OPPS: AT&T/BELLSOUTH FORGETS NET NEUTRALITY
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
AT&T-BellSouth has filed a new version of its proposed merger
conditions with the FCC. The conditions were made public late Friday
(Oct. 13) after commission Democrats asked them to be put out for
public comment, effectively blocking a vote on the merger at least
until that is done. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin agreed on a 10-day
comment period and has rescheduled a vote for Nov. 3. In its revised
filing, AT&T/BellSouth pointed to a typo in the original and to a key
omission: a "potential merger condition on network neutrality." That
omitted condition would be that, for 30 months from the closing of
the deal, "AT&T/BellSouth will conduct business in a manner that
comports with the principles set forth in the FCC's" Network
Neutrality policy statement of Sept 23, 2005. That statement outlined
a new framework for broadband Internet access in the wake of its two
decisions that summer that cable and telephone companies do not have
to make their networks available to unaffiliated Internet Service
Providers. At the same time, it spelled out antidiscrimination
principles it expected them to follow, or else.



let's see now, we'll give you net nuetrality for 30 months and then kiss it goodbye. sounds fair to me and very democratic!! unreal!!!!!