CABLE–City Analyst to Counsel Opening Cables to ISPs

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In a much-anticipated report, the city’s chief legislative analyst is expected this week to propose that local cable franchises open their fiber-optic lines to Internet service providers by 2002.

Rather than outlining strict unilateral guidelines, the proposal will likely call for some flexibility in negotiations with individual cable companies, sources familiar with a draft of the proposal said. The timeline for talks between the city and cable franchisees will coincide with negotiations to renew cable franchise contracts, which expire by late 2002.

Ron Deaton, chief legislative analyst for the L.A. City Council, is expected to officially present the proposal at a June 7 meeting of the Information Technology Committee.

Councilwoman Laura Chick had not seen the report as of late last week, but said aligning access negotiations with contract renewal talks makes sense.

“We have been talking in committee fairly openly about looking at refranchising as a potential opportunity for reaching our goal, which is access for as many people as possible, as quickly as possible,” Chick said. “I’m absolutely expecting a conversation about that. But it’s not only when, it’s how.”

The “how” will surely be a point of contention in upcoming access debates.

Proponents of opening cable lines to Internet service providers, who call the issue “open access,” often favor strict legislation to compel cable companies to share their high-speed broadband lines, which they’ve spent millions installing. Opponents of opening cable lines, who call such a move “forced access,” claim that technological advances are so rapid these days that legislation regulating access may be obsolete by the time the law goes into effect.

“The Internet is an evolving technology. The market is going to dictate (access),” said Howard Sunkin, a lobbyist with Cerrell Associates, whose clients include AT & T; Corp. “The best thing the city of Los Angeles can do is watch how the industry evolves.”

By ultimately opening access to cable lines, the city of L.A. would be following similar decisions by other local cities.

The West Hollywood City Council voted in December to make access to cable lines a negotiating point during the city’s talks this year on renewing its agreement with Adelphia Communications Corp.

The final version of Deaton’s proposal was still being hammered as out late last week. Deaton was unavailable for comment.

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