Consumers to U.S. House Commerce Committee: Put Us First

Consumers to U.S. House Commerce Committee: Put Us First

C4CC Offers Testimonials on Why Cable Reform Matters

WASHINGTON, April 24 /PRNewswire/ -- As the House Committee on Energy and Commerce prepares to debate a cable franchise reform bill, Consumers for Cable Choice (C4CC) gives voice to the national demand for competition in a brochure featuring 11 Americans who are tired of cable monopolies' stranglehold.

The brochure, available at http://www.consumers4choice.org/ , also contains excerpts from news accounts, research papers and studies that support the call for competition.

C4CC president Robert K. Johnson said the brochure will be given to lawmakers prior to Wednesday's hearing on the Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006. "We want committee members to clearly understand that Americans want cable choice," Johnson said. "Consumers see competition as a sparkplug that will lead to lower bills, better service and expanded product offerings -- and they want Congress to act now."

Excerpts from the brochure:

* Mayor Wayne Seybold of Marion, Ind. supports cable competition as a way to speed the deployment of broadband technology and help the U.S. regain its technological leadership role. "Countries that are 'wired' have instant reach to any market on the planet, and they are already outpacing us in economic growth. Our country cannot afford to let this continue. I support competition and a level playing field for all providers of advanced communications services -- municipal as well as commercial providers. It's a no-brainer," he said.

* Ethel Underwood, a retired U.S. Air Force nurse from Alexandria, Va., isn't interested in television but sees great benefit in using advanced communications technology to help deliver healthcare and social services to people who cannot easily travel. "Access to medical care is a basic need that is going unfilled for far too many people in America," said Underwood. "We should all be working as quickly as possible to do whatever we can to increase medical treatment opportunities for everyone. It's a shame this kind of service isn't already available."

* Cost is a concern for Ted Taylor and Ken MacLaughlin, seniors from San Leandro, Calif. "Cable is a service seniors both want and need. But for too many of them, continual escalation in cost is making it an unaffordable luxury. Even for those seniors in comfortable financial condition, the price of TV is still an issue," they said.

* Rusty Hunt, a wheat farmer and cattle rancher from Coulee City, Wash., wants rural Americans to gain access to advanced communication services. "I want our lawmakers to update the cable TV regulatory structure because competition is my only opportunity to get the advanced communications services I need to grow my business and improve my way of life. Maybe a new provider will value me as a customer, not a number, and offer me faster broadband and video services," he said.

In the 4 percent of the nation where competition already exists, consumers' cable bills are about 15 percent lower than in the 96 percent of the country still shackled to monopolistic cable providers. A recent study by the Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal & Economic Public Policy Studies shows that competition in the cable TV industry could save American consumers $8.2 billion this calendar year.

"Without competition, consumers forfeit $260 per second in potential savings, but this is much more than just a cost issue," Johnson said. "With competition comes innovation as providers try to attract customers."

In countries where competitors vie for customers, innovations that are widely available include high-speed teleconferencing, which allows the homebound to communicate with their doctors and social workers and small businesses to reach global customers and suppliers. Competition breeds these new and exciting developments because providers need them to attract customers. In addition to innovations that will raise many individuals' quality of life, experts anticipate that competition will encourage providers to invest billions of dollars to offer the service, resulting in jobs and economic growth from coast-to-coast.

About Consumers for Cable Choice, Inc.

Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., C4CC is a national alliance of consumer advocacy groups, private citizens and others who are committed to promoting maximum choice for consumers in cable, video and broadband services. C4CC uses a combination of education and grassroots advocacy to impact change, which will result in a deregulated and pro-consumer market that stimulates fair price, more choices and better service options in the cable television industry. Johnson has been advocating for policies that benefit residential and small business consumers for more than 20 years. To learn more, visit http://www.consumers4choice.org/ .

C4CC Media Contact:
Cheryl Reed
(317) 205-9690
cherylreed@synergy-mg.com

Source: Consumers for Cable Choice, Inc.

CONTACT: Cheryl Reed, +1-317-205-9690, cherylreed@synergy-mg.com , for
Consumers for Cable Choice

Web site: http://www.consumers4choice.org/

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