Sinclair’s latest modifications to its deal to buy Tribune appears designed to make it more palatable to the FCC and DOJ, attorneys and analysts said in interviews. The amended plan does away with divestiture trusts, puts less pressure on the FCC’s new and untried policy on top-four duopolies, and -- as detailed Tuesday (see 1804240076) -- specifies buyers for most of the 23 stations to be divested. Though the deal still includes plans to unload stations to “sidecar” companies seen as affiliated with Sinclair, the latest iteration is expected to be acceptable to Justice because none of the stations operated through sharing agreements will be top-four stations, said Justin Nielson, senior researcher for S&P Global Market Intelligence.
The FCC asked a court to maintain a procedural hold on a tech transition case over the prior commission's regulation of copper retirements and telecom service discontinuances under Communications Act Section 214. The FCC said a November wireline infrastructure order (see 1711160032) reversed key decisions being challenged by telcos in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in USTelecom v. FCC., No. 15-1414, but noted that reversal is being challenged in the 9th Circuit (see 1712080057). It also noted briefs in the 9th Circuit are now due Friday, with responses of the government and intervenors due May 29. "It would be prudent for the Court to continue to hold this case in abeyance until the pending legal challenge to the Infrastructure Order is resolved," said the agency's filing (in Pacer) Monday.
The FCC Public Safety Bureau is acting to increase the use of the Integrated Public Alert Warning System (IPAWS) to propagate emergency alert system warnings, rather than the legacy “daisychain” system, said the bureau’s report on the 2017 Nationwide EAS test, released Friday. The internet-based CAP (common alerting protocol) alerts sent through IPAWS contain more information, have better audio and allow multi-language alerts, the report said. The test shows EAS participants have “improved in their ability to successfully alert the public,” the report said, though it also shows a drop from 2016 in test participation, and a Federal Emergency Management Agency report on the nationwide test released last week questioned the accuracy of the results reporting.
Tennessee lawmakers sent a wireless small-cells bill to the governor Wednesday after state senators voted 42-1 to pass an amended HB-2279. Hawaii state senators voted 24-0 Tuesday for the House small-cells bill (HB-2651), which goes back to the other chamber to concur with amendments. Tennessee state Sen. Bill Ketron (R), the bill's sponsor, said lawmakers listened to cities’ concerns and made more than 50 changes to the bill. The session was livestreamed Wednesday. While voting yes, Sen. Lee Harris (D) said he worried about taking control from local governments when they work with big telecom carriers. “I’m inclined to support this bill,” said Harris, “but it does give me pause that we would intervene in these negotiations and set a price,” which seems to put a “thumb on the scale,” he said. Ketron said lawmakers increased maximum pole-collocation fees to a “reasonable” $100 annually from $35. Some cities wanted to charge $2,500, but “this is not made to be an opportunity to cash in on poles because that would be passed on to all the users through their rate fees, and I know my [wireless bill is] already high enough,” he said. Tennessee passage follows local governments declaring several early 2018 victories defeating or getting concessions to industry bills (see 1804100036).
Vizio added a flagship category to its TV line to take on OLED, and it’s courting cord cutters on the value side by steering them to free TV, executives demonstrated at the company’s 2018 product launch in New York Tuesday.
Vizio added a flagship category to its TV line to take on OLED, and it’s courting cord cutters on the value side by steering them to free TV, executives demonstrated at the company’s 2018 product launch in New York Tuesday.
C Spire and AT&T are fighting over a Mississippi state contract for wireline voice and data services. AT&T, previously the state’s provider, is challenging the state IT agency’s December selection of C Spire. The smaller carrier said it will provide speeds up to 106 Gbps for about $123.8 million, $32.8 million less than AT&T’s approximately $156.6 million. “Even though spending less for better service is a clear win for the state, AT&T is now working to block the agreement,” C Spire CEO Hu Meena said in a Tuesday statement. The Department of Information Technology Services paused the process to resolve the protest, Meena said. AT&T defended its protest. “As a part of the normal contracting and bid process, we filed our concerns with the Department of Information Technology Services regarding the recent statewide technology” request for proposal, an AT&T spokeswoman said. “While our bid fully met the specific, clearly identified requirements outlined in the RFP, we believe the selected bid does not.”
C Spire and AT&T are fighting over a Mississippi state contract for wireline voice and data services. AT&T, previously the state’s provider, is challenging the state IT agency’s December selection of C Spire. The smaller carrier said it will provide speeds up to 106 Gbps for about $123.8 million, $32.8 million less than AT&T’s approximately $156.6 million. “Even though spending less for better service is a clear win for the state, AT&T is now working to block the agreement,” C Spire CEO Hu Meena said in a Tuesday statement. The Department of Information Technology Services paused the process to resolve the protest, Meena said. AT&T defended its protest. “As a part of the normal contracting and bid process, we filed our concerns with the Department of Information Technology Services regarding the recent statewide technology” request for proposal, an AT&T spokeswoman said. “While our bid fully met the specific, clearly identified requirements outlined in the RFP, we believe the selected bid does not.”
The Vermont Public Utility Commission won't consider how to regulate VoIP in docket 18-0443 while Comcast’s challenge to the PUC's Feb. 7 ruling in docket 7316 -- that interconnected VoIP is a telecom service under federal law -- remains pending, the PUC said in a Monday order. Consolidated Communications supported and Vermont staff didn't oppose the stay (see 1803210038).
The Vermont Public Utility Commission won't consider how to regulate VoIP in docket 18-0443 while Comcast’s challenge to the PUC's Feb. 7 ruling in docket 7316 -- that interconnected VoIP is a telecom service under federal law -- remains pending, the PUC said in a Monday order. Consolidated Communications supported and Vermont staff didn't oppose the stay (see 1803210038).