Firms no longer have to lease lines to their competitors

Ryan Kim, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, August 6, 2005

The Federal Communications Commission ruled Friday that Internet DSL providers like SBC will no longer be required to lease high-speed lines to independent rivals.

The FCC ruling follows a Supreme Court decision in June that said cable companies do not have to open up their networks to Internet service providers. Together, the decisions deliver a possibly lethal blow to small broadband companies, who could be shut out of the Bay Area's two most widely used high- speed networks, SBC and Comcast.

Continues @ SF Chronicle