Good article: New High Speed Access Coalition Formed to Ensure Affordable Data Services for the Home Market; HiSAC Will Advocate for Competition in the Last Telecommunications Monopoly
December 10, 1998
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)Formation of the
High Speed Access Coalition (HiSAC) as an
advocate for competition in providing data
services to the home market was announced
today.
The new coalition also announced the
appointment of David Wilson as executive
director and general counsel. HiSAC's mission
is to eliminate the last remaining
telecommunications monopoly -- the delivery
of high-speed data services to homes.
"Millions of Americans want affordable high
speed Internet access for their home, but
they're being held hostage by the Baby Bell
companies that are trying to preserve their
monopoly control over data services for the
residential market," said Wilson.
HiSAC is an advocacy group acting on behalf
of households, home/office businesses and
telecommuters who now have only one
company -- their local Baby Bell -- to get
high-speed data services such as DSL
(Digital Subscriber Line).
The Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) and the California Public Utilities
Commission (PUC) are now considering
whether Baby Bell companies must offer new
DSL companies equal access to the local
phone networks. Unfortunately, one or both
commissions may make a hurried decision on
the issue without adequate input from public
interest and consumer groups that are trying
to prevent the Baby Bells from establishing a
new monopoly.
"This is about monopoly power over the 'last
mile of copper' for home access to
high-speed Internet service," Wilson said.
"Consumers have their choice of several long
distance carriers and mobile phone services,
but they still have only one choice when it
comes to DSL service. The FCC and California
PUC must avoid a rush to judgement until
consumers have had a fair opportunity to
make their opinions heard."
DSL is a new technology that gives
consumers the same high-speed data
capacity that businesses now have. DSL
technology also makes it possible to connect
to the Internet over the same phone line
that carries a home's existing telephone
service. This breakthrough feature, known as
"line sharing," allows homes to add DSL
service without installing and paying for
another phone line.
DSL service is now being offered to
households on a limited basis by several
regional Baby Bell companies such as U.S.
West and SBC. Even though their DSL
service is no faster or better, these Baby Bell
companies are charging monthly rates at
least 100 percent higher than what new
Internet companies will charge.
Line Sharing Will Create Competition
While the newer companies offering DSL
service are asking the Baby Bells to share
local phone lines, Baby Bells and other large
companies, known as Independent Local
Exchange Carriers (ILECs), are trying to
prevent competitive access.
In many cases, ILECs insist that the newer
companies (known as Competitive Local
Exchange Carriers, or CLECs) provide both
voice and data service, a tactic that
unnecessarily raises the price that
consumers would have to pay. The tactic
has forced many of the original CLECs to
focus on providing DSL and telephone service
to the corporate market, where competition
is more open.
"If consumers are ever going to receive the
cost benefits that competition brings, the
federal government and states need to open
up local phone lines to innovation and spur
competition," said Wilson.
HiSAC is advocating freedom of choice for
consumers, allowing multiple companies to
compete for the privilege of providing data
services to the home without forcing them to
also provide traditional phone service. "Just
as consumers don't have to switch phone
companies when selecting a long distance
carrier, they should be able to select a data
service company that is different than the
company that provides their voice service,"
added Wilson.
Ending the "World Wide Wait"
Residential DSL service is an alternative
technology that is up to 10-20 times faster
than 56 Kbps modem-based Internet access.
It should not be confused with Internet
access offered by some cable television
companies.
"Although each company would establish its
own rates, HiSAC projections show that
proposed rates are considerably lower than
cable access or DSL access through existing
local phone companies," Wilson said.
Anyone who is tired of the "World Wide Wait"
would benefit by the availability of
high-speed access to the Internet.
"Telecommuters, home-based businesses,
students and others interested in finding
information and putting their time to the best
use possible are candidates for a high speed
connection," said Wilson.
HiSAC's newly appointed executive director,
David Wilson, is also a partner in the San
Francisco law firm of Young, Vogl, Harlick,
Wilson & Simpson, LLP, specializing in
telecommunications and energy clients.
Wilson received his Juris Doctor degree from
the University of California at Berkeley and
his undergraduate degree from Georgetown
University. He has successfully represented
clients in legal proceedings involving
telephone companies in several states,
including California, Hawaii, Nebraska, New
Mexico, Oregon and Texas.
The High Speed Access Coalition (HiSAC)
was founded by companies and individuals
interested in ensuring that American
households benefit from the same
competition and choice of service that large
corporations have with high-speed Internet
connections.
CONTACT: HiSAC | David Wilson,
415/291-1970 | dmw@bizlaw.com | or |
Simon/McGarry Public Relations | Michael
Adler, 650/596-5877 |
madler@shandwick.com
[Copyright 1998, Business Wire] |
