Public Symposium: Voice, Video and Broadband: The Changing Competitive Landscape and Its Impact on Consumers, 58885-58887 [E7-20478]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 200 / Wednesday, October 17, 2007 / Notices
pursuant to Commission Rule
210.14(b)(1) (19 CFR 210.14(b)(1)), there
was good cause to add the respondents
because the first thirteen respondents
are subsidiaries of named respondents
and including these respondents will
ease the discovery process. In addition,
the ALJ found that Ansell (Thailand)
should be a respondent, because the
Touch N Tuff Powder Free nitrile gloves
are within the scope of the
investigation. Finally, the ALJ found
that Tillotson only recently discovered
that Delta Medical Supply Group is not
related to the named respondent Delta
Medical Systems. No petitions for
review of this ID were filed.
Having examined the record of this
investigation, the Commission has
determined not to review the ALJ’s ID.
The authority for the Commission’s
determination is contained in section
337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as
amended (19 U.S.C. 1337), and in
§ 210.42 of the Commission’s Rules of
Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 210.42).
Issued: October 11, 2007.
By order of the Commission.
William R. Bishop,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. E7–20396 Filed 10–16–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020–02–P
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
[OMB Number 1121–NEW]
Bureau of Justice Statistics; Agency
Information Collection Activities:
Proposed Collection; Comments
Requested
60-Day Notice of Information
Collection Under Review: Proposed
Collection; National Survey of Youth in
Custody.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
ACTION:
The Department of Justice (DOJ),
Bureau of Justice Statistics, will be
submitting the following information
collection request to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and approval in accordance with
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
The proposed information collection is
published to obtain comments from the
public and affected agencies. Comments
are encouraged and will be accepted for
‘‘sixty days’’ until December 17, 2007.
This process is conducted in accordance
with 5 CFR 1320.10.
If you have comments especially on
the estimated public burden or
associated response time, suggestions,
or need a copy of the proposed
information collection instrument with
instructions or additional information,
please contact Allen J. Beck, Ph.D.,
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:05 Oct 16, 2007
Jkt 214001
58885
collection: There are an estimated
18,441 total burden hours associated
with this collection (including obtaining
parental consent, administrative
records, and roster processing).
If additional information is required,
contact: Lynn Bryant, Department
Clearance Officer, United States
Department of Justice, Justice
Management Division, Policy and
Planning Staff, Patrick Henry Building,
Suite 1600, 601 D Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20530.
Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20531
(phone 202–616–3277).
Written comments and suggestions
from the public and affected agencies
concerning the proposed collection of
information are encouraged. Your
comments should address one or more
of the following four points:
• Evaluate whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility;
• Evaluate the accuracy of the
agencies estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and
• Minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including through the
use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology,
e.g., permitting electronic submission of
responses.
Dated: October 11, 2007.
Lynn Bryant,
Department Clearance Officer, PRA,
Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. E7–20455 Filed 10–16–07; 8:45 am]
Overview of This Information
Collection
(1) Type of Information Collection:
New data collection.
(2) Title of the Form/Collection:
National Survey of Youth in Custody.
(3) Agency form number, if any, and
the applicable component of the
Department of Justice sponsoring the
collection: Form numbers not available
at this time. The Bureau of Justice
Statistics, Office of Justice Programs,
Department of Justice is the sponsor for
the collection.
(4) Affected public who will be asked
or required to respond, as well as a brief
abstract: Primary: State, Local, or Tribal
Government. Other: Federal
Government, Business or other forprofit, Not-for-profit institutions. The
work under this clearance will be used
to develop surveys to produce estimates
for the incidence and prevalence of
sexual assault within juvenile
correctional facilities as required under
the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003
(Pub. L. 108–79).
(5) An estimate of the total number of
respondents and the amount of time
estimated for an average respondent to
respond: It is estimated that 16,594
respondents will spend approximately
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(6) An estimate of the total public
burden (in hours) associated with the
SUMMARY: On November 29, 2007, the
Department of Justice Antitrust Division
(‘‘Antitrust Division’’) will host a public
symposium on ‘‘Voice, Video and
Broadband: The Changing Competitive
Landscape and Its Impact on
Consumers.’’ The symposium will
address issues related to competition in
the provision of voice, video and
broadband Internet access, focusing on
consumer services and the impact of
convergence between traditionally
distinct lines of activity such as video
delivery, landline telephony, and
wireless services.
