[Latest draft of Internet regulation bill]

Fri Nov 11 14:17:03 UTC 2005

On Nov 10, 2005, at 5:56 PM, bmanning at vacation.karoshi.com wrote:

>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: Brett Glass <brett at lariat.org>
> Date: November 9, 2005 10:43:40 AM EST
>
> Here's the latest draft of the Internet
> regulation bill, dated November 3rd. Note that, like earlier
> versions, it subjects all ISPs and VoIP providers to intensive
> Federal regulation and requires them to register before providing
> service. It also pre-empts state and local control over rights of
> way. For the draft text, see
>
> http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/news/11032005_Broadband.pdf
>
> --Brett Glass

FYI, /. or (as Robert quotes "News for Goobers") <grin> has the text  
of Vint's letter regarding this issue.  Note that Vint seems less  
than enthused about the Bill (although it is not clear he is talking  
about the exact same Bill).

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/11/10/2351249&from=rss

Did anyone else read the part about giving every provider access to  
the rights of way?  Woohoo!  I am going to bury some fiber now.  I  
suspect the section regarding nondiscriminatory access could have  
been worded better.  Half the text is repeated.  Are they paid by the  
word you think?

-----snip-----
(a) NONDISCRIMINATORY ACCESS.—A utility shall
provide a BITS provider, BIT provider, or broadband
video service provider with rates, terms, and conditions for
access to any pole, duct, conduit, or right-of-way owned
or controlled by such utility that are nondiscriminatory as
compared to the rates, terms, and conditions for such ac-
cess provided to any telecommunications carrier, cable op-
erator, or other BITS provider, BIT provider, or
broadband video service provider. A BITS provider, BIT
provider, or broadband video service provider shall provide
a cable television system, a telecommunications carrier, or
any other BITS provider, BIT provider, or broadband
video service provider with rates, terms, and conditions for
access to any pole, duct, conduit, or right-of-way owned
or controlled by that provider that are nondiscriminatory
as compared to the rates, terms, and conditions for such
access provided to any telecommunications carrier, cable
operator, or other BITS provider, BIT provider, or
broadband video service provider.

----end snip-----