Save Access

Note: Texas was the first state video franchise to pass and was touted by the industry and politicians as legislation that would save consumers money in cable TV subscriptions. The public interest community has always discredited this misinformation - now it seems the industry press is finally looking closer too.

from: MultiChannel News

No Texas-Sized Rate Declines in Texas
NATOA’s Texas Chapter Finds that Video-Subscription Rates Have Actually Risen

By Linda Haugsted -- Multichannel News, 5/24/2007

Basic-cable rates have not declined in any of the Texas communities where there are competitive providers, according to a survey done by the Texas chapter of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.

FROM: Public Knowledge

Public Interest Groups Want FCC To Create Wireless Broadband Competition

The comments were due yesterday at the FCC on the proposals for how the auction of the valuable 700 MHz spectrum should be conducted. PK was part of a group of public-interest organizations that made recommendations on how the spectrum should be used best to try to break up the duopoly that telephone and cable companies have on high-speed broadband, or at least add some semblance of competition.

from: Free Press
Don't let AT&T buy Ohio! Save Free Speech! Save Public Access Television!

from: PC World

IPTV Spread Could Be Slowed by Class Issues
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Posted by Mark Sullivan

IPTV is slowly making its way to a neighborhood near you, but not without some significant red-tape snags along the way. Two of the nation's biggest phone companies, AT&T and Qwest, have recently suffered setbacks in obtaining the franchise agreements they need to roll out IPTV service in new markets. In both cases, lawmakers cited concerns that the companies intend to "cherry-pick," or offer IPTV to only the most affluent neighborhoods in town.

from: MetroWest Daily News

FiOS leaves public access out of the loop
By Galen Moore/ Daily News staff

Fri May 25, 2007, 12:32 AM EDT

The red-shirted Verizon salesman has been spotted in Marlborough, and soon may be knocking on doors Southborough. The new FiOS fiber-optic cable he is selling comes with high-definition channels and high-speed Internet, but not local public-access channels.

from: Consumers Union

Cable Competition: Where Up Is Down and More Is Less

From HearUsNow.org, May 23, 2007
By Bob Williams

For some time now big telecom companies such as Verizon and AT&T have been telling state and local officials that allowing them to offer cable television service in their communities will benefit consumers by spurring new competition, driving down prices and improving service.

from: MultiChannel News

Franchise-Reform Bill Withdrawn in Tennessee

(Multichannel News) _ Citing opposition from local governments, the sponsor of a Tennessee bill to reform cable franchising http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills/currentga/BILL/HB1421.pdf is withdrawing the legislation.

from: MetroPulse

Big Bucks
The full-employment-for-lobbyist bill this year is about your cable bill

by Frank Cagle

Every legislative session there is a full-employment-for-lobbyist bill--some battle between well-heeled business interests requiring a squadron of wheeler dealers to advise our citizen legislators on what's good for the folks back home.

from: Knox Views

AT&T cable bill to be withdrawn

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2007/05/24

Sponsors of the AT&T statewide cable franchise bill say they will withdraw the bill for this year. They didn't feel they would have they votes and they are disappointed by the lack of support from local governments. It will likely be back for the 2008 session.

from: The City Paper

AT&T bill for cable franchising delayed until ’08, lawmakers say
By John Rodgers, jrodgers@nashvillecitypaper.com
May 24, 2007

AT&T-backed legislation to allow the telecom to get a statewide television franchise to start competing against cable companies will be delayed until 2008, key lawmakers said Wednesday.