Cable Choice and Competition Act

[John Francini]

At 0:10 -0500 6/6/07, A. Joseph Ross wrote:
>I've just got a mailing from "Consumers for Tech Choice" promoting
>the "Massachusetts Cable Choice and Competition Act."  They don't
>really say what the Act is, and their Website isn't very specific
>either.  For all I know this is some industry group trying to abolish
>all regulation.  Or maybe it really is an organization trying to
>eliminate "obsolete restrictions" on cable service.  Does anyone have
>any idea what this really is?
>
>--
>A. Joseph Ross, J.D.                           617.367.0468
>  92 State Street	                                  Fax 617.507.7856
>Boston, MA 02109          	         http://www.attorneyross.com

I believe that it is a law that, if passed, would remove the cities' 
and towns' right to award cable franchises to one company (or two, in 
the areas where both Comcast and RCN both have them).

This is an issue because Verizon wants to get FIOS into more areas, 
but many towns are requiring them to go through the same process the 
cable companies do to get a franchise.  This is delaying FIOS rollout 
significantly, apparently.

Verizon would MUCH rather deal with a single state-wide protocol 
and/or authority to get permission to build-out FIOS than being 
required to deal with 351 different authorizing bodies.

John
-- 
John Francini, francini@mac.com

"The journey is more important than the destination -- that's part of life.
If you only live for getting to the end, you're almost always disappointed."
                               -- Donald Knuth