IP: AOL Time Warner Files Unaffiliated ISP List wtih FTC

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> -
> From: Steve Heins <steveh () NORTHNET NET>
> Organization: NorthNet
> Subject:      AOL Time Warner Files Unaffiliated ISP List wtih FTC
> To: CYBERTELECOM-L () LISTSERV AOL COM
>
> Is this the beginning of the end or just the ending of the local and
> regional ISP hopes
> for cable head-end access?
>
> To view the entire article got to
> http://www.washtech.com/news/telecom/10948-1.html
>
> FTC Receives ISP Nominees To Share AOL-TW's Network
>
> AOL Time Warner today asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to
> approve its three nominees for providing unaffiliated Internet access
> over the company's high-speed networks.
>
> In a filing with the FTC today, AOL Time Warner formally named Juno
> Online Services, Earthlink , and High Speed Access Corp. as the
> three independent Internet service providers (ISPs) who would offer
> Web access over its networks.
>
> In response to demands from consumer groups, ISP associations and
> cyberlaw expert Lawrence Lessig, the FTC last fall required shared
> access to Time Warner's cable network before it would approve the
> America Online-Time Warner merger. The activists argued that a
> merger would allow AOL Time Warner to dictate the content that
> flows over its cable systems by denying access to unaffiliated ISPs.
>
> While AOL Time Warner previously identified the three unaffiliated
> ISPs, the company had not formally asked the FTC to approve its
> choices.
>
> Consumer advocates have promised to challenge at least one of the
> the media and entertainment giant's picks. In June, Center for
> Digital Democracy Executive Director Jeffrey Chester asked the FTC
> to look into whether High Speed Access Corp. (HSA) qualifies as an
> unaffiliated ISP, as required by the consent decree.
>
> In a letter to Dale Hatfield, the FTC's trustee picked to monitor
> AOL Time Warner's compliance with the conditions set in the merger
> consent decree, Chester noted that HSA Corp. is one of the "wired
> world" companies part owned by billionaire Paul Allen, co-founder of
> Microsoft Corp.
>
> Allen owns Charter Communications, the nation's fourth-largest
> cable provider, and Vulcan Ventures, an investment company. Through
> Charter, Allen purchases a range of programming from AOL Time
> Warner.
>
> Due to Allen's existing business relationships with AOL Time
> Warner, Hatfield said, HSA Corp. could hardly qualify as an
> "unaffiliated" ISP.
>
> "Given the myriad of relationships between AOL-TW and Mr. Allen, I
> respectively ask that you conduct an investigation to determine
> whether HSA can effectively serve as an unaffiliated ISP and fulfill
> the terms and spirit of the FTC consent decree," Chester wrote.
>
> "It looks like we're going to have to file this thing after all,"
> Chester told Newsbytes today upon learning of AOL Time Warner's
> declaration.
>
> For more information on the FTC filing, visit:
> <A
> HREF="http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/07/fyi0138.htm";>http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/07/fyi0138.htm
>
> Reported by Newsbytes, <A
> HREF="http://www.newsbytes.com";>http://www.newsbytes.com
>
>
> Copyright (c) 2001 by Post-Newsweek Tech Media Group, Inc. All Rights
> Reserved.



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