telecommunications reform again

[an158409@anon.penet.fi (beacher)]

Telecom Legislative Effort Opens
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1995 JAN 12 (NB) -- The Herculean task rewriting
the nation's telecommunications law, an effort that failed in the 103rd
Congress, has begun in Washington.

The Senate Commerce Committee opened the action this week with a hearing on
general concepts of communications reform. The last time Congress
successfully addressed the communications needs of the nation was 50 years
ago, with the 1934 Communications Act.

The new Republican Congress is expected to support deregulation and
competition in the provision of telecommunications services. But so do most
Democrats, and the devil will be in the legislative details, as the various
forces in the marketplace seek to use legislative language to secure
competitive advantages.

Sen. Larry Pressler (R-SD), chairman of the committee, predicted that his
panel will report a bill by July 4. Rep. Jack Fields (R-Texas), who heads the
House telecommunications subcommittee, said his group will approve a bill by
Easter.

But neither legislator has yet to introduce a bill, so experts are unable to
predict where the inevitable fights will occur and on whose turf.

"Let's pick a starting date -- January 1, 1996 or 1997 -- and say,
'Gentleman, start your engines. We're going to have a race and let the best
man win,'" said Sen. Bob Packwood (R-Ore.) at the hearing.

As the opening bell was ringing in the Senate, Vice President Al Gore was
trying to gin up support for the administration's views on telecommunications
at a meeting of state regulators and local government officials.

"Competition in the information marketplace will provide Americans with lower
prices for their telephones, cable and information goods and services and
give them more and better choices," Gore said. The White House estimates that
competition in telecommunications will also create 1.4 million new jobs over
the next 10 years.

The contending forces were also getting organized. The seven regional Bell
operating companies announced that Gary McBee, former chairman of the United
States Telephone Association, will head their lobbying efforts in the new
Congress. The Baby Bells support opening all markets to immediate
competition.

"It's time to open all markets to all competitors, under the same conditions
and at the same time," McBee said. "That will mean lower prices, more choices
and better service for everyone." McBee's coalition will be called the
Alliance for Competitive Communications.

(Kennedy Maize/19950111/Press Contact: Bill McCloskey, ACA, 202-463-4129)


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