Pearl TV and its ATSC 3.0 partners in the Phoenix model market began initial testing over limited cable infrastructure through a cooperative effort with Comcast in Portland, Oregon. This “could give the industry a foundation for a ‘real world’ technical example of how to transmit ATSC 3.0 over hybrid fiber-coaxial infrastructure,” said Pearl Tuesday. Seven stations are on-air with NextGenTV in Portland, “so it makes sense to work with a major operator in the area like Comcast to determine what’s needed to distribute this new capability to cable customers,” said Pearl Managing Director Anne Schelle. The first stages will develop the technical capability to pass along 4K content and later enable HDR10, wide color gamut and advanced immersive audio, said Pearl.
Cable One's Sparklight broadband service extended pandemic-related service allowances through 2021, it said Monday. Relaxed terms include a $10 monthly rate the first three months for its 15 Mbps service for low-income families, college students and seniors, free access to public Wi-Fi hot spots and its participation in the K-12 Bridge to Broadband program.
West Des Moines may have violated Iowa law when it used bonds for urban blight and poverty to build a $50 million municipal network for Google Fiber, Mediacom said Thursday. The cable company sought an injunction against the city in Iowa District Court for Polk County. “We aren’t asking for any special treatment, just a fair and balanced regulatory environment that allows us to expand our network and compete for the business of West Des Moines consumers,” said Thomas Larsen, Mediacom senior vice president-government and public relations. Google and the city didn’t comment.
Disney asked for an extension on ESPN's current exclusion from the list of top five national nonbroadcast networks subject to FCC audio description rules (see 2011020043). In a docket 11-43 posting Wednesday, it said ESPN doesn't average at least 50 hours per quarter of prime-time non-exempt programming, so audio description regulations don't apply to it.
The Supreme Court invited the acting solicitor general to submit a brief with the U.S. position on Comcast's petition for writ of certiorari, in a SCOTUS docket 20-319 notice Monday. The company seeks to undo a 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversal of a lower court's dismissal of Viamedia antitrust claims on Comcast's control of cable TV advertising interconnects (see 2002260020). Justice Amy Coney Barrett didn't take part in last week's consideration of Comcast's cert petition.
The AT&T TV Now vMVPD service is effective competition to Comcast and Cox Communications in a variety of Massachusetts communities, which now are exempt from basic cable rate regulation, said a Media Bureau order Monday granting the cablers' petitions (see 1912190070). The bureau pointed to the FCC's similar effective competition order granted to Charter, also based on the vMVPD. The Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable is challenging this before the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (see 2010080052). The department didn't comment now.
Ad-supported linear channels are a route to incremental revenue and new subscribers for streaming services, and expect more premium content providers to give them a shot, nScreenMedia analyst Colin Dixon blogged Tuesday. Sling TV, VUit and Showtime are experimenting with such streaming linear channels, he said.
The latest U.S. plus streaming video service is Discovery’s, slated for a Jan. 4 debut. Pricing for discovery+ is $6.99 for the ad-free version, $4.99 with ads. Discovery is partnering with Verizon, which will “accelerate adoption” by giving six or 12 months free on select broadband and wireless plans. Verizon was a partner when Disney+ launched last year. Content will include original series across Discovery brands, with shows from HGTV, Food Network, TLC, ID, OWN, Travel Channel, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. Discovery+ will be the streaming home of the Olympic Games in Europe, except in Russia, and Eurosport's premium sport offering.
Altice completed the sale of 49.99% of its Lightpath fiber business "for an implied enterprise value of $3.2 billion" to a Morgan Stanley investment fund, it said Tuesday. The deal was announced in July (see 2007290007).
Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey (D) is contesting a U.S. District Court's summary judgment decision on behalf of Charter Communications (see 2010290039) to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, said a notice of appeal (docket 20-cv-00168, in Pacer) filed Tuesday with the lower court. Charter sued regarding the state's requirement that cable operators prorate refunds of cable TV subscription cancellations. Charter outside counsel didn't comment.