IP: Michael Powell on regulation

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> By Patrick Ross, of ZDNet:
>
> In his first public appearance since taking over the agency, FCC Chairman 
> Michael Powell outlined a philosophy that puts markets before government rules.
>
> His tenure will be marked by a "greater reliance on deregulation" to 
> better allow competition in the telecommunications and Internet markets, 
> Powell said Monday. But he warned that not all companies would welcome 
> that approach. "Many companies want less deregulation than you might 
> think," he said, noting that regulations can also protect industries from 
> the full impact of competition.
>
> Over the last decade the FCC has found itself involved in existing 
> markets, such as phone service, and emerging markets, such as broadband 
> high-speed Internet service. The agency's actions can dramatically affect 
> corporate business plans, the flow of venture capital and the movement of 
> markets. Powell, the first Republican to chair the FCC in eight years, 
> said that even as an agency devoted to deregulation, the FCC will continue 
> to play a central role in the industries it oversees.
>
> The FCC "still owns an enormous portion of the regulatory environment," 
> Powell said. The companies it regulates account for "a huge portion of the 
> nation's GDP" or gross domestic product. He promised the commission would 
> act quickly when market concerns arose. "Uncertainty is a greater danger 
> than any decision we could make."
>
> Powell explained how his approach to deregulation differs from that of his 
> predecessor, William Kennard, who has argued there still isn't sufficient 
> competition in markets such as local phone service to justify deregulation.
>
> "I do not believe deregulation is a dessert you serve after you've eaten 
> your vegetables," Powell said. "It's not a reward for competition, it's an 
> incentive for competition."
>
> --------
>
> For the complete article, see
>
> http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2682906,00.html



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