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Triple Ploy and the Lie of Competition

In the past two years telephone companies have rushed to introduce national and statewide video franchising legislation around the country to better position themselves as cable TV providers.

from: Denver Post

Statewide franchising of cable OK'd in Iowa

The state becomes the first in Qwest's service area to adopt the measure, aiding the company's video push.
By Andy Vuong Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 05/30/2007 09:43:51 PM MDT

The first state in Qwest's local service territory has approved a statewide cable-franchising measure.

from: Telecom Web

Update: The State Video-Franchise Bill Report Card

With the first half of 2007 nearly over, the scorecard for state video-franchise legislation stands at four and four. Florida became the latest state to enact such rules, with Gov. Charlie Crist signing that state's bill into law late last week.

Missouri, Iowa and Georgia have passed similar legislation, but those bills still await the governors' signatures. The list of states with new video-franchising rules in place also includes California, Texas, Kansas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, New Jersey, Michigan and Florida.

But along with victory, there's defeat. According to TelecomWeb news break's sister publication CableFAX Daily, two states - Utah and Colorado - voted down bills in committee this year. That's somewhat unique because most of last year's failed legislation stemmed from lawmakers running out of time, says Rick Cimerman, vice president/state and government affairs at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association. Two other states also have failed to pass legislation, with Washington tabling a bill to potentially take it up next year and Idaho's sponsor withdrawing legislation (all of the defeats took place in Qwest territory).

The score for defeats actually bumps up to five if you include Minnesota, which seems to be keeping legislation permanently in committee, says Cimerman. Eight states, primarily in AT&T territory, still have bills on the front burner: Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Tennessee appears the least likely to pass a bill this year, because its General Assembly only has about a month left but several big pieces of legislation to take up--including the budget and Gov. Phil Bredesen's cigarette-tax increase. The state's Senate Commerce Committee is slated to take the bill up this week.

Another state worth watching is Pennsylvania. In October 2006, the sponsors of the state franchising bills dropped the legislation but they now appear prepared to reintroduce the measures. One state senator who was not an original sponsor last year plans to introduce a bill that would create a statewide franchising law under the auspices of the Public Utility Commission.

As things stand now, AT&T has more territory covered by state franchises, but Verizon, which has applied for local franchises, has a significant lead in video customers. Verizon reported 348,000 subscribers at the end of 1Q07, while AT&T reported 20,000.

As summer approaches, 2007 reveals that some states have adopted new statewide video-franchise legislation, others have postponed, and some have voted against state legislation (select the state link to view the legislation).

from: Bitchslappin

Choice and Competition in Cable and Telecomm, Take Two

I've been following the heavy handed and well funded lobbying of the Telecomm Giants to get into the IPTV business by pushing (and some say WRITING) the new State Level Legislation that has been introduced in a bunch of different States across the US.

from: TV Predictions

Qwest: Maybe People Don't Want Telco TV
The telephone company's CEO defends his conservative vision for video service.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (May 3, 2007) -- AT&T and Verizon plan to spend billions of dollars over the next several years on new TV services, including robust High-Definition TV lineups.

from: Denver Post

Qwest renews bid for franchise deals
The firm will negotiate to provide television services in 12 Colorado cities to compete with Comcast.

By Kimberly S. Johnson and Steve McMillan
Denver Post Staff Writers
Article Last Updated: 05/03/2007 02:39:57 AM MDT

Qwest plans to relaunch its efforts to reach video-franchise agreements with a dozen Colorado cities in the next couple of months, the company's state president said Wednesday.

Note: Interesting to see that the president of Qwest Iowa thinks public interest concerns such as red-lining and predatory pricing are nothing more than "bogus and irrational fears".

from: Desmoines Register

Allow state franchise to open competition, lower TV rates

from: Light Reading

Qwest's Quest for Video

APRIL 09, 2007

Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q - message board) was one of the first names in telco TV, but lately it's not the first name that comes to mind when the subject comes up.

While other big telcos are mounting scare campaigns against cable TV and attempting to woo Wall Street with their vision of the future, Qwest has taken a more contemplative approach. It hasn't broadly defined its video strategy. And the company says its watching the IPTV pioneers and will continue to experiment with several ways of delivering video services to its customers.

from: Denver Post

Suit by cities, counties may hinder Qwest cable TV goal

By John Dunbar
The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 04/03/2007 11:06:54 PM MDT

Washington - Local governments across the country went to court Tuesday to challenge federal rules intended to spur competition in the cable television industry.

Note: below are excerpts from the full bulletin

from: Mondaq News

United States: Communications Law Bulletin -- March, 2007

04 April 2007
Article by Charles H. Kennedy

The Month in Brief

Among other developments in the month of March, members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee held rescheduled oversight hearings of the Federal Communications Commission (the "FCC" or the "Commission"). This was the first time in four years that the full panel of FCC commissioners had appeared before Committee members, and Democratic members had harsh words for the Commission generally and Chairman Martin in particular.