nition in no time flat." http://media.aoltimewarner.com/media/cb_press_view.cfm?
release_num=147.

[10-33] On the character of these virtual worlds, see Julian Dibbell, _My_Tiny_Life:_Crime_
_and_Passion_in_a_Virtual_World_ (London: Fourth Estate, 1998). See also Lynn Cherny,
_Conversation_and_Community:_Chat_in_a_Virtual_World_ (Stanford, CA: CSLI Publica-
tions, 1999).

[10-34] America Online Inc., "Open Access Comments of America Online, Inc." before
the Department of Telecommunications and Information Services, San Francisco, Oc-
tober 27, 1999.

[10-35] Comments of America Online, Inc., "In the Matter of Transfer of Control of FCC
Licenses of MediaOne Group, Inc. to AT&T Corporation," Federal Communications
Commission, CS Docket No. 99-251, August 23, 1999. As it argued:

____ What this merger does offer, however, is the means for a newly "RBOC-icized" cable in-
____ dustry reinforced by interlocking ownership relationships to (1) prevent Internet-based
____ challenge to cable's core video offerings; (2) leverage its control over essential video fa-
____ cilities into broadband Internet access services; (3) extend its control over cable Internet
____ access services into broadband cable Internet content; (4) seek to establish itself as the
____ "electronic national gateway" for the full and growing range of cable communications
____ services.

To avoid such detrimental results for consumers, the Commission can act to ensure that
broadband develops into a communications path that is as accessible and diverse as nar-
rowband. Just as the Commission has often acted to maintain the openness of other last-
mile infrastructure, here too it should adopt open cable Internet access as a competitive
safeguard -- a check against cable's extension of market power over facilities that were
first secured through government protection and now, in their broadband form, are
being leveraged into cable Internet markets. Affording high-speed Internet subscribers
with an effective means to obtain the full range of data, voice and video services available
in the marketplace, regardless of the transmission facility used, is a sound and vital
policy -- both because of the immediate benefit for consumers and because of its longer-
range spur to broadband investment and deployment. Here, the Commission need do
no more than establish an obligation on the merged entity to provide non-affiliated ISPs
connectivity to the cable platform on rates, terms and conditions equal to those accorded
to affiliated service providers. (AOL, FCC, 4)

[10-36] Comments of AT&T Wireless Services, Inc., "In the Matter of Inquiry Regarding
Software Defined Radios," Federal Communications Commission, ET Docket No.
00-47, July 14, 2000, 15.

[10-37] AT&T Canada Long Distance Services, "Comments of AT&T Canada Long Dis-
tance Services Company," before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunica-
tions Commission, Telecom Public Notice CRTC 96-36: "Regulation of Certain
Telecommunications Service Offered by Broadcast Carriers," February 4, 1997. For the
best analysis of this change in position, see the submission by Mark Cooper of the Con-
sumer Federation of America, Petition to Deny, in re "Application of America Online
and Time Warner for Transfers of Control," before the FCC, CS 00-30 (April 26, 2000):

____ The dominant and vertically integrated position of cable broadcast carriers requires a
____ number of safeguards to protect against anti-competitive behaviour. These carriers have
____ considerable advantages in the market, particularly with respect to their ability to make

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v?