IP Democracy: Verizon Exec Blasts Telco Reform Bill

Verizon is not too happy with the draft telecom reform legislation introduced last week by leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. According to this piece by Drew Clark in the National Journal’s Tech Daily, Verizon’s chief lobbyist, Tom Tauke, himself a former member of Congress and long-standing leader on the Committee, said during a luncheon speech hosted by the Progress and Freedom Foundation that the bill’s definition of broadband video services doesn’t give Verizon the regulatory relief it needs.

The bill requires “broadband video services” to be integrated with traditional Internet services, a mode of transmission that does not apply to how Verizon is currently offering both Internet and video services. The draft legislation “really does threaten to deny consumers many of the benefits that today’s technology can deliver” Tauke said.

He also takes issue with the section of the bill on system build-outs. Actually, there is no section there yet — the draft simply says “build out - to be determined.” Tauke said “the good news is that nothing is in there. The bad news is that someone believes there should be something there.”

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on September 22, 2005 7:08 AM to IP Democracy