roundtable: Support Open Platform - Broadband Networks

roundtable: Support Open Platform - Broadband Networks

Support Open Platform - Broadband Networks

Link Hoewing (hoewing@ba.com)
Wed, 19 Jul 1995 10:34:54 +0000 (GMT) 

Date: Wed, 19 Jul 1995 10:34:54 +0000 (GMT)
From: Link Hoewing <hoewing@ba.com>
Subject: Support Open Platform - Broadband Networks
To: Telecomreg <telecomreg@relay.doit.wisc.edu>, communet@uvmvm.uvm.edu,
Message-Id: <Pine.3.85.9507191054.A14734-0100000@ba.com>


     Earlier today (Wednesday July 19th) Bell Atlantic was joined by
representatives of Video/Action Fund, Media Access Project, Liberty
Cable/The Video Dialtone Association, Bell Atlantic, the United States
Telephone Association and others to urge the FCC to wait for congress 
to establish permanent rules of the road for telephone companies 
planning to build video dialtone(VDT) systems. 

The following News Release was distributed at the News Conference.  
Other documents are available at: http://www.ba.com/ including:

     Sidebar - Explanation of VDT
     Comparison Chart - VDT and Cable Network System
     Legal Argument
     Background on Participant Organizations
     VDT Action Alert


______________________________________________________________


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 19, 1995

 		AN INFORMATION AGE PLEA TO WASHINGTON: 
                  LET CONGRESS DECIDE THE FUTURE OF
                            VIDEO DIALTONE

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Washington, D.C. -- America's hope for an information superhighway open 
to all consumers and programmers could be dashed if the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) does not wait for Congress to establish
permanent rules of the road for telephone companies planning to build
video dialtone systems. 

Representatives of Video/Action Fund, Media Access Project, Liberty
Cable/The Video Dialtone Association, Bell Atlantic, the United States
Telephone Association and others gathered in Washington today to sound 
the alarm. They urged the FCC to wait for Congress to finish rewriting
outmoded telecommunications laws. 

Legislation now under consideration would permit telephone companies to
bring consumers the benefits of competition in the video market more
quickly, at a lower cost and under fair and even handed regulation. 

Published reports indicate that the FCC feels it is bound by outdated
rules designed for old style cable systems. Applying such rules to new
video dialtone systems may crush incentives for telephone companies to
build these networks. In some instances, those burdens could lead to
double regulation and force a telephone company to build excess capacity
on its VDT systems, even if that capacity remains unused. Competing
programmers using the same system and competing cable operators would 
not be subject to the same regulations. 

"Make no mistake. Bell Atlantic wants to build video dialtone systems,"
said James G. Cullen, vice chairman - Bell Atlantic. "Our customers want
the choices and diversity of voices that only video dialtone can bring
them. But we can only operate under the video dialtone model if it makes
economic sense for us to do so," he added. 

While Bell Atlantic remains committed to competing with cable companies,
Cullen warned that, if the FCC imposes burdensome rules, the company may
have no choice but to enter the market as a "me too" cable company. He
predicted that others will follow suit. 

"Such a scenario would be unfortunate," said Roy Neel, president of the
United States Telephone Association. "Thousands of customers waiting for
fully interactive video dialtone networks could be denied new
entertainment sources and the power to work, learn and shop at home." 
Neel added that additional regulations would be a serious setback to 
the deployment of video dialtone. 

Andrew Jay Schwartzman, executive director of Media Access Project,
expressed concern that the FCC could subject telephone companies providing
video programming over their video dialtone networks to cable regulation
under Title 6 of the Communications Act. "If this happens," Schwartzman
said, "it will be a tragedy."

Video dialtone systems are open, common carrier communications platforms
available to all programmers. The capacity and choices of programs on the
system can be almost infinite. Cable television systems, in contrast, are
closed to those few programmers chosen by the cable operator and are
limited to a set number of channels. Cable companies routinely exercise
their power to pick and choose among programmers, leaving many producers,
including those representing minority communities, out in the cold and 
off the system. 

"It is very difficult for many independent producers, especially
documentary and educational producers, to get our programs scheduled for
broadcast on television," said Robin Smith, president of Video/Action
Fund. "Video on demand has the potential to break down the barriers that
prevent our programs from being seen. The prospect of reaching new viewers
will be a financial and creative incentive for many independents, and that
will lead to greater choices for consumers."

"America is at a critical juncture in the development of its video
marketplace," said Peter O. Price, chairman of the Video Dialtone
Association and president of Liberty Cable Television. "The FCC must adopt
rules and policies which permit telephone companies to deploy video
dialtone networks in a timely and efficient manner. Failure to do so will
lead to the further entrenchment of the cable monopoly -- and America's
consumers will be the losers."

                                      ###

for more information, contact:

     Elizabeth Brooks, United States Telephone Association 202-326-7267

     Eric Rabe, Bell Atlantic 703-974-3036 or
     Shannon Fioravanti 703-974-5455

     Jay Newman, Video Dialtone Association 202-637-9510

     Andrew Jay Schwartzman, Media Access Project 202-232-4300

     Robin Smith, Video/Action Fund 202-338-1094

     FutureVision of America 610-941-9890

     Jonas Goodman, Access 2000 310-399-5371

     Ian Wheeler, Channel 10, Fairfax, Virginia 703-573-1090


Link Hoewing
Bell Atlantic				|   Internet:	hoewing@ba.com

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