IP: NY IPers -- PUBLIC MEETING: Fixing New York's DSL Problems, Monday, Feb. 5, 2001

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> For those of you in New York...
> ====================================================================================
>
> Silicon Alley Station and New Networks Institute presents:
>
>
> Infrastructure Held Hostage: Fixing New York's DSL Problems and How You
> Can Help.
>
>
> A critical public discussion marking the 5th anniversary of the
> Telecommunications Act
>
> DATE: Monday February 5th, 2001
> TIME:  6:30 - 8:30 PM
>
> LOCATION:
> The Canadian Consulate General
> 1251 Avenue of the Americas, NYC
> Concourse Level (between West 49th & 50th St)
>
> ADMISSION: FREE, RSVP requested rsvp () newnetworks com
>
>
> Have you or has your business been unfairly harmed in the process of
> getting DSL? Join us on Monday, February 5th and become part of the solution.
>
>
> The anecdotal evidence is overwhelming - broadband delivery has lagged
> well behind the tremendous demand. The Telecom Act was signed on February
> 8th, 1996 -- yet 5 years later getting a high-speed Internet connection
> can still be a painfully slow process. The physical phone networks have
> not been sufficiently opened up as mandated by the '96 Telecom Act, often
> making DSL installation such a tortuous process that nearly half of all
> DSL orders fail.
>
> So, whose infrastructure is it anyway?
>
> There is general agreement that Verizon/Bell Atlantic, the local phone
> monopoly that controls the infrastructure, (one of the original Baby
> Bells) has been less than cooperative in providing competitive DSL
> providers (Covad, Northpoint, Rhythms and others) and Internet Service
> Providers (ISPs) timely, accurate, and complete access to these
> facilities. Despite Federal fines and private litigation by DSL providers,
> Verizon/Bell Atlantic has frequently missed install appointments,
> erroneously disqualified locations and inadvertently disabled working 
circuits.
> The overall competitive environment for DSL has been severely wounded in
> the process, and the choices available to businesses and consumers have
> narrowed.
>
> This has had a serious negative impact to New York City's economic growth.
> From the collective damage done to those businesses that need broadband
> Internet connectivity in order to compete, to the entire health of Silicon
> Alley and New York's competitive technological development, solutions need
> to be implemented immediately.
>
> The evening's agenda includes:
> 1. Identify the biggest hurdles in getting  DSL
> 2. Discuss the flawed deregulatory enforcement between the FCC and Public
> Service Commission
> 3. Understand the economic harm of these problems
> 4. Present The Broadband Bill of Rights
> 5. Propose a complaint resolution process with appropriate agencies
>
> Join consumer advocates, DSL experts, competitive DSL companies, public
> officials, and other concerned DSL customers to create a framework to
> ensure our digital future is not delayed, denied or degraded.
>
> A PARTIAL LIST OF SPEAKERS
> Moderator: Bob Ponce, Silicon Alley Station
> Nick Braak, DSLReports.com
> Bruce Kushnick, New Networks Institute; Columnist, Boardwatch Magazine
> Joe Plotkin,  Bway.net; Board of Advisers, US Internet Service Provider
> Alliance (USISPA)
> Jason L. Solotaroff,  Stamell & Schager, LLP
> Other Speakers TBA
>
> SPONSORS:
> Silicon Alley Station, the "Voice of Silicon Alley", is an Internet news
> and information radio network at
> http://siliconalley.net serving the new media and convergent industry
> professional.
>
> New Networks Institute, (NNI) established in 1992, is a research and
> consulting firm focused on examining the critical telecom and broadband
> issues that impact customers and competitors. http://www.newnetworks.com
>
> CONTACT:
> Bruce Kushnick, New Networks Institute, 212-777-5418
> bruce () newnetworks com
> Joe Plotkin, Bway.net, 212-982-9800
> bwayjoe () bway net
>
> Can't make it but want to be updated? -- Send e-mail to 
action () newnetworks com 



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