FCC To Debate BPL Deregulation Decision TelecomWeb
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) next week may decide on whether to deregulate broadband over power line (BPL) offerings as information services, based on a seven-month-old petition from the United Power Line Council (UPLC) and its United Telecom Council (UTC) affiliate. The UPLC/UTC request to the commission for a declaratory ruling in effect asks that BPL-based Internet-access service be given the same light-touch treatment the regulator has allowed for cable modems and telco-oriented digital subscriber line (DSL) broadband offerings. The December 2005 petition tentatively has been placed on the agenda of the FCC's Aug. 3 open meeting for consideration and a vote. The utility-industry group, which has supported cable-modem and DSL classification as deregulated information services, says parity for BPL-enabled Internet access would be consistent with the commission's previous determinations on the other services. UPLC and UTC also maintain the move - allowable under the auspices of the Communications Act of 1934 - also would promote broadband access and competition by BPL by providing regulatory clarity and certainty, which is important for the still-nascent commercial deployment of BPL and which already is enjoyed by cable-modem and DSL providers. The petition urges the FCC to classify BPL-enabled broadband service as an interstate information service because it shares all the relevant similarities with other broadband services, including cable modem and DSL. "BPL-enabled broadband service is an integrated finished service that combines computer processing with transport capabilities, like cable modem and DSL services," the petition says. "BPL is also an interstate service, in the sense that the traffic is routed over the Internet, like cable modem and DSL services." UPLC and UTC suggest the BPL business would need the pricing, marketing and deployment flexibility of the information-services classification to provide a meaningful intermodal rivalry in the high-speed access business currently dominated by cable modems and DSL. The FCC just recently issued statistics on the extent of those two technologies' domestic penetration. The petition also points out that the U.S. Supreme Court in theBrand Xcase in June 2005 upheld the FCC's authority to classify cable-modem offerings as information services, paving the way a short time after for the commission to give telco broadband and DSL the same treatment. The emerging BPL business previously has had to fight regulatory battles mostly over RF interference charges; for the most part, it's emerged victorious. In the current FCC proceeding, BPL essentially gets support from utility allies, would-be BPL provider First Communications and the Telecommunications Industry Association. UPLC and UTC also have had to counter opposing arguments - many from various state and national cable-TV operator associations - as well as rebuffing suggestions that conditions be placed on the reclassification surrounding cross, universal-service and access charges. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Duane Whittingham (N9SSN) - Producer Tom and Darryl Radio Shows & Saturday Morning Confusion Heard on C-Band Analog Satellite (W0KIE) - Telstar 6 Ch 1 - 6.2/6.8 WTND-LP Macomb 106.3, WQNA FM, WBCQ 7415 kHz & the Internet. Heard Fridays 9pm ET, Sundays 12am ET and Tuesdays 2am ET (Folk) An Independent Freeform Eclectic Radio Show. http://www.tomanddarryl.org http://www.wtnd.us Reply with a "Thank you" if you liked this post. _____________________________ MEDIANEWS mailing list medianews@twiar.org To unsubscribe send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
