Re: Cable Modems and Choosing an ISP

[jma2@erinet.com (Jim Armstrong)]

  >(cross posted to telecomreg and com-priv)
  >
  >With all the talk about cable modems, I would like to better understand=20
  >one point.  Will the Cable company (which under the new telecom law may=20
  >be the local exchange carrier) decide who you can connect to, in terms of=
  >=20
  >an Internet Service Provider?  That is, since the cable system is not a=20
  >common carriage platform, will the firm that provides the cable modem=20
  >decide which ISP you can use, and more or less be in a position to insist=
  >=20
  >on rather agressive terms with the value added information providers?  If
  >so, why aren't the current crop of ISPs (or other value added
  >information service providers) more nervous?  What am I missing?
  
  Who says they're not?
  I would >believe< that the cable consortiums would provide access to all at
  some profitable rate.... and since many ISP's are now finding how difficult
  it is to just keep their news and mail servers running at sufficient
  capacity , I believe the cable carriers will be happy to serve as network
  access the way telcos do now.
  
  >   The following is a interesting press release for Rogers Wave, a
  >cable/Internet service provided in Canada.=20
  
  >customers in Ontario and British Columbia. The company also owns and
  >operates 131 video stores (Rogers Video) and a high speed access provider
  >(Rogers Network Services).
  
  Note that Rogers is already in the ISP business!
  Jim Armstrong
  - Office Information Technologies, Inc -
  513.864.5385
  PO Box 2025
  Fairborn, OH 45324