The event is open to the public. There
is no fee for attendance. Preregistration
is not necessary to attend but is strongly
encouraged to facilitate space and other
planning for the event. Preregistration is
requested by November 16, 2007. To
preregister, send your name, affiliation
and e-mail address to
2007TelecomSymposium@usdoj.gov
and refer to ‘‘Preregistration’’ in the
subject line of the message.
Additional information about the
symposium will be posted on the DOJ
Web site at https://www.usdoj.gov/atr/
public/workshops/telecom2007/
index.htm (‘‘symposium Web site’’).
Date: Thursday, November 29, 2007.
Time: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Place: Ronald Reagan Building,
Horizon Room, 1300 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. All
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BILLING CODE 4410–18–P
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Public Symposium: Voice, Video and
Broadband: The Changing Competitive
Landscape and Its Impact on
Consumers
Antitrust Division, Department
of Justice.
ACTION: Notice of Symposium and call
for written submissions.
AGENCY:
E:\FR\FM\17OCN1.SGM
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58886
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 200 / Wednesday, October 17, 2007 / Notices
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
attendees will be required to show a
valid form of photo identification, such
as a driver’s license, to be admitted.
Submission of Relevant Information:
Any person may make a written
submission in paper or electronic form
on the topics to be discussed as
described below under Supplementary
Information. Studies, surveys, research
and empirical data are especially useful.
Any submissions must be received on or
before November 13, 2007. Such
material will be made available for
review by panelists, may be made
available at the Antitrust Division’s
discretion to the public on the Internet
or through other means, and may be
used in any summary of the symposium.
Participation as a speaker at the
symposium is by invitation of the
Department of Justice only.
Paper submissions should clearly
refer to ‘‘Voice, Video and Broadband:
The Changing Competitive Landscape
and Its Impact on Consumers’’ in the
text and on the envelope. An original
and two complete copies should be
mailed or delivered to: United States
Department of Justice, Antitrust
Division, City Center Building Suite
8000, Attention: Ashley Becker, 1401 H
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20530.
Electronic submissions should be sent
to 2007TelecomSymposium@usdoj.gov
with a reference to ‘‘Submission’’ in the
subject line of the message. Electronic
submissions by e-mail should not
exceed 10 MB with attachments.
Alternatively, submissions may be made
on media such as CDs and sent to the
address listed above for paper
submissions. Use of a courier service is
recommended to avoid possible damage
to electronic media in screening. If you
make an electronic submission using
PDF format, please include a
comparable text version in a separate
file (such as Word or WordPerfect).
All submissions received by the
Division will be made part of the public
record. Submissions and the identity of
the submitter may be disclosed,
reproduced and distributed by
publication and/or posting on the
Antitrust Division Web site at https://
www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/workshops/
telecom2007/index.htm. Information
submitted in connection with this
symposium will not be maintained as
confidential by the Department of
Justice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ashley Becker, Department of Justice,
Antitrust Division, City Center Building
Suite 8000, 1401 H Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20530, telephone (202)
514–5835. Additional information on
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:05 Oct 16, 2007
Jkt 214001
the symposium will also be posted on
the symposium Web site.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Symposium Goals
The telecommunications industry has
been experiencing significant
technological, economic, and regulatory
changes in the decade since the passage
of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
In particular, telecommunications
services provided to consumers,
including voice telephony and
broadband data, have increasingly come
to be provided by competing facilitiesbased alternatives. Cable television
systems have been entering residential
voice telephony services in much of the
United States over the past few years,
relying heavily on Voice over Internet
Protocol (VoIP) technology. In addition,
some telephone carriers have begun to
compete in the delivery of multichannel
video programming with traditional
incumbent cable systems and satellitebased delivery. There is widespread
discussion of other possible alternatives
for delivery of telecommunications and
video services to consumers, including
wireless and broadband over power
lines. Voice telephony, broadband and
multichannel video programming
services are frequently offered to
consumers as bundles, often at
discounts from stand-alone services.
