Save Access

Note: Still clueless in Texas, in these videoes AT&T spokespeople reveal how little they know about their company plans to provide carriage of PEG channels on their IPTV system

AT&T U-Verse plans for Public Access

AT&T executives spoke with Texas and Louisiana Public Access Providers In January 2007 about AT&T plans for PEG channels with its U-Verse service. Public Access Producers, concerned about the possible loss of public access, asked questions about their service or lack of service offerings (PEG Channels are not offered on U-verse at this time). Part 1 of 5.

from: MultiChannel News

Study Says Statewide Franchising Hasn't Driven Prices Down

By Linda Haugsted -- Multichannel News, 5/28/2007

Competition has not led to lower basic cable-rates in Texas, according to a survey conducted by the state's chapter of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisers.

from: Houston Chronicle

May 24, 2007, 8:44PM
A crisis at public access TV
By LISA FALKENBERG

Half-hour from downtown, turtles float, alligators sun and birds bathe in Armand Bayou.

Houston has the most successful Crime Stoppers in the world, helping solve 1,152 cases last year.

from: Lafayette ProFiber

Just Not True: Cable Rates Not Falling in Texas

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Here's something to think about:

Competition has not led to lower basic cable-rates in Texas. (MultiChannel News)

That's the long and the short of it according to a study by the Texas chapter of NATOA.

Note: Texas was the first state video franchise to pass and was touted by the industry and politicians as legislation that would save consumers money in cable TV subscriptions. The public interest community has always discredited this misinformation - now it seems the industry press is finally looking closer too.

from: MultiChannel News

No Texas-Sized Rate Declines in Texas
NATOA’s Texas Chapter Finds that Video-Subscription Rates Have Actually Risen

By Linda Haugsted -- Multichannel News, 5/24/2007

Basic-cable rates have not declined in any of the Texas communities where there are competitive providers, according to a survey done by the Texas chapter of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.

from: MultiChanne News

FiOS Hits Houston, But Without TV

(Multichannel News) _ Verizon Communications Friday will begin to push fiber-optic FiOS service to residents in the Houston area, but for now, the telco is offering Internet and voice services around the Bayou City, not video.

from: The Austin Chronicle

Media Watch: The Incredible Disappearing Telecom Committee
BY KEVIN BRASS

Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford
Photo By Jana Birchum

Two years after the Texas Legislature passed a sweeping reorganization of the competitive landscape for delivering telecommunication services to homes, community groups are wondering what happened to a much-anticipated committee that was supposed to monitor the law's impact.

April 24, 2006

Houston Public Access TV To Get The Axe Next Year
by Stefan Wray

Houston, TX -- Fred Fichman, Executive Director of Houston Media Source -- the public access TV station in Houston -- said today that he met with the Mayor's Deputy Chief of Staff, and other City officials in Houston, who verified that as of April 2008 there will be a major reduction in funding for both the public and government access TV channels.

from: Save Texas Access

Report on San Antonio AT&T Proposal to Test U-Verse
Submitted by savetexasaccess on Wed, 2007-04-11 05:17.

Here is a copy of the San Antonio AT&T Proposed Agreement:
Public Education and Government (PEG) Programming Signal First Office Application Testing Agreement

from: save texas access

from the frontlines of the post-state-franchise apocalypse . . .

Report From San Antonio – AT&T Corporate Headquarters
April 10, 2007

The rubber has started to hit the road in San Antonio. More than two years after basically writing SB 5 – Texas’ statewide video franchise law that passed the Legislature in 2005 – AT&T is now interpreting that law for San Antonio city officials.