roundtable: Common Carriage and HR 3636

roundtable: Common Carriage and HR 3636

Common Carriage and HR 3636

Michael Ward (mike@essential.org)
Thu, 24 Feb 1994 16:10:57 -0500 (EST) 

Date: Thu, 24 Feb 1994 16:10:57 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Ward <mike@essential.org>
Subject: Common Carriage and HR 3636
To: roundtable@cni.org
Message-Id: <Pine.3.85.9402241536.A5696-0100000@essential>


The following letter on the common carriage provisions of HR3636 
was delivered to the members of the Telecommunications and Finance 
Subcommittee yesterday. 

______________________________________________________________________


February 23, 1994 

To: Members of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance
Re: Common Carriage Requirements

We are writing regarding HR 3636, introduced by Rep. Ed Markey to
express our strong support for provisions that will protect
competition in content markets, by providing common carrier
status to telephone company video platform services and cable
television services.  We would like to make the following points.

1.  VIDEO PLATFORM CAPACITY AVAILABLE FOR NON-AFFILIATED
COMPANIES.

As introduced, HR 3636 provides that telephone company video
dialtone services must offer up to 75 percent of the system's
capacity to non-affiliated entities, on terms and conditions that
do not discriminate in favor of the affiliated companies.  While
some of us believe that the 75 percent figure is too low, all of
us agree that it should represent a minimum amount of access for
non-affiliated companies.

As introduced, HR 3636 would sunset this provision in 5 years. 
We strongly oppose the sunset of this provision after 5 years.

2. COMMON CARRIER OBLIGATIONS FOR CABLE TELEVISION.

As introduced, HR 3636 requires the F.C.C. to conduct a study to
determine if it is in the public interest to extend common
carrier obligations to cable operators, in lieu of leased access
requirements.  We believe that our national information
infrastructure should be based upon open access to networks on
non-discriminatory terms.  We strongly support the study, as a
step in broadening access to the nation's cable systems. 
However, an even better provision would require the F.C.C. to
extend common carrier obligations to cable within a fixed time
frame, in lieu of the current leased access requirements.

We urge Congress to take measures to open access to cable and
video platform services, and to insure that carriers are required
to provide open access by anyone who seeks the opportunity to
offer information services.

Thank you for consideration of these suggestions.

Sincerely,

James Love, Taxpayer Assets Project
Brad Stillman, Consumer Federation of America 
Andy Schwartzman, Media Access Project
Jim Halpert, People for the American Way
Carol Henderson, American Library Association
Prue Adler, Association of Research Libraries
Marc Rotenberg, Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility
Richard Civille, Center for Civic Networking
Gary Bass and Patrice McDermott, OMB Watch
Tom Devine, Government Accountability Project
Jonathan Tasini, National Writers Union
Scott Armstrong, The Information Trust
Mona Jimenez, Media Alliance Inc.
Lynn Chadwick, National Federation of Community Broadcasters
George Gerbner, Cultural Environment Network
Sylvia Caras, Mood Matters
Bill Wilt, Albuquerque Interactive! Foundation
Stephen A. Smith, SCA Commission on Freedom of Expression
Eugene Marner - Red Hook Picture Company
Anthony T. Riddle, Minneapolis Telecommunications Network
Jeffery Sterling, Interconnections Inc.
Seth Ross, Albion Books
Jay Jaroslav, Center for Art Research
Ruby Lerner, Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers

------------------------------- end of letter --------------------------|

Michael Ward
Taxpayer Assets Project
Domain: mike@essential.org

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