Save Access - ILLINOIS

IL: AT$T Access Plan Challenged

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:41:11 -0400

AT&T Access Plan Challenged
by Curtis Black | curtis@newstips.org
June 5,2008

AT&T's plan for public access on its U-verse video service -- which the company calls "innovative" and critics call inadequate -- is being challenged in Illinois.

In other states, AT&T has relegated hundreds of public, educational, and governmental (PEG) stations to submenus on a single Channel 99, where accessing a particular channel is cumbersome and time-consuming, and picture and sound quality are on a par with YouTube, access advocates say. (This video demonstrate how Channel 99 works in California.)

IL: Kankakee County tuning in local TV

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:18:41 -0400

from: The Daily Journal

Kankakee County tuning in local TV
03/14/2008, 9:37 am

By John Stewart

Anybody can post a video on YouTube.com with a cheap Web cam and an even cheaper microphone.

But not everyone gets on television or can make a video that gets on television. That's because television still has a "mystique," according to Steve Bertrand, assistant director of the Kankakee Public Library.

IL: Comcast to Illinois: I loves Me The Market Power!

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:51:32 -0400

from: Wet Machine

Comcast to Illinois: I loves Me The Market Power!
Harold Feld

As reported on BroadbandReports.com, Comcast has greeted former Insight customers transferred to Comcast as part of unwinding a partnership with a 6% rate hike. Thanks to all the delightful cover given to Comcast by Congressional Republicans, who declare that all is “A OTAY” in Cableland, the Comcast guys are no longer even pretending that the rise in rates has anything to do with cost. Rather, as Comcast rep Libbie Steh told the Springfield Journal Register in a rare attack of honesty: “increased costs are not a factor this year.” Rather:

IL: County prepares for telco boxes

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 12:44:27 -0500

from: Kane County Chronicle

County prepares for boxes

By PAUL DAILING - pdailing@kcchronicle.com

A new state law allows AT&T to create a statewide cable service network, but residents and governments will be the ones dealing with the large utility boxes that the system requires.

IL: New FCC rule could mean less franchise fee revenue for Peoria

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 11:18:40 -0500

from: Peoria Chronicle

New FCC rule could mean less franchise fee revenue for Peoria

I’ve been trying to keep up on how cable franchise negotiations are going. You may recall that the city’s franchise agreement with Insight expired in April 2006. After several months, the city finally signed a temporary extension with Insight/Comcast through January 1, 2008. That’s not very far away now, and there’s still no permanent franchise agreement.

IL: AT$T wins statewide franchise

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 21:35:31 -0400

from: SY-R.com

AT&T wins statewide franchise

By TIM LANDIS
BUSINESS EDITOR

Published Tuesday, October 30, 2007

A barely one-page finding from an administrative law judge could mean new consumer choices in cable and video early next year in Illinois — or, at least, that is how supporters of a cable-reform law hope it works out.

IL: Video competition: Phone vs. Cable

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:51:15 -0400

from: Illinoize

Video competition: Phone vs. Cable

Wednesday, October 24, 2007
by Bethany Jaeger

The phone giant AT&T officially can compete with cable companies on a statewide level to offer high-tech video services to customers. But that doesn’t guarantee the company will build out those services in all areas of the state any time soon. See Crain’s Chicago Business story here.

IL: AT$T gets OK to offer statewide video service

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:49:00 -0400

from: Chicago Business

AT&T gets OK to offer statewide video service

Oct. 24, 2007
By Brandon Glenn

(Crain’s) — A state regulatory agency approved AT&T Inc.’s application to offer video service across the state.

The Illinois Commerce Commission’s acceptance of the application is a first. Previously, cable or video companies had to negotiate on a city-by-city basis if they wanted to offer service in Illinois.

IL: AT$T ready to take on Comcast on TV

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 08:20:23 -0400

from: Chicago Business

AT&T ready to take on Comcast on TV

By John Pletz
Oct. 13, 2007

AT&T Inc. is laying the groundwork for an assault on Comcast Corp.'s local cable TV monopoly starting this spring, perhaps as soon as April.

Having cleared the legislative hurdles that stood in the way of offering TV here, AT&T is now sprucing up its network of roughly 65 local stores; hiring construction, engineering and call-center staffers, and building out the fiber-optic network needed to deliver its U-verse TV service.

IL: AT$T applies for video permit

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 08:08:29 -0400

from: Chicago Tribune

AT&T applies for video permit
Company seeks state approval of franchise

By Jon Van

Tribune staff reporter

September 25, 2007

Although still a few months away from offering competitive video service in Illinois, AT&T on Monday applied to the state for a video franchise under a law enacted in June.

IL: AT$T shows them the money

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 06:56:58 -0400

from: STL Today

AT&T shows them the money

By Kevin McDermott
POST-DISPATCH SPRINGFIELD BUREAU
07/01/2007

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — As AT&T was lobbying this year for a controversial overhaul of Illinois' pay television laws, it was donating tens of thousands of dollars to the state lawmakers who would ultimately approve the measure, records show.

IL: Governor signs cable legislation

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 06:45:07 -0400

from: SJ-R.com

Governor signs cable legislation
Measure designed to open television markets in state

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published Sunday, July 01, 2007

Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed a law Saturday that advocates hope will make Illinois a national leader in opening cable television markets to competition.

IL: Senate Unanimously Passes Video Franchise Reform

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 21:47:01 -0400

from: MidWest Business.com

Illinois Senate Unanimously Passes Video Franchise Reform

6/21/2007
CHICAGO – The Illinois Senate has unanimously passed the Cable & Video Competition Act, which if signed into law is designed to introduce new competition and cable choices to Illinois consumers.

IL: Illinois to become latest state to give telecoms statewide video franchise

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 23:45:07 -0400

from: Ars Technica

Illinois to become latest state to give telecoms statewide video franchise

By Eric Bangeman | Published: June 20, 2007 - 12:02PM CT

Illinois has become the latest state to give new entrants into the cable television market a statewide franchise. Passed by the Illinois State Senate yesterday and sent to Gov. Rod Blagojevich for signature, the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Act will give AT&T a green light to deploy its U-Verse broadband and IPTV service throughout the state, regardless of the wishes of local municipalities.

IL: Senate greenlights cable bill

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 23:41:07 -0400

from: Chicago Tribune

Senate greenlights cable bill
Franchise rules to soften if governor signs off

By Monique Garcia
Tribune staff reporter
Published June 19, 2007, 2:43 PM CDT

SPRINGFIELD—In a move aimed at creating cable TV competition and lowering rates statewide, the Senate passed legislation today that would allow AT&T and other telecommunications companies to more easily get into the cable-television business.