IP: AOL Time Warner Files Unaffiliated ISP List wtih FTC

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

>-
>From: Steve Heins <steveh@NORTHNET.NET>
>Organization: NorthNet
>Subject:      AOL Time Warner Files Unaffiliated ISP List wtih FTC
>To: CYBERTELECOM-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM
>
>Is this the beginning of the end or just the ending of the local and
>regional ISP hopes
>for cable head-end access?
>
>To view the entire article got to
>http://www.washtech.com/news/telecom/10948-1.html
>
>FTC Receives ISP Nominees To Share AOL-TW's Network
>
>AOL Time Warner today asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to
>approve its three nominees for providing unaffiliated Internet access
>over the company's high-speed networks.
>
>In a filing with the FTC today, AOL Time Warner formally named Juno
>Online Services, Earthlink , and High Speed Access Corp. as the
>three independent Internet service providers (ISPs) who would offer
>Web access over its networks.
>
>In response to demands from consumer groups, ISP associations and
>cyberlaw expert Lawrence Lessig, the FTC last fall required shared
>access to Time Warner's cable network before it would approve the
>America Online-Time Warner merger. The activists argued that a
>merger would allow AOL Time Warner to dictate the content that
>flows over its cable systems by denying access to unaffiliated ISPs.
>
>While AOL Time Warner previously identified the three unaffiliated
>ISPs, the company had not formally asked the FTC to approve its
>choices.
>
>Consumer advocates have promised to challenge at least one of the
>the media and entertainment giant's picks. In June, Center for
>Digital Democracy Executive Director Jeffrey Chester asked the FTC
>to look into whether High Speed Access Corp. (HSA) qualifies as an
>unaffiliated ISP, as required by the consent decree.
>
>In a letter to Dale Hatfield, the FTC's trustee picked to monitor
>AOL Time Warner's compliance with the conditions set in the merger
>consent decree, Chester noted that HSA Corp. is one of the "wired
>world" companies part owned by billionaire Paul Allen, co-founder of
>Microsoft Corp.
>
>Allen owns Charter Communications, the nation's fourth-largest
>cable provider, and Vulcan Ventures, an investment company. Through
>Charter, Allen purchases a range of programming from AOL Time
>Warner.
>
>Due to Allen's existing business relationships with AOL Time
>Warner, Hatfield said, HSA Corp. could hardly qualify as an
>"unaffiliated" ISP.
>
>"Given the myriad of relationships between AOL-TW and Mr. Allen, I
>respectively ask that you conduct an investigation to determine
>whether HSA can effectively serve as an unaffiliated ISP and fulfill
>the terms and spirit of the FTC consent decree," Chester wrote.
>
>"It looks like we're going to have to file this thing after all,"
>Chester told Newsbytes today upon learning of AOL Time Warner's
>declaration.
>
>For more information on the FTC filing, visit:
><A
>HREF="http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/07/fyi0138.htm";>http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/07/fyi0138.htm
>
>Reported by Newsbytes, <A
>HREF="http://www.newsbytes.com";>http://www.newsbytes.com
>
>
>Copyright (c) 2001 by Post-Newsweek Tech Media Group, Inc. All Rights
>Reserved.



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