AT&T-BELLSOUTH MERGER SCHEDULED FOR FCC VOTE AT MEETING THURS.

摘要

As expected, FCC Chmn. Kevin Martin set a vote on the AT&T-BellSouth merger for the Thurs. open agenda meeting, though the date could still slip. It抯 not unusual for major agenda items like the merger to be 損ulled at the last minute, for a later vote... [I]t抯 even possible for the meeting itself to be moved back,?said analysts at Stifel Nicolaus. But 搘e believe the process is in its final weeks, not months,?Stifel Nicolaus said in an investor抯 note Fri. On the same agenda is a notice of inquiry (NOI) on net neutrality, which is expected to be a key negotiating issue with FCC Democratic Comrs. Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein. Martin has said he doesn抰 see a need for action on net neutrality but decided the agency should assess the market to make sure there aren抰 problems. Copps and Adelstein negotiated net neutrality language into 2005 orders approving the SBC-AT&T and Verizon- MCI mergers. Some say Martin might be offering the NOI as a replacement for an explicit net neutrality requirement in the AT&T-BellSouth merger order. An NOI asks questions about whether action is needed but doesn抰 order any action.