Court hears arguments in FCC cable Internet case

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Monty Solomon <monty () roscom com>
Date: Fri, 9 May 2003 02:08:42 -0400
To: undisclosed-recipient:;
Subject: Court hears arguments in FCC cable Internet case


     Court hears arguments in FCC cable Internet case
     - May 8, 2003 08:49 PM (Reuters)

By Reed Stevenson

SEATTLE, May 8 (Reuters) - A panel of federal judges
grilled regulators on Thursday over the Federal Communications
Commission's year-old decision to insulate high-speed cable
Internet service from extensive regulation, a policy being
challenged by industry rivals and public interest groups.

FCC lawyers and representatives for Verizon Communications
Inc. (NYSE:VZ), EarthLink Inc. (NASDAQ:ELNK) and public groups squared
off in a federal appeals court to present final arguments over
a case that could determine whether broadband cable providers
will have to open up their high-speed Internet pipelines to
rivals.

Court participants said they expected a ruling in months.

At stake is a March 2002 FCC decision to declare
cable-modem Web access as an "information service," shielding
operators like Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ:CMCSK) and AOL Time Warner Inc.
(NYSE:AOL) from having to open up their systems to rivals seeking
to offer competing Internet services.

Smaller Internet services providers, public interest groups
and telephone companies facing stricter regulations went to
court in the same month last year to challenge the FCC, which
resulted in the Seattle hearing in the 9th Circuit Court of
Appeals.

...

     - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=34132581


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