Comments are due Feb. 6, replies Feb. 21 on the cable TV lineup notification NPRM approved 5-0 in December by the FCC commissioners (see 1912120063), says a notice for Tuesday's Federal Register.
The FCC Media Bureau granted extension requests from the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable and Comcast for responses to Comcast’s petition for effective competition in Massachusetts (see 1912230063), said an email posted Friday in docket 19-385. Oppositions and comments are now due Jan. 23, replies from Comcast “24 days after oppositions or comments are filed.”
TDS bought the cable, broadband and business assets of Continuum, which had been owned by Mooresville and Davidson, North Carolina, for $80 million, the buyer said Thursday. It said Continuum employees were offered jobs with TDS and there are no immediate plans to change branding.
The "true fees" cable TV pricing rules adopted as part of the omnibus spending bill passed in December (see 1912190068) are "long overdue," with the cable industry frequently camouflaging rate hikes as hidden fees instead putting them into advertised rates, CCG Consulting President Doug Dawson blogged Monday. He said more honesty about pricing could accelerate cord cutting even further. The legislation applies only to cable TV pricing, raising the risk that cable companies could try to shift hidden fees to their broadband or phone service, Dawson said. "I suspect the cable companies will somehow not come clean about bundling prices for cable TV, even with this new law," he said. Public Knowledge also applauded the legislation. Consumer Reports (CR), which championed the measure, told us its support for the legislation stemmed from its own finding that consumers can pay up to $450 a year in such fees. Along with the requirement that consumers are told the complete monthly price, including all fees and taxes, when signing up with cable service, consumers also get a 24-hour window to cancel service without penalty, CR said. NCTA and America's Communications Association didn't comment.
The current National Cable TV Cooperative/Fox programming rights agreement expires Dec. 31, and more than 700 cable operators and distributors could lose rights to carry Fox News, FS1, Fox Business Network and other Fox channels, NCTC said Monday. It said Fox is seeking "outrageous price hikes" and has been contacting NCTC members directly about agreements while saying talks with NCTC are at an impasse. Fox didn't comment.
AT&T TV Now's multichannel video service is competing with Cox Communications' cable service in Holland, Massachusetts, and fulfills the LEC test, the cabler said in an FCC docket 12-1 petition posted Thursday seeking an effective competition determination. Comcast filed a similar petition this week for numerous Massachusetts communities (see 1912170020). Both follow the FCC's October order that AT&T TV Now is effective competition for Charter Communications service in Massachusetts and Hawaii, ending basic tier cable rate regulation there (see 1910250036). The Massachusetts Department of Technology and Cable didn't comment.
The FCC and NCTA disagree with localities about a proposed stay of the local franchise authority order that's subject of appeals before the 6th U.S. Circuit Court. The order (see 1908010011) took effect almost three months ago and compliance is well underway, so a stay would run contrary to the purpose of a stay by changing the status quo instead of preserving it, NCTA said in a docket 19-4163 opposition (in Pacer) this week filed with the 6th Circuit. The FCC said (in Pacer) the stay request is actually for injunctive relief, and the localities haven't shown irreparable injury if the order stays in effect. Localities seeking the stay said (in Pacer) they will suffer irreparable harm without a stay pending review, because cable operators could unilaterally withhold franchise fee payments or stop following franchise agreements, leading to "dramatic budget uncertainty." The Media Bureau denied an administrative stay.
FCC-updated cable leased access rules take effect Wednesday (see 1906060029), says Wednesday's Federal Register. The FCC said OMB approved for three years associated information collection.
With the FCC deciding Charter Communications has effective competition in Massachusetts based on the presence of AT&T TV Now (see 1910250036), Comcast wants the same. Its docket 12-1 effective competition determination petition Tuesday would end rate regulation in 84 franchise areas in Massachusetts. "There are no factual differences between the Charter precedent and this case that could justify a different legal result," Comcast said. The Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable didn't comment.
NCTA and localities disagree about cable's ask for clarification of FCC denial of a stay of local franchise authority order (see 1911130021). NCTA in an FCC docket 05-311 posting Monday said locality interests show no basis for denying the petition, nor do they show how to reconcile seemingly inconsistent sections. The association said localities' "alarmist claim" the petition is evidence cable operators plan to abruptly end institutional networks or carrying public, educational and government services "is baseless." NATOA, the National League of Cities, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Association of Counties, National Association of Towns and Townships and National Association of Regional Councils said key sentences in the denial order can't be removed without upending its conclusions.