WORl
HE BATTALIO
NATION
[in Seii
Gaza City
ps killed 12
ien and
7 Palestinians
ale assault
afah 0
THE BATTALION
7A
Monday, January 27, 2003
City-owned broadband networks
fighting corporate telecom
By Brian Bergstein
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
If you ever wince after opening your
cable bill, you’re not going to like this: The
lood folks in Glasgow, Ky., pay $19 a
nonth for 70 cable channels, and for an
o lot. |dditional $25 they can get blazing fast
7 csiiiaj Internet access.
LEB ^-Qoito H° w ( J C) they f?et prices nearly half the
|ational average?
' sli I ® ecause the city-owned electric utility
Irovides cable TV and Internet access over
ires that also monitor power usage in the
lown of 14,000. The utility isn't trying to
ftrofit from the service — just recover its
liosts.
Utility superintendent William Ray esti-
nates that since Glasgow began offering
:able in 1989, $32 million of residents’
noney has stayed in town that otherwise
night have been vacuumed by giant
elecommunications companies — which
jften don’t offer advanced services in rural
ireas like Glasgow anyway.
“It’s like an armored car wrecking in the
treets once a year and spreading money in
he streets for people to grab for them-
elves,” Ray says.
ISRAEL'"
Wes?
Bank
»Radiallah
Jerusalem
»d Press: ESRI
S IN BRIEF
tant group Hairs
>wd at the fur:
le will contir:
proot this Zior.
from our hoi
liter what thes;
I Frustrated with the high cost and slow
■li military saidJr ace broadband deployment in much of
; d dozens of K countr y’ * publicly owned utilities
; weapon-produJ low P rov ^ e telecom services for residents,
destroying eqE» c h 0 °l s > c hy agencies and their internal
ioldiers blew uprJlP erat ' ons - U P nearly 14 percent from a year
iming to miliinJgo, according to the American Public
;>ur Tnore Qasjrower Association.
r e fired at tol Some utilities built networks from
.ing no damage »cratch. Others extended infrastructure they
■ilready had, such as fiber-optic lines and
Hetworking equipment needed to monitor
ower flow or remote substations.
Not surprisingly, big phone and cable
itarV pl3ndl orn P an ' es ^ ate ^is, and have fought with
. _ I* Borne success to block public gas, water and
IP j. Korea llectric utilities from providing telecom
Jth Korea (AP)- | erv ’ ces - Eleven states bar or restrict the
y reconnaissaoc fradke, sometimes by imposing artificial
d in South Korea? sf osts on municipal telecoms so the prices
e South Korer |' ie y charge end up closer to what private
istry said. Companies offer.
:eiving reportslfia* ^ ut things may be looking up for munic-
ance plane oftt
has crashed,
Dkesman said
anonymity. 1
ner details yet."
on, a U.S.
in, said she hadit
k A A A A AA.AAAAAAA
minars
ceding to
rve as a
luired
It’s like an
armored car
wrecking in the
streets once a year
and spreading mon
ey... for people to grab
for themselves.
—William Ray
Utility superintendent
ipal telecoms — thanks to recent favorable
court rulings, weakness in the private tele
com industry and a technological break
through that lets data be transmitted over
power lines.
“A very large number of communities
across the country are beginning to realize
this is like the history of electrification all
over again, and if they don’t help them
selves, they’re not going to get advanced
communications servic
es any time in the fore
seeable future,” said Jim
Bailer, an attorney who
has represented munici
pal telecoms in several
cases. “Recognition of
that is forcing legisla
tures to take a second
look — even ones that
had enacted barriers.”
City-owned utilities
— which generally buy
their cable program
ming from a cooperative
in Kansas and connect
to the Internet by
leasing facilities from
big data carriers — don’t have to be rivals
of telecom companies.
For example, in Washington state, which
prohibits utilities from selling retail telecom
services, several public power providers are
becoming “carriers’ carriers” — building
fiber networks that private Internet and
phone providers can lease.
But generally, private companies say
municipal telecoms create unfair competi
tion because they have no need to make
profits or pay off debts quickly, have pref
erential access to digging streets and other
“rights of way” and are owned by cities
that have regulatory power over the indus
try.
“The mere existence of the competition
is not really an issue for us,” said Rob
Stoddard, spokesman for the National
Cable & Telecommunications Association.
“The issue is more that the competitive
playing field seems tilted in favor of munic
ipalities.”
