The FCC Media Bureau suspended the pleading schedules for both the AT&T/DirecTV and Comcast/Time Warner Cable deals until it rules on a stream of objections filed by a group of programmers to prevent their contracts with providers from being viewed, said an order issued Wednesday (http://bit.ly/ZO1D80). The order also stops the 180-day shot clock for the AT&T deal. The Comcast shot clock had already been put on hold (see 1410070029). The stoppage is a response to a joint request (see 1410210042) from several commenters on the deal -- including Dish Network -- to extend the reply comment period for Comcast/TWC in part because the programmers -- which include Viacom, Disney, CBS and Scripps -- have filed objections to every request from any party to view confidential documents filed in both transactions. “We agree with these commenters that their current inability to review Highly Confidential Information … significantly hampers their ability to meaningfully comment and participate in these proceedings,” said the order.
The FCC Media Bureau suspended the pleading schedules for both the AT&T/DirecTV and Comcast/Time Warner Cable deals until it rules on a stream of objections filed by a group of programmers to prevent their contracts with providers from being viewed, said an order issued Wednesday (http://bit.ly/ZO1D80). The order also stops the 180-day shot clock for the AT&T deal. The Comcast shot clock had already been put on hold (see 1410070029). The stoppage is a response to a joint request (see 1410210042) from several commenters on the deal -- including Dish Network -- to extend the reply comment period for Comcast/TWC in part because the programmers -- which include Viacom, Disney, CBS and Scripps -- have filed objections to every request from any party to view confidential documents filed in both transactions. “We agree with these commenters that their current inability to review Highly Confidential Information … significantly hampers their ability to meaningfully comment and participate in these proceedings,” said the order.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will receive the same information the FCC receives on the Comcast/Time Warner Cable (TWC) deal and associated transactions following a legal hearing at the CPUC Thursday, but other aspects of the commission’s review remain undecided pending further action at the FCC, industry stakeholders who attended the hearing told us. The hearing, led by Administrative Law Judge Jean Vieth, was meant to clarify the scope of allowable discovery requests in the CPUC’s review of the deals and set a new schedule for the commission’s review (see 1410150092). The CPUC didn’t webcast the hearing and a transcript wasn’t available at our deadline.
Zonoff, developer of the Staples Connect smart home platform, is pushing forward its efforts to play neutral Switzerland -- while remaining price-competitive -- in the fast-moving smart home space. The company has added ZigBee and Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) standards to the platform, joining Wi-Fi and Z-Wave, and a new D-Link router available through Staples Connect will incorporate all four in a hub priced at $79.99, Bob Cooper, chief marketing officer-Zonoff, told us.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will receive the same information the FCC receives on the Comcast/Time Warner Cable (TWC) deal and associated transactions following a legal hearing at the CPUC Thursday, but other aspects of the commission’s review remain undecided pending further action at the FCC, industry stakeholders who attended the hearing told us. The hearing, led by Administrative Law Judge Jean Vieth, was meant to clarify the scope of allowable discovery requests in the CPUC’s review of the deals and set a new schedule for the commission’s review (see 1410150092). The CPUC didn’t webcast the hearing and a transcript wasn’t available at our deadline.
Zonoff, developer of the Staples Connect smart home platform, is pushing forward its efforts to play neutral Switzerland -- while remaining price-competitive -- in the fast-moving smart home space. The company has added ZigBee and Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) standards to the platform, joining Wi-Fi and Z-Wave, and a new D-Link router available through Staples Connect will incorporate all four in a hub priced at $79.99, Bob Cooper, chief marketing officer-Zonoff, told us.
The Bluetooth NYC Media & Demo Event, sponsored by Bluetooth Special Interest Group in New York, Wednesday, showed the wide range of applications for Bluetooth communications with a focus on the specific capabilities of Bluetooth Smart, also known as Bluetooth LE (Low Energy). Items on display ranged from smart socks with built-in sensors for tracking the elderly to beacons that offer a museum-like audio trail to give room details on a new home tour.
A hearing before California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Administrative Law Judge Jean Vieth set for Thursday is likely to clarify CPUC’s schedule for its review of the Comcast/Time Warner Cable deal and associated TWC Information Services and Bright House Networks deals, industry stakeholders told us. The hearing is also likely to clarify the scope of discovery requests sought by the commission’s Office of Ratepayer Advocates (ORA), stakeholders said. The CPUC temporarily paused its review last week pending Thursday’s hearing. The delay is in part a reaction to the FCC’s decision to pause its own review of Comcast/TWC until at least Oct. 29, but it’s also due to an ORA request that CPUC revise its review timeline because of the extensive outstanding ORA data requests that Comcast, TWC and others need to fill 1410140022.
A hearing before California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Administrative Law Judge Jean Vieth set for Thursday is likely to clarify CPUC’s schedule for its review of the Comcast/Time Warner Cable deal and associated TWC Information Services and Bright House Networks deals, industry stakeholders told us. The hearing is also likely to clarify the scope of discovery requests sought by the commission’s Office of Ratepayer Advocates (ORA), stakeholders said. The CPUC temporarily paused its review last week pending Thursday’s hearing. The delay is in part a reaction to the FCC’s decision to pause its own review of Comcast/TWC until at least Oct. 29, but it’s also due to an ORA request that CPUC revise its review timeline because of the extensive outstanding ORA data requests that Comcast, TWC and others need to fill 1410140022.
LOS ANGELES -- The disputed success of the first round of the new generic top-level domain program should give pause to domain interests who want to begin a second round of new gTLDs, said panelists at ICANN 51 Monday. Many domain experts said that appropriate time considerations are needed to review issues of first round gTLDs before beginning the second round. The panelists said the first round of gTLDs didn’t adequately reach developing countries, but some questioned whether the idea of a “remedial round” for parties unable to register in the first round wasn’t better in theory than in practice. That idea was suggested by Evan Leibovitch, ICANN At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) vice chairman.