[9774] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
bill text draft 2: Telecommunications Competition Act
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (adam fast)
Fri Jan 21 01:38:14 1994
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 1994 22:36:23 -0800 (PST)
From: adam fast <adamfast@u.washington.edu>
To: nii_agenda@world.std.com
Cc: com-priv@psi.com, cosndisc@bitnic.BITNET, cpsr-members@eff.org,
In-Reply-To: <2968169030.6.p00997@psilink.com>
Thank you for all the comments regarding the first draft of the
Telecommunications Competition Act.
Our intention is to preempt federal control over all decisions with
regard to the National Information Infrastructure. The act establishes
guidelines to facilitate the process of interconnection of telephone and
cable networks at a local level to ensure competition and access to
broadband infrastructure at Commercial Network Access Points (CNAPs)
within a relatively short distance of people's homes and businesses.
Our intention is not to regulate and eliminate small network providers.
We believe widespread access to low cost, broadband infrastructure will
stimulate entrepreneurial activity.
We believe an open process for designation of CNAPs will allow the
Internet paradigm of an interconnected network of diverse networks to
apply to voice and video services, instead of the monolithic,
synchronized, and asymetrical paradigm being pushed by the cable industry.
Telecommunications Competition Act
January 16, 1994
The Telecommunications Competition Act encourages developers of the
information highway to address the public good by meeting the needs
of local communities and by stimulating economic development in
Washington. Monopoly control of telecommunications in any given
community is discouraged under the Act by facilitating interconnection
of voice, video, and data networks at a local level. This means that the
connection to your home or business is an on-ramp to the information
highway and is not impeded by the interests of any single entity.
The Act allows information providers to have open access to the
information highway at Commercial Network Access Points (CNAPs)
where interconnections between local and interlocal networks are
made. Each CNAP will serve the needs of a local community under the
guidance of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
(WUTC) and in accordance with the Growth Management Act.
The Telecommunications Competition Act ensures the process of
locating the CNAP sites are in the best interests of the local community.
CNAP sites are neutral places not controlled by any entity and are
designed to encourage interconnection between local communities
and the world. The WUTC will develop an application process whereby
local communities may create new CNAPs.
The Act provides a readable blueprint of the information highway to be
built to the specifications of the citizens of Washington. Genuine
competition within the telecommunications industry will promote choice,
cost effectiveness, and efficiency. CNAP sites will empower users and
providers with a workable forum in developing services customized to
the needs of individual communities.
The Act guarantees the information highway will belong to the citizens
of Washington state and ensures that the citizens will not be a victim of
opportunistic monopolies taking advantage of outdated regulations.
For more information regarding this bill, contact:
Adam Feuer Jeffrey Sterling
adamfast@u.washington.edu jeffgs@netcom.com
voice: (206) 996-0794 voice: (206) 368-7679
fax: (206) 782-5776 fax: (206) 365-7970
Telecommunications Competition Act of 1994
AN ACT Relating to information transport; adding new sections to
chapter 80.36 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. It is the intent of the legislature to:
(1) Stimulate competition in the information industry by coordinating
and facilitating interconnection of competing networks to increase
overall internetwork efficiency;
(2) Ensure economic development opportunities though
competitively priced access to the information highway in communities
throughout the state;
(3) Stimulate entrepreneurial activity among information transport
and information content providers by removing barriers to firms entering
the information industry; and
(4) Encourage the development of a seamless information transport
network for voice, video, and data that interconnects residents,
businesses, and public agencies throughout the state.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the expressly stated otherwise
otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout sections 2
through 4 of this act.
(1) "Commercial network access point" means a place where
interconnections between local and interlocal networks are made.
(2) "Information content provider" means an entity or part of an entity
that creates, owns, or distributes intellectual property, including but not
limited to a newspaper, television, and multimedia company.
(3) "Information transport provider" means an entity or part of an
entity that owns, rents, or leases network infrastructure and equipment,
regardless of whether the provider is a land-based or wireless provider,
including but not limited to a telephone company and cable company.
(4) "Interlocal network" means infrastructure designed to link
commercial network access points together or to other networks.
(5) "Local network" means infrastructure designed to link residents
and businesses to commercial network access points.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Sections 2 through 4 of this act apply to:
(1) A business and residential customer's access to information;
(2) An information provider of voice, video, or data
telecommunications service to the public or to a public agency or group
of agencies; and
(3) An information transport provider, even if that provider is within a
company or other entity that provides services other than information
transport.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The commission shall adopt rules that:
(1) Facilitate the process by which information transport providers
can interconnect their network with other networks for transmission of
voice, video, and data at compensatory rates;
(2) Require network interconnection specifications to be filed with
the commission;
(3) Facilitate the implementation and operation of commercial
network access points in this state;
(4) Require open access at commercial network access points so
the points cannot be controlled by a single provider or group of
providers at the exclusion of others;
(5) Specify the process for the location of commercial network
access points, in accordance with chapter 36.70A RCW at neutral sites
that are not owned or occupied by information transport providers;
(6) Provide for the collocation of voice, video, and data network
connections in a single community commercial network access point; and
(7) Provide an application process under which information users or
providers may create new commercial network access points.
NEW SECTION. Sec 5. Sections 2 through 4 of this act are each
added to chapter 80.36 RCW.
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