Oops: AT&T/BellSouth Forgets Net Neutrality

OPPS: AT&T/BELLSOUTH FORGETS NET NEUTRALITY
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
AT&T-BellSouth has filed a new version of its proposed merger conditions with the FCC. The conditions were made public late Friday (Oct. 13) after commission Democrats asked them to be put out for public comment, effectively blocking a vote on the merger at least until that is done. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin agreed on a 10-day comment period and has rescheduled a vote for Nov. 3. In its revised filing, AT&T/BellSouth pointed to a typo in the original and to a key omission: a "potential merger condition on network neutrality." That omitted condition would be that, for 30 months from the closing of the deal, "AT&T/BellSouth will conduct business in a manner that comports with the principles set forth in the FCC's" Network Neutrality policy statement of Sept 23, 2005. That statement outlined a new framework for broadband Internet access in the wake of its two decisions that summer that cable and telephone companies do not have to make their networks available to unaffiliated Internet Service Providers. At the same time, it spelled out antidiscrimination principles it expected them to follow, or else.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6381586?display=Breaking+News

* Revised AT&T filing
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-267905A1.pdf

* AT&T Says It Will Embrace 'Net Neutrality'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/16/AR2006101601133.html

* AT&T’s “30-Month” Net Neutrality Merger Trade-in Offer: What a Joke!
"The offer illustrates how unethical and cynical the top executives are at Ma(d) Bell."
http://www.democraticmedia.org/jcblog/?p=123