FCC votes to lift regulations on AT&T's broadband business

Just as predicted, the FCC did indeed vote to ease some of the rules surrounding AT&T's broadband business. Just prior to the midnight deadline, a vote of three to two was officially submitted that "partially granted AT&T's request to relax rules that govern what the company can charge business customers and rivals for access to some of its high-speed internet lines." Notably, Republican commissioner Robert McDowell said the "agency had left other key regulations in place and created a new process for handling complaints about the rates AT&T charges for access." Not surprisingly, AT&T was fairly elated with the outcome, and David Kaut, an analyst with Stifel Nicolaus, said that "removing the tariff rules would give the firm a leg up in negotiations with rivals and business customers seeking to lease access."

[Devin @ Oct 12th 2007 10:38AM]

Hmmm...Sounds like some greased the right hand.

[remrof @ Oct 12th 2007 12:38PM]

whats with the masturbation joke, is that really appropriate?

[easymac30 @ Oct 12th 2007 10:40AM]

Proof positive that money > law in this country.

[friendlyner @ Oct 12th 2007 10:40AM]

I really - really - wish I didn't have a year left on my ATT wireless contract. I would be thrilled to tell them to stick it.

Not that the other providers are that much less evil, but I'd prefer to have the lesser of those evils.

[Eric @ Oct 12th 2007 10:43AM]

This is actually quite fair for AT&T and the other telecoms. Cable companies do not have these same restrictions on their high-speed lines, so why should the phone companies? Just food for thought.

[friendlyner @ Oct 12th 2007 10:57AM]

It's not so much this specific incident that throws me over the edge, but a pattern of anti-competitive behavior from ATT.

Not to mention the fact that they're so deeply in bed with Bush and Company that they'll illegally wiretap phones and censor government criticism. Makes me want to speak with my wallet but they've got me by the balls right now.

[Midas360 @ Oct 12th 2007 10:51AM]

The local phone companies have been getting the shaft for many years. Now that the cable companies have built up their businesses television, internet, and phone, it's time to deregulate the phone carriers to level the playing field.

Off topic... I just switched from Time Warner Cable to AT&T U-Verse. No comparison. U-Verse kicks Time Warner Cable's ass. The cable companies have become complacent and they are in big trouble. AT&T and Verizon are doing a fantastic job.

[AT&T Happy @ Oct 12th 2007 11:01AM]

Hey I have AT&T's $10 per month DSL plan

#1. its cheaper and faster than what my local cable company offers so go AT&T
#2. and since WWII NSA and other US agencies have the ability to look at and monitor ANYTHING ANYWHERE.
#3. Lifting government regulations as was done here is only a benefit to the end consumer in a free market economy.
#4. All this does is open the door for AT&T FIOS

[Rususeruru @ Oct 12th 2007 11:10AM]

about #2 well technically the CIA can't look at US citizen activities at home... but the important thing to remember is our bureaucracies are often inefficient so even though we collect the info doesn't mean it will be analyzed and used properly.

[Rususeruru @ Oct 12th 2007 11:07AM]

And soon Ma Bell will be completely reunited and Time Warner/Comcast will own almost ALL of cable and the Authoritarian powers will be in place... welcome to the new state censorship.

Man that'd suck.

[AT&T Happy @ Oct 12th 2007 11:12AM]

If anything this decision by the FCC helps to prevent such a thing from happening.

Everyone blames AT&T they are the current whipping boy on the intranets because they were spying. Its been like this since WW2. AT&T didn't spy they just let the NSA do its job.

AT&T FIOS $49.99 FTW!!!!

[Todd @ Oct 12th 2007 11:14AM]

In old feudal Japan, such shameful behavior ( having a secret midnight vote so no one will notice the corruption ) would result in a request for all conspirators involved, as well as those guilty of collusion, to commit suicide.

But hey, this is the "new normal", right? This little bit of cowardice won't help keep the monopoly going though, the The Death Star's president just resigned rather than face Google and us long suffering customers.

[Yojimbo @ Oct 12th 2007 11:21AM]

I will be glad to distribute wakizashi to all parties involved...

[AT&T Happy @ Oct 12th 2007 11:22AM]

GoogleCom with destroy all. Everything else is irrelevant

Before the intranets starts convulsing read what regulations the FCC actually "lifted"

They didn't give AT&T the power to mind control your lives or anything.

Minor red tape was cut. Finally as case of Government actually doing its job.

And helps position AT&T to compete with Comcast/Time Warner Verizon etc.

AT&T FIOS in 2008 make it $29.99 for new customers

Besides GoogleCom will eat them all up.

[Midas360 @ Oct 12th 2007 11:40AM]

Let's clear one thing up. It's AT&T U-Verse and Verizon FiOS. Both using Microsoft IPTV software running on settop boxes with Windows CE installed.

It's been an unfair playing field for the local telephone companies. Now that the cable companies have built their businesses, it's time to compete. Let the games begin.

[Edward @ Oct 12th 2007 12:19PM]

AT&T happy said "AT&T didn't spy they just let the NSA do its job."

Wrong. What AT&T did was illegal, if the NSA participated it broke the law as well. The law is very clear on this, you MUST have a warrant and fishing expeditions are illegal. AT&T stands to lose billions on this. If you follow this in the US congress, you will see that the administration is trying to get AT&T retroactive immunity from prosecution for these crimes in the revised FISA act. Part of the reason they are trying to get AT&T immunity is because they fear we will find out who gave the illegal order. Whether or not they will get immunity is still an open question.

[BFD @ Oct 12th 2007 12:48PM]

AT&T's broadband architecture is very different from Verizon's FIOS and they've learned the hard way that it is not scaleable. Your AT&T FIOS celebration is premature.

[yoshi @ Oct 12th 2007 12:56PM]

AT&T "U-Verse" is scalable and they are saving billions compared to Verizon's "FiOS."

[peterskruger @ Oct 12th 2007 1:20PM]

i see no "pac-man-like" hungry att logo. this story is no good without it.

as i posted yesterday, any time engadget uses the att logo, it should be eating something pac-man style. it should have eyes too, and eye brows, so we can see its emotional state.
that is all

[superberg @ Oct 12th 2007 2:48PM]

Remember when the government broke up AT&T into all the baby bells?

I think this is their revenge. I seem to recall an old SNL... "We're the phone company. We don't care. We don't have to."