Cable wins pole position: High Court says adding Internet service doesn't remove rate caps. (Top of the Week).(Supreme Court rules on FCC rate caps for cable companies that add Internet services)(Legal Beat)(Brief Article)

Broadcasting & Cable, January, 2002 by McConnell, Bill

The Supreme Court handed the cable industry a double victory last week by shooting down the utility industry's attempt to dramatically increase rates cable operators pay to string transmission lines to power poles. The decision, which retains FCC rate caps when cable companies add Internet service to their offerings, is a critical victory for the cable industry because most operators have added or are planning to add high-speed data service and could have faced significantly higher build-out costs.

The ruling not only affects pole rates but leaves the FCC free to decide whether cable companies must carry unaffiliated Internet providers. Cable's rivals and critics asked the court to classify the service in a way that would have forced cable to open...

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