In Washington, AT&T is telling Congressmen that it just can't roll out its super fast Internet and IP TV service, Project Lightspeed, if it has to go through a bunch of pesky local governments for clearance to extend its fiber optic network in public rights of way. That's the whole argument behind the House Energy and Commerce Committee's national franchising bill, now awaiting a vote by the full House.
Well, then, what's going on in Grove City?
The PD's Henry Gomez reports that AT&T is already rolling out Lightspeed in Ohio -- by negotiating agreements with local governments, starting with the southwest Columbus suburb of Grove City.
Henry's article doesn't have much detail about the Grove City agreement, but here's an article about a similar negotiation in Worthington:
The city will need to create a new Master Video Services Agreement to allow the project to move forward, according to Dunn. A new agreement would give providers the option of choosing to be regulated as a cable television company or as a video services provider using Internet protocol. City regulations will remain the same under each option, retaining franchise fees and services to schools.Now doesn't that sound like an amicable, efficient way to do business? Why would AT&T want to go around nice city governments like Grove City and Worthington to get national franchises from the FCC?
The city's goal is to complete negotiations with AT&T by June 1 and place it on the council agenda by June 5, according to Dunn.
Oh, maybe this is why. Some cities in Illinois remember how SBC muscled them on a municipal fiber plan a little while ago, and want to take a few months to figure out what they're being asked to approve. Obviously AT&T can't put up with that. Call a lawyer! Call a Congressman!