At the same time, concerns are
sometimes expressed about remaining
barriers to entry into the delivery of
telecommunications and video
programming services. Such barriers—
whether arising from regulatory
restrictions, conduct of established
providers, or inherent economic and
technical limitations—may tend to
restrict the degree of competitiveness of
these services. The Department has
recently advocated various regulatory
and legal changes that will make entry
into video programming delivery and
telephone services more likely.1
1 See, e.g., Proposed Modifications to the
Application Form for Approval of Authority to
Offer, Render, Furnish or Supply
Telecommunications Services to the Public in the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania
Public Utility Commission, Docket No. M–
00960799, Comments of the United States
Department of Justice (filed March 27, 2007)
(recommending reform of Pennsylvania’s
procedures for certification of competitors to
provide facilities-based telephony services in rural
areas to promote more rapid entry); In the Matter
of Implementation of section 621(a)(1) of the Cable
Communications Policy Act of 1984 as amended by
the Cable Television Consumer Protection and
Competition Act of 1992, Federal Communications
Commission, MM Docket No. 05–311, Ex Parte
Submission of the Department of Justice (May 10,
2006) (requesting the FCC to address what would
constitute an ‘‘unreasonable refusal’’ by a local
franchising authority to award a competitive video
franchise, and expressing concern about certain
PO 00000
Frm 00083
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The Antitrust Division will host a
symposium on Thursday, November 29,
2007, in Washington, DC, to provide a
forum for discussion of the current
status of competition in
telecommunications services and video
programming delivery, the prospects for
additional competition, and whether
regulatory changes or other government
action would promote more
competition. The symposium will be
structured around four panel
discussions focused on the topics
below.
Morning Session: Cable TV and
Telephone Company Competition
Consumers are beginning to benefit
from new facilities-based competition.
Cable television systems are beginning
to offer voice telephony in addition to
video and broadband, and telephone
companies are beginning to offer video
in addition to voice and broadband.
How widespread is this facilities-based
competition now, and how extensive is
it likely to become? What regulatory or
other obstacles do entrants still face?
What are the ramifications for
competition and antitrust analysis of
this entry and how has bundling
impacted the nature of competition?
Panel I: Entry Into Multichannel Video
Services
Issues: This panel will explore
whether there are significant regulatory
(federal, state and local) or other
constraints on video entry and how
competition has changed as a result of
the telephone companies’ entry into
offering video services. How widely are
telephone company video services
likely to be offered in the future? How
have telecommunications entry and
bundling affected competition?
Panel II: Entry Into
Telecommunications Services
Issues: This panel will explore
whether there are significant regulatory
(federal, state and local) or other
constraints on voice entry and how
competition has changed as a result of
the cable companies’ entry into
telephony. To what extent are various
modes of entry used now and how
likely are they to be used in the future?
Are there areas unlikely to see
competition? What effect have subsidies
had on competition? How have entry by
cable TV companies and bundling
affected competition?
practices such as build-out requirements). Other
actions taken by the Department of Justice are
referenced on the symposium Web site.
E:\FR\FM\17OCN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 200 / Wednesday, October 17, 2007 / Notices
Afternoon Session: Alternative
Technologies To Reach the Consumer
Some observers have predicted that
most telecommunications and
entertainment services will at some
point be delivered to all consumers over
a single connection to their homes. Will
consumers have a wide selection of
alternative providers for that
connection?
Panel III: Wireless Technologies
Issues: This panel will focus on the
extent to which wireless broadband
systems are current and future
competitive alternatives to cable
modems and DSL. What regulatory or
other issues could delay rollout? What
are the prospects for municipal
broadband networks? How are these
advanced wireless services likely to
impact competition?
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Panel IV: Other Technologies Including
Satellite, Broadband Over Power Line
Issues: This panel will focus on
whether other technologies such as
satellite and broadband over power
lines can compete for customers. What
is the current and predicted subscriber
base for these services, and what is
necessary to attract more subscribers
and providers? Will these services be
competitive everywhere or only in
limited geographic areas or for certain
types of customers?
Privacy Notice: Those who preregister
for the symposium must supply their
name, affiliation and e-mail address to
the Antitrust Division. The Department
of Justice is permitted by law to collect
this contact information to consider and
use for the stated purpose. Under the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or
other laws, we may be required to
disclose the information you provide us
to outside organizations. In addition, all
timely and responsive submissions,
whether filed in paper or electronic
form, may be made publicly available at
https://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/
workshops/telecom2007/index.htm.
While DOJ makes certain efforts, in its
discretion, to remove home contact and
other personally identifying information
for individuals from the public
submissions it receives before placing
those submissions on its Web site,
persons making submissions are
responsible for ensuring that these do
not contain any information that they
are unwilling to have disclosed to the
public. For additional information,
including routine uses permitted by the
Privacy Act, see the DOJ Web site
privacy policy at https://www.usdoj.gov/
privacy-file.htm.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:05 Oct 16, 2007
Jkt 214001
Dated: October 10, 2007.
