FCC EASES SOME BROADBAND RULES ON AT&T
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Peter Kaplan]
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted late on Thursday to lift some
regulations on AT&T's broadband business. A divided FCC partially granted
AT&T's request to relax rules that govern what the company can charge business
customers and rivals for access to some of the its high-speed Internet lines.
The FCC action will eliminate a key requirement that AT&T file tariffs with the
agency disclosing the rates it charges businesses and rivals for high-speed
access. However, Commissioner Robert McDowell said the agency had left other
key regulations in place and created a new process for handling complaints
about the rates AT&T charges for access. The decision came shortly before a
midnight deadline to act on AT&T's request. While the three Republicans on the
commission voted in favor of it, the two Democratic commissioners dissented.
Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein, said there was not enough
evidence of competition to support AT&T's request. To the contrary, they cited
indications that the market for high-speed access was "anything but
competitive." David Kaut, an analyst with Stifel Nicolaus, said removing the
tariff rules would give AT&T a leg up in negotiations with rivals and business
customers seeking to lease access.
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN1140974620071012
* FCC Grants AT&T Forbearance: http://www.fcc.gov/101207/FCC-07-180A1.pdf
* FCC Chairman Martin:
http://www.fcc.gov/101207/FCC-07-180A2.pdf
* Copps & Adelstein Joint Statement:
http://www.fcc.gov/101207/FCC-07-180A3.pdf
* Tate Statement:
http://www.fcc.gov/101207/FCC-07-180A4.pdf
* McDowell Statement:
http://www.fcc.gov/101207/FCC-07-180A5.pdf
---------------------------------------------------------------
WWWhatsup NYC
http://pinstand.com - http://punkcast.com
---------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
Discuss mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.isoc-ny.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
