At&T Wins Access Appeal

Fri., June 23, 2000

From Staff

AT&T Corp. won a federal appeals court ruling Thursday that stripped cities of their control over the nation’s largest cable company but may ultimately force it to open its cable TV network to Internet service providers across the nation.

AT&T sued the city of Portland, Ore., in December 1998 after Portland commissioners approved an ordinance requiring open access to the AtHome cable TV network that AT&T acquired through its purchase of TeleCommunications Inc..

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that AT&T’s cable Internet system “is providing a telecommunications service” subject to federal control, not a cable TV service regulated by a city or other local authority.

FCC officials said Thursday the agency has made it clear it wants the market to decide who gets access to cable systems but it will hold AT&T and other cable companies to their promises to ensure competition.

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At&T Wins Access Appeal

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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