Telcos

House Passes Video Franchise Reform

Posted on June 8, 2006 - 9:39pm.

from: Broadcasting & Cable

House Passes Video Franchise Reform

By John Eggerton
6/8/2006 9:56:00 PM

House energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton Thursday delivered on his half of a promise to pass video franchise reform in this session of Congress.

By a vote of 321 to 101, including a majority of both Republicans (215-8) and Democrats (106-92), the House Thursday night passed a bill that will make it easier for telcos to get into video by establishing a national franchising scheme that potentially deeds more oversight of video franchising to the FCC and federal courts.

( categories: Telcos | HR.5252 COPE )

Net Neutrality Vote - Follow The Money

Posted on June 8, 2006 - 4:46pm.

from: Net Pro News

Net Neutrality Up For Vote; Follow The Money
Jason Lee Miller Staff Writer
2006-06-08

Today or Friday, the House of Representatives will be debating and voting on proposed Net Neutrality amendments to the Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006, a bill that will grant sweeping powers to telecommunications and cable companies to set up a tollbooth Internet.

( categories: Telcos | HR.5252 COPE )

Rappers Can't Save You - The Death Of The Internet

Posted on June 7, 2006 - 7:55am.

from: All HipHop

Rappers Can't Save You - The Death Of The Internet
Bruce Dixon of Black Commentator

America’s Black misleadership class, which is nearly indistinguishable from its Black business class, has struck again. In a stunning coup, a mainline African American voting rights group has been enlisted on the side of AT&T and other telecom monopolies in their legislative push to privatize the Internet and roll back hundreds of agreements with local communities that force these monopolies to extend Internet and cable service to poor and rural communities around the country.

Telecom group spends big

Posted on June 7, 2006 - 7:45am.

from: The Hill

Telecom group spends big to raise industry profile

By Jim Snyder

The lobbying expenditures of the U.S. Telecom Association (USTA) have risen almost as fast as the TVs that soar through roofs in the group’s ubiquitous ad campaign.

Five years ago, USTA spent just over $2 million on lobbying. By last year that figure had risen to nearly $17 million, making the group the sixth biggest spender on K Street and a major contributor to a revival of telecom and high-tech lobbying.

Markey, Dingell Plan Build-Out Amendment

Posted on June 6, 2006 - 9:26pm.

from: Broadcasting and Cable

Markey, Dingell Plan Build-Out Amendment

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/6/2006 3:01:00 PM

Dubbing the issue "universal service," some top Energy and Commerce Committee Democrats have told their colleagues they plan to introduce an amendment establishing build-out requirements in the House video franchise reform bill, scheduled for a floor vote this Friday, June 9.

( categories: Telcos | HR.5252 COPE )

Cox President Attacks Telcos

Posted on June 6, 2006 - 9:22pm.

from: Multichannel news

Esser Sermonizes on Franchise Reform
By Karen Brown6/6/2006 5:58:00 PM

Chicago -- Cox Communications Inc. president Pat Esser turned his podium into a pulpit at the Globalcomm telecom convention here Tuesday, delivering a stern sermonlike keynote accusing Bell competitors of trying to gain a regulatory free pass into video to make up for their own delays in developing those services.

( categories: Telcos | AT&T | HR.5252 COPE | Verizon )

AT$T Sues City of Geneva Illinois Over Telco Boxes

Posted on June 6, 2006 - 5:42pm.

Here at saveaccess.org we just came upon this page of the City of Geneva, Illinois. We encourage you to visit their site (they have compelling documents and 'actual' pictures of telco box installations). The city is being sued by AT&T for establishing a moratorium so there would be adequate time to assess the issue. Please go to:
http://www.geneva.il.us/att/Lightspeed.htm

( categories: Telcos | AT&T | ILLINOIS | State Franchises )

COPE Bill Slated for Vote

Posted on June 5, 2006 - 8:16pm.

from: Broadcasting & Cable

Franchise Bill Slated for Vote

By John Eggerton
Broadcasting & Cable, 6/5/2006 9:50:00 AM

House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) has scheduled floor time June 7 (Wednesday) for a vote on the House telecom reform bill, though other Hill sources say it could be pushed to Friday, with a Wednesday rules committee meeting on what amendments, if any, can be added.

( categories: Telcos | HR.5252 COPE )

The Telco TV Boxes Are Coming!

Posted on June 5, 2006 - 5:30pm.
craftsman

Telco TV boxes may be coming to a sidewalk near you - and there is likely nothing you will be able to do about it! The loss of local control of 'right of way' under new state video franchising laws means that your local city will have to yield control of public spaces to telephone and cable companies operating under those franchises.

File FCC Comments Today! June 5th

Posted on June 5, 2006 - 9:09am.
bell logo

The deadline for filing public comments with the FCC about the AT&T-BellSouth merger is today (June 5th). Please take a moment to send a letter via the Free Press web site! This 69 Billion dollar merger will make AT&T the largest telephone company in the world.

( categories: Telcos | AT&T | Bell South | FCC )
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