The BATTLE is starting in many areas!
Open Access cable initiative arrives in Denver
DENVER, July 23 (Reuters) - The campaign to force cable television companies to open up their systems to competing Internet service providers spread to Denver, where 4,000 signatures were gathered to force the issue for a vote in November.
Organisers of the effort -- spearheaded by OpenNET, a coalition of Internet service providers, such as America Online Inc. (NYSE:AOL - news) and RMI.NET of Denver --, said they filed nearly twice as many signatures as needed to get the initiative on the ballot Nov. 2.
The campaign seeks voter approval to amend the 15-year cable franchise agreement reached between the City and County of Denver and AT&T (NYSE:T - news) Broadband and Internet Services, part of AT&T Corp., organisers said.
The move in Denver follows similar actions undertaken in Portland, Ore., and Broward County, Fla.
Cable providers in both those areas have filed federal lawsuits to overturn those local directives.
The issue of open access arose after cable companies began offering Internet connections over cable wires at speeds 50 to 100 times faster than ordinary connections over telephone lines.
The cable companies required customers wanting high-speed access to buy Internet services like e-mail and Web page hosting from a provider owned by the cable companies, like ExciteAtHome Corp.(Nasdaq:ATHM - news) or privately-held RoadRunner.
Customers could reach any Web site but must pay for the cable company's service provider even if they would prefer another provider like MindSpring Enterprises Inc.(Nasdaq:MSPG - news)
WE SPEND....WE DICTATE....
that's the way I see it...
They Spend....They bring choice to the market. Otherwise tough Sh*t.
Chris |
