FCC Takes No Action on Open-Access Issue

Federal regulators won’t require cable TV companies such as Tele-Communications Inc. to sell their new high-speed Internet hookups to competing Internet companies any time soon. The Federal Communications Commission took no action at a public meeting on requests by America Online Inc. and other Internet companies that the agency impose such a requirement. Instead, the agency said it will monitor cable’s roll-out of new, high-speed Internet services. The FCC decision is a victory for cable companies that say an open-access requirement could thwart investment in their networks. The decision is a loss for Internet service providers, which want high-speed connections to entice customers to stay online longer.