, AT&T said.
Communications Daily won’t be published Monday, Nov. 12, because of the federal Veterans Day holiday. Our next issue will be dated Tuesday, Nov. 13.
WBVT-CA Burlington, Vt., had its Class A status reduced to low power, an order released by the FCC Media Bureau Wednesday said (http://xrl.us/bnyh3j). Separately, the bureau ordered the licensee of W28AJ Allingtown, Conn., to show why it shouldn’t have its Class A status reduced. The station apparently has not made required quarterly children’s TV programming list filings, a show-cause order said (http://xrl.us/bnyh3q). For a list of other stations that have received such letters or lost Class A status, click here: http://www.warren-news.com/showcause.htm.
Cox agreed to carry Time Warner Cable’s new Los Angeles regional sports network and its Spanish-language counterpart, the companies said.
Sandy-related disruptions to cable service probably won’t hurt cable operators’ long-term customer relations, Standard & Poor’s analyst Richard Siderman said. “We believe that customers for the most part will understand that restoration of cable services … relies on restoration of electric power and will be more likely to direct any criticism toward the electric utilities.” Cable operators will probably adopt flexible billing policies to help customers affected by the storm, he said. Among operators, Cablevision, Time Warner Cable and Comcast have the most subscribers in areas the storm hit, S&P said. Cablevision for instance has been giving customers without power refunds on their monthly bills (CD Nov 5 p18). Carriers may also have to adjust customers’ bills, either offering credits or discounting excess minutes for some customers, Siderman said. The storm could cause some wireless customers to consider adding landline phone service, he said. Repairing storm damage could affect operators’ cash positions depending on how fast insurance companies pay out, he said. “From a liquidity perspective, the timing of cash flows could be critical."
Q3 sales at CBS increased 2 percent from a year earlier to $3.4 billion, the company said. Higher domestic and international TV license fees were behind the growth, it said. They offset a 3 percent decline in ad sales, a drop that was sharpest at its radio group. Profit increased 15 percent to $391 million on lower interest expenses.