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FCC Seeks to Abandon Common Carrier for DSL
Posted by Ernest Miller on Friday, February 15 @ 10:37:13 EST OpenAccess
C|Net News carries a Reuters wirestory about an FCC proposal to lift restrictions on the offering of DSL service by local telephone monopolies (FCC proposal could lift regulations). The Center for Digital Democracy points out that the proposal would essentially eliminate competition in the broadband market (FCC Action Threatens Openness of Internet and Communications Networks). The FCC's press release claims that deregulation is necessary for deployment of broadband technology (FCC Launches Proceeding to Promote Widespread Deployment of High-Speed Broadband Internet Access Services). Interestingly, all four commissioners have separate comments regarding the proposal (Powell Abernathy Copps Martin). The Washtech.com section of the Washington Post also carries the story (FCC Proposes Broadband Rules). Interestingly, the article quotes cable-giant AOL as claiming that open access requirements increase broadband adoption — although this may simply be a case of misery loves company.

One of the major justifications for this move is to "level the playing field" between cable broadband and DSL which have two almost entirely separate regulatory schemes. Regulations tend to privilege cable in provision of broadband because cable companies do not have the same interconnection requirements as telephone companies. Of course, the real solution would be to recognize that there is decreasing difference between cable and telephone service and that the entire regulatory structure must be unified. However, since people seem attached to common carrier for telecommunications services, this would not result in support for Chairman Powell's desire to eliminate regulation.
 
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Related Links
· C|Net News
· Reuters
· FCC
· DSL
· FCC proposal could lift regulations
· Center for Digital Democracy
· FCC Action Threatens Openness of Internet and Communications Networks
· FCC Launches Proceeding to Promote Widespread Deployment of High-Speed Broadband Internet Access Services
· Powell
· Abernathy
· Copps
· Martin
· Washtech.com
· Washington Post
· FCC Proposes Broadband Rules
· AOL
· More about OpenAccess
· News by Ernest Miller


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