While Verizon and AT&T try to work their FiOS and U-verse services into new areas, the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth circuit in Cincinnati handed them a victory today by ruling that the FCC's new rules setting time limits for local authorities to act on new franchise applications are within its authority. The new ruling at the heart of the debate gives local jurisdictions 90 days to act on apps by providers that already have access to city land to run connections, and 180 days for new entrants to citeis or towns, and bar them from mandating new requirements the FCC finds unreasonable, like building a community swimming pool. While we're big fans of municipal pools, we're also into competition and consumer choice, so if you've been waiting to get TV via telco breathe easy knowing the path just got a little smoother.

Read - Reuters
Read - Verizon's response

Just a few months back, the FCC approved a set of rules for the 2009 digital TV transition, but now the entity is apparently okaying even more guidelines that will give US broadcasters "more flexibility in making the switch to digital television from traditional analog signals." More specifically, the new rules would allow some stations to make a "phased transition" to digital broadcasting, and furthermore, these stations will also "be allowed to reduce or terminate their analog service before the February 17, 2009 deadline for the transition if doing so is necessary to achieve their transition." According to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, the new rules are being enacted in order to "provide broadcasters the flexibility they need while at the same time ensuring that any disruption to over-the-air viewers is minimized to the fullest extent possible." Still, even those affected by the cutover will have ample time to pick up a converter box, and considering that some stations may now start the switch before February of '09, acting soon is looking better all the time.

Format fanboys (and girls), we sure hope you've taken the time to cool your apparently heated jets, because AVS Forum is putting its foot down from here on out. Just days after the site shut down the HD DVD / Blu-ray boards due to the zaniness that was ensuing, it has reopened the forums for new postings -- but there's a laundry list of rules to go with it. Granted, the site does recommend finding a new home to vent your off-topic frustrations if you aren't down with the new regulations, but overall, we think they're pretty fair. Effectively immediately, users aren't allowed to throw out sales figures, troll others, attack statements or petition for one format or the other. For those who slip up and cross the newly drawn line, you will likely be banned and have your posts removed, so we'd recommend thinking thrice before pulling the trigger on a rage-filled writeup over there.