The Federal Communications Commission has granted ViaSat blanket authority for domestic operation of up to 1,000 earth stations aboard commercial aircraft. The agency said the earth stations will provide Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Service using standard Ku-band frequency ranges to link with leased transponders on the AMC-6 satellite. According to FCC documents, the ViaSat aircraft earth […]

The head of the Federal Communications Commission is reportedly struggling to find enough support from agency commissioners to regulate cable television companies more tightly. The five-member commission is set to vote today on a report, proposed by Kevin Martin that would give the commission expanded powers over the cable industry after making a formal finding […]

UK Media regulator Ofcom has revealed proposals for a significant upgrade of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) that will offer more channels and new services. The proposed upgrade will create capacity allowing high definition television channels on DTT – on which Freeview operates – as early as 2009. It says the proposals would deliver significant benefits […]

A distributor of online video content has filed a complaint with the US Federal Communications Commission, asking the agency to stop broadband providers from blocking or slowing P2P traffic. The petition filed by Vuze, which uses the BitTorrent to distribute Web content, asks the FCC to set rules for network management by ISPs. Vuze’s filing […]

Google’s proposed £3.1 billion (E4.49bn) purchase of DoubleClick will face an in-depth second-phase review, after the European Commission expressed concerns about competition issues. The European Commission’s Competition Unit will conduct the investigation under the EU Merger Regulation, after its initial market review indicated competition concerns in the online advertising and intermediation markets. The Commission now […]

The European Union is set to launch new reform proposals for the telecoms sector in a bid to increase competition and create a single market. Draft proposals are expected to include plans to create a regional watchdog and give Brussels greater power to change the decisions of national regulators. The plans, set to be announced […]

A report by the Federal Communications Commission is claimed to show that cable TV companies have reached a subscriber saturation point that may lead to the agency exerting greater regulatory authority over the industry. The finding is in an annual report that assesses competition in the pay-television market. The report will conclude that the agency […]

From David Del Valle in Madrid The Spanish Competition authorities has started legal proceedings against the recent alliance between the Spain’s largest pay-TV group Sogecable and Telefónica to launch a joint triple play offer and joinly negotiate with TV content providers. The National Council of Competition (CNC) argues that there is evidence of an abuse […]

ITV has told the UK Competition Commission it wants Sky off its share register. The broadcaster said Sky’s ability to influence ITV’s decisions on planned investments would lead to a "substantial loosening" of competition, which required a "comprehensive and effective" remedy. In its submission to the Commission, which is currently investigating Sky’s stake, ITV said […]

French telecommunications regulator ARCEP has published a summary of its public consultation- launched July 2007 – aimed at enlightening public authorities in their work on the digital dividend conducted under the aegis of the Comité Stratégique pour le Numérique. Several players, especially from the telecommunications sector, but also a very small number of contributors from […]