A
law enacted in 1976 that requires companies considering a merger or acquisition
to file a pre-merger notification with the Antitrust Division of the US Department
of Justice (DOJ) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if the size of the
companies and the size of the proposed transaction are greater than certain
monetary thresholds.
After a pre-merger notification is filed, Hart-Scott-Rodino imposes
a 30-day waiting period during which time the proposed transaction cannot
close and the DOJ or the FTC can conduct an antitrust investigation. Prior
to the expiration of this waiting period, the agency investigating the transaction
may make a 'second request' for additional information relevant to the proposed
transaction. If the waiting period lapses with no further action taken by
the DOJ or FTC, the merger is presumed to be cleared on antitrust grounds.
Hearing Aid Compatible Telephone
US: A
telephone that complies with FCC technical regulations and that enables a
hearing aid designed for compatibility to 'couple' with the telephone through
an electromagnetic field. This is usually accomplished by inserting a device
in the telephone called a telecoil that detects, or is compatible with, a
similar telecoil in the hearing aid.
High Definition Television (HDTV)
US: As defined in the Telecommunications
Act of 1996,
the term `high definition television' refers to systems that offer approximately
twice the vertical and horizontal resolution of receivers generally available
on the date of enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 [February 8,
1996] [See also CI '96 Act Reference II(201)(336)(g)(3)]
High Volume Call-in Networks (HVCI)
US: Networks, sometimes referred to as
'choke networks,' with large volumes of incoming calls for, e.g., mass calling
events such as media stimulated promotions, prize competitions, and votes on
various issues.
Home Satellite Dish (HSD)
US: A relatively large (4-8 foot; 1.2-2.4
meter) satellite signal receiving dish used by individual subscribers who purchase
video programming through program packagers that are licensed by programmers
to facilitate delivery of their programming to subscribers via various C-Band
satellites. Because they are typically used to receive programming from satellites
at several different orbital locations, most HSDs include motors that permit
the receiving dishes to rotate and face the various satellites. HSD owners have
access to more than 265 channels of programming, of which 115 channels are scrambled
and approximately 150 are unscrambled. HSD owners can watch the unscrambled
channels without paying a subscription fee. To receive scrambled channels, an
HSD owner must purchase an integrated receiver-decoder (IRD) from an equipment
dealer and pay a subscription fee to an HSD programming packager.
Hot Cuts
US: In the context of competition in local
telephone markets, 'hot cuts' refers to the process of disconnecting a telephone
subscriber line from the switch of one carrier,
usually the incumbent local exchange carrier
(ILEC), and immediately connecting the line to the switch of a competitor, usually
a competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC).
'Hot Line' Call-Back Service
US: In the context of international 'call-back'
service, 'hot line' or 'polling' methods of providing the service involves a
US-based reseller placing a continuous stream of 'bids' (calls) to the foreign
customer's telephone number. When the customer chooses to initiate a call, he
'answers' his telephone and is provided with a US dialtone. (All traffic is
thus originated at the US switch and the calls are billed at US tariffed rates,
which are often much lower than those of the originating country.) Provisions
contained in the tariffs of facilities-based carriers enable them to terminate service to a reseller whose
'hot line' practices interfere with their ability to provide service. The FCC
neither authorizes hot line practices nor prevents facilities-based carriers
from taking such remedial measures. (see also Uncompleted
Call Signaling)
Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC)
A technology that combines fiber optic transmission
links with existing coaxial cable links, enabling cable TV operators to
add, for example, telephone services to their standard video offerings.