VERIZON GETS BREAK ON BUSINESS BROADBAND

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>
Date: March 21, 2006 11:30:37 AM EST
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <dewayne-net () warpspeed com>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] VERIZON GETS BREAK ON BUSINESS BROADBAND
Reply-To: dewayne () warpspeed com

[Note:  I posted an item on this yesterday.  The comments of  
Commissioners Coops and Adelstein are worth reading.  DLH]

VERIZON GETS BREAK ON BUSINESS BROADBAND

[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Despite the opposition of two of the four sitting FCC commissioners,  
the FCC Monday granted Verizon relief from regulations on the  
provision of high-speed broadband service to large business  
customers. Verizon filed the so-called "forbearance" petition in  
December 2004 per the 1996 Telecommunications act, which allows the  
FCC to exempt companies from regulations under certain circumstances.  
(If the Commission does not deny the petition in a year for failure  
to meet the criteria for forbearance, it is granted by default.)  
Verizon promised to continue to pay into the Universal Service Fund  
for the business services. That fund helps pay for broadband roll-out  
to poorer or hard-to-reach areas. Verizon also said it would continue  
to make the services available was "wholesale common carrier  
services." The supporting commissioners were deregulatory Republicans  
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate, who  
praised the outcome, saying: "Promoting broadband deployment is one  
of the highest priorities of the FCC.  To accomplish this goal, the  
Commission seeks to establish a policy environment that facilitates  
and encourages broadband investment, allowing market forces to  
deliver the benefits of broadband to consumers.  Today, we take  
another step in establishing a regulatory environment that encourages  
such investments and innovation." Commissioners Michael Copps and  
Jonathan Adelstein were not pleased with either the outcome or the  
process that produced. Copps put his problems with the latter this  
way: "As a legal matter this approach is suspect.  There is no  
appealable Order.  There is no document, no stitch of analysis, no  
trace of discussion, nothing that a court can use to gauge where the  
Commission is coming from.  And by failing to act through a normal  
proceeding, the Commission jeopardizes many Congressional policies  
that are at the core of its statutory duties.  I find no basis to  
support an approach that puts so much at risk."

<http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6317345?display=Breaking 
+News>

* FCC Press Release
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264436A1.doc
* Joint Statement Martin & Tate:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264436A2.doc
* Copps Statement:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264436A3.doc
* Adelstein Statement:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264436A4.doc

Weblog at: <http://weblog.warpspeed.com>



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