Multichannel News articles from May 2003

Multichannel News archives from May 2003

Cable sees a lot to like in an all-digital world.(cable companies move more quickly to all-digital)(Industry Overview)
May 19, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- Word that Comoast Corp. and other MSOs are seriously considering a more rapid transition to an all-digital network - first revealed by Comcast executives in Multichannel News May 12 -- transmitted quickly throughout the...

Opposition builds to FCC media blueprint.(Federal Communications Commission)
May 19, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Well, nobody said change would be easy. With the Federal Communications Commission days away from overhauling broadcast-ownership rules, the forces in favor of the status quo came on strong last week. They urged FCC...

Meeting not all smiles for Parsons.(AOL Time Warner Inc.'s CEO Richard Parsons faces critical shareholders)
May 19, 2003... LANSDOWNE, VA. - AOL Time Warner Inc.'s annual meeting here started on a positive note, with chairman and CEO Richard Parsons drawing applause from about 400 attendees gathered in a resort ballroom here after he predicted that the company's...

Comcast session drills down deep.(Company Profile)
May 19, 2003... At its first analyst day meeting since 1999, Comcast Corp. gave a rare glimpse into its local cable operations, focusing on large markets it has recently acquired as part of its merger with AT&T Broadband. If there was a theme to this...

Wussler, valentine begin new roles. (This Just in).(Robert Wussler names vice chairman of The Ice Channel; Ian Valentine joins Brands Shopping Network)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... NEW YORK - Robert Wussler, former Turner Broadcasting System senior vice president and CBS Television Network president, has been named vice chairman of The Ice Channel, the figure-skating network that hopes to launch this winter. ...

Discovery plans two more affiliate tours. (This Just in).(Discovery Networks U.S. adds tours)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... WASHINGTON - Discovery Networks U.S., whose Animal Planet Expo plans to visit 14 markets by late summer, will add two other tours to its roster. The Discovery Kids Endurance Tour, linked to that network's Endurance series and offering...

ESPN's bratches on life in hot seat.(interview with Sean Bratches)(Interview)
May 19, 2003... ESPN executive vice president of affiliate sales and marketing Sean Bratches had the unenviable task of calling cable operators recently to notify them of ESPN's 20% annual license-fee increase. National editor Steve Donahue spoke to him last...

Voicemail wisdom from oracle. (Through the Wire).(voicemail greeting of Ron Pancratz of Cable One discussed)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... The only voicemail we actually look forward to reaching belongs to Cable One ad-sales veep Ron Pancratz, who constantly adds new bits of sage advice to his greeting. One aphorism last week: "Remember - He who trims himself to suit...

Playing games. (Through the Wire).(Game Show Network ads discussed)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... Game Show Network is using humorous out-of-home media ads in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles to tout the June 1 5 premieres of Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned and National Lampoon's Funny Money The outdoor ads will appear in various...

Restless in coudersport. (Through the Wire).(Adelphia Communications' headquarters move is discussed)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... Some chatterers at broadbandreports.com came up with a Letterman-style top 10 list of reasons why Adeiphia Communications president Ron Cooper and CEO William Schleyer are moving that MS 0's headquarters from Coudersport, Pa., to Englewood,...

Comcast, TWC eye N.Y. sports tiers. (Through the Wire).(Time Warner Cable)
May 19, 2003... Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Cable are talking with Cablevision Systems Corp.'s-owned Madison Square Garden Network and Fox Sports New York services about moving to a premium sports tier as early as this summer, sources close to the...

If you haven't seen Oxygen lately, you haven't seen Oxygen.(network plans original shows)
May 19, 2003... Oxygen is committed to developing original shows that have a shared attitude with our audience. This fall, 60% of Oxygen's primetime lineup is original. Look for new episodes of our current shows, like Oprah After The Show, The Isaac Mizrahi...

Comcast plunges into DVR, gaming.(digital video recording)
May 19, 2003... Picking up on the "get-innovative" theme CEO Brian Roberts espoused last week, Comcast Corp. announced an in-home multitelevision digital-video-recording trial with Samsung Electronics Co. and Ucentric Systems. It also struck broadband gaming...