The industry’s arguments also stray into
other realms.
In Palo Alto, Calif., where the public
utility is considering spending $50 million
building fiber-optic connections to every
home, a SBC Pacific Bell executive gave
officials “MuniToons,” a memo describing
municipal telecoms as “folly.”
Among its contentions: Municipal tele
coms hurt a town’s tax base and may violate
the First Amendment by placing the distri
bution of media content under government
ownership.
Bailer, the utilities lawyer,
believes nearly every sentence in
MuniToons is “incorrect or mis
leading or a half-truth.” Even SBC
spokesman Kevin Belgrade said
the document doesn't exactly
reflect the company’s position.
Richard Carlson, chairman of
Palo Alto’s utility advisory com
mittee, wasn't swayed by
Munitoons. Nevertheless, he wor
ries that a civic fiber network might
lose out to private competition or
become obsolete in a few years.
Ultimately, the municipal tele-
com fight boils down to two
words: “any” and “entity.”
The 1996 Telecommunications Act —
meant to usher the nation into the digital
age — said no state or city could prohibit
“any entity” from providing “any” telecom
service.
With that in mind, officials in Abilene,
Texas, asked the Federal Communications
Commission to let them wire their own
broadband network despite a 1995 Texas
law banning municipal telecoms.
But the FCC agreed with phone and
cable companies that Congress wasn't
absolutely clear whether it meant for utili
ties to be “entities” protected by the law.
The agency declined to overrule Texas.
A federal appeals court in Washington,
D.C., let the decision stand.
Since then, a federal district court in
Virginia and the Nebraska Supreme Court
have seen things differently, ruling in favor
of municipal telecoms. Most importantly,
so has a federal appeals court in Missouri.
In hopes of getting clarity on the issue,
Missouri’s attorney general plans to appeal
to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Phi
chi
OVationaCSociaCCjCiristinti Sorority
Sj>rtfU? 11 -c:cirl»«t;§r;.c11T; 2.CC3
in vite you to come to one ot a.CCof oter eventsl
Monday, January 27, 2003
• Informational Meeting
• 7:30 pm in Koldus 111
• Business Attire
Wednesday, January 29, 2003
• Bible Study
• 7:30 pm in All Faith's Chapel
• Church Attire
’♦‘Optional: Coffee & Chat: Time
6:00 pm in Bernie's Expresso
(next to Sbisa)
Tuesday, January 23, 2003
• "Sister, Sister"
• 7:30 pm in Koldus 111
• Dress as a Member of your
Favorite Female Duo or Trio!!
Bid f>artry
^ by invitation only
• Friday, January 31, 2003
• Time/Place: TBA
• Business/Church Attire
Pl«
visit www , qgooities . corn/pbx
eta03 to learn
more about our sorority.
For further information or questions
please contact Sltawna or Denise at
pl~>xexec<g£H otniail.com.
dventure
{with benefits}
Mission: Oversee an international program in one of these fields:
agriculture, business, community development, education, health,
environment or information technology.
Benefits: 24-Vacation Days a Year, Housing, Medical and Dental,
Monthly Stipend, Transportation to and from Host Country, Student Loan
Deferment and Graduate Degree Opportunities.
Interested? Talk to a recruiter at
• Tuesday, January 28,10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Student Engineering Council Career Fair, Reed Arena
• Wednesday, January 29,10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
TAMU Volunteer Career Fair, MSC Flagroom
www.peacecorps.gov • 1-800-424-8580
SENIORS
Time is running out!
Don't miss your opportunity to be in
the 2003 Aggieland yearbook.
Get your picture taken at
AR Photography
by Feb. 13
404 University Dr. E., Ste. F
(in shopping center across from Albertson's)
Questions?
Call 693-8183 or 845-2682
Aggieland 2003
V EI R Y T M T N Y O" U IN “fe El D— Y- CY K: N O ^
Coming Soon Heart Healthy Month Make Money with Reg Sports
Ti 1 , ° n recsports. timi/. et/i/
^ Y
Rec Sports celebrates FEBRUARY as Heart Healthy Month!
Join the celebration by attending one of the following events:
FREE Women on Weights Feb. 8th, FREE Healthy Living Lecture
Feb. 1 2th, bring a guest FREE to any Rec aerobics class all day
long Feb. 14th. and FREE Fitness Profiles on Feb. 21st. Sign up
for prizes Feb. 1 1-14.
Valentines Gift Certificates—On sale at Member Services.
