Conferees agree to revamp laws on communication; retreat by Republicans; administration praises move - final vote on measure is likely by weekend
Article Abstract:
The House-Senate committee has delivered a final version of the telecommunications bill after Republicans yielded to Democrats on a variety of topics. The bill will probably be passed by Congress before Dec 23, 1995 and will become law since the Clinton Administration, which had threatened to veto the bill, now strongly supports it. The most important and unanticipated resolution concerned the entry of local-telephone companies into the long-distance market and the entry of long-distance carriers into the local market. The bill now states that the Justice Department will have some role in determining when a local carrier can enter the long-distance market. The long-distance carriers also gained a few technical provisions that will give them an initial edge over local companies when offering both local and long-distance service. Other provisions include limits on the number of communications media a single company may own.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1995
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Senate Republicans propose shift in telecommunications
Article Abstract:
Senate Republicans are preparing a telecommunications bill that would drastically de-regulate the local telephone, cable TV and long-distance telephone industries by allowing open competition after a specific date. The bill, which is still being formulated, would eliminate restrictions on the number of television and radio station that can be owned by one company; end all price controls on cable television after one year; allow regional Bell companies to entire the cable market after three years; and allow telephone and cable operators to merge. Under the bill, regional Bells would also be allowed to enter the long-distance telephone market and manufacture equipment. Senate Republicans believe that technological advances have made competition between markets possible. Senate Democrats are not as enthusiastic about the new bill.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1995
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