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Take Action Now! -- ISP Guidelines for Requesting Access to Cable Broadband Networks A number of the nation's largest cable operators have announced that they will work to allow access by multiple ISPs onto their cable systems, although to date none of them has provided access to an unaffiliated ISP enabling the ISP to offer service to customers. Given these announcements by cable operators, we believe it is important for ISPs to contact the cable operator(s) in their service areas to alert these cable companies of their interest in gaining access to the cable broadband systems and to seek an expeditious response from the cable companies. Verify who owns the cable system in your area (e.g. if it is owned by one of the large cable companies like AT&T, Cox, etc.) and then address the letter to the Chief Executive Officer of that company, "cc" the General Counsel, and "cc" the Regional Manager of the cable operator in your area. Below are addresses for the large cable companies (multiple system
owners) in the U.S. To find the contact information for regional managers
of the cable operator in your area, you should be able to find the
name and address of the Cable Company listed in your local telephone
book. We advise that you call your local cable operator to find out
the name and precise address of the Regional Manager so that the letter
can be copied on that person specifically. Michael Armstrong James Cicconi John Rigas Dennis P. Coyle James L. Dolan Robert S. Lemie Jerald Kent David Barford J. Merritt Belisle Dale Bennett Brian L. Roberts Stanley L. Wang James Robbins James Hatcher Michael Willner Elliot Brecher Bonnie Blecha *Ms. Blecha is the corporate contact designated by Time Warner to handle ISP requests for access. For ISPs Contacting Cable Companies in the Ninth Circuit (the nine western states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington). Cable companies in these states are governed by the ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' in the AT&T Corp. v. City of Portland decision that cable broadband service is a "telecommunications service" under federal law and therefore must be offered on a nondiscriminatory, common carrier basis to all requesting persons, including unaffiliated ISPs. Lead In Paragraph: "I am writing to request confirmation that [CABLE COMPANY] will provide the transmission element of its cable Internet access service on nondiscriminatory terms and conditions to my company, [ISP], as required by the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in AT&T Corp. v. City of Portland." Then describe your ISP company and its location, and fact that you want access to the transmission services of cable broadband network in order to be able to offer high speed broadband service to your customers. Make clear that you are requesting access to the pure transmission services of the cable network and are not seeking access to any ISP service provided by the Cable Company's affiliated ISP (e.g., Excite@Home). Outline that upon receipt of the confirmation requested from [CABLE COMPANY], your ISP company will provide to [CABLE COMPANY] information addressing the locations where you request transmission service from the cable company. Request a response from the Cable Company within seven business
days. Lead In Paragraph: "I am writing to request that [CABLE COMPANY] provide to [ISP] under nondiscriminatory terms and conditions, access to the transmission element of its cable Internet access service." Then describe your ISP company and its location and fact that you want access to the transmission services of the cable broadband network in order to be able to offer high speed broadband service to your customers. Make clear that you are requesting access to the pure transmission services of the cable network and are not seeking access to any ISP service provided by the Cable Company's affiliated ISP (e.g., Excite@Home). Outline that upon receiving the response requested, your ISP company will provide to [CABLE COMPANY] information addressing the locations where you request transmission service from the cable company. Request a response from the Cable Company within seven business
days. |
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