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FCC Considers Deregulation of DSL

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the open-market-for-the-birds dept.

Phlatline_ATL writes "In an article on ArsTechnica, they explore the FCC's current consideration to reclassify DSL as an information service and as such would no longer require the telcos to lease out their lines. This seems like it would effectively make the telcos the exclusive DSL broadband providers." From the article: " So after six months to a year it would be goodbye Earthlink and Speakeasy, hello SBC DSL monopoly (in the case of Chicago, where I live). So the telcos would get what they want, which is no competition while the consumers get screwed. But it's perfectly logical under the FCC's definition of broadband competition, where they want cable to compete with DSL--and hopefully IP over power lines and WiMax down the road."

2 of 414 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Benefits of this? YMMV. by garcia · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Would another company be allowed to build poles and run lines right next the current lines?

    McLeod has Fiber running 150 feet from my house along County Rd 46. I don't have access to those lines and they are likely sharing the "public space".

    So why are they being treated differently? If we are going to regulate/deregulate due to public space I want access to that Fiber.

  2. Re:I don't see what's wrong... by cbone00 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What is wrong is that the ILEC's (SBC, Verizon, etc) have had 100+ years as a protected monopoly to build their networks on the backs of their captive customer base.

    CLEC's and other DSL providers have had since the 1996 Telecom Act to try to build a business in the face of the 800 lb gorilla.

    It is silly to act like the ILEC's have been successful by building a business just like anyone else does. They haven't. They had the enormous advantage of being the only game in town for a long, long time.

    What we need is structural separation.
    Break each Babay Bell into two units.
    One being a regulated company that owns the outside plant. It would be required to sell access to everyone equally at requlated, cost-based rates.
    Take the switching and retail side of the company and put it into another, un-regulated unit. This company would buy loops from the regulated company just like every other CLEC does.

    Of course this is pie in the sky.
    The Baby Bell's have far too much lobbying power for this to ever happen.