Charter takes heat in north texas.(North Texas communities want damages from Charter Communications Inc.)
May 19, 2003... Nine North Texas communities are demanding more than $4.5 million in liquidated damages from Charter Communications Inc. for failing to answer calls promptly. Officials at the cities -- Fort Worth, Denton, North Richland Hills, Hurst,...

ABC cable grows evergreen promos.(ABC Cable Networks Group)
May 19, 2003... Even though MSOs increasingly are asking for customized sales promotions from networks, many continue to opt for the plain-vanilla variety -- those that are variously described as turnkey, off-the-shelf or evergreens. At The Walt Disney...

CWA loses vote in spokane.(Communications Workers of America Local 7918 loses c employees)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... SPOKANE, WASH. -- Comcast Corp. employees in Communications Workers of America Local 7918 here voted to leave the union on May 9. A decertification effort prevailed in a 33-18 vote, CWA spokesman Patrick Hunt said last week. ...

Breland, Byko upped by TNS.(Turner Network Sales promotes Karen Byko, and Coleman Breland)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... ATLANTA -- Turner Network Sales, the affiliate-sales and marketing arm of Turner Broadcasting System Inc., reshuffled its upper management ranks last week, tapping veteran executives Coleman Breland and Karen Byko to jointly oversee...

Real Nets' Glaser speaks at summit.(Rob Glaser)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... SEATTLE -- Real Networks Inc. chairman and CEO Rob Glaser will be a keynote speaker at the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing's CTAM Summit, set for July 20 to 23. Glaser will discuss how RNI has used broadband-targeted...

Ness, lochner join Adelphia board.(Adelphia Communications Corp. adds Susan Ness and Philip Lochner Jr.)
May 19, 2003... Adelphia Communications Corp. last week named two new independent members to its board of directors -- former Federal Communications Commission commissioner Susan Ness and former Time Warner Inc. executive Philip Lochner Jr. The...

L.A. cable subs might get Adelphia refunds.(Los Angeles moves to secure refunds from Adelphia Communications Corp.)
May 19, 2003... Los Angeles has taken the first steps toward requiring Adelphia Communications Corp. to refund as much as $5.5 million to subscribers there. The city has demanded that the operator certify financial information provided to justify a 6%...

FSN kicks around new show ideas.(Fox Sports Net plans new shows)
May 19, 2003... Looking to broaden its programming base, Fox Sports Net has several reality shows and at least one weekly strip program on the drawing board. These shows could debut as early as this fall, according to newly named network executive vice...

'Rave reviews' for co-op's web store: one-stop shooping for billstuffers postcards and doorhangers.(National Cable Television Cooperative discussed)
May 19, 2003... Seven months after building a portion of its Internet outpost to showcase marketing materials that members could order at a discount, the National Cable Television Cooperative says it's pleased with the activity generated so far. More...

ESPN to mark 25th with spate of sports shows.(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... ESPN plans to celebrate its silver anniversary in style -- and on the air. "ESPN25" will rope in radio, print and online properties to commemorate the network's run from 1979 through 2004, with 30-plus hours of programming beginning May...

Lacrosse gets TV assist from ESPN2, sponsors. (Programming).
May 19, 2003... Major League Lacrosse will open its third season next month with a new TV partner and a raft of fresh sponsors. The six-team outdoor league, founded by fitness guru Jake Steinfeld, struck a two-year "strategic partnership" relationship...

Court IV sets summer slate. (Programming).(Court TV)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... Court TV will unveil several new series and specials as part of its summer and fall programming lineups. In June, Court TV will look to capitalize on the popularity of its smoking-gun.com Web site with the launch of The Smoking Gun...

'Soldier's Girl' doesn't tell the issues. (Review).(Television Program Review)
May 19, 2003... Showtime's Soldier's Girl, based on a true story, is a dignified look at the brief love affair between an Army private and a pre-op, transgendered nightclub performer and the soldier's subsequent murder. Directed by Frank Pierson and written...

