FCC Abandons Linesharing, Kills DSL Competition

raygundan writes "According to Reuters, the FCC today decided to greatly curtail the laws that force incumbent phone companies to share their lines with their competition at cost. This does not bode well for companies like Covad Communications who provide DSL using phone lines to bridge their data networks over the "last mile" to customers. The new rules do force line sharing as long as companies are willing to offer voice service, but this essentially states that if you are not already a phone company, you cannot offer DSL. The existing rules will be phased out over three years. There is still some hope, however, that a federal court might strike down the FCC ruling. Oddly, the news agencies seem to be reporting this as a minor change to the rules, rather than an end to all non-ILEC competition in DSL." The FCC's front page has links (luckily PDFs as well as Microsoft Word files) about the decision, including statements from each of the commissioners.

Comments

Re:Difficulties .. and Wireless

[fahrvergnugen]

This argument is tired and sad. I really good summation of the whole situation was posted here earlier this week.

What's so luckily about this?

[Leto2]

luckily PDFs as well as Microsoft Word files

I don't see why that is 'lucky', they're both closed source formats! No PDF viewer on my linux desktop!!! It's EVIL!

(luckily for me, I don't run a linux desktop, because it would impair my work too much, I just run Windows, with MS Word + Acrobat reader)

Re:Bigger problems with DSL

[/dev/trash]

This has kept me from moving! I would rather stay in my apartment where I have 1.2 megabit dsl, static routing, etc.,

What a sad life you must lead.