Broadband Access Bulletin  #2

Florida, Iowa ISPs Join Leased Access Cause

by Paul Schneider [June 22, 1999]

The concept of "leased access" carriage of high-speed broadband Internet service continued to make news this week in the Spokane, Wash. market, where it originated. It emerged as an issue in two more cities as well.

While the Spokane Cable Advisory Board was making plans for a public hearing on the Wednesday, June 23, ISPs in Dubuque, Iowa and Pensacola, Fla. were assuming active roles within the upcoming FCC hearings.

In Dubuque, Midwest Communications, Inc. (MWCI) filed formal comments with the FCC, supporting a petition for declaratory ruling filed June 1 by Internet Ventures, Inc. At the same time, Pensacola-based dotSTAR said it is planning to file its own complaint with the FCC. Both MWCI and dotSTAR have applied for leased access carriage on local cable systems, without success. Midwest Communications has been unable to secure carriage on TCI of Iowa, while dotSTAR similarly has been unsuccessful with Cox Communications in Florida.

"If cable is not required to provide ISPs leased access," the MWCI petition reads, "many consumers, particularly those in rural areas and inner cities, will have to wait years for costly system upgrades before receiving broadband service. The leased access requested by the Petition can be used to deliver access to these communities now, and at a price comparable to other Internet access and cable television service."

The leased access cause received new life in Spokane, when the city's Cable Advisory Board voted recently to hold a public hearing to discuss a complaint by Internet On-Ramp (IOR), a local ISP, against TCI of Washington. The Spokane City Manager's office had denied action on the complaint, which sought the termination of TCI's franchise if it continued to refuse to grant "leased access." The Cable Advisory Board will hear testimony from the cable industry, from local ISPs and from the general public, before making a recommendation to the Spokane City Council. In addition, ISPs can send comments via e-mail to rzeller@cet.com.

"More and more, ISP's are becoming aware that this is a crusade that can benefit the entire industry," said Bob Bowman, president of IOR. "We need to let our local and Federal governments know that this issue affects more than 5,000 entrepreneurial businesses across the country."

Click here for more information on how to get involved.
Click here to read comments about the IVI petition.

Paul Schneider is public relations counsel for Internet Ventures, Inc.