Showtime. (Programming Briefs).(cable awards)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... NEW YORK - Bang Bang You're Dead, Showtime's original film about the consequences of guns and school violence, reaped the most Daytime Emmy Awards among cable programs during the first round of the statue-fest event. Showtime -- which...

AOL Time Warner Inc. (Programming Briefs).(Turner Sports backs out of Olympic bids)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... ATLANTA - Evidently. The WB does not rate as a fully distributed broadcast network in the eyes of the International Olympic Committee, as AOL Time Warner Inc.'s Turner Sports unit last week withdrew from the bidding process for TV rights to...

Disney Channel. (Programming Briefs).(Even Stevens Movie discussed)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... BURBANK, CALIF. - While Hilary Duff has transcended media by taking Disney Channel's most popular show Lizzie McGuire to the big screen, the cast of another network series will go the telepic route. The Even Stevens Movie, set to bow June...

Events.(Calendar)
May 19, 2003... May 19 T. Howard Foundation, 10th Anniversary Dinner honoring Ted Turner, Cipriani, 110 E. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10017. Contact: (703) 739-8348. 62nd George Foster Peabody Awards, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York. Tickets:...

ABC Cable. (People & Calendar).(ABC Cable Networks Group promotes executives)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... ABC Cable Networks Group elevated two affiliate-sales executives: CYNTHIA DERICK to vice president, Western region and FRANK SCOTELLO to VP, Central region. Derick was an affiliate marketing representative; Scotello was executive regional...

Beehive. (People & Calendar).(company hires Darren Mark, promotes Jessica Gleason)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... Beehive, a television-industry branding and design company, has hired DARREN MARK as director of business development and promoted JESSICA GLEASON from head of production to executive producer.

Blonder Tongue. (People & Calendar).(promotions at Blonder Tongue Laboratories Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... ROBERT PALLE was named president of Blonder Tongue Laboratories Inc. He had been executive vice president, chief operating officer and secretary. ERIC SKOLNICK was also elevated to senior vice president. He will continue as chief...

Charter. (People & Calendar).(promotions at Charter Communications Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... Charter Communications Inc. has named DAVID FELDMAN vice president, technology. A former VP, technology at Jones Intercable, he had more recently been working in the fixed-wireless industry. Also, has named LARRY KACHINSKE vice president,...

Camille Jayne: more time for tennis? She's off the clock, but ex-tcler still keeps busy. (People: Where are They Now?).
May 19, 2003... A life-changing event often bears some universal signs: a baby's cry in the night, a sheepskin in the hand or a gold watch in the pocket as one heads off to retirement. For Camille Jayne, the sign her life had changed was a tennis game....

Comcast. (People).(Gary Traver promoted at Comcat Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... Comcast Corp. elevated GARY TRAVER to senior vice president, chief operating officer of the Comcast Media Center. He had served as senior VP, general manager of the CMC since its acquisition by Comcast last fall.

Discovery. (People).(Matt Katzive promoted at Discovery Channel and Discovery Kids Channel)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... MATT KATZIVE has been promoted to vice president, communications for the Discovery Channel and Discovery Kids Channel. He had been director, communications for the networks. Also, Discovery Channel named SEAN GALLAGHER director of...

Gemstar-TV Guide. (People).(Brian D. Urban becomes chief financial officer at Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... BRIAN D. URBAN was named chief financial officer at Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc. He comes from Unilab Corp., where he was executive VP, CFO and treasurer.

In Demand. (People).(James H. Cofer named senior vice president, distribution)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... In Demand has named JAMES H. COFER senior vice president, distribution. He comes from Mediapath.

Inspiration. (People).(Craig Featherstone hired at Inspiration Networks)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... The Inspiration Networks has hired CRAIG FEATHERSTONE as senior VP, product development and strategic relations. He was an associate publisher at Nelson Bibles.

MasMusica. (People).(MasMusica TeVe Network names Elisa Torres as vice president of distribution)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... Spanish-language music net MasMusica TeVe Network has appointed ELISA TORRES vice president of distribution. She was affiliate-relations director at Latino Broadcasting Co.

