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North American Network Operators Group Date Prev | Date Next | Date Index | Thread Index | Author Index | Historical Re: HR 1542 [OT, anti-BS attempt, US]
On Mon, 7 May 2001, Fletcher E Kittredge wrote: > > > BTW, if you spend much time with regulators and lawyers, you will be > > > aware that there is a major difference between the cable network and > > > the PSTN. After the mid-1930's, the PSTN was built by a company which > > > was guaranteed a specific, profitable rate of return. The cable > > > network was built by many small entrepreneurs who were not guaranteed > > > a profit nor even solvency. For that reason, the PSTN is more > > > arguably a public resource. > > > > Except that most of today's cable systems were built while municipalities > > could, and did, grant exclusive franchises. Overbuilding an incumbant > > cable operator is as expensive and risky as becoming a CLEC - probably the > > reason that neither CLECs nor cable overbuilders are showing much > > commercial success. > > If you can't tell the legal difference between the above cases, I > recommend you stay out of this discussion. The legal differences quite clear - very different regulatory regimes enforced by different levels of government. The ethical differences are less clear - both ILECs and cable companies grew under monopoly regimes, making use of public rights-of-way. The current, "de-regulatory" environment gives both ILECs and incumbent cable carriers a very unfair advantage over new entrants. > > call AT&T/MediaOne/TCI, AOL/Time Warner, Adelphia, or Charter "small > > entrepreneurs." These guys engage in monopoly tactics that rank right up > > there with those of the ILECs. > > 1) You quoted me out of context. 2) Do you have a point? Obviously the > above are not small entrepreneurs. But then, I never said they were. A very simple one: we are not seeing much in the way of serious competition, and HR1542 will simply make things worse. ************************************************************************** The Center for Civic Networking PO Box 600618 Miles R. Fidelman, President & Newtonville, MA 02460-0006 Director, Municipal Telecommunications Strategies Program 617-558-3698 fax: 617-630-8946 [email protected] http://civic.net/ccn.html Information Infrastructure: Public Spaces for the 21st Century Let's Start With: Internet Wall-Plugs Everywhere Say It Often, Say It Loud: "I Want My Internet!" **************************************************************************
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