roundtable: Telcos providing their own video

roundtable: Telcos providing their own video

Telcos providing their own video

Matt York (71161.1722@compuserve.com)
19 Jan 95 16:15:04 EST 

Date: 19 Jan 95 16:15:04 EST
From: Matt York <71161.1722@compuserve.com>
To: Roundtable <roundtable@cni.org>
Subject: Telcos providing their own video
Message-Id: <950119211503_71161.1722_EHB219-1@CompuServe.COM>


Allowing telephone companies to become video programmers on their own 
VDT platforms with appropriate safeguards migrates them away from 
common carriage. Even if they are required to provide nondiscriminatory 
access to all video programmers and offer any promotional services to 
all video programmers.

Similar regulations are already in place for cable companies, yet they 
are essentially meaningless. Section 612 of the cable act compels cable 
operators to set aside not 50%, but a mere 10% of their system for 
non-discriminatory access. Less than minute fraction of this capacity 
is in use across the nation. Why would the telephone companies be more 
diligent at providing nondiscriminatory access? 

What is it about video that justifies the evasion of common carrier 
status? If the railroad industry developed a new method of transporting 
heavy cargo would they be able to then transport their own content? Would 
they still be tarriffed? Video programming isn't all that different from 
voice phone calls, they are both made up of a stream of electrons.  Video 
is simply more electrons, more cargo, like trucking firm or a railroad 
carrying heavier goods. 

What the FCC is considering is waving the franchise requirements and the 
common carrier status. Isn't this like letting the telcos enter the 
banking business and the classified advertising business.

Matt York
<71161.1722@compuserve.com>

[CNI Home Page]