Telephony Online recently reported on Earthlink’s sobering on the issue of municipal Wi-Fi. In the story, muni Wi-Fi consultant Craig Settles credits the hyperbole of politicians seeking re-election and overly-optimistic vendors with turning muni Wi-Fi into a consumer broadband free-for-all that it was never intended to be. He says that muni Wi-Fi was originally meant to target city workers and not city residents en masse, citing remote meter-reading, public safety and city mobile communications as appropriate uses of muni Wi-Fi.

EarthLink CEO Rolla Huff has stated, “...significant further investments in the business would be inconsistent with our objective of maximizing shareholder value.” While Earthlink is purportedly looking at strategic alternatives for its muni Wi-Fi business, this development adds to the volume of disappointing results delivered by municipal-delivered broadband initiatives.

While Cox has not directly opposed Wi-Fi projects underwritten by municipalities in our footprint, we do remain steadfast in our belief that the private networks built by the cable companies (and yes, the telephone companies too), are best positioned to provide consumer Internet services. The investments we’ve made with private funds ensure that we remain in step with consumer needs and market demands. And, we believe that future private investment in the Internet should not be threatened by a playing field tilted in favor of government subsidized services.

CableFAX Daily is reporting that Verizon is raising the price of the most popular programming package on its FiOS TV service. The cost of the premier package will increase 11.6% next year for new customers, while existing customers will see a 7.6% increase. CableFAX cited a Sanford Bernstein research note stating that “the price increase will ‘almost certainly’ be larger than any instituted by cable or satellite ops. It also should signal to legislators that more factors impact pay-TV price jumps than just a dearth of competition.”

Each week Cox and other communications service providers confront a new, potentially seismic shift in regulation which could dramatically change the rules of the game in our industry. In a keynote address this week during the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ (NARUC) annual conference in Anaheim, Calif., Cox President Pat Esser discussed the company’s telephone regulation policy priorities and reminded commissioners that Cox has consistently supported telco-sponsored video franchising reform across the country, with one critical stipulation: that all video providers, not just new entrants, play by the same rules and regulations.

While highlighting the company’s history of being the first cable provider to deliver video, Internet and telephone service over a single broadband network, forever changing our business and fueling the digital revolution that consumers are experiencing today, Esser urged commissioners to adopt a technology-neutral approach for voice regulations, maintain appropriate circuit-switched interconnection protections and establish clear interconnection rights for voice over internet protocol. Click here for text of Esser’s speech.