NATPE. (People).(National Association of Television Program Executives names Rick Feldman as president and CEO)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... RICK FELDMAN has been named president and CEO of the National Association of Television Program Executives. He most recenty was executive vice president and chief operating officer of USA Broadcasting.

Nat Geo. (People).(National Geographic Television & Film's Kids' Programming and Production unit gets new VP of development)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... TARA SORENSEN has been named vice president of development for National Geographic Television & Film's Kids' Programming and Production unit. She had been vice president, creative affairs for Sony Pictures Television's Family Entertainment...

SBCA. (People).(Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association promotes Alex Breckon )(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association has promoted ALEX BRECKON to vice president, business development. He had been a senior director.

SMK. (People).(Jeffrey Kessler in new position at SMK Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... SMK Corp. appointed JEFFREY KESSLER as general manager, new business development for its remote-control business.

20th Century-Fox. (People).(Matthew Glotzer in new position at 20th Century-Fox Television Distribution)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... MATTHEW GLOTZER has been named vice president, video-on-demand and business development at 20th Century-Fox Television Distribution. He had previously served as VP, business development.

SeaChange, MSOs eye ad technology. (Marketing & Advertising).
May 19, 2003... SeaChange International Inc., already entrenched in the digital ad-insertion. market, is now intent upon expanding orders for digital-into-digital insertion technology. And although that and other future forms of advertising -- like...

Time Warner seizes on consumer control. (On the Spots).(Time Warner Cable ads)
May 19, 2003... The latest phase in Time Warner Cable's ad campaign evolves from last fall's stage-setting "Now, Anything's Possible" to emphasize that digital-cable subscribers can gain greater control over their TV than ever before. Each phase has its...

Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau's analysis of data compiled by PriceWaterhouseCoapers. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... NEW YORK -- Ad-supported cable networks notched increases of 15% and 17% in January and February, respectively, according to the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau's analysis of data compiled by PriceWaterhouseCoapers. In January, the...

Power of a positive evening. (Freeze Frame).
May 19, 2003... Top cable-industry executives came together at New York's Metropolitan Pavillion for "Positively Visionary," the annual fundraiser for cable AIDS-action organization Cable Positive. This year, Black Entertainment Television CEO Robert Johnson...

Comcast to FCC: Virtual Private Nets are OK. (Policy).
May 19, 2003... Comcast Corp. has dropped a restriction in its cable-modem service contracts that allegedly blocked telecommuters from tapping into corporate data networks. But the move did not convince at least one Web merchant -- Amazon.com Inc. --...

Pols praise Comcast for competing with bells. (Policy).(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Comcast Corp. won praise last week from two U.S. senators for sticking with promises to roll out local phone service and compete with the Baby Bells. The pat on the back came in a three-page letter cosigned by Sen. Mike...

Court OKs pay use of public spectrum. (Policy).(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Upholding a recent Federal Communications Commission ruling, a federal appeals court May 9 held that public TV stations may use some digital spectrum to provide over-the-air pay-services. A three-judge panel of the U.S....

FCC puts kibosh on pole fee hike. (Policy).(Gulf Power Co. request, Florida)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Cable operators won a pole-attachment victory last Tuesday when the Federal Communications Commission voided a large pole-fee increase demanded by Gulf Power Co. in Florida. Three years ago, Gulf Power's annual rates ranged...

MSO pair claim new-service gains. (Finance).
May 19, 2003... The first-quarter earnings season for MSOs came to a close last week as Cablevision Systems Corp. and Mediacom Communications Corp. both reported strong growth in digital and high-speed data subscribers. Mediacom reported strong revenue...

Sirus Satellite Radio Inc. (Stock Focus).(Illustration)
May 19, 2003... (NASDAQ-SIRI) Shares in Sirius surged 9.7% (12 cents), to $1.35 each, last Wednesday, after the satellite radio broadcaster said it had more than doubled subscribers in the first quarter. For the three days leading to May 14, the stock...

