Articles by Cinnamon Mueller

July 19, 2009

Buying and Selling Smaller Cable Systems

We are seeing increasing activity in the selling and buying of small cable systems.  Clustering, spin offs, market reentry by cable veterans, all are resulting in more interest and action in the smaller cable sector.  While some parts of a small cable deal are like any other transaction, many aspects are unique.  After all, cable is still a heavily regulated business, and a cable system has several types of assets that warrant careful consideration during the sale process.

read more

July 19, 2009

Thinking About Retransmission Consent — Part 1

Retransmission consent is on all independent cable operators’ minds today, and for good reason.  As broadcasters’ cash demands escalate and the DTV transition looms only six months away, independent cable operators should expect increasingly complex and contentious negotiations with broadcasters this fall.  Now is the time to begin focusing on retransmission consent negotiations.

read more

July 19, 2009

Getting into the telephone business with VoIP

Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) is on everyone’s tongue these days, especially FCC Chairman Michael Powell’s. VoIP is more efficient and less expensive than circuit-switched telephony, allows for “killer apps,” and, in its purer forms, is portable. A subscriber to pulver.com’s Free World Dialup or Vonage’s DigitalVoice can make and receive calls anywhere in the world that he can find Internet access.    These advantages over Plain Old Telephone Service (“POTS”) are leading many independent cable operators to consider deploying VoIP. This article, the first of two parts, gives an overview of the regulatory treatment of VoIP.  Next month, we’ll look at some business issues cable operators will want to consider when evaluating a possible VoIP launch.

read more

Page 7 of 7
<