FCC questions about the pay-TV set-top proposal (see 1607110042), a spate of recent ex parte meetings on the subject and blog posts Tuesday from Incompas CEO Chip Pickering and from Verizon acknowledging the compromise plan are seen as indications the agency is increasingly moving in that direction, industry officials and attorneys on both sides told us Tuesday. Pickering's post offered a kind of counter-proposal to the multichannel video programming distributor plan. He said in an interview Tuesday it's a positive sign the two sides have reached the point where they are going back and forth on details of a proposed plan.

Rivals slammed an "anti-competitive ploy" by AT&T and Verizon to raise broadband prices on business customers as the FCC reviews its treatment of business data services (BDS). In filings, members of the Broadband Coalition, Incompas and others "sounded the alarm" on the Bells' "latest attempt to manipulate the market" through "lock-up sales conditions," said a release Monday from the coalition. Members include EarthLink, Level 3 and Windstream.

Rivals slammed an "anti-competitive ploy" by AT&T and Verizon to raise broadband prices on business customers as the FCC reviews its treatment of business data services (BDS). In filings, members of the Broadband Coalition, Incompas and others "sounded the alarm" on the Bells' "latest attempt to manipulate the market" through "lock-up sales conditions," said a release Monday from the coalition. Members include EarthLink, Level 3 and Windstream.

Comcast subscribers will be able to access Netflix via Xfinity's X1 navigation platform later this year, the companies said in a joint statement Tuesday. In a statement, Incompas -- whose members include Netflix, according to its website -- said it "advocated for a foundation that enables over-the-top content and traditional video to grow together, rather than apart. These smart policies, led and adopted by the FCC, have been hard fought victories that have knocked down many walls and are good for competition, consumers and free markets. Netflix is a trailblazer that has opened doors to other streamers, and we encourage and support policies that help make search, discovery and access to all over-the-top content easier.” And the Consumer Video Choice Coalition in a statement asked, "Now what’s wrong with unlocking the box and letting consumers watch the rest of the Internet as well? Comcast once again proves consumer advocates’ point; consumers are hungry for new Internet streaming content and don’t want a gatekeeper box or gatekeeper app telling them what they can and can’t watch. Blocking Internet streaming content is bad for consumers, content creators and innovation. It’s time for the FCC to unleash competition, and give consumers the power to watch, organize and discover the content they love on the device they choose.”

Comcast subscribers will be able to access Netflix via Xfinity's X1 navigation platform later this year, the companies said in a joint statement Tuesday. In a statement, Incompas -- whose members include Netflix, according to its website -- said it "advocated for a foundation that enables over-the-top content and traditional video to grow together, rather than apart. These smart policies, led and adopted by the FCC, have been hard fought victories that have knocked down many walls and are good for competition, consumers and free markets. Netflix is a trailblazer that has opened doors to other streamers, and we encourage and support policies that help make search, discovery and access to all over-the-top content easier.” And the Consumer Video Choice Coalition in a statement asked, "Now what’s wrong with unlocking the box and letting consumers watch the rest of the Internet as well? Comcast once again proves consumer advocates’ point; consumers are hungry for new Internet streaming content and don’t want a gatekeeper box or gatekeeper app telling them what they can and can’t watch. Blocking Internet streaming content is bad for consumers, content creators and innovation. It’s time for the FCC to unleash competition, and give consumers the power to watch, organize and discover the content they love on the device they choose.”

Comcast subscribers will be able to access Netflix via Xfinity's X1 navigation platform later this year, the companies said in a joint statement Tuesday. In a statement, Incompas -- whose members include Netflix, according to its website -- said it "advocated for a foundation that enables over-the-top content and traditional video to grow together, rather than apart. These smart policies, led and adopted by the FCC, have been hard fought victories that have knocked down many walls and are good for competition, consumers and free markets. Netflix is a trailblazer that has opened doors to other streamers, and we encourage and support policies that help make search, discovery and access to all over-the-top content easier.” And the Consumer Video Choice Coalition in a statement asked, "Now what’s wrong with unlocking the box and letting consumers watch the rest of the Internet as well? Comcast once again proves consumer advocates’ point; consumers are hungry for new Internet streaming content and don’t want a gatekeeper box or gatekeeper app telling them what they can and can’t watch. Blocking Internet streaming content is bad for consumers, content creators and innovation. It’s time for the FCC to unleash competition, and give consumers the power to watch, organize and discover the content they love on the device they choose.”

The debate over how the FCC should treat special access services heated up further Thursday, as a top telco accused another of "doublespeak." In a blog post, AT&T used Verizon's own words to criticize Verizon's joint proposal with Incompas for a new business data service regulatory framework (see 1606270058). Verizon said it was disappointed, while a special access regulation advocate said AT&T's slam was "silly." AT&T Wednesday criticized the FCC on special access, as initial comments arrived in the BDS rulemaking (see 1606280058 and 1606290045).

The debate over how the FCC should treat special access services heated up further Thursday, as a top telco accused another of "doublespeak." In a blog post, AT&T used Verizon's own words to criticize Verizon's joint proposal with Incompas for a new business data service regulatory framework (see 1606270058). Verizon said it was disappointed, while a special access regulation advocate said AT&T's slam was "silly." AT&T Wednesday criticized the FCC on special access, as initial comments arrived in the BDS rulemaking (see 1606280058 and 1606290045).

An FCC consultant and agency staff stood by their business data service analysis despite additional 2013 cable deployment data that ILECs say show much more competition than believed when the commission proposed a new BDS regulatory framework (see 1604280057). Documents released by the Wireline Bureau Tuesday and posted Wednesday in docket 16-143 -- including a modified BDS white paper by consultant Marc Rysman, a Boston University econometrician -- factored in the recent supplemental cable data and feedback from peer reviews.

An FCC consultant and agency staff stood by their business data service analysis despite additional 2013 cable deployment data that ILECs say show much more competition than believed when the commission proposed a new BDS regulatory framework (see 1604280057). Documents released by the Wireline Bureau Tuesday and posted Wednesday in docket 16-143 -- including a modified BDS white paper by consultant Marc Rysman, a Boston University econometrician -- factored in the recent supplemental cable data and feedback from peer reviews.