07-25-1994 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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action alert dcutivc Directors Representative y to approve H.R. 3636 pared to support private industry ’s jnnation superhighway) while 0 regulate cable companies or sep/ices. By a vote of 431 -4 isola Congressional Delegation), the tion among telecommunications ic competition; local phone facilities and wires; jtcir own services areas; ,ble systems in their own service ss tlian 10,000; mine universal service issues. poiscsd to allow private, for-profil unges in the ways in wliich ive iiuonnation without regard for the ■es will be provided. • and Wellsione now and express g authority for cablc/video services, (or long distance) phone company ' or is expected to vote this week on mest HoUit»gs (D-SC), which 1 that phone companies that carry ocal regulation. jmbers of the Senate from Minnesota y Senator Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), lire capacity to be reserved on all BC delivery of public services by all jected to request that tficse provisions Inouye’s objectives of providing for make possible great opportunity for LTlicipaie in government decision- nming, and ensure that there is a 1 of iiifonnaiion networks throughout > FI Members of congress liave commented tliat iliey are not hearing from citizens or community groups which currently use and have access tu a bsoad range of community, educational and government information over local cable franchise systems. Local elected officials juust speak up to explain the importance of giving ciUes a voice In the design and operation of the vast electronic information networks being developed by private industry. Communities and individuals must be guaranteed access to Uiis powerful electronic network to promote local interests and to produce educational, govermnent, and public programs and services that the convergence of electronic information technologies makes possible. Federal lawntakers need to hear from local officials that city franchising authority will make possible a design for tlie operation of tliis information supcrhigliway to sen'e people at tlie local level. It will be critical to know where and at what cost the public will be able to get information and entertainment services available over these systems. There is a role for local govcmjtient to play to sec to it iliat there is capacity on systems operated by telcos, cable conijianies or other providers of electronic information services for programming dial serves community Interests in public, educational and government infonnaiion. Cities are in the best position to hold telecommunications providers accountable for providing new services throughout the community, not just to the most profitable locations and to make sure that the use of public rights of way is prorceted. It is clear that transmission of video signals and information services by telephone companies must be carried out with the satno concern for local interests contained in the ’92 federal cable act. City officials must strongly urge both our Senators to support provisions bi S. 1822 that provide for universal service, local franchising and fax authority and to argue for final committee recommendations on measures in the bill that: retain local cable franchising authority and define a plione company that provides video programming as a cable operator; permit phone companies to compete with cable operators in (heir own service areas; require all telecommunications operators to contribute to a universal service fund to assure that electronic information (video, voice, and data) services arc widely available at an affordable price and guarantee low-cosi (basic) services (o all; provide access for local government to intrastate and interstate telecommunications services without charge (for system operators using local rights of way).