Fitness & Classes with a Friend
Prairie
jck Prairie
80-0508
• UNLIMITED Aerobics Passes—On sale now at Member Services
for $50/$55. Coupon books are $15 for 10 classes and $2 for
one class. Have unlimited access to our always convenient,
always fun classes. Over 80 classes are offered each week!
• PERSONAL TRAINING SALE—goals become reality with our
help! Get 10 sessions for $1 15 or 15 sessions for $160. Partner
sessions are available as well. Drop by Member Services to sign up.
• Triathlon Training Program—This 8 week program is geared to
the novice and fitness enthusiast that wants to train for a 'sprint' dis
tance triathlon that includes a 1,000 meter swim, 15.5 mile bike ride
and a 3.1 mile run. Informational meeting: Wed., January 29th at
7:15 p.m. in room 281. Registration: January 30th at 6:00 a.m.
Program limited to the first 50 people signed up.
• NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS MADE EASY—Sign up for your
favorite instructional classes at Member Services today! Beginning
Yoga, Yoga for Relaxation I & II, Beginning Power Yoga, Interme
diate Power Yoga, Country & Western Dance, Jitterbug, and
Texas Push classes still have openings.
recsports. tome, et/e
• Photographers—We need qualified action photographers to cap
ture the excitement that is Rec Sports. Color 35mm and digital
photography experience preferred. Be prepared to show samples
of your work. Apply in room 202 or email
astanton@rec.tamu.edu for more information.
• Marketing Assistant—Rec Sports is looking for a creative and
energetic marketing major to work on projects that include cus
tomer satisfaction research and marketing plans. Interested? email
astanton@rec.tamu.edu for more information.
• Intramural Officials—No experience necessary. Make money
working flexible hours, meeting new people, and receive paid
training! Attend an orientation clinic to be hired.
IM Orientation Clinics Date/Time/Location
OUTDOOR SOCCER Jan. 27/7:00 p.m./281 Rec
SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL Jan. 27/7:00 p.m./281 Rec
Sand Volleyball Feb. 1 0/7:00 p.m./28 1 Rec
4/4 Flag Football Feb. 1 7/7:00 p.m./28 1 Rec
Get Going with TAMU Outdoors
Fun in the Sun with Aquatics
Program Registration Cost
Basic SCUBA Jan. 13-March 31 $225/$245
Adult Learn to Swim Jan. 1 3-March 3 1 $25/$35
Lifeguard Training Jan. 13-March 24 $110/$130
• Join the Masters Swimming Program. Workouts are tailored
to meet the individual's goals, whether you seek to increase
your fitness, improve your stroke or have a desire to com
pete. Classes are Mon.-Thurs. at 6:00p.m.
Live the Excitement with Sports Clubs
gby Pitch
iby Pitch
M. Rugby vs. SWT, Feb. 1, 2:00p.m. @ Ru_
W. Rugby vs. TTU, Feb. 1,4:00p.m. @ Rug
W. Rugby, LSU vs. TTU, Feb. 2, 12:00p.m. @ Rugby Pitch
W. Lacrosse, HS Tournament, Feb. 1-2, all day @ Penberthy
Play everyday with Intramurals
Upcoming Events
Lead Climbing Clinic
Rock Climbing I 01
Lead Climbing Clinic
Rock Climbing 1 01
Women's Rock 101
Backpacking Trip
SEA KAYAK ALASKA
SAIL & SCUBA Bahamas
Registration
Jan. 1 3-Jan. 27
Jan. 21-Jan. 28
Jan. 21-Feb. 17
Jan. 21 —Feb. 1 8
Jan. 21 -Feb. 1 8
Jan. 21-Feb. 18
Jan. 21-April 1
Jan. 21 -June 9
Event Date
Jan.28
Feb. 1
Feb. 18
Feb. 22
Feb. 23
Feb. 22-23
May 25-3 1
Aua. 16-22
Sports CLOSING:
Program
Pre-Season Basketball
Basketball
Sports OPENING:
Program
Outdoor Soccer
Slow Pitch Softball (M&W)
Wallyball
Table Tennis
Registration ends
January 28
January 28
Registration
Jan. 27-Feb. 4
Jan. 27-Feb. 4
Jan. 27-Feb. 4
Jan. 27-Feb. 4
Cost
$ 1 0/team
$40/team
Cost
$40/team
$40/team
$ 1 0/team
FREE