Note: TV4US is an astroturf organization paid for by AT&T.

from: Madison.com

AT&T Claims Wide Support for Cable Bill

From Capital Times, May 8, 2007
By David Callender

All 132 state lawmakers have received a thick binder full of the names of constituents backing a bill to deregulate the state’s cable TV franchise system, the latest move in a high-stakes effort by telecommunications giant AT&T to win swift legislative approval of the measure.

from: XChangemag.com

AT&T Ups U-verse Spending by $1.4 Billion
By Bob Wallace
Posted on: 05/07/2007

Facing challenges on all fronts with the deployment of its IPTV-driven U-verse triple-play bundle, AT&T Inc. confirmed Monday that it will spend an additional $1.4 billion on its initial plan to drive the offering and is reducing it subscriber target by 1 million.

from: Beacon Journal

AT&T cable bill gets revise in Ohio
Hudson, Wadsworth to keep local channels

Posted on Mon, May. 07, 2007
By Dennis J. Willard
Beacon Journal Columbus Bureau

COLUMBUS - A bill designed to let AT&T get into the cable television business through the Internet is being rewritten after opponents that operate local public access stations and enter into franchise contracts with providers mounted a campaign to stop it.

from: Nashville City Paper

If denied, AT&T says it won’t ask again
By John Rodgers, jrodgers@nashvillecitypaper.com
May 07, 2007

AT&T’s lead lobbyist says that if the telecom giant is not successful this year in passing its bid for statewide television franchising, it won’t try again next year but could offer its services to Nashvillians in the near future.

Note: This raises serious concerns for private citizens using telephone company services - phone, data and video. Telco Triple Play is now a triple wiretap opportunity with no legal privacy protections.

from: Ars Technica

Bush administration proposes retroactive immunity for phone companies

By Nate Anderson
| Published: May 04, 2007 - 01:33PM CT

from: PR Newswire

Telecom Execs Planned Regulators', Lawmakers' Junket to Japan

SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AT&T, Comcast and Verizon planned the agenda for regulators' and lawmakers' luxury trip to Japan last month, according to emails obtained by the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (FTCR).

AT&T U-Verse offering 1 Year FREE of DISH Network

Originally posted on VoIP & Gadgets Blog
Yesterday, I was in Best Buy (Norwalk, CT store) walking past the TV section when I was approached by a guy standing by a table. He handed me some AT&T U-Verse literature and proceeded to pitch me on signing up for U-Verse. I mentioned that I didn't live in Norwalk, he asked where I did live and then he told me they didn't offer U-Verse in my area yet.

However, he stated that AT&T is offering a nice incentive - 1 year FREE of DISH Network service if I signed up now for AT&T U-Verse. I said, "Well, what if in one year from now you still aren't offering U-Verse in my neighborhood? Do I still get free DISH Network service?"

He didn't really give a good answer to the question, but did say that AT&T is going gangbusters to rollout U-Verse in Fairfield County, one of the wealthiest counties in the nation and also very densly populated. So I asked "So you're focusing on deploying in Norwalk and Stamford first is my guess, correct?" He responded, "That's exactly right. We're targetting Norwalk and Stamford first, but plan on quickly moving to other towns." He briefly mentioned New York - not sure if he meant NYC, but that would put AT&T in Verizon's home turf with their FiOS service.

I expressed my skepticism that AT&T would reach their goal of 18 million homes back in March. However, when compared to the $20 billion Verizon is spending to rollout their FiOS fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) service, AT&T's fiber/copper-hybrid rollout is a bargain. AT&T can more quickly recoup their investment faster than Verizon since Verizon has to dig fiber all the way to the home where as AT&T only needs to draw fiber to the neighborhood and then use copper the rest of the way to the home.

The Florida bill de-funds and effectively ends PEG channel and facility support. The poor build-out and anti-red-lining provisions ensure that many communities will be left out and under-served. The telcos direct many of their lobby dollars and donations to minority organizations, as a result, the legislators below voted for a bill that will silence and disenfranchise their constituents - very sad.

from: The News Herald

The whole thing stinks
04/29/2007

Imagine for a moment that there's an emergency at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant in North Perry. Officials need to get information out quickly.

Aside from news media, safety forces likely would turn to local public access channels on cable television. The message would scrawl across the bottom of television screens, alerting people to a problem.