-Caveat Lector- from - http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011213/tc/congress_broadband_dc_2.html
Thursday December 13 5:32 PM ET House Delays Vote on Broadband Until 2002 By Jeremy Pelofsky WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday dealt a blow to local telephone giants by delaying until next year a vote on a measure that would allow them to offer long-distance data services without first opening their networks to rivals. Dominant local telephone carriers like SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE:SBC - news) and BellSouth Corp. (NYSE:BLS - news) have been pushing the legislation for months arguing that the measure would accelerate the deployment of high-speed Internet service using digital subscriber line technology. ``The (House) leadership has decided to move the vote on the broadband bill to a date certain after we return next year,'' Richard Diamond, a spokesman for House Majority Leader Richard Armey, said in a statement. ``The likely date would be March.'' The so-called baby Bells created from the 1984 breakup of AT&T have been competing head-to-head against cable companies for lucrative high-speed Internet access customers. So far cable operators have been in the lead with 6.4 million subscribers compared to 3.1 million digital subscriber line customers. Both services cost about $50 per month. ``We are going to continue to work on this and continue to persevere,'' said Susan Butta, a spokeswoman for Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - news), the biggest local telephone carrier. ``We think it's very important to the country and it will ultimately bring additional choices for consumers.'' The bill specifically would allow telephone giants to sell long-distance data services without opening their networks to rivals as they must under the 1996 Telecommunications Act. Additionally, the so-called Bells could deploy data services using fiber without having to sell rivals pieces of the network for the provision of high-speed Internet service, known as broadband, as required for voice services. ``We can't declare victory on this issue but it's a definite setback for the Bells and their strategy and advancing their ability to drive out competitors,'' said Jim Cicconi, general counsel for AT&T Corp. (NYSE:T - news), the biggest U.S. long-distance telephone and cable company. The bill would also establish milestones for the Bells to deploy high-speed Internet service in hard-to-reach and rural areas. On Wednesday, Armey had tentatively scheduled for Friday a vote on the measure, which is sponsored by Reps. Billy Tauzin and John Dingell. There is stiff opposition to the bill in the Senate, raising questions about its chances of becoming law in its present form. ``This was simply a delay not a defeat,'' said Ken Johnson, a spokesman for Tauzin, a Louisiana Republican. ``We have a firm commitment for moving the bill to the House floor. We have the votes to pass it and we have the champagne ordered.'' One person familiar with the situation said the delay came after some in the Republican party expressed concern that a vote could shut off campaign contributions from various sources. However, Johnson said the delay was because lawmakers wanted to go home after a long week. Lobbying against the measure were long-distance telephone giants AT&T Corp. (T.N) and WorldCom Inc. (Nasdaq:WCOM - news)(Nasdaq:MCIT - news). Sen. Ernest Hollings, the South Carolina Democrat who chairs the powerful Senate Commerce Committee, has said he does not support the measure, opposition that makes slim the legislation's chances of becoming law. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
