Cross purposes; PSC thinks federal bill would derail state broadband plan before it starts.(Michigan Public Service Commission)(Brief Article)

Crain's Detroit Business, February, 2002 by Lane, Amy

As Gov. John Engler tries to pass his broadband plan, Michigan regulators are hoping to kill a federal bill that they say would counteract something Engler hopes to accomplish: spreading high-speed Internet access statewide. At issue is legislation sponsored by U.S. Reps. W.J. ``Billy'' Tauzin, R-La., and John Dingell, D-Dearborn.

The bill, House Resolution 1542, could speed the entry of Ameritech Michigan and others into long-distance high-speed data services by lifting state and federal regulations. Ameritech parent SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE: SBC) and other large telecommunications companies are pressing for the bill. They say it would promote competition by allowing them to freely roll out high-speed digital subscriber line service and remove...

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