Save Access - PENNSYLVANIA

PA: FiOS: Nearing Full Speed

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:19:05 -0500

FiOS: Nearing Full Speed
Posted on Sun, Feb. 24, 2008

By Bob Fernandez
Inquirer Staff Writer

Two years ago, Gus Gadonas saw the Verizon lineman stringing fiber-optic FiOS wires through his neighborhood in East Pikeland Township, Chester County. He ordered the new FiOS high-speed Internet service right away.

PA: CWA Presses for Cable Choice Bill

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:45:25 -0500

from: Union Network

CWA Presses for Cable Choice Bill in Pennsylvania

02/08/2008

- Labour news from UNI global union - for trade unions in a global services economy. -

CWA this week urged Pennsylvania legislators to approve the Consumer Choice Cable Franchising and High-Speed Broadband Promotion Act, H.B 1490, to encourage the buildout of true high speed Internet networks and end the current cable monopoly in the state.

PA: Cable TV Oversight Could Shift To State

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:27:42 -0500

from: WHTM.com

Cable TV Oversight Could Shift To State
posted 6:38 pm Thu February 07, 2008 -

The State House Consumer Affairs Committee is considering a bill that would eliminate the local franchise agreements for cable TV companies. Instead the State Public Utility commission would deal with cable. Norman Stanton of Halifax wants to dump dial-up internet service because his wife is taking online college courses. "Every time she starts her homework," says Stanton, "You're knocked off the dial-up. So we have to have a high-speed internet." Stanton ordered Comcast high speed internet more than month ago. He got a bill but getting his high speed installed has been slow. "Every time you call you talk to somebody different," says Stanton. "And nobody knows what the other one said." Stanton also complained to his local borough about Comcast but a state lawmaker wants to change all that.

PA: Monthly Comcast bills to rise 4.5 percent

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 10:01:59 -0500

Note the wonderful statement by Verizon's spokesperson:
"In a marketplace like this, oftentimes the competitor won't respond by lowering prices, but will respond in other ways" such as offering discounts as incentives to keep its service, said Gierczynski of Verizon.

from: Pittsburgh Live

PA: Statewide cable franchise law would meet high-tech potential

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:45:39 -0400

from: Penn Live

More choices for viewers
Statewide cable franchise law would meet high-tech potential
Saturday, October 27, 2007

Verizon's opening of a regional video hub in Harrisburg paves the way for local consumers to have a choice of cable television providers. But only after franchise agreements have been negotiated with individual municipalities.

PA: Public-Access TV, Past its scheduled time, but here

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 22:09:11 -0400

from: Philly.com

Public-Access TV
Past its scheduled time, but here

Philadelphia is about to lose its dubious distinction as the largest American city without a public-access cable television outlet for amateur programming.

Heard that before, right? Well, this time it's for real.

PA: Public Access TV Coming To Philadelphia

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 09:38:14 -0400

from: The Bulletin

Public Access TV Coming To Philadelphia

By: Jenny DeHuff, The Bulletin
09/19/2007

Philadelphia - With combined efforts from Comcast Corporation and the Philadelphia Community Access Coalition (PCAC), public access television is one step closer to staking a claim in the airwaves.

PA: Alliance Celebrates Opening of Public Access In Philadelphia

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 19:37:16 -0400

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Anthony Riddle, Executive Director

Alliance Celebrates Opening of Public Access In Philadelphia

Alliance members nationwide celebrate the announcement of formal agreement between the City and Comcast to open a Public Access facility in Philadelphia, PA. Our congratulations go out to all the elected officials, company executives and, most of all, the dedicated community organizations and activists, such as the Philadelphia Community Access Coalition, who have worked tirelessly for almost 25 years to bring this about. It has been a long, hard struggle, but finally the city which historically most represents the ideals of democracy and freedom will have the benefit of Public Access—the voice of community in the electronic age.

FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS ON THE ACCESS FRONT IN PHILLY....

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 16:15:36 -0400

FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS ON THE ACCESS FRONT IN PHILLY....

We are on our way to making public access cable television a reality in Philadelphia!

We are calling on all public access supporters to come out to a press conference Tuesday September 18th. PCAC, along with Mayor Street and Comcast, will be sharing exciting news about the future of public access. We have a lot to celebrate, so please join us!

PA: State could take over local cable franchise agreements

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 09:22:42 -0400

from: Morning Times

Athens Township: State could take over local cable franchise agreements

By WARREN HOWELER Times Managing Editor
Published: Thursday, August 30, 2007 10:52 PM CDT
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ATHENS TOWNSHIP - The Athens Township Supervisors this week approved a 10 year renewal of the municipality's franchise agreement with Time Warner Cable and it could end up being the last such agreement that the township has with its local cable company.

PA: Eachus proposal could bring broadband to all Pa. residents

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:04:16 -0400

from: Citizen's Voice

Eachus proposal could bring broadband to all Pa. residents

BY JILL WHALEN
STAFF WRITER
08/20/2007

State Rep. Todd Eachus has introduced legislation that seeks to provide high-speed Internet access to all residents of Pennsylvania.

PA: Who needs public access TV?

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 07:27:28 -0400

from: Post Gazette

Who needs public access TV?

Some argue that 'Wayne's World' is still more democratic than YouTube

Sunday, August 05, 2007

By Adrian McCoy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

For many people, public access TV is still symbolized by "Wayne's World," a "Saturday Night Live" sketch that portrayed two slackers doing a so-bad-it's-good program from a basement rec room.

PA: Public access TV, then and now

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 07:25:52 -0400

from: Post Gazette

Public access TV, then and now

Sunday, August 05, 2007
By Adrian McCoy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Public access TV dates back to the 1970s, when cable systems began to designate channels on which community members could create and air their own TV programs.

The FCC required that all cable systems in markets of a certain size provide a channel to the community, along with equipment, training, studio space and air time.

PA: Statewide Cable Franchise Fight

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 07:52:28 -0400

from: broadbandvision

Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Statewide Cable Franchise Fight

PA House Bill 1490 is AN ACT Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for Statewide cable franchises and for municipal regulation of franchise holders of; Statewide franchises. The bill was referred to the House Consumer Affairs committee on July 9.

PA: Verizon Can Limit Access to Services, Pennsylvania PUC Says

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 10:20:37 -0400

from: PennLive.com

Verizon Can Limit Access to Services, Pennsylvania PUC Says

From Patriot-News, June 22, 2007
By David DeKok

The state Public Utility Commission voted 3-1 yesterday not to stop Verizon Communications from blocking access by low-income people on the Lifeline program to bundled telephone service packages, even if it could save customers money.