Save Access

from: Boston Globe

FCC may ease way for telecoms to sell TV

By Bloomberg News | December 7, 2006

WASHINGTON -- The US Federal Communications Commission may vote on Dec. 20 to make it easier for AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. to sell television service, FCC chairman Kevin Martin said.

Martin said yesterday he has circulated a proposal to the other four commissioners to require local authorities to decide within 90 days on some phone-company applications to offer TV in competition with cable providers.

FCC action may speed the companies' efforts to offer TV service and counter cable companies such as Comcast Corp. that have lured phone customers by packaging calling services with TV and high-speed Internet access. The phone companies say lengthy negotiations with hundreds of local agencies have hindered their attempts to offer TV service and raised costs.

Martin's plan would require local authorities to rule within 90 days on video-franchise applications from companies that already have a community's rights-of-way, such as a phone carrier with lines in the region.

Localities would have 180 days to rule on applications from companies that don't already have such access.
Martin also called for limits on the types of fees local agencies can "reasonably require" new TV providers to pay in franchise deals.

The FCC also may limit local regulators' ability to impose "build-out" rules, which typically require a company selling TV in a cable market to offer service to all households in that region.

© Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.