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To: Michael P. Michaud who wrote (10437)	6/5/1999 2:03:00 PM
From: E. Davies	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 29970

Why not?? The RBOCs have had to live with open access for years. The parallel between the MSO's and the RBOC's is often used without even considering the differences between the two situations. I could never attempt to tackle it from a regulatory perspective (where they are considered completely different), but only from a common sense one: The two most significant differences I can find between the two situations are: 1) The MSO's should be able to get a return on their investment. The MSO's are undergoing significant expense solely for the purpose of adding additional features beyond that which government has granted them monopoly. The copper wires that have mandated "equal access" are the same wires that the RBOC's have been profiting from as a regulated monopoly for many years. 2) The cable wires have a finite ability to be shared. Each copper wire that is used to connect to an alternate ISP does not effect the performance of the other wires to other ISP's. ATHM wants to provide a broadband quality service. What if AOL is happy with less quality (which they probably will be) and allows the lines to be more severely loaded? You can say AOL could get its own frequency, but add on 1000 other ISP's and the situation is impractical. "equal" access will have a tendancy to drive each ISP to be "equal" as well, the lowest common denominator. Socialism of the cable space. My opinion is that the MSO's would create the most "right" situation by agreeing to give up their exclusivity in providing television service. No government sponsored monopoly of any sort. The MSO freely shares its right of ways too. Of course noone will take them up on the offer. Eric