Thomas O. Barnett,
Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust
Division.
[FR Doc. E7–20478 Filed 10–16–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Notice of Lodging of the ‘‘AEP’’
Proposed Consent Decree Under the
Clean Air Act
Pursuant to 28 CFR 50.7, notice is
hereby given that on October 9, 2007 a
proposed Consent Decree (‘‘Consent
Decree’’) in United States, et al. v.
American electric Power Service
Corporation, et al., Civil Actions Nos.
C2–99–1182, C2–99–1250, C2–04–1098,
and C2–05–360, was lodged with the
United States District Court for the
Southern District of Ohio.
In these civil enforcement actions
under the federal Clean Air Act (‘‘Act’’),
the United States alleges that several
American Electric Power subsidiaries
(collectively (‘‘AEP’’) failed to comply
with the New Source Review provisions
of the Act and the State Implementation
Plans of Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, and
West Virginia. The complaints allege
that AEP violated the Act by failing to
(i) seek permits prior to making major
modifications and (ii) install
appropriate pollution control devices to
reduce emissions of air pollutants from
units at the following power plants:
Tanners Creek in Indiana; Cardinal,
Conesville, and Muskingum River in
Ohio; Clinch River in Virginia; Amos,
Kammer, Mitchell, and Sporn in West
Virginia. The complaints seek both
injunctive relief and civil penalty.
The Consent Decree lodged with the
Court addresses all units at the nine
power plants listed above as well as all
units at the following seven AEP plants
that were not part of the litigation:
Rockport in Indiana; Big Sandy in
Kentucky; Gavin and Picway in Ohio;
Glen Lyn in Virginia; and Kanawha
River and Mountaineer in West Virginia.
The Consent Decree requires
installation, upgrading, and continuous
operation of pollution control devices
on a number of the 46 units at the
sixteen plants addressed in the
settlement. The Consent Decree also
imposes emissions caps that limit the
total amount of nitrogen oxides and
sulfur dioxide that can be collectively
emitted by all 46 units at these plants,
with a series of increasingly stringent
limits beginning in 2009.
The Consent Decree also requires AEP
to pay the United States a civil fine of
$15 million and to pay $60 million for
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58887
environmental mitigation projects,
including projects to acquire and restore
ecologically sensitive land in eastern
states downwind of AEP plants, restore
or improve watersheds and forests in
national parks affected by past
emissions, reduce nitrogen loading in
Chesapeake Bay, reduce emissions from
sources in AEP’s vehicle fleet, and other
projects to be directed by settling states.
The States of Connecticut, Maryland,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Rhode Island, Vermont, and the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts have
signed the Consent Decree as coplaintiffs, as have the following citizens
groups: Citizens Action Coalition of
Indiana, Clean Air Council, Hossier
Environmental Council, Indiana
Wildlife Federation, Izaak Walton
League of America, League of Ohio
Sportsmen, National Wildlife
Federation, Natural Resources Defense
Council, Inc., Ohio Citizen Action, Ohio
Valley Environmental Coalition, Sierra
Club, United States Public Interest
Research Group, and West Virginia
Environmental Council.
The Department of Justice will receive
for a period of thirty (30) days from the
date of this publication comments
relating to the Consent Decree.
Comments should be addressed to the
Assistant Attorney General,
Environment and Natural Resources
Division, and either emailed to
pubcomment-ees.enrd@usdoj.gov or
mailed to P.O. Box 7611, U.S.
department of Justice. Washington, DC
20044–7611, and should refer to United
States, et al, v. American Electric Power
Service Corporation, et al., D.J. Ref. 90–
5–2–1–06893.
The Consent Decree may be examined
at the Office of the United States
Attorney for the Southern District of
Ohio, located at 303 Marconi Boulevard,
Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio 43215; at
U.S. EPA Region 3, 1650 Arch Street,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103–
2029; at U.S. EPA Region 4, Sam Nunn
Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth
Street, SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303–
8960; or at U.S. EPA Region 5, 77 W.
Jackson Blvd., Chicago, Illinois 60604–
4590. During the public comment
period, the Consent Decree may also be
examined on the following Department
of Justice Web site, https://
www.usdoj.gov/enrd/
Consent_Decrees.html. A copy of the
Consent Decree may also be obtained by
mail from the Consent Decree Library,
P.O. Box 7611, U.S. Department of
Justice, Washington, DC 20044–7611 or
by faxing or e-mailing a request to Tonia
Fleetwood (tonia.fleetwood@usdoj.gov,
fax no. (202) 514–0097, phone
confirmation number (202) 514–1547. In
E:\FR\FM\17OCN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 17, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58885-58887]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-20478]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Public Symposium: Voice, Video and Broadband: The Changing
Competitive Landscape and Its Impact on Consumers
AGENCY: Antitrust Division, Department of Justice.
