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from: Broadcasting & Cable

FCC's Martin Talks To Wall Street

By John Eggerton
Broadcasting & Cable, 9/14/2006 5:59:00 PM

The FCC hopes to wrap up an proceeding on video franchise reform by the end of the year, Chairman Kevin Martin told analysts in a conference call Thursday.

Note: In Texas, AT&T is now reselling regular cable TV over regular cable. Why would such a 'technological advance' have required such massive state-wide telecommunications reform? Will At&T sell Comcast cable cheaper than Comcast? Is this the realization of 'consumer choice' and 'competition' touted by the phone companies to get their video franchise bills passed?

from: Multichannel News

from: The National Law Journal

Battle Building Over Net 'Tollgate'
Sides clash over issue of 'Net neutrality'

Pamela A. MacLean
The National Law Journal
September 6, 2006

Few things have as much potential to create a litigation war zone next year as the possible fight over control of the pipes feeding all the content over the Internet.

from: Broadcasting & Cable

Gordon Smith On Stuck Telecom Bill: Help!

By John Eggerton, STAFF
(Broadcasting & Cable)

We need your help.

That was Oregon Republican Senator Gordon Smith's message to The Media Institute lunch crowd Wednesday on passage of a now-controversial communications reform bill in the Senate.

Note: We wish the concept of 'ethics' and the 'public interest' were also factors that Sen. Stevens could recognize.

from: Technology Daily

Stevens Concedes 'Net Neutrality'May Kill Telecom Bill This Year

By David Hatch

(Tuesday, September 12) Senate Commerce Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, publicly acknowledged that the telecommunications legislation he has championed for more than a year is unraveling.

from: National Journal

Report: Telecom Legislation Fails To Address Broadband Access

By Michael Martinez

(Tuesday, September 12) Pending telecommunications legislation is unlikely to prevent the United States from falling further behind the rest of the world in its quest for universal high-speed Internet access, according to a report released by consumer advocates.

from: Technology Daily also see:another astroturf

State Groups Fight Pre-Emption For Wireless Industry In Telecom Bill

By David Hatch

(Friday, September 8) A broad coalition of state utility groups, attorneys general and watchdogs urged lawmakers to kill a proposal to pre-empt state regulation of the wireless industry.

from: Technology Daily

Senate Democrats Block Efforts To Advance Telecom Proposal

By David Hatch

(Wednesday, September 6) Democratic senators are using a procedural maneuver to block Republican leaders from possibly using a pending "enhanced 911" bill as a vehicle for passing major telecommunications legislation, according to congressional sources.

Yes it’s yet another astroturf organization planting plastic propaganda. The MyWireless.org domain is registered to a DC based non-profit via Nelson Lathrop (nlathrop@ctia.org – dns info below). CTIA.ORG is an industry group representing many telcos including Verizon (see: http://ctia.org/membership/ctia_members/index.cfm).

This is a new potentially dangerous spin on HR5252 – now we have 'wireless taxes and consumers' in addition to the older ploy of 'saving consumers from high cable TV rates'. It seems the telcos have an endless pool of funds available to convince our legislators that their legislation will save 'consumers' money.

From NATOA

While the rumor mill is rampant that there’s just not enough time for the Senate to act on telecom reform this session (and we agree, that there is insufficient time to give telecom reform the type of consideration it needs), we never the less need to be vigilant. Senator Stevens is still working hard to lock in the necessary 60 votes to close debate (cloture) and the 60 votes necessary to overcome objections due to an unfunded mandate point of order. These are the only things holding him back – and we are working hard to keep him from obtaining those critical votes.