Inside The Beltway 06/27/12

Earlier this week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) supporting Dish Network’s efforts to launch a mobile broadband network with spectrum currently assigned for satellite use. The group believes the plan could both create jobs and feed the need for more mobile-data space…The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) filed supportive comments with the FCC regarding two pending Petitions for Waiver from advanced communications services rules that were promulgated pursuant to the passing of the Twenty First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010. TIA says it fully supports requests from the Consumer Electronics Association for a two-year limited waiver for IP-enabled TV sets and digital video players, and an eight-year limited waiver for game consoles, both home and handheld, and their peripherals and integrated online networks; game distribution and online game play services; and game software…In comments submitted to the FCC, the American Cable Association (ACA) is asking that small and medium-sized multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) that license programming through buying groups be protected by helping to ensure its program access rules offer buying groups the same protections as individual MVPDs. In addition, ACA wants the FCC to close the uniform price increases loophole in its program access rules by requiring cable-affiliated programmers to offer programming to MVPDs at fair market value rates. Finally, the group wants the agency to continue the prohibition of exclusive contracts between satellite cable programmers and their affiliated cable operators…Neustar, the current North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), has a new contract for an additional five-year term as a result of a competitive bidding process administered by the FCC.