ACTION: Notice of Symposium and call for written submissions.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On November 29, 2007, the Department of Justice Antitrust
Division (``Antitrust Division'') will host a public symposium on
``Voice, Video and Broadband: The Changing Competitive Landscape and
Its Impact on Consumers.'' The symposium will address issues related to
competition in the provision of voice, video and broadband Internet
access, focusing on consumer services and the impact of convergence
between traditionally distinct lines of activity such as video
delivery, landline telephony, and wireless services.
The event is open to the public. There is no fee for attendance.
Preregistration is not necessary to attend but is strongly encouraged
to facilitate space and other planning for the event. Preregistration
is requested by November 16, 2007. To preregister, send your name,
affiliation and e-mail address to 2007TelecomSymposium@usdoj.gov and
refer to ``Preregistration'' in the subject line of the message.
Additional information about the symposium will be posted on the
DOJ Web site at https://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/workshops/telecom2007/
index.htm (``symposium Web site'').
Date: Thursday, November 29, 2007.
Time: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Place: Ronald Reagan Building, Horizon Room, 1300 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. All
[[Page 58886]]
attendees will be required to show a valid form of photo
identification, such as a driver's license, to be admitted.
Submission of Relevant Information: Any person may make a written
submission in paper or electronic form on the topics to be discussed as
described below under Supplementary Information. Studies, surveys,
research and empirical data are especially useful. Any submissions must
be received on or before November 13, 2007. Such material will be made
available for review by panelists, may be made available at the
Antitrust Division's discretion to the public on the Internet or
through other means, and may be used in any summary of the symposium.
Participation as a speaker at the symposium is by invitation of the
Department of Justice only.
Paper submissions should clearly refer to ``Voice, Video and
Broadband: The Changing Competitive Landscape and Its Impact on
Consumers'' in the text and on the envelope. An original and two
complete copies should be mailed or delivered to: United States
Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, City Center Building Suite
8000, Attention: Ashley Becker, 1401 H Street, NW., Washington, DC
20530.
Electronic submissions should be sent to
2007TelecomSymposium@usdoj.gov with a reference to ``Submission'' in
the subject line of the message. Electronic submissions by e-mail
should not exceed 10 MB with attachments. Alternatively, submissions
may be made on media such as CDs and sent to the address listed above
for paper submissions. Use of a courier service is recommended to avoid
possible damage to electronic media in screening. If you make an
electronic submission using PDF format, please include a comparable
text version in a separate file (such as Word or WordPerfect).
All submissions received by the Division will be made part of the
public record. Submissions and the identity of the submitter may be
disclosed, reproduced and distributed by publication and/or posting on
the Antitrust Division Web site at https://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/
workshops/telecom2007/index.htm. Information submitted in connection
with this symposium will not be maintained as confidential by the
Department of Justice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ashley Becker, Department of Justice,
Antitrust Division, City Center Building Suite 8000, 1401 H Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20530, telephone (202) 514-5835. Additional
information on the symposium will also be posted on the symposium Web
site.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Symposium Goals
The telecommunications industry has been experiencing significant
technological, economic, and regulatory changes in the decade since the
passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. In particular,
telecommunications services provided to consumers, including voice
telephony and broadband data, have increasingly come to be provided by
competing facilities-based alternatives. Cable television systems have
been entering residential voice telephony services in much of the
United States over the past few years, relying heavily on Voice over
Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. In addition, some telephone
carriers have begun to compete in the delivery of multichannel video
programming with traditional incumbent cable systems and satellite-
based delivery. There is widespread discussion of other possible
alternatives for delivery of telecommunications and video services to
consumers, including wireless and broadband over power lines. Voice
telephony, broadband and multichannel video programming services are
frequently offered to consumers as bundles, often at discounts from
stand-alone services.
