Telecommunications Practice
The firm's Washington, DC office has extensive experience in representing clients involved in all aspects of the telecommunications industry, including cable operators, common carriers, broadcasters, satellite carriers, cellular telephone system operators, programming companies, and equipment manufacturers. In addition to monitoring legislation and participating in various rule-making proceedings before state and Federal agencies involving telecommunications regulation, the firm handles a wide variety of matters affecting different segments of the industry.
- Cable Operators: 1992 Cable Act compliance; local and Federal rate regulation; access litigation; franchise compliance and litigation; mergers and acquisitions; cross-ownership issues.
- Common Carriers: FCC tariff filings; state tariff and certification issues; formal and informal complaint proceedings; regulatory compliance; Section 214 authorizations.
- Broadcasters: Assignment and transfer applications; acquisitions and dispositions of broadcast properties; comparative licensing proceedings; regulatory compliance issues; distress sales; license revocation litigation; license renewal proceedings.
- Satellite Carriers: Section 214 authorizations; rate and tariff matters; formal and informal complaint proceedings.
- Cellular Telephone: Acquisition and disposition of cellular radio telephone systems; license renewals; license revocation litigation; tariff matters.
- Programmers: 1992 Cable Act compliance; program access and anti-discrimination matters; carriage agreements with cable operators and other multichannel video programming distributors; mergers and acquisitions.
- Equipment Manufacturers: Certification issues; experimental authorizations.
Attorneys in the firm's Washington office also have represented telecommunications companies involved in mergers and acquisitions in responding to formal investigations initiated by the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice pursuant to the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act.