|
|
NEWS
RECALLS
COMPLAINT FORM
SCAM ALERTS
RESOURCES
Small Claims Guide Class Actions Lemon Laws FAQ Newsletters |
Share |
| Automotive Education Employment Electronics Family Finance Health Homeowners Insurance Pets Shopping Travel |
|
|
|
![]() |
FCC Scraps Rules Protecting DSL CompetitionCable and Telephone Internet Providers Now Effectively Deregulated |
|||||||||||||
|
August 5, 2005
It did, but only after negotiations that stretched in the wee hour this morning. The four FCC commissioners expressed concern about consumers being denied a choice of DSL providers but agreed that DSL lines should be treated as an "information service" rather than as a telecommunications service. Telecommunications services are regulated; information services are not. The Supreme Court decision essentially held that cable TV was an information service. Today's decision means that Verizon, SBC, BellSouth and Qwest will have much greater clout in negotiating with the likes of Covad, Earthlink and others who provide DSL service over lines they lease from the telephone companies. Until now, the telephone companies have been required to lease space on their circuits at a discounted rate. In a nod to consumer choice, the commission required that existing agreements remain in effect for one year as a "transition period." The commissioners also agreed to study what kind of rules should be adopted in the future to protect consumers. Some consumer groups have argued that, once they are unregulated, the cable TV and telephone companies will be free to block customers' access to sites and services they consider competitive -- such as movies-on-demand offered by someone other than a cable company or Internet telephone service offered by someone other than a telephone company. Cable and telephone lobbyists said the idea was "ridiculous." Consumers would complain, they said. Report Your Experience
|
|||||||||||||
Back to the top | |
||||||||||||||
Advertisement
|
|
Custom Search
|
||||
|
AUTOMOTIVE Dealers Manufacturers Service Extended Warranties Lemon Laws Recalls Tires Transporters FAMILY Aging Children, Parenting Recalls Dating Education Entertainment Pets Weddings |
FINANCE Annuities Banks Credit Cards Debt Collection Debt Counseling Insurance Investing Loans Mortgages Payday Loans Student Loans Tax Prep HEALTH Doctors Drugs, Pharmacies Health Clubs Hearing Care Hospitals Nursing Homes Nutrition, Diets Vision Care Weight Loss |
HOUSE & HOME Appliances Cookware Furniture Home Improvements Lawn & Garden Movers Pools & Spas Realtors, Rental Agents Recalls Utilities ELECTRONICS Cable TV/DBS Cameras Cell Phones Computers Home Electronics Internet Access Local Phone Service Long Distance VoIP |
SHOPPING In-Home Online Retail Stores Sporting Goods Supermarkets Telemarketers TRAVEL Airlines Bus Lines Car Rental Cruises Hotels Travel Agents Trains RESOURCES Class Actions Complaint Form Small Claims Guide Lemon Laws |
CONSUMER NEWS Latest News Automotive Telecom Financial Health Homeowners Scams Seniors Travel More ... RECALLS Automotive Children's Products Drugs Food Household Products Sporting Goods ABOUT US FAQ Privacy Policy Advertise With Us Newsroom Syndication Terms of Use |
Terms of Use Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use
Copyright © 2003-2009 ConsumerAffairs.com Inc. All Rights Reserved. The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission. |
|