Firms Unite to Lobby for High-Speed Access

Several top Internet service providers have formed a lobbying group that aims to force cable companies to share access to their new high-speed Internet access networks. America Online, MCI WorldCom, Netscape Communications, US West, MindSpring Enterprises, Prodigy Communications and Cable & Wireless are among the founding members of the OpenNet Coalition, based in Washington. Those companies generally rely on regular telephone lines to connect customers to the Internet, but they want to offer the high-speed access that is possible over cable lines. So far, the cable companies have refused. If cable companies are forced to give their competitors access to their lines, it will slow the pace of investment needed to upgrade cable networks for broad-band services, said Decker Anstrom, president of the National Cable Television Assn. Last week, the Federal Communications Commission declined to force cable companies to share their high-speed lines. But the FCC promised to watch the situation carefully to ensure that consumers’ options for Internet service are not restricted.