Steve Mehs
05-12-03, 03:21 AM
The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative surfaced in the debate concerning DirecTV and complaints some have about the satellite TV company's service to Hawaii.
At issue is NRTC's agreement with DirecTV, a subject of litigation between the companies, and how it relates to the use of satellites and core programming delivered by the spacecraft fleet. In the litigation, NRTC has maintained that it has rights to certain core programming delivered by key satellites.
In a filing on the DirecTV/Hawaii matter before the Federal Communications Commission, the NRTC said DirecTV retains its core programming services on DirecTV 2, which does not serve Hawaii, and hasn't moved those services to DirecTV 1-R, which can serve Hawaii. The cooperative said the transfer of core programming from DirecTV 2 to DirecTV 1-R could strengthen its case that DirecTV 1-R should be used to measure the terms of their agreement.
In the FCC filing, NRTC said, "DirecTV's gross failure to comply with the geographic service rules is a misguided attempt to favor a private litigation position over the regulatory process. The NRTC lawsuit is entirely irrelevant to DirecTV's obligation to comply with the commission's rules."
SkyREPORT received the filing during the weekend, and DirecTV representatives were not available for comment. As for the DirecTV/Hawaii issue, in which officials from the state complain that DirecTV's service to the islands is lackluster, more comments are expected at the end of the month.
From SkyReport (http://www.skyreport.com) (Used with Permission)
At issue is NRTC's agreement with DirecTV, a subject of litigation between the companies, and how it relates to the use of satellites and core programming delivered by the spacecraft fleet. In the litigation, NRTC has maintained that it has rights to certain core programming delivered by key satellites.
In a filing on the DirecTV/Hawaii matter before the Federal Communications Commission, the NRTC said DirecTV retains its core programming services on DirecTV 2, which does not serve Hawaii, and hasn't moved those services to DirecTV 1-R, which can serve Hawaii. The cooperative said the transfer of core programming from DirecTV 2 to DirecTV 1-R could strengthen its case that DirecTV 1-R should be used to measure the terms of their agreement.
In the FCC filing, NRTC said, "DirecTV's gross failure to comply with the geographic service rules is a misguided attempt to favor a private litigation position over the regulatory process. The NRTC lawsuit is entirely irrelevant to DirecTV's obligation to comply with the commission's rules."
SkyREPORT received the filing during the weekend, and DirecTV representatives were not available for comment. As for the DirecTV/Hawaii issue, in which officials from the state complain that DirecTV's service to the islands is lackluster, more comments are expected at the end of the month.
From SkyReport (http://www.skyreport.com) (Used with Permission)