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To: Stephen B. Temple who wrote (1853)	11/13/1998 6:28:00 AM
From: Stephen B. Temple	Respond to of 3178

Ameritech Urges FCC on Cable Access November 13, 1998 WASHINGTON - The Associated Press: Ameritech Corp. would like to offer television service over Tele-Communications Inc.'s cable TV lines after the cable giant completes a big merger with AT&T Corp. Ameritech's chairman Richard Notebaert told reporters Thursday that this could accelerate expansion of the phone company's cable TV business and could speed up bringing competition to cable customers, who have been faced with steeply rising rates. Ameritech is pressing the Federal Communications Commission to require TCI to give other companies access to its cable lines as a condition of winning approval for its merger. Other companies are also asking the FCC to make a merged AT&T-TCI provide access to those cable lines, as well as cable lines that have been upgraded to offer high-speed data service. But these companies have been more interested in those lines for offering competing Internet access, or, possibly, phone services. AT&T and TCI oppose government-mandated access to the merged companies' cable lines, which reach about one-third of the nation's homes. Ameritech, meanwhile, must provide AT&T and other potential local phone rivals access to its own lines so rivals may provide competing local phone service, Notebaert pointed out. Ameritech, which plans to merged into fellow Bell telephone company, SBC Communications Inc., currently operates cable TV networks serving 200,000 customers. Some Capitol Hill lawmakers are worried that Ameritech might get out of the cable TV business after its merger into SBC is completed _ assuming the merger wins regulatory approval. SBC, which used to be in the cable TV business, but dropped out of it after taking over Pacific Telesis. Notebaert wouldn't make a commitment that the merged company would stay in the cable business. ''It's a business proposition'' that hinges on how Ameritech's cable TV business performs, he said. On the cellular front, Notebaert said the merged company only has plans to divest itself _ as federal regulations require _ of one of the two overlapping cellular properties it would have in Chicago and in St. Louis. And, on the personal front, Notebaert wouldn't say whether he is committed to staying with the company after it merges. ''I haven't thought about anything after the merger,'' he said. Notebaert would have a position on the merged company's board of directors, but his role beyond that has not been decided. Separately, Notebaert urged the FCC to ''reinvent itself'' to reflect a dynamic telecommunications marketplace by focusing less on ''''micromanagement'''' and more on ''vigorous enforcement'' of existing regulations. ''I think they need to change culturally,'' he said, and get out of a ''1960s mentality,'' Questioned about the harsh words toward the agency he wants to do his bidding, Notebaert said his words were not intended as criticism. [Copyright 1998, Associated Press]