[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 90 (Wednesday, July 13, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 13, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS COMPETITION AND INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE ACT 
                                OF 1994

                                 ______


                               speech of

                            HON. BILL PAXON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 28, 1994

  Mr. PAXON. Mr. Speaker, I am in support of H.R. 3636 because I 
believe it establishes good public policy for the United States. 
However, I would like to take this opportunity to raise a concern about 
one of the bill's provisions that would require local phone companies 
to further unbundle their various services.
  I understand some of the reasoning behind this provision, but I think 
we also need to be fully aware of the potential risk here. Many people 
in this country do not want Congress to force them to buy their 
telecommunications services a la carte. They would prefer to purchase a 
package of services tailored to fit their needs.
  Selling everything individually does not mean that they will be 
cheaper. In fact, the more things sold or bought, the larger the 
transaction costs. That is why more and more businesses are offering 
packages of goods or services. This is not an attempt to be 
anticompetitive, rather businesses are trying to offer consumers 
greater convenience at a better price.
  H.R. 3636 might be read as prohibiting this. I hope H.R. 3636 does 
not because I think customers should have the option of purchasing 
telecommunications services individually or as part of a package.

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