Save Access

from: Media Intell

Friday, September 14, 2007
How Did It Come to This?: The Origins of the Telephone-Cable War over the Internet

The reality that competition over the internet is evolving into two opposing camps is now well established. On the one side are “former” telephone companies, including AT&T, Verizon, and Qwest, the successors and beneficiaries of the Bell System break-up in 1984. Opposing them are “former” cable television operators, including Time Warner, Comcast, Cox, and Charter Communications, the successors and beneficiaries of mergers, acquisitions, and favorable legislation in the 1990’s. (The quotation marks indicate that these “former” companies are no longer just telephone or cable operators, but a new breed that is increasingly vertically integrated, that is, diversified into several different markets, More on this later.)

Note: The new AT&T Tennessee president, Gregg Morton, repeats the telco mantra "competition means lower prices" while offering no evidence that this has been the case anywhere. Instead he offers up the cost of the infrastructure upgrades AT&T has planned in states that have given in to telco state franchise demands, as if that is somehow a form of corporate benevolence. In reality, these upgrade costs come at the expense of the local cities and the loss of revenue from past local franchising agremments. AT&T and other telcos are saving much more than they are investing in infrastructure upgrades - the city losses are their gains.

Washington, DC, September 14, 2007 — In another blow to consumers and cities, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected soon to decree that any company now under contract with a local government to provide video services may have the right to renegotiate better terms for itself, putting at risk America’s public access channels, first‑responder communications capability, and millions of dollars in franchise fees used by cities and towns for public safety and infrastructure.

FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS ON THE ACCESS FRONT IN PHILLY....

We are on our way to making public access cable television a reality in Philadelphia!

We are calling on all public access supporters to come out to a press conference Tuesday September 18th. PCAC, along with Mayor Street and Comcast, will be sharing exciting news about the future of public access. We have a lot to celebrate, so please join us!

from: Wired

Verizon Dumps on Open Access, Sues FCC

By Bryan Gardiner EmailSeptember 13, 2007

VerizonCasting aside all pretense of public interest (and concern for corporate image), Verizon Wireless filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit decrying the open access rules pertaining to the FCC's forthcoming 700 MHz auction.

from: Office of Ed Markey

Markey Calls on FCC to Investigate Intelligence Agencies’ Alleged Circumvention of Telecom Privacy Laws

From Office of Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), September 12, 2007
By Rep. Ed Markey

Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, today again asked the Chairman of the Federal Communications Committee (FCC) to investigate widespread and serious allegations of telecommunications privacy laws violations by the National Security Agency (NSA) and other entities. Rep. Markey first asked FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin to investigate these allegations in May of 2006.

from: Ars Technica

FBI accused of using illegal letters for illegal information requests

By Timothy B. Lee | Published: September 13, 2007

Another apparent violation of the law by Bush administration officials came to light this week, as a Freedom of Information Act request by the Electronic Frontier Foundation revealed that the FBI had sent letters to telecommunications providers requesting that they "provide a community of interest" for telephone numbers the FBI was investigating. The documents were among the so-called exigent letters that the FBI has admitted were "improper" (read: illegal). But in a Monday blog post, EFF's Kurt Opsahl charged that the "community of interest" requests were fresh evidence that the FBI had broken the law.

from: Chicago Public Radio

Comcast Pulling Plug on Public Access TV in Northwest Indiana

Comcast customers in Northwest Indiana have only a couple more weeks to enjoy their favorite locally produced shows.

Producer: Michael Puente

Date: Thursday, September 13, 2007

Listen: http://audio.wbez.org/cityroom/2007/09/cityroom_20070913_mpuente_Comc.m3u

from: Huffington Post

Even Among a Sea of Cable Channels and the Explosion of YouTube, Public Access Remains Vital

Kate Torgovnick
Posted September 13, 2007

New York City -- In the master control room, four screens reveal what's currently showing on the four stations of the Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN). On the first one, a teenager in a wife-beater lip syncs to "Singin' in the Rain," rain drops plopping on his nose as he leap-frogs over a construction barrel where Gene Kelly swung around a street lamp in the classic movie. Beside him, a Neil Young look-alike hunches over in his seat as he lets his out-of-tune guitar wail. On the third screen, a gospel choir belts out a refrain, white robes swishing as they step-touch and clap. On the final screen, a group of Serbian twenty-somethings does a folkdance that looks like Riverdance on Prozac.

from: Fierce IPTV

U-verse avoids Connecticut regulators
September 11, 2007

The Connecticut regulators in charge of issuing video franchise licenses have turned down a petition from the state's attorney general to make AT&T get one. The state Department of Public Utility Control told Attorney General Richard Blumenthal it would not require AT&T to get a franchise license pending the outcome of a federal court challenge. The PUC's decision allows AT&T to continue building out its U-verse system and signing up subscribers.