At the same time, concerns are sometimes expressed about remaining
barriers to entry into the delivery of telecommunications and video
programming services. Such barriers--whether arising from regulatory
restrictions, conduct of established providers, or inherent economic
and technical limitations--may tend to restrict the degree of
competitiveness of these services. The Department has recently
advocated various regulatory and legal changes that will make entry
into video programming delivery and telephone services more likely.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ See, e.g., Proposed Modifications to the Application Form
for Approval of Authority to Offer, Render, Furnish or Supply
Telecommunications Services to the Public in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Docket No. M-
00960799, Comments of the United States Department of Justice (filed
March 27, 2007) (recommending reform of Pennsylvania's procedures
for certification of competitors to provide facilities-based
telephony services in rural areas to promote more rapid entry); In
the Matter of Implementation of section 621(a)(1) of the Cable
Communications Policy Act of 1984 as amended by the Cable Television
Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992, Federal
Communications Commission, MM Docket No. 05-311, Ex Parte Submission
of the Department of Justice (May 10, 2006) (requesting the FCC to
address what would constitute an ``unreasonable refusal'' by a local
franchising authority to award a competitive video franchise, and
expressing concern about certain practices such as build-out
requirements). Other actions taken by the Department of Justice are
referenced on the symposium Web site.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Antitrust Division will host a symposium on Thursday, November
29, 2007, in Washington, DC, to provide a forum for discussion of the
current status of competition in telecommunications services and video
programming delivery, the prospects for additional competition, and
whether regulatory changes or other government action would promote
more competition. The symposium will be structured around four panel
discussions focused on the topics below.
Morning Session: Cable TV and Telephone Company Competition
Consumers are beginning to benefit from new facilities-based
competition. Cable television systems are beginning to offer voice
telephony in addition to video and broadband, and telephone companies
are beginning to offer video in addition to voice and broadband. How
widespread is this facilities-based competition now, and how extensive
is it likely to become? What regulatory or other obstacles do entrants
still face? What are the ramifications for competition and antitrust
analysis of this entry and how has bundling impacted the nature of
competition?
Panel I: Entry Into Multichannel Video Services
Issues: This panel will explore whether there are significant
regulatory (federal, state and local) or other constraints on video
entry and how competition has changed as a result of the telephone
companies' entry into offering video services. How widely are telephone
company video services likely to be offered in the future? How have
telecommunications entry and bundling affected competition?
Panel II: Entry Into Telecommunications Services
Issues: This panel will explore whether there are significant
regulatory (federal, state and local) or other constraints on voice
entry and how competition has changed as a result of the cable
companies' entry into telephony. To what extent are various modes of
entry used now and how likely are they to be used in the future? Are
there areas unlikely to see competition? What effect have subsidies had
on competition? How have entry by cable TV companies and bundling
affected competition?
[[Page 58887]]
Afternoon Session: Alternative Technologies To Reach the Consumer
Some observers have predicted that most telecommunications and
entertainment services will at some point be delivered to all consumers
over a single connection to their homes. Will consumers have a wide
selection of alternative providers for that connection?
Panel III: Wireless Technologies
Issues: This panel will focus on the extent to which wireless
broadband systems are current and future competitive alternatives to
cable modems and DSL. What regulatory or other issues could delay
rollout? What are the prospects for municipal broadband networks? How
are these advanced wireless services likely to impact competition?
Panel IV: Other Technologies Including Satellite, Broadband Over Power
Line
Issues: This panel will focus on whether other technologies such as
satellite and broadband over power lines can compete for customers.
What is the current and predicted subscriber base for these services,
and what is necessary to attract more subscribers and providers? Will
these services be competitive everywhere or only in limited geographic
areas or for certain types of customers?
Privacy Notice: Those who preregister for the symposium must supply
their name, affiliation and e-mail address to the Antitrust Division.
The Department of Justice is permitted by law to collect this contact
information to consider and use for the stated purpose. Under the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or other laws, we may be required to
disclose the information you provide us to outside organizations. In
addition, all timely and responsive submissions, whether filed in paper
or electronic form, may be made publicly available at https://
www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/workshops/telecom2007/index.htm. While DOJ
makes certain efforts, in its discretion, to remove home contact and
other personally identifying information for individuals from the
public submissions it receives before placing those submissions on its
Web site, persons making submissions are responsible for ensuring that
these do not contain any information that they are unwilling to have
disclosed to the public. For additional information, including routine
uses permitted by the Privacy Act, see the DOJ Web site privacy policy
at https://www.usdoj.gov/privacy-file.htm.
Dated: October 10, 2007.
Thomas O. Barnett,
Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division.
[FR Doc. E7-20478 Filed 10-16-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-11-P
