IP: More on Unbundling..Unraveling AT&T/TCI Deal?

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

From: "Vadasz, Les" <lvadasz () intel com>
To: "'farber () cis upenn edu'" <farber () cis upenn edu>

Dave, 

I am sure you know me as a peron who believes in market forces, and someone
who believes in competition. So, you maybe surprised that I am advocating
that the FCC should leave TCI alone and not try to unbundle its service.
Investment ought to flow into the cable infrastructure, based on those that
invest believe that they can reap the benefit of that investment.

Maybe this will encourage alternate transports - like DSL -  to develop and
sieze the business oppportunity created by cable's success. After all, we
must get to the point where we have facilities based competition. This maybe
the best way to get there.

Les

-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Farber [mailto:farber () cis upenn edu]
Sent: Monday, November 16, 1998 2:08 PM
To: ip-sub-1 () majordomo pobox com
Subject: IP: Unbundling..Unraveling AT&T/TCI Deal?


Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1998 15:36:27 -0500
From: Craig Birkmaier <craig () pcube com>

Sender: owner-opendtv () pcube com

On November 9th, in response to the thread:
RE: Move Over WebTV - here comes AOL TV
Jim Burger provided some interesting analysis of a new battle that is
brewing between Cable and Internet Portal services like AOL over access to
their networks. Seems that the deal makers are still trying to figure out
how to keep customers locked up via gatekeeper services...

What would happen if the toll gates were torn down by the FCC? The
following news story says volumes!

Regards
Craig

AT&T says Internet unbundling jeopardizes TCI merger
November 16, 1998 12:53pm<
Reuters

WASHINGTON, Nov 16 (Reuters) - AT&T Corp. on Monday
said if regulators required the company to separate offerings
of high-speed cable Internet access and Internet services its
$48 billion merger with Tele-Communications Inc. would be
"severely jeopardized."

Long distance giant AT&T made the comment in a filing with
the Federal Communications Commission as a reply to calls from
online service providers, including America Online and
MindSpring Enterprises Inc. and consumer groups for
such a requirement.

http://www.zdii.com/industry_list.asp?mode=news&doc_id=RTWAT0062903714&pic=Y



_____________________________________________________________________
David Farber         
The Alfred Fitler Moore Professor of Telecommunication Systems
University of Pennsylvania 
Home Page: http://www.cis.upenn.edu/~farber     

_____________________________________________________________________
David Farber         
The Alfred Fitler Moore Professor of Telecommunication Systems
University of Pennsylvania 
Home Page: http://www.cis.upenn.edu/~farber