Internet Over Cable: Defining the Future In Terms of the Past

Citation
Federal Communications Commission, Internet Over Cable: Defining the Future In Terms of the Past (OPP Working Paper Series 30) (Aug. 1998) (full-text).

Overview
The issue of the regulatory status of Internet-based services provided by cable operators over their cable systems arises as a result of revisions to the definition of "cable services" contained in the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This issue has yet to receive comprehensive assessment by the FCC. How the FCC resolves issues concerning Internet access and the provision of Internet-based communications services by cable operators has vast implications for both providers and consumers of Internet-based services.

This Working Paper is intended to stimulate discussion and critical comment on these significant issues of regulatory classification and their consequences. It suggests, without advocating particular outcomes, that regulatory classification must be done in light of agreed-upon policy objectives.