Bill Seeks to Bar Baby Bells From Data Services Field : Telecommunications: The measure was sought by newspaper publishers who fear that such information services may hurt competitors.

Legislation to block the seven regional Bell telephone companies from immediately using their phone lines to offer electronic information services was introduced in the House on Tuesday.

Introduction of the Telecommunications Act of 1991 came a day after the U.S. Court of Appeals freed the Bell companies from restrictions on their ability to offer information services.

The bill had been sought by the American Newspaper Publishers Assn., which fears that information services provided by the phone companies could choke off rival services by newspapers, cable-television companies and others.

The legislation, offered by Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.), would bar the Bell companies from providing electronic publishing services until at least 50% of all businesses and homes in their areas have access to transmission and switching services operated by other companies that are comparable in quality, cost, geographic range and function.

The Bell companies also would be barred from proceeding with such services unless they could demonstrate there is “no substantial possibility” they could use their position as local exchange operators to impede competition or impose extra costs.

Cathleen Black, president of the publisher’s association, called the Cooper bill “an urgently needed step to protect Americans from restrictions on their choices, a drain on their pocketbooks and threats to their privacy.”

“Either an unregulated monopoly will control all U.S. information services or there will be spirited competition from a wide variety of providers,” she said.

But John Connarn, vice president of federal relations for Ameritech, one of the seven Bell companies, said the bill “needlessly slams the door on American consumers who seek access to the benefits of the information age.”

Gerald D. Blatherwick, vice chairman of the Southwestern Bell Corp., called the bill “protectionist legislation of the worst kind.”

“Many newspaper publishers are supporting this bill because they are trying to protect their classified advertising dollars,” he said.