MDTC Seeks Pause of Effective Competition Petitions

The Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable asked the FCC to pause consideration of Cox's and Comcast's effective competition petitions for various Massachusetts markets (see 1912190070). In a nearly identical docket 20-10 posting and docket 19-385 posting Monday, MDTC said the abeyance wouldn't hurt Cox or Comcast. Without one, the state agency would be litigating both petitions before the Media Bureau while pursuing the same issues before the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. That's where the FCC effective competition finding for Charter Communications in 32 Massachusetts franchise areas is being challenged (see 1912230063). Comcast outside counsel and Cox didn't comment Tuesday.