Missouri needs video competition

To the editor:

I agree with Bernard Proffer's April 29 letter. A key factor in creating competition in the local phone market was to make it easy for competitors to get into business. New providers in the telephone market -- including cable providers who can bundle voice, long-distance, video and Internet services -- are not held to the same regulatory requirements as incumbent telephone companies. New providers are subject to relaxed regulatory standards with no obligations to offer their services to all customers. This relaxed approach has allowed competition to flourish.

Establishing uniform rules statewide means companies can start investing in communities as soon as possible. Ask yourself why there aren't more cable-TV providers in your town. The answer is that the outdated rules are a barrier to entry, and requiring any new provider to obtain franchise agreements from individual cities and towns across Missouri slows deployment and limits choices for consumers. A new entrant cannot be expected to make the same commitments and concessions that an incumbent cable firm would make when that incumbent had the expectation of a dominant market position for video services.

Existing cable-franchising rules are a thing of the past. Missouri needs to establish regulations that will encourage competition among video providers so that consumers will have real choices.

RAY BUHS, Cape Girardeau