Reinventing Rate Regulation

One of the fundamental purposes of the 1992 Cable Act was to bring about a reduction in consumer cable prices by eliminating the ability of cable companies to charge monopoly rates. While the goal may have been to decrease rates, complaints have poured into Congress claiming that since the passage of the Act, rates have actually increased. The Author explores the Act's goal of reintroducing effective competition while reregulating cable rates in the interim. He examines the details of the regulation and concludes by discussing the options that should be considered by Congress and the FCC when reevaluating the 1992 Cable Act.