Video streaming service Aereo has about $20 million in assets, including about $4.5 million in cash, and faces $4.2 million in liabilities, plus potential damage claims from broadcasters, the company said in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing Thursday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan.
The FCC requested more information from AT&T about its proposed takeover of DirecTV. The FCC wants data about AT&T’s current plans for fiber deployment, specifically the current number of households to which fiber is deployed, “and the breakdown by technology and geographic area of deployment,” the commission said Friday in a letter to Bob Quinn, senior vice president-federal regulatory. It requested a description of whether the AT&T fiber-to-the-premises investment model demonstrates that fiber deployment is now unprofitable, and asked for all documents concerning the company’s decision to limit its deployment of fiber to 2 million homes following the acquisition. “We are happy to respond to the questions posed by the FCC,” an AT&T spokesman said in a statement. “As we made clear earlier this week, we remain committed to our DirecTV merger-related build-out plans,” he said, referring to comments by AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson that it would pause fiber deployment efforts not knowing under what rules that investment would be governed.
The FCC requested more information from AT&T about its proposed takeover of DirecTV. The FCC wants data about AT&T’s current plans for fiber deployment, specifically the current number of households to which fiber is deployed, “and the breakdown by technology and geographic area of deployment,” the commission said Friday in a letter to Bob Quinn, senior vice president-federal regulatory. It requested a description of whether the AT&T fiber-to-the-premises investment model demonstrates that fiber deployment is now unprofitable, and asked for all documents concerning the company’s decision to limit its deployment of fiber to 2 million homes following the acquisition. “We are happy to respond to the questions posed by the FCC,” an AT&T spokesman said in a statement. “As we made clear earlier this week, we remain committed to our DirecTV merger-related build-out plans,” he said, referring to comments by AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson that it would pause fiber deployment efforts not knowing under what rules that investment would be governed.
President Barack Obama’s statement Monday in favor of reclassifying broadband as a Title II Communications Act service (see 1411100033) sent the FCC scrambling to rewrite an order that had been expected to get a vote at the commission’s Dec. 11 meeting, said industry and agency officials. Even before the delays for reworking the rules, the FCC likely faced a long road as it partially reclassifies broadband. It remains unclear when an order will take effect and whether the Obama administration will be in office to promulgate new rules if the next version is also overturned in federal court, said agency and FCC officials.
President Barack Obama’s statement Monday in favor of reclassifying broadband as a Title II Communications Act service (see 1411100033) sent the FCC scrambling to rewrite an order that had been expected to get a vote at the commission’s Dec. 11 meeting, said industry and agency officials. Even before the delays for reworking the rules, the FCC likely faced a long road as it partially reclassifies broadband. It remains unclear when an order will take effect and whether the Obama administration will be in office to promulgate new rules if the next version is also overturned in federal court, said agency and FCC officials.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler likely faces more congressional oversight after Republicans won full control of Congress Tuesday. But it's unclear whether the new Congress will have much effect on FCC decision-making, especially on net neutrality, said Washington insiders, including former FCC officials. Industry officials have speculated Wheeler may seek a net neutrality vote on an order in December, before the new Congress is seated (see 1410270055).
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler likely faces more congressional oversight after Republicans won full control of Congress Tuesday. But it's unclear whether the new Congress will have much effect on FCC decision-making, especially on net neutrality, said Washington insiders, including former FCC officials. Industry officials have speculated Wheeler may seek a net neutrality vote on an order in December, before the new Congress is seated (see 1410270055).
Mexican sugar exporters and the U.S. industry have reached a tentative deal to avoid antidumping and countervailing duties on sugar from Mexico, said the Commerce Department on Oct. 27. Under a preliminary agreement to suspend the ongoing antidumping and countervailing investigations, Mexican sugar exporters would limit the amount of sugar they ship to the U.S., and abide by minimum prices, said Commerce. The announcement came on the same day that Commerce reached its preliminary determination in the AD duty investigation, deciding to require AD duty cash deposits ranging from 39.54% to 47.26% (here). The agency set CV duty cash deposit requirements at 2.99% to 17.01% in September (see 14082919). If the suspension agreements are finalized, the U.S. will suspend its AD/CV duty investigations, end cash deposit requirements, and refund any cash deposits already collected.
The FCC Media Bureau’s temporary suspension of pleading schedules for AT&T's planned buy of DirecTV and Comcast/Time Warner Cable (see 1410220058) is likely to strengthen the cases of those calling for delays of Comcast/TWC reviews at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and New York Public Service Commission (PSC), parties in those states’ reviews told us. The CPUC is evaluating a new timeline for its review based on recommendations from its Office of Ratepayer Advocates and public interest groups (see 1410150092), while the New York PSC is to vote on its review Nov. 13. Public interest groups in California and New York are concerned that programmers’ objections to the disclosure of confidential documents will preclude the groups from effectively participating in the reviews. The FCC cited similar concerns at the federal level as the main reason to suspend its pleading cycle for the deal.
The FCC Media Bureau’s temporary suspension of pleading schedules for AT&T's planned buy of DirecTV and Comcast/Time Warner Cable (see 1410220058) is likely to strengthen the cases of those calling for delays of Comcast/TWC reviews at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and New York Public Service Commission (PSC), parties in those states’ reviews told us. The CPUC is evaluating a new timeline for its review based on recommendations from its Office of Ratepayer Advocates and public interest groups (see 1410150092), while the New York PSC is to vote on its review Nov. 13. Public interest groups in California and New York are concerned that programmers’ objections to the disclosure of confidential documents will preclude the groups from effectively participating in the reviews. The FCC cited similar concerns at the federal level as the main reason to suspend its pleading cycle for the deal.