Providing Broadband and Choice to People all Across America

[SOURCE: The Hill 10/20, AUTHOR: Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)]
[Commentary] Ten years ago, as we debated and shaped the 1996 Telecommunications Act, it was important that any new laws advanced three core principles: competition, broadband deployment and universal service. Now, with the vast technology and industry changes over the past decade, we find ourselves on the verge of another telecommunications rewrite. And as we work on these efforts we must remember that while the technology may have changed these timeless principles should still govern our debate and be a part of the laws we ultimately pass. One way to advance competition and broadband deployment is to pass the Video Choice Act of 2005, which Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) and I introduced. This bill would be beneficial for consumers because it would spur competition and deliver broadband deployment by encouraging traditional telephone companies to offer the bundle of Internet, video and telephone services consumers are demanding. Sen. Smith and I have crafted a narrowly tailored bill that will promote the entry of new competitors into the video marketplace and foster an exponential growth in advanced broadband networks. This competition will translate into lower prices and better technology for American consumers. These are principles that we should live by.
http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/102005/ssrockef...