TELEPHONE - CABLE CROSS-OWNERSHIP - A STUDY IN POLICY ALTERNATIVES

US federal law bans telephone/cable TV cross-ownership, but policy makers are not united as to the future of this law. One of the important technical trends which is prompting this reassessment is the advent of fibre-optic technology. The question now facing the telecommunications industry, regulators and consumers alike is whether the public interest is better served by allowing US telephone companies to enter video distribution through fibre-optic lines to the home. This article advances a set of recommendations intended to balance public interest objectives with the need to reconcile competitive requirements among the existing telephone, cable and broadcast communication players.