| Question |
Conyers-Cannon/
Cannon-Conyers |
Tauzin-Dingell |
Why It
Matters |
| Promotes
competition for broadband deployment? |
Yes - Maintains market-opening requirements of the 1996
Telecommunications Act ("1996 Act"). |
No - Dismantles market-opening requirements of the 1996
Act. |
The market-opening requirements of the 1996 Act allow
competitors to plug into the network that is monopolized by the Bell
companies. Eliminating these requirements will crush competitors'
ability to provide Internet services to consumers. |
| Limits monopoly
power in the telecommunications industry? |
Yes - Prohibits companies from escaping market-opening
requirements of the 1996 Act if they have a monopoly in the
telephone market. |
No - Allows monopoly telephone companies to expand their
reach into the Internet market without opening their networks to
competition. |
Monopolies result in higher prices for consumers, worse
service, and less innovation. Competition -- not monopolization --
is the best way to bring the newest Internet technologies to the
consumer at reasonable prices. |
|
Provides incentives for the deployment of
broadband? |
Yes - Creates $3 billion loan program to assist companies in
rolling out broadband to rural and underserved areas. Prohibits
discriminatory taxes on broadband providers. |
No - Provides no financial incentives for companies to bring
broadband to rural and underserved areas. |
In order to be part of the 21st Century economy, all
Americans must have access to broadband service, just as all
Americans needed access to telephone service in the 20th
Century. |
| Promotes
efficient resolution of telecommunications disputes? |
Yes - Creates mandatory alternative dispute resolution
process that will govern disputes under telecommunications
agreements. |
No - Maintains incentives for Bell companies to stall
competition by suing in multiple forums. |
By streamlining the dispute resolution process, Bell
companies will not be able to use time-consuming lawsuits as a way
to avoid opening their markets. As a result, competitive companies
can focus on what they do best -- providing telecommunications
services -- rather than being tied up in court. |
| Provides new
tools to break up monopoly power in the telecommunications
industry? |
Yes - Prohibits Bell companies from jointly marketing
broadband services with other phone services if the Bell companies
violate the antitrust laws. |
No - Would allow Bell companies to extend their monopoly in
telephone services into the Internet market. |
If the Bell companies can use their monopoly over the
telephone market to also monopolize the Internet market, consumers
will never have a choice in telecommunications
services. |
