Texas Cable Association Statement Regarding Texas Senate Vote on Telecom Legislation

Texas Cable Association Statement Regarding Texas Senate Vote on Telecom Legislation

AUSTIN, Texas, July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The Texas Cable & Telecommunications Association (TCTA) issued the following statement today following a vote by the Texas Senate:

"In a stunning effort to give aid where none is needed, today the Texas Senate took the first step to authorize the state to allow multibillion dollar corporations to redline and divide communities in the delivery of vital cable and internet services," Tom Kinney, chairman of TCTA and president of Time Warner Cable-Austin, said. "SBC and Verizon can enter the video market today without the special favors the Texas Senate conceded to them. Instead, the phone monopolies, having lost in the regular session of the legislature, pled their case to the legislature for special treatment in the special session when the important issue of school finance hangs in the balance.

"Phone rates will increase under the telecom portion of the bill. The phone monopolies persuaded the legislature to further deregulate phone services while these companies at the same time continue to receive over $200 million in government subsidies from the taxpayers of Texas. Once again, Texas taxpayers are on the losing end of a massive lobbying campaign by SBC and Verizon."

As passed, SB 21 allows phone companies to set their own rates for residential phone customers. In addition, the legislation shifts the video franchise system from municipal authority to a state-issued system with no study on how this would impact cities or consumers.

Contact: Meg Meo, 512-494-2867 or

mmeo@echristianpr.com

Source: Texas Cable & Telecommunications Association

CONTACT: Meg Meo, +1-512-494-2867, or mmeo@echristianpr.com , for Texas Cable & Telecommunications Association

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