Sensible shoes displayed at SCTE's engineer fest. (Broadband Week[TM].).
May 19, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- The 2003 Society of Cable and Telecommunications Engineers' Cable-Tech Expo was in many ways like a pair of sensible shoes. What it might have lacked in terms of snazzy style or excitement generated by new innovation it...

File-sharing draws fuel from fed Court ruling. (Broadband Week[TM]).
May 19, 2003... A recent U.S. District Court ruling in favor of file-swapping services could accelerate an already growing wave of peer-to-peer traffic that threatens to bog down even broadband cable's wide pipes. But the problem also is creating a...

Motive signs with Cox for auto provisioning. (Spotlight: Broadband Telephony).
May 19, 2003... Motive Communications Inc. signed a deal with Cox Communications Inc. to license Motive's xi Smart Service Suite that includes self-activation and auto-provisioning for high-speed Internet service. The deal, announced in conjunction with...

Splicing local ads digitally. (Translation Please).
May 19, 2003... Part 1 As subscriber counts for digital-cable services continue to rise, so do the reasons for offering local advertisements on digital channels. More boxes mean more eyeballs. More eyeballs mean more potential to attract, say, the ads...

Vendors talk new products at SCTE. (Broadband Week).(Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers)
May 19, 2003... Many equipment vendors used the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers' convention last week in Philadelphia to showcase new product for the MSOs. Harmonic Inc. said Insight Communications Co. Inc. would deploy its Narrowcast...

Dangerous politics: sports tiers. (Backtalk).
May 19, 2003... I can relate to the cable industry's growing anger over the 20% rate increase that ESPN just slapped upon them. There's been a lot of bellicose chest thumping, with operators moaning, "There oughta be a law," But operators must tread...

'Deciding who gets the end cap is no easy job'. (Forum).(satellite and cable providers have a problem of deciding which channels and services to promote the heaviest)
May 19, 2003... The average retail store has thousands of products, each with different demand levels and marketing commitments. Retailers have been successful in their sales for multiple products by prioritizing their marketing. They have established...

Correction.
May 19, 2003... The name of Danielle Gelber of Showtime was misspelled in a "Freeze Frame" photo spread in the May 12 edition. Multichannel News regrets the error.

In hot pursuit: MSO sales executives are aggressively grabbing a bigger share of ad dollars from broadcasters.(Industry Overview)
May 19, 2003... LOCAL AUTO DEALERS HAVE LONG BEEN IN THE FOLD, AS ARE THE media/entertainment and telecommunications sectors. Retail, at least in forms other than supermarkets, is also embracing local cable and its ability to pinpoint audiences. ...

You'd better shop around cables advice to grocery stores advertising elsewhere.
May 19, 2003... When sales executives employed by MSOs and interconnects talk up the ad categories that are key to bolstering their results, automotive is perennially at the top of the list. Asked for a rundown of local cable's top categories,...

And now a word.
May 19, 2003... Three 'MCN' staffers spend a day at home, surfing for local ads. It's Tuesday, April 22, the middle of TV Tune-Out Week. But this assignment is bucking that trend. Not only did three Multichannel News staffers -- one in the Los Angeles...

Cable TV: ads still held to a higher standard; but Ops can score gains with a host of new platforms to target ads to viewers. (Forum).
May 19, 2003... It's an amazing time to be in cable TV advertising. The "bad old days" -- actually just a couple of years ago -- are behind us. We turned the corner on that period last year, when we witnessed significantly stronger ad sales. At the...

Good things come first: big ops pleased with q1 results.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2003... The first-quarter earnings season kicked off with a bang last week, with Comcast Corp. reporting strong gains, Cox Communications Inc. showing robust growth in its three-product bundle and even troubled Charter Communications Inc. reporting...

Comcast: we want digital really soon.
May 12, 2003... Comcast Corp. executives are pondering a more rapid shift to an all-digital cable transmission platform -- perhaps in the next three years -- to free up bandwidth for expanded video-on-demand, HDTV and data offerings that satellite would be...

