Frontiers of Freedom Applauds House Energy and Commerce Committee for Providing More Consumer Freedom

Frontiers of Freedom Applauds House Energy and Commerce Committee for Providing More Consumer Freedom

Encourages Committee to Not Regulate Internet With 'Net Neutrality' Provisions

OAKTON, Va., April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Frontiers of Freedom today offered its thanks and congratulations to members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee for continuing the momentum of the Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006. The committee's action moves the bill one step closer to consideration by the full House of Representatives, which all consumers should applaud.

"Consumers in America have been captive to ever-rising cable TV rates for far too long and they are overdue for the benefits that can come from having alternative providers to choose from. Frontiers of Freedom believes consumers cannot lose when they have competitive choices.

"Congress' own Government Accountability Office has found in recent years that prices for cable TV declined by 15 percent or more in those few places in the United States where competition and choice have been introduced.

"Frontiers of Freedom is gratified to see that the committee members understand the urgency of moving ahead with this legislation now. Cable TV rates have spiraled upward steadily for many years and that trend will only continue unless the cable companies see some competition soon.

"The committee members are right to call for a new national franchise policy that will replace the current local video franchise rules that are a throwback to an earlier time in technology. For consumers, the arrival of the Internet and the ability to deliver digital signals to homes and businesses over fiber-optic lines has rendered the old rules obsolete.

"With new communications devices and new capabilities emerging nearly every day, why should consumers be captive any longer to one set of providers when outmoded regulations are the only obstacle to the onset of competition? Let's get on with it!

"Further, although we wish to see a clean bill devoid of extraneous issues such as 'net neutrality,' which would bring momentum toward establishing consumer choice and competition in video services to a standstill, we believe this is a start in the right direction."

Source: Frontiers of Freedom

CONTACT: George Landrith of Frontiers of Freedom, +1-703-246-0110

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