New bill challenges Tauzin-Dingell

(Telephony) In response to last week’s House subcommittee approval of the Tauzin-Dingell bill, a pair of related bills were introduced yesterday that would prohibit RBOCs from entering broadband long-distance markets without meeting Telecom Act requirements.

The Tauzin-Dingell bill – co-sponsored by Reps. William Tauzin (R-La.) and John Dingell (D-Mich.) – would deregulate high-speed data and Internet services, allowing RBOCs to enter long-distance voice and data markets before receiving Section 271 approval.

The more CLEC-friendly legislation – brought forth by Reps. Chris Cannon (R-Utah) and John Conyers (D-Mich.) – would tighten long-distance entry controls for RBOCs and increase fines for failing to open their networks to competition.

“Today we unleash the spirit of competition in all forms of telecommunications services,” said Cannon at a press conference introducing the bills. “Our legislation will help establish a more level playing field for faster deployment of broadband across the country.”

The Conyers-Cannon bills differ markedly from the Tauzin-Dingell legislation they are designed to upend. In addition to slowing long-distance entry and increasing fines for the RBOCs, broadband competitors could connect DSL-related equipment to RBOC networks in areas where the incumbents hold more than 85% of the local phone market.

The RBOCs currently hold about 97% of the local residential markets, and the Tauzin-Dingell proposal absolves RBOCs from any interconnection obligations with respect to DSL.

CLECs and pro-competition interest groups such as Covad Communications, Sprint, Voices for Choices and the United States Internet Service Providers Alliance (USISPA) heralded the bills’ introduction.

“We are greatly relieved to know that there are members of Congress out there who still care about competition,” said USISPA advisory board chairman Dave Robertson.

Troubled independent DSL-provider Covad also praised Cannon and Conyers’ legislative efforts.

“The telecommunications industry, the American economy and consumers are better off with enforcement of the Telecommunications Act, and these bills allow the promise of the Act to be realized,” said Dhruv Khanna, Covad co-founder, general counsel and executive vice president in a prepared statement.