BROADBAND PROCEEDINGS SHOULD BE FCC'S TOP PRIORITY, MARTIN SAYS
FCC Comr. Martin said Commission should make broadband deployment “number one priority” of its telecom policy proceedings. In comments at Progress & Freedom Foundation (PFF) panel Fri., he said FCC rulings on broadband also should avoid uncertainty and address all potential implications possible. Panel discussion accompanied release of PFF book: “Telecrisis: How Regulation Stifles High-Speed Internet Access.”
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
If your job depends on informed compliance, you need International Trade Today. Delivered every business day and available any time online, only International Trade Today helps you stay current on the increasingly complex international trade regulatory environment.
Martin cited FCC’s ruling that cable modems were information service (rather than telecom service), but decision didn’t clarify how such information service should be regulated, which left further uncertainty for industry. William Baily, policy analyst for Sen. McCain (R-Ariz.), incoming Commerce Committee chmn., said McCain had identified broadband as priority issue for committee.
Martin said he was disappointed by slow pace of FCC proceedings, particularly broadband, and said general deadlines for proceedings should be declared early during review to help Commission “marshal its resources.” He said he had hoped proceeding could have been concluded by end of 2002, which he now said was very unlikely: “Hopefully, we'll do something soon.” Universal service fund support shouldn’t be taken from broadband deployment because that probably would prove to be a disincentive for broadband deployment, Martin said. He also said FCC should generally rid itself of “regulatory underbrush” and its biennial review of regulations should identify those that were “absolutely necessary” as opposed to those that were just “useful.”
Adam Thierer, of Cato Institute, said issue of poor broadband demand was being used as “diversionary effort” to shift attention away from supply side problems. While Thierer acknowledged that there were concerns about public’s unwillingness to subscribe to broadband, it shouldn’t take focus away from need to create regulatory environment that would foster broadband deployment. Thierer said it was impossible at this early stage to know exactly what customers would want from broadband. He said govt. should fund private sector in effort to raise demand, in what he called “digital new deal” programs. (Incidentally, Thierer’s name was misspelled as Theirer on cover and title page of book.) Bruce Mehlman, asst. secy. of commerce-technology policy, said he didn’t support using grants to spur demand side developments in broadband market.