High court agrees to hear dispute over cable Internet access

[Viva_La_Revolution]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court said Friday it would consider whether Internet providers should be allowed to sell their high-speed service over the cable television system.

Justices will hear two cases challenging a lower ruling forcing cable companies to open their lines to Internet competition. That October 2003 decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has been stayed pending the outcome of appeals.

At issue is whether cable-based broadband is a "telecommunications service" that makes it subject to the same FCC rules that phone companies must adhere to - such as allowing access to independent Internet providers.

more..http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=73136

This would mean I can cancel cable tv (boycott the evil!) and still have my cable internet. I wouldn't be able to handle anything slower...my god, remember 19baud!!

[The Doctor.]

1. WOW! - I can't wait!

I'm part of a company that let's me have my own customers and make monthly income from them.

It's the fastest growing and most dynamic company of it's kind and when cable gets de-regulated I'll make a FORTUNE!
(it's an open opportunity too.)

Provided bush doesn't tank our economy first.

[Axo1ot1]

2. cable internet

Very interesting news. I hope it results in prices going down :) Thanks for posting that, I had not heard of this before.

[keopeli]

3. If the court changes by Spring, I wonder what the outcome will be?

After all, it will soon be SCOTUS, Inc.

[rndmprsn]

4. interesting...

i hope the competition will drive prices down...i pay $42.99 a month now!

[papau]

5. 19 Baud - is before my time - 300 baud with step down to 30 was the

one I had in 1965.

[AnnInLa]

6. This is great news

I hate my cable company, rates for cable TV and internet go up every month. I just had to cancel my HBO to keep down costs. Will sure miss Bill Maher and Larry David!

[shanti]

7. you can cancel it now

can't you? you'll pay a premium tho. comcast offered my cable internet at a lower price IF i also took the cable teevee. i declined because i already have dish teevee. consequently, they jacked the price to 60 bucks a month (!)

i'm looking at other options tho.

[Blogd]

8. Sheesh, America Needs a National Internet Plan

Here in Japan, I just signed up for fiber optic (vDSL) service, nominally at 70 Mbps, though really netting about 30-40 Mbps. Common ADSL goes up to a nominal 50 Mbps. This is due to Japan having a plan, something called "e-Japan," a government program of incentives and subsidies to make sure everyone has access to real broadband. The US under Bush has no such plan--which is partly why my father, living in Silicon Valley, pays more for his 1.5 Mbps ADSL connection than I pay for the new F/O. My students here are shocked when I tell them they will probably have to deal with far slower connection speeds when they go to study in America...

[TahitiNut]

9. The cable infrastructure should be PUBLIC PROPERTY.

It's beyond insane that we continue to privatize the insane profiteering monopoly leveraging government powers of easements and eminent domain. The cable infrastructure should be publicly owned just like sewers and sidewalks, unless a homeowners' community chooses to build and own their own.

This works extraordinarily well in several communities in the U.S., most notably in Ashland, Oregon, where they have fiber optics to the curb.

[mike_c]

10. I have cable broadband but have NEVER had cable TV...

...at least not with my current provider (I haven't had cable TV in many years). It would be nice to see competition either drive the price down or improve the service, however.