November 21, 2008
Telcos will drop more money in DC next year
Lobbyists and rank and file house members rejoice, the telcos will be spreading the wealth inside the capitol next year. A lot of noise will be made about what will be done to them, but in the end there is still a vote, and the telcos will buy the votes needed to keep things the way that they are.
It will be entertaining though. Henry Waxman, the unrivaled master of holding hearings that do little more than dominate airtime on Cspan will be pointing his nostrils towards the twisted pair when his reach is extended next year. There will be a lot of talking, a lot of money spent, and nothing will change in the end. I’ll be around to tell you we told you so when it happens.
Yesterday Rep. Henry Waxman ascended to the head of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce — which you may remember for its investigation into how web firms use consumer data — and convened two hearings into online privacy.
As the head of that committee, Waxman has considerable influence over its agenda. The Wall Street Journal speculates that Waxman will delegate many telecommunications issues to Rep. Ed Markey, of Massachusetts, who has already pushed for a Net Neutrality bill, and has a fondness for consumer issues. (GigaOm)
By the way, if your interested in fixing the duopoly problem, it’s time to think local. More on that in a future post.
Filed under Legislation / Regulation by admin
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Comments on Telcos will drop more money in DC next year »
More money to avoid being fair? How about obeying and playing by the rules? I know for a company as large as Verizon or AT&T it is hard. Judge Green made the right choice and they are once again allowed full control. Read what they can do and avoid. A sdmall story which is every word true.
Just a quick note. I am hoping that soon the FCC will render a positive decision on this NST Rate compliance rule/law. I myself was a IPP who was left with no choice other than to sell my business because the RBOC’S never complied. Unfairly they even went so far as to offer $500.00 sign up bonus’s to many of my store keepers for removal of each of my phone/s and replacement of theirs. I was unable to compete for my rates restricted me to a commission that were very fair while unable to allow me the profit structure to give bonus’s. If their rates had been NST compliant as the law required I would still be in business till this day. I serviced many areas that before the private industry came about the bells would not touch. But having access to my billing records enabled them to see what type of revenue was possible. They asked the FCC for an extension so they could collect this very lucrative D.A. revenue and allow us to have rates that enabled us to be competitive. This never happened in most of the country while they collected this revenue and our rates stayed the same. The BOC ( Verizon ) in NY in Jan of 2005 only after a procedural hearing had a NST Rate that was Compliant. In their order they clearly ask for a forty five day extension in which they would file new rates along with proof of compliance or issue refund/s or credit until such time as they were NST Rate Compliant. But with their power and control this issue has gone unresolved for nearly twelve years. I truly believe they have been able to do so because they have the power and resources to resist. I am sure that you have read recent decisions by the Appellate courts that have remanded this back to the FCC for decision. I along with many others have been denied the opportunity to grow and operate my business for their failure to comply. While they in fact have collected 100’s of millions of dollars yearly because the FCC granted them an extension that allowed them these unjust revenues. Please I know that there are many pending issue’s before you, but this needs to be resolved in a timely fashion. Many that were put out of business would be able to possibly use these funds for other business opportunities. Thank you for listening and reading my dilemma. I have followed what has been going on at and in the FCC so I know the huge task at hand. I do believe that you are a fair man and will not allow this injustice to go on any longer. Please review this and send a positive message to owners such as myself that justice will prevail. Waiting twelve years for them to comply with the law after they asked for and extension is sinful.