March 30, 2005 - (HOSTSEARCH.COM) - In a statement to the press, Dave Baker, vice president for law and public policy, at web hosting provider EarthLink weighed in on the Brand X vs. FCC regulatory debate over cable internet access.
"This case, National Cable and Telecommunications Association vs. Brand X Internet Services and FCC vs. Brand X Internet Services, will decide whether
consumers will be able to choose their broadband provider over cable and ultimately, over DSL as well. More broadly, it will determine whether a wide
variety of innovative voice, video and data services become available, or whether Internet users will be limited to only those services their cable company provides.
"We believe the Supreme Court will affirm the Ninth Circuit's decision. To do otherwise would dismantle the very framework that has allowed the Internet to develop and would limit the promise of new technologies such as voice over IP, video over IP, mobile broadband and advanced communications services and applications.
"Cable companies built their networks using government-granted monopoly franchises, access to public rights of way and discounted rates for pole
attachments. Nonetheless, they now dictate what services, devices and applications companies can offer and consumers can use on those networks. We expect that the Supreme Court will affirm that consumers, and not cable companies, should make those choices."
