FCC Ruling Leads to Drop in Some DSL Fees

Many subscribers of high-speed Internet service via cable will see their bill decrease slightly starting this month, because two operators said they will stop charging a local franchise fee. Companies like AT&T Broadband, Comcast Corp. and AOL Time Warner Inc. pay local governments up to 5 percent of their gross revenue, or about $2.5 billion annually, for access to public rights-of-way to offer service.