But it also recommends no change in the laws that prohibit phone companies from owning cable systems.

Such services are easier to develop if a company already owns cable systems throughout the area it wants to serve.

Regional phone companies are not allowed to own cable systems in markets where they operate telephones.

Under the current law, most telephone companies are forbidden to own cable television systems within their operating regions.

One likely candidate is a company that owns cable systems in Cox's backyard of Atlanta.

Under the original House version, broadcasters would have been able to own newspapers, radio stations or cable systems in the same market.

Nor are they allowed to own cable systems, among other restrictions.

"Owning cable systems directly lets Liberty offer programming and other services to subscribers," she said.

The company already separately owns cable systems with 494,000 subscribers in Atlanta.

The networks are not allowed to own cable television systems.