Save Access

from: Broadcasting & Cable

Video Franchise Not on Senate Schedule
By John Eggerton
Broadcasting & Cable, 9/4/2006 7:02:00 AM

According to the Senate Cloak Room, which keeps tabs on floor schedules rather than cloaks, the bill is not scheduled for this week, and odds lengthen that it will be considered before the post-election lame duck session, if at all.

from: CED Magazine

Coalition forms in opposition to net neutrality

By Brian Santo, CED
5/9/2006 12:13:00 PM

A group of 24 conservative and libertarian organizations have formed the Internet Freedom Coalition (IFC) to oppose government regulations requiring network neutrality.

The new group contends the effort to assure net neutrality "is the first giant leap toward government regulation of the Internet," according to Jason Wright, president of the Institute for Liberty and an IFC co-director.

Note: It's always interesting when corporate financed 'non-profit' organizations attack legitimate citizen groups and claim they are anti-consumer. Jason Wright and The Institute for Liberty is one such organization (often referred to as an astroturf). We're still curious how red-lining and loss of first amendment speech can be considered pro-consumer. Perhaps Mr. Wright will explain it to us. In addition to the website for Institute for Liberty, he also has a personal site (complete with pictures with Cheney and Rumsfeld) and a policy site, Tech Policy Watch, intended for DC Legislators.

from: Save the Internet

National Outpouring of Support for Net Neutrality
New York City

Supporters of Internet freedom took to the pavement Wednesday and Thursday in 25 cities nationwide, delivering SavetheInternet petitions to their senators and urging them to oppose the phone and cable company attempt to gut Net Neutrality.

from: My DD

The Internet Slaps Back At Nasty Actors

by Matt Stoller
Thu Aug 31, 2006 at 07:55:45 PM EST

There's lots of very cool electoral, political, and organizational news on the net neutrality front, including more public humiliation of net neutrality opponents. The video above is just one local story from Save the Internet's nationwide set of rallies over the past few days. Here's where we are in the fight.

Lightreading.com has been tracking the deployment of telco TV boxes in various states. Check these articles for insight and images:

Lightspeed Unauthorized (TEXAS)
AUGUST 29, 2006

Stalking Verizon FiOS in the Jersey Jungle

from: Telecom Web

Cities Slap Telcos Over Franchise Procedures

To hear some municipal officials tell it, AT&T and heavyweight cousin Verizon Communications are employing hardball tactics in their quests for video franchises.

"We believe AT&T was trying to create an appearance of negotiation breakdown, to establish a record in support of statewide [and national] franchise law," says Peter Burchard, city manager of Naperville, Ill., where AT&T recently scrapped plans to deploy "Project Lightspeed" on claims the city council inserted a poison pill (i.e., buildouts) in its franchise proposal (Telecom Policy Report, Aug. 18). Adds sister publication CableFAX Daily, the telco already is knee-deep in a dispute with seven nearby municipalities over their collective moratoria on the issuance of construction permits for its video service. AT&T spokesman Rob Biederman refused to comment on the litigious debate, and repeated calls to additional execs went unanswered.

from: Telecom Web

Lobbyists Warm Up For Renewed Video-Franchise Battle

The telco-based Consumers for Cable Choice (C4CC) group has begun its lobbying campaign in preparation for the reconvening of the U.S. Congress, with a renewed call for federal legislation that will streamline video franchising and establish a national system.

from: Telecom Web

Telcos Win: California Senate OKs Statewide Video Franchises

The California state Senate yesterday passed a video franchise measure establishing a streamlined statewide certification and authorization process that will make it far easier and speedier for major local exchange carriers to enter the market against incumbent cablecos (TelecomWeb news break, Aug. 18).

Note: AT&T has been running coax in most installs and has reportedly had software (Microsoft) difficulty with delivering some it's digital video.

from: DSL Reports

AT&T Mulling Fiber to the Home?
Another analyst predicts AT&T announcement

Posted on 2006-05-25 16:18:57 by Karl

After one analyst predicted AT&T would scrap their current "Project Lightspeed" plans (FTTN, VDSL2 to the home) for something that could deliver more bandwidth, AT&T insisted to us nothing had changed, and that pair bonding and compression would deliver an additional bandwidth boost if 25Mbps to each home was too snug a fit.