AT&T to hire 300 people in Missouri, Kansas; Telefonica wants to spin out its infrastructure business

Wireline news from across the web:

> AT&T is planning to hire nearly 300 people to fill available jobs in Missouri and Kansas. Release

> Congressional leaders say they have enough votes to enact a permanent ban on Internet taxes. The Hill article

> EXFO announced today that the six nominees were elected as directors of the company at a shareholder meeting held on Jan. 7 in Toronto. Release

> Telefonica is looking to spin out its Spain infrastructure business during the first half of this year. Total Telecom article

Cable News
> Canadian cable operator Shaw Communications sold its programming networks division to Corus Entertainment for $1.9 billion in cash and stock. Article

> Responding to renewed pressure from investors to up his company's share price, Time Warner Inc. CEO Jeff Bewkes reportedly told them that a spin-off of HBO would actually harm the company's stock price. Article

Installer News
> Equity investor Ridgemont Equity has purchased deployment services firms Cortel and TowerCom Technologies and formed J5 Infrastructure Partners. Article

Online Video News
> As pressure from investors builds around putting up for sale HBO's parent company Time Warner, rumors are emerging that Apple is eyeing the company's sizable programming assets, as a way to make its entry into the SVOD market easier. Article

Wireless News
> Qualcomm and TDK announced a $3 billion joint venture to produce wireless components for smartphones, tablets and IoT devices. Article

> Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint will all report relatively solid postpaid subscriber adds in the fourth quarter, according to a forecast from Wells Fargo Securities, while AT&T will see a net loss in postpaid handset subscribers. Article

And finally … A Comcast-funded think tank says that broadband usage caps make users' Netflix streaming experience better. techdirt article