IP: Bells attempt to control the Internet

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

>Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 05:22:45 -0400
>From: Gene Gaines <gene.gaines@gainesgroup.com>
>To: farber@cis.upenn.edu
>Subject: Bells attempt to control the Internet
>
>SOS: House Telecom Subcommittee Approves Bill Regulating VoIP Applications
>
>Need your Help to Defeat HR 1542 and Keep Internet Communications
>Regulation Free  ( http://pulver.com/hr1542 )
>
>
>Hi There,
>
>The "Tauzin-Dingell Broadband Bill" incorporates for the first time
>Internet applications and broadband in the legacy telecom regulatory
>framework. The bill will make it illegal to offer IP based voice services
>over the Internet and give the Bells hooks to kill off remaining broadband
>competitors.
>
>The US House of Representatives Telecommunications Subcommitte approved "HR
>1542" on Thursday, April 26th.  Mark-up by the full Commerce Committee is
>expected as early as Wednesday, May 2nd.
>
>The Internet has prospered precisely because applications remained beyond
>the reach of regulators.  The Bell companies have used regulatory means to
>build monopoly advantage in virtually all areas of telecommunications. The
>Bells have so far failed to monopolize Internet applications, such as:
>email, world wide web, VoIP, ecommerce, streaming, peer-to-peer networking,
>and others as yet unknown.
>
>The entire bill starting with its title "Internet Freedom and Broadband
>Deployment Act" is remarkably disingenuous.  The bill ends Internet
>freedom and removes any hope for broadband deployment.  Existing telecom
>regulations make no mention of the "Internet".  The bill which takes
>the form of amending existing regulations specifically uses the word
>"Internet" 50 times.  The Bell companies have served and continue to serve
>as the dominant obstacle to broadband deployment.  The Bells have
>longstanding efforts to protect their lucrative business selling 1970's T1
>technology from competition.    Bell efforts to deploy DSL appear only in
>areas where a competitor exists.  Their deployments slow, customer service
>degrades, and prices rise as soon as they weaken or kill off competition.
>
>The provisions of the bill include:
>
>- Incorporates Internet applications in framework established by
>   Telecom Act of 1934
>    - Defines for the first time meaning of term "Internet"
>    - Defines for the first time meaning of term "Internet Access"
>    - Defines for the first time meaning of broadband "High Speed Data
>      Service"
>
>- Makes voice applications of Internet illegal
>
>- Eliminates limitations on Bell entry into long distance data service
>   business
>
>- Eliminates requirements on Bells to resell broadband related services
>
>In other words, it removes all regulatory restraint on the Bell monopolies
>leaving no prospects for competition.  No matter how the Bells might want
>to spin the story, actions speak clearly that monopolies produce high
>prices for substandard services.   Long distance, wireless, and Internet
>access services have improved in quality with declining prices only to
>extent competition existed.  The Bell monopoly controlled local service
>has not improved even given increasing prices since the break up of AT&T
>in 1984.
>
>A year ago we rallied and as an industry and helped stop HR 1291.  We can
>do it again. WE MUST STOP HR 1542!
>
>Applications of the Internet should remain unregulated, with no exceptions
>for voice applications and services.
>
>Contact your representative in Congress via the switchboard
>at: +1.202.224.3121
>
>Please visit: ( http://www.house.gov ) and
>( http://www.house.gov/writerep ) to help you locate the name and email
>address of your Representative.
>
>Please let them know that:
>-  "The Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act" does neither!
>
>- If they open the door to regulating any Internet service,
>it will set a terrible precedent.
>
>- Using the Internet for voice communications is a good thing and should
>not be regulated or taxed. Consumers will be hurt and only the old
>monopoly telephone companies will benefit.
>
>- Internet voice services are used mostly by low income people for
>international communications, as a substitute for vastly inflated
>international long-distance calls.
>
>-This is a new source of privacy concerns, as companies pry apart traffic
>streams to determine what's "voice".
>
>Please feel free to forward this message to anybody that can help STOP HR
>1542!
>
>Please contact your local media outlets and inform them about HR 1542 and
>that passing it would be a mistake. In order to help stop HR 1542 in the
>House, we need to get as much Local and National attention focused on
>this issue as possible.
>
>[The above from Jeff Pulver <jeff@pulver.com>]
>
>
>Gene Gaines
>gene.gaines@gainesgroup.com
>Sterling, Virginia



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