ACA Connects CEO tackles bulk billing, BEAD, net neutrality and sports streamingACA Connects CEO tackles bulk billing, BEAD, net neutrality and sports streaming

Grant Spellmeyer, president and CEO of ACA Connects, joins the podcast from The Independent Show in Nashville to dig into the top regulatory issues facing an org that represents a large group of independent US operators.

Jeff Baumgartner, Senior Editor

August 23, 2024

At a Glance

  • A review of Spellmeyer's top priorities at ACA Connects (1:20)
  • A closer look into a potential FCC ban on or restriction of bulk billing practices in apartments and MDUs (03:40)
  • Why ACA Connects views the proposed Venu JV as 'blatantly anticompetitive' and thoughts on potential remedies (15:30)

At this week's The Independent Show, it was clear that the cable industry has more than its fair share of regulatory issues to work through today and into 2025.

That regulatory docket includes issues tied to the multi-billion dollar Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, a court stay on the return of network neutrality rules and the FCC's latest look into bulk billing in apartments and other types of multiple-dwelling units. Cable operators are also keeping close tabs on a proposed sports streaming service from Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery that's in limbo in the wake of a preliminary injunction on antitrust grounds.

Light Reading caught up with ACA Connects President and CEO Grant Spellmeyer at this week's The Independent Show in Nashville to discuss those issues, and much more.

Here's a snapshot of what was covered (click the closed captioning button in the player for a lightly edited transcript):

  • A review of Spellmeyer's top priorities at ACA Connects (01:20)

  • A closer look into a potential FCC ban on or restriction of bulk billing practices in apartments and MDUs and why Spellmeyer is concerned it could lead to higher prices for consumers (03:40)

  • Why Spellmeyer is skeptical the government will find a way to refund the Affordable Connectivity Program (08:50)

  • Why a court stay on the FCC's resurrection of net neutrality rules is good for ACA Connects' membership, what's next and why Spellmeyer (and others) would like to see the issue shift to Congress (11:50)

  • Why ACA Connects views the proposed Venu Sports JV as "blatantly anticompetitive" and some thoughts on potential remedies (15:30)

  • The big takeaways from the latest BEAD framework study from ACA Connects and Cartesian and the biggest issues facing small and midsized operators with respect to the program (22:20)

About the Author

Jeff Baumgartner

Senior Editor, Light Reading

Jeff Baumgartner is a Senior Editor for Light Reading and is responsible for the day-to-day news coverage and analysis of the cable and video sectors. Follow him on X and LinkedIn.

Baumgartner also served as Site Editor for Light Reading Cable from 2007-2013. In between his two stints at Light Reading, he led tech coverage for Multichannel News and was a regular contributor to Broadcasting + Cable. Baumgartner was named to the 2018 class of the Cable TV Pioneers.

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