Stephenson Asks Wheeler To Approve AT&T/DirecTV
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson urged the FCC to approve AT&T's proposed buy of DirecTV "promptly and discussed peering and interconnection issues raised in the proceeding," in a conference call with FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler Thursday, said an ex parte letter…
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posted Monday to docket 14-90. It provided no more details. At a recent meeting with FCC staffers, Cogent, Dish Network, Free Press, Public Knowledge and the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute asked the FCC to impose certain conditions -- including on stand-alone broadband, interconnection, data caps and net neutrality -- to address various alleged harms if it decides to approve the deal, said an ex parte filing (see 1505130042). Comptel recently backed Cox Communications' proposal to restrict AT&T/DirecTV from entering into video programming contracts that include unreasonable volume discounts, and the American Cable Association's proposal to prevent the combined company from interfering with rates, terms and conditions that video programmers offer competitors. Comptel also proposed, among other things, that AT&T/DirecTV be (1) required to file quarterly reports on its programming contracts, (2) prohibited from charging terminating access fees or using broadband data caps in a way that could harm online video distributors, and (3) required to comply with Sections 251 and 252 of the Communications Act both during and after its wireline transition to IP. In addition, New Networks Institute and Teletruth petitioned the FCC to delay acting on AT&T/DirecTV and investigate whether AT&T committed perjury in its representations to the agency regarding its broadband deployment. Monday, the FCC informal 180-day shot clock was still halted on Day 170 after the agency decided on March 13 to await a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit regarding video programming confidential information. The court May 8 vacated an FCC order that would have let participants in the commission's AT&T/DirecTV transaction proceeding review confidential programming and retransmission consent contract data, after finding it was “substantively and procedurally flawed,” in CBS et al. v. FCC (see 1505080053).