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from: The Albany Project

All Together Now: Pass and Sign the Telecom Reform Act

by: Pete Sikora
Tue May 15, 2007 at 07:36:11 AM EDT

Or is it altogether now? Whatever. The point is that today at 11:30am the groups supporting the bill are standing together to call on the State Legislature and the Governor to move the Brodsky/Leibell Telecommunications Reform Act (A.3980B/S.5124).

We'll be calling for breaking the cable monopoly to lower rates by about 25%; building universal, affordable high-speed internet; and improving telephone service quality on all telephone technologies.

Come join us if you're around.

I hope we get some media coverage, but it's just credible groups and legislators calling for action on a really important policy issue that will determine the future of large regions of the state... so it's a roll of the dice with press. But come by anyway to hear us pontificate: we'll be in the Legislative Correspondents Association (LCA) press room in the Legislative Office Building (LOB). It's room 130. The speakers won't go longer than 12 - 15 minutes.

By the way, the us is Rural Opportunities Inc., Consumers Union, NYS Alliance for Retired Americans, Citizen Action, Free Press, and NYPIRG, as well as Assemblymember Brodsky. Senator Leibell regrets his schedule would not allow him to join us today. The other groups supporting the bill but not coming to today's event are: ACORN, NYS Rural Advocates, Jobs with Justice, NYS AFL-CIO, and Common Cause.

The text of the letter we're releasing is after the jump.

ps I hope the Governor and the Legislature do and say absolutely nothing today so we can get ourselves a couple decent stories.

Pete Sikora :: All Together Now: Pass and Sign the Telecom Reform Act
Dear Legislator:

We are writing to ask you to co-sponsor and enact the Telecommunications Reform Act of 2007(S.5124/A.3980B) which would create a comprehensive telecommunications policy for New York State that protects consumers and strengthens the state's economy. If enacted, S.5124/A.3980B would promote deployment of high-speed internet infrastructure throughout the state; lower the cost of internet services; close the digital divide in rural and lower-income areas; improve telephone service quality; and increase competition in cable television services. The prime sponsor of A.3980B is Assemblymember Richard Brodsky, Chair of the Committee on Corporations, Authorities, and Commissions, and the prime sponsor of S.5124 is Senator Vincent Leibell.

Universal access to high-quality, affordable telecommunications services and consumer protections have been longstanding regulatory objectives of New York State. Yet in its rapid transformation over the past decade, the telecommunications industry has outpaced regulatory standards, resulting in a marketplace where consumers are subjected to rising prices and deteriorating service - and many consumers have no access at all to the latest high speed technology.

New York needs a comprehensive telecom policy that maximizes competition, enhances communications capacity for all segments of the population, and protects consumers. S.5124/A.3980B does that by:

• Requiring a build-out of high-speed internet infrastructure throughout the state as a condition of any statewide franchise;
• Mapping broadband availability throughout New York State;
• Improving telephone service quality for consumers;
• Creating competition among cable television providers - and thereby lowering prices for consumers - by allowing statewide video franchises;
• Strengthening the system of Public, Educational and Governmental (PEG) channels by providing much-need funding and more channel space;
• Creating a broadband authority to promote and monitor the deployment of affordable, high-speed broadband internet access throughout the state; and
• Promoting a continued commitment to the community by providing free cable and internet service to hospitals, schools, firehouses and other municipal buildings.

Detractors of the Telecommunications Reform Act of 2007 argue that the bill will decrease competition, circumvent local municipal control, and minimize public access channels. This couldn't be further from the truth. This bill currently has the toughest anti-redlining standard in the nation, with build-out requirements set at 85% of the state within six years, and with special attention paid to closing the digital divide in rural and low-income areas.

In locales where consumers have reaped the gains of a competitive market, cable rates are 28% lower than markets where a monopoly cable giant dominates. S.5124/A.3980B protects municipal control over rights of way and other police powers; increases cable company fees to municipalities to an FCC maximum 5%; and increases funding and bandwidth for public access stations.

We need your support to ensure that telecommunications providers deliver high quality affordable phone, video, and internet services to all New Yorkers. These services are vital for growing the economy, closing the digital divide, and protecting New Yorkers. We urge you to add your name to the bill's sponsors and enact S.5124/A.3980B at your earliest opportunity.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. We look forward to working with you to create a comprehensive telecommunications policy for New York State.

Sincerely,

Richard Kirsch
Citizen Action
Chuck Bell
Consumers Union
Bertha Lewis
NY ACORN
Dennis Hughes
NYS AFL-CIO
Adrienne Shropshire
Jobs With Justice
Stuart Mitchell
Rural Opportunities Inc
Chris Shelton
Communications Workers of America, District Rachel Leon
Common Cause
Russ Haven
NYPIRG
Nancy Berkowitz
NYS Rural
Advocates