Barton Bill Would Establish Federal Franchising for Video

The House now has a telecommunications reform bill to kick around. House Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX), ranking member John Dingell (D-MI), Telecom Subcommittee Chairman Fred Upton, ranking Subcommittee member Ed Markey (D-Mass) and Rep. Pickering (R-Miss.) agreed on a "discussion draft" of a bill Wednesday and began distributing copies to members of the House Thursday. The bill would give federal regulators authority over video franchises for phone companies, require franchise fees of 5% of local revenue, discourage redlining services, and require E-911 for Internet telephony providers. The bill also creates the among "broadband Internet transmission service" (BITS) classification, which includes DSL, cable modem and other broadband services. BITS would be considered interstate services regulated by the federal government. But the bill preserves state and local authority to manage local rights-of-way in a nondiscriminatory way. The FCC would retain authority over spectrum licensing. BITS providers would be required to connect and exchange traffic with other telco carriers. A company that's a telecom carrier and a BITS provider would keep rights to access unbundled network elements and collocation under the Communications Act. Leaders vowed to move the bill to a vote on the floor of the House this year.
(Not available online)
Also see:
* Draft Bill Would Ease Franchising
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6257455.html?display=Breaking+News
(require subscription)
* Telecom Bill Would Streamline Franchises
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6257447?display=Breaking+News...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
* House Telecom Bill Features New Approach To Video Services
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-MKKR1126823799471.html
* Draft Legislation Aims To Aid Competition In Broadband Services
The House Energy and Commerce Committee draft is a victory for advocates of "net neutrality" -- the idea that Internet providers have to stand aside and allow customers to access any Web pages as long as the content is legal. The principle is considered crucial to preserving the open nature of the Internet and preventing big broadband providers from squeezing out smaller competitors that offer voice, video or other services.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/15/AR200509...
(requires registration)