Markey Unhappy with Dereg Bill
By Ted Hearn -- Multichannel News, 1/29/2001 1:21:00 PM
Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), a key lawmaker on cable and telecommunications policy, is concerned about legislation that would reduce regulatory burdens on high-speed-data services provided by phone companies.
In a Jan. 26 interview with the Boston Globe, Markey said such legislation would be 'tantamount to playing with economic fire.'
Markey was referring to a bill (H.R. 2420) sponsored by House Commerce Committee chairman Billy Tauzin (R-La.) and Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) that would allow the four Baby Bells to transmit data long distance before opening their local voice markets to competition. Other provisions, which experts have interpreted in different ways, would apparently not provide for open access to phone or cable facilities.
Tauzin and Dingell, who singed up a majority of the House as co-sponsors last year, are expected to push similar legislation this year.
In the interview, Markey said the Tauzin-Dingell approach 'would be a huge mistake' because it would 'create an environment where hundreds of entrepreneurial companies are told that they will not have an opportunity to reach the American consumer.'
The National Cable Television Association does not support reopening the Telecommunications Act of 1996 mainly because such a move would create instability in financial markets.
Markey could be a key player in the coming debate if he retains his seat as the ranking member on the Telecommunications Subcommittee. He is still weighing whether to leave that panel to become the top Democrat on the Resources Committee, a Markey aide said Monday.
No related content found.
Featured Company
-
Telestream
Telestream products are used by the world's leading media and entertainment companies and corporations for transcoding and workflow automation. Telestream helps customers transform their media for multiplatform distribution to web, mobile, DVD, cable VOD, podcast and broadcast pl..more
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
