Fergie's Tech Blog

Surprise: Texas Resurrects IPTV Bill

Thanks to Om Malik for pointing out this article. An article on TelecomWeb News reports that:

During a special session ostensibly called to take care of pressing school and tax legislation, the Texas State Senate passed a hotly contested bill eliminating local franchise requirements for telcos to enter video markets – instead allowing for a single statewide franchise. The bill has pitted Verizon and SBC against cable operators that are fighting to delay the onslaught of IPTV in any way they can.

As TelecomWeb went to press, reports from the Lone Star State indicate the bill is on a fast track through committee in the Texas House of Representatives, and it could reach the floor for a vote on Sunday. Expectations are that the bill will pass.

The action had failed to get to the Senate floor for a vote in May, just as the regular session of the legislature was ending, and the telcos had been resigned to waiting two years – until the next session of the Texas legislature – before trying again. The governor, however, recently recalled the bicameral lawmakers to handle badly overdue education- financing matters.

posted by Fergie @ 7/19/2005 05:06:00 AM