Ops blame nets, seek tier help.
May 12, 2003... WASHINGTON -- For millennia, cable's message to Capitol Hill was clear: Leave us alone. For a few hours last week, there was a new message: Let's have a chat. Citing market failures partly induced by Congress, Cablevision Systems Corp....

Karmazin to testify before senate. (This Just In).(Brief Article)
May 12, 2003... WASHINGTON - Viacom Inc. president and chief operating officer Mel Karmazin is scheduled to testify May 13 before the Senate Commerce Committee on Federal Communications Commission proposals to relax or eliminate radio and television...

Small operator to tier ESPN. (This Just In).(Brief Article)
May 12, 2003... BOISE, IDAHO - Tiny rural independent cable system ADA Cablevision will place ESPN on an expanded basic sports tier when the network's 20% increase takes effect Aug. 1. ADA owner Bill Tracy said the system, which has 50 subscribers, will...

Digeo launches Games on Charter. (This Just In).(Brief Article)
May 12, 2003... St. Louis - Digeo Inc. said Charter Communications is launching Blackjack and Mah-Jongg on the MSO's interactive i-Games channel. Digeo said 31% of the 690,000 i-channel homes were active users of i-Games in the first quarter, averaging 15...

Comcast links to Phila. civic group. (This Just In).(Brief Article)
May 12, 2003... PHILADELPHIA - Comcast Corp. will launch a two-year association this week with City Year Inc., a national community service organization training more than 1,000 young adults a year in civic leadership. Under the initiative, City Year...

When ops attack, ESPN opts to fight back.
May 12, 2003... Cox Communications Inc. officials last week stepped up the rhetoric against ESPN over its latest license-fee increase, which for many MSOs pushes the sports network's per-subscriber rate beyond $2 as of Aug. 1. Operators cannot prevent...

Regional nets drawn into debate, too.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2003... High-priced regional sports networks also remain within operators' crosshairs. At the hearing last Tuesday, Cablevision Systems Corp. chairman Charles Dolan and Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network chairman and CEO Leo Hindery...

Jackass: the executive generation. (Through the Wire).(MTV Networks' joint upfront presentation held )
May 12, 2003... MTV Networks really outdid itself with its joint upfront presentation last week. It's hard to pick a favorite moment from the sometimes X-rated event. There was John Leguizamo, describing himself as a well-endowed -- though he didn't use...

MTV nets make case for ads.
May 12, 2003... NEW YORK -- Joining the ranks of other cable dynasties, MTV Networks last week urged advertisers to save money -- and reach adults -- by buying across its many programming services. MTVN officials made the pitch at the first joint upfront...

IFC pitches racier fare for SVOD.(Independent Film Channel to launch 'Uncensored On Demand' service)
May 12, 2003... Independent Film Channel this fall will launch a subscription video-on-demand service called "Uncensored On Demand," which will offer exclusive content -- ranging from movies to TV programs -- that has been "literally or figuratively banned"...

Markey doubts MSO rate claims.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) suggested Wednesday that cable operators with programming interests are less credible on rate hike issues than independent cable companies with no programming ties. "At a certain level, when I...

Abdoulah tapped as WOW's CEO.(WideOpen West LLC promotes Colleen Abdoulah)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2003... DENVER -- Overbuilder WideOpen West LLC last week elevated former AT&T Broadband executive Colleen Abdoulah to president and CEO. Abdoulah, who joined WOW last year, succeeds Mark Haverkate, who left last month to found Champion...

Time Warner trial makes data hogs pay.(Time Warner Cable )(Brief Article)
May 12, 2003... In the first experiment of its kind among U.S. cable operators, Time Warner Cable is testing a new high-speed Internet tier aimed at making bandwidth hogs pay to get more bytes from the broadband trough. The MSO started testing a new...

Florida bill shields VOIP from local regulation.
May 12, 2003... Deeming the promotion of voice-over-Internet protocol telephony to be in the public interest, the Florida Legislature passed a bill May 2 to protect the technology from regulation by state utility regulators or local governments. Another...