Posted 04/2000
News Briefs
Open access got shot down by the FCC's (www.fcc.gov) rejection of a controversial petition by Internet Ventures Inc. (www.ivn.net) that would have forced cable network operators to lease capacity to ISPs. "There's open access, there's leased access and now there will be NO access," Internet Ventures President Don Janke says. "The FCC's regulation will deprive thousands of ISPs and their subscribers of the benefits of the broadband revolution." Internet Ventures' petition asked that ISPs be given similar status to local broadcast stations by requiring cable operators with 36 or more channels to allow ISPs that provide video programming to use their network. The FCC unanimously ruled that ISPs don't offer programming under federal rules, and said forcing access would stifle competition and deployment of broadband services. Internet Ventures had been backed by other ISPs including America Online Inc. (www.aol.com). But AOL, having recently announced plans to buy content owner and cable TV network operator Time Warner Inc. (www.timewarner.com), pulled its support a few days prior to the FCC's decision.
On the state level, open access legislation has been introduced in the Illinois House of Representatives and in both houses of the Virginia State General Assembly, but it's been snuffed out in Minnesota. Rep. Jeffrey Schoenberg, D-Minn., introduced the Internet Access Enhancement Act (HB4152), which would require all cable companies operating in Illinois to open their cable lines to ISPs so consumers could choose how they access the Internet. In Virginia, identical bills--Senate Bill 707 authored by Sen. Warren E. Barry, R-Va., and House Bill 1480 drafted by Democratic delegate William P. Robinson, Jr.--would place similar requirements on cable companies offering high-speed Internet access in the state. "These bipartisan bills will empower consumers to use the ISP of their choice," Greg Simon, co-director of the openNET Coalition (www.opennetcoalition.org), says. Consistent with the FCC, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (www.state.mn.us/ebranch/puc) unanimously voted to close its docket on forced access.
Vice President Al Gore is attempting to rev up his 'Mr. Internet' image as part of his effort to pull in votes.
United States Reps. Steve Largent, R-Okla., and Chip Pickering, D-Va., are dissuading House members from supporting legislation to re-open the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Rhythms NetConnections Inc. (www.rhythms.net) wants the Georgia Public Service Commission (www.psc.state.ga.us) to investigate BellSouth Corp.'s (www.bellsouth.com) provisioning of its wholesale DSL services. BellSouth limits the length of its unbundled loops and imposes high costs for loops and loop deconditioning, according to Rhythms Chief Counsel Jeffrey Blumenfeld. Similarly, Blumenfeld adds that the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (www.puc.paonline.com) ruled that Bell Atlantic Corp. (www.bell-atl.com) must provide competitors with DSL-capable loops that are free of "intrusive devices," ensuring that these providers can obtain whatever copper loop facilities they deem necessary to provide their own high-speed Internet access services.
