Phones Call Cable's Number

PHONES CALL CABLE'S NUMBER
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Jennifer Kerr]
For consumers who yearn to see their monthly cable TV bills shrink, phone companies say they have just the answer: more competition. They want Congress to make it easier for them to roll out video services that would compete with cable. The cable industry protests that such government assistance would create an unfair advantage for the phone companies and hurt consumers in poor communities. Both sides Wednesday took their arguments to Capitol Hill, where lawmakers are considering legislation to ease phone companies' entry into subscription video services. Consumer advocates pressed for more competition, but they also urged lawmakers to require phone companies to offer services to an entire franchise area. "There is no reason why they shouldn't be able to serve everyone in a community," said Gene Kimmelman, vice president of federal and international affairs at Consumers Union.
http://www.syracuse.com/news/poststandard/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1140083877219190.xml&coll=1

More coverage --
* Verizon, AT&T seek entry to TV markets
http://www.newsday.com/business/printedition/ny-bzvide164628534feb16,0,5944331.story?coll=ny-business-print

See commentary on the issue --

* Video Competition: Much Ado About Something
http://www.techliberation.com/archives/036776.php

* AT&T and Verizon CEOs Whine to Congress
http://www.consumerist.com/consumer/evil/att-and-verizon-ceos-whine-to-congress-155278.php

SAN RAMON WELCOMING AT&T PLAN LIVERMORE, WALNUT CREEK AREN'T
[SOURCE: Contra Costa Times, AUTHOR: Scott Marshall and Bonita Brewer]
San Ramon is moving to embrace a proposal by AT&T to introduce Internet Protocol Television service -- the same plan being resisted in Walnut Creek and Livermore.
Though Walnut Creek and Livermore have stopped similar proposals, San Ramon appears likely to authorize it. Project Lightspeed, which AT&T wants to begin introducing this year, would bring television to residential customers through DSL phone connections and super-high speed broadband. Instead of offering one-way video through a cable box, AT&T's service will enable customers to choose programs they want through two-way communication. The company says this would increase competition for television service, thereby benefiting consumers. AT&T says it does not need a cable franchise to do this because it is a regulated telephone company. Cable industry officials, meanwhile say AT&T's plan would create an unfair advantage for phone companies. Cable officials add that such "IPTV"-type service should be regulated under existing law to ensure it wouldn't hurt consumers in poor communities. San Ramon agrees with AT&T, and Tuesday night authorized City Attorney Byron Athan to draft a resolution supporting it.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/13881671.htm
* City likely to allow AT&T television
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/13885993.htm