Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., already is eyeing a likely fall pay-TV hearing to springboard off of Thursday’s first Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) hearing on its ongoing pay-TV investigation, she told reporters, doubting legislation will be the primary outcome but devoted to more learning. Thursday’s hearing focused on billing line items and how consumers go about negotiating with pay-TV company representatives, specifically targeting overcharging practices of Charter Communications and the now Charter-owned TWC, but McCaskill’s appetite wasn't satisfied.

Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., already is eyeing a likely fall pay-TV hearing to springboard off of Thursday’s first Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) hearing on its ongoing pay-TV investigation, she told reporters, doubting legislation will be the primary outcome but devoted to more learning. Thursday’s hearing focused on billing line items and how consumers go about negotiating with pay-TV company representatives, specifically targeting overcharging practices of Charter Communications and the now Charter-owned TWC, but McCaskill’s appetite wasn't satisfied.

The FCC should take care that its efforts to stimulate third party retail set-top box competition don't interfere with ongoing video standards-making proceedings, said Microsoft in a meeting Tuesday with Media Bureau Chief Bill Lake and bureau staff. “It is important for the Commission to be aware of these developments and to ensure that any steps it contemplates taking in this proceeding do not adversely affect these industry efforts.” Time Warner executives met with Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel on set-top matters Monday, arguing against the FCC proposal. “It is feasible to increase competition and consumer choice through a regulatory regime based on content companies having a direct licensing relationship with device manufacturers, traditional distributors, and online platforms,” Time Warner said. The filings were made in docket 16-42. Pay-TV companies just made an alternate proposal for an HTML5-based unlock the box approach (see 1606160059), rather than the apps approach the industry has backed and the alternative device tack included in the agency's proposal. CEO Chip Pickering of Incompas, which is part of a coalition of tech and other interests allied with the FCC approach, called it "encouraging" that the cable industry made the proffer. "Their current proposal presents both some positive movement and some familiar limitations that could fall short of delivering an open, competitive marketplace," he said Thursday.

The FCC should take care that its efforts to stimulate third party retail set-top box competition don't interfere with ongoing video standards-making proceedings, said Microsoft in a meeting Tuesday with Media Bureau Chief Bill Lake and bureau staff. “It is important for the Commission to be aware of these developments and to ensure that any steps it contemplates taking in this proceeding do not adversely affect these industry efforts.” Time Warner executives met with Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel on set-top matters Monday, arguing against the FCC proposal. “It is feasible to increase competition and consumer choice through a regulatory regime based on content companies having a direct licensing relationship with device manufacturers, traditional distributors, and online platforms,” Time Warner said. The filings were made in docket 16-42. Pay-TV companies just made an alternate proposal for an HTML5-based unlock the box approach (see 1606160059), rather than the apps approach the industry has backed and the alternative device tack included in the agency's proposal. CEO Chip Pickering of Incompas, which is part of a coalition of tech and other interests allied with the FCC approach, called it "encouraging" that the cable industry made the proffer. "Their current proposal presents both some positive movement and some familiar limitations that could fall short of delivering an open, competitive marketplace," he said Thursday.

Six telcos called on the FCC to strike "flawed" cable industry data from the record in the business data service proceeding aimed at overhauling its special access framework. The FCC should also remove the report of its consultant, Marc Rysman, and other studies that were based on the data, and rescind those portions of a Further NPRM that relied on the data and analyses, said AT&T, CenturyLink, Cincinnati Bell, Consolidated Communications, FairPoint Communications and Frontier Communications, in a motion Friday in docket 16-143.

Six telcos called on the FCC to strike "flawed" cable industry data from the record in the business data service proceeding aimed at overhauling its special access framework. The FCC should also remove the report of its consultant, Marc Rysman, and other studies that were based on the data, and rescind those portions of a Further NPRM that relied on the data and analyses, said AT&T, CenturyLink, Cincinnati Bell, Consolidated Communications, FairPoint Communications and Frontier Communications, in a motion Friday in docket 16-143.

Opponents of the FCC net neutrality order face an uphill appellate battle, commission supporters told us Wednesday. A day earlier, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld the order that reclassified broadband as a Title II telecom service under the Communications Act (see 1606140023). The stakeholders doubted a potential appeal to the Supreme Court would be successful and were even more dubious about the prospects of an en banc appeal to the D.C. Circuit, adding to appellate skepticism expressed by others on both sides of the battle Tuesday (see 1606140040).

Opponents of the FCC net neutrality order face an uphill appellate battle, commission supporters told us Wednesday. A day earlier, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld the order that reclassified broadband as a Title II telecom service under the Communications Act (see 1606140023). The stakeholders doubted a potential appeal to the Supreme Court would be successful and were even more dubious about the prospects of an en banc appeal to the D.C. Circuit, adding to appellate skepticism expressed by others on both sides of the battle Tuesday (see 1606140040).

The Consumer Video Choice Coalition supports an FTC-suggested proposal to address privacy concerns about the FCC’s set-top box proceeding by requiring third-party box makers to promise consumers they will abide by the same privacy rules as the pay-TV industry, said an ex parte filing posted Friday. Officials from CVCC member entities Google, Hauppauge, Incompas, Public Knowledge and TiVo announced their support of the plan in a Tuesday meeting with the FCC Chief Technologist Scott Jordan and staff from the Office of General Counsel and Media Bureau, the filing said. The FTC proposal would require the third-party box makers to certify they have promised consumers to respect their privacy, allowing the FTC to enforce that promise under its mandate to prevent companies from engaging in defensive practices. Certification could also keep third parties from altering channel placement, the filing said. “The Coalition representatives also affirmed that a two-year time frame as provided for in the NPRM is appropriate for developing open standards solution(s) in accordance with the proposed rules.”

The Consumer Video Choice Coalition supports an FTC-suggested proposal to address privacy concerns about the FCC’s set-top box proceeding by requiring third-party box makers to promise consumers they will abide by the same privacy rules as the pay-TV industry, said an ex parte filing posted Friday. Officials from CVCC member entities Google, Hauppauge, Incompas, Public Knowledge and TiVo announced their support of the plan in a Tuesday meeting with the FCC Chief Technologist Scott Jordan and staff from the Office of General Counsel and Media Bureau, the filing said. The FTC proposal would require the third-party box makers to certify they have promised consumers to respect their privacy, allowing the FTC to enforce that promise under its mandate to prevent companies from engaging in defensive practices. Certification could also keep third parties from altering channel placement, the filing said. “The Coalition representatives also affirmed that a two-year time frame as provided for in the NPRM is appropriate for developing open standards solution(s) in accordance with the proposed rules.”