USTelecom Expresses Concern to FCC over 'Seriously Flawed' Berkman Center Study
Background: Today, USTelecom responded to the Federal Communications Commission’s Public Notice seeking comments on the draft study by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society. The association’s filing identifies “numerous errors, omissions and internal inconsistencies” in the Berkman Center’s analysis and concludes that, “it should not be relied upon by the FCC in formulating a National Broadband Plan.” The following statement is from USTelecom President and CEO Walter B. McCormick, Jr.:
“USTelecom shares the Berkman Center’s desire to assist the Commission in its goal of ‘data-driven’ policymaking. We also agree that the Commission should be mindful of lessons learned by other countries. However, having reviewed this report in detail, we are deeply concerned about its numerous inconsistencies and highly selective analysis.”
“The selective inclusion and exclusion of key facts and misguided characterization of the regulatory frameworks in different countries appears aimed at reaching a false and foregone conclusion that unbundling policies aid broadband deployment when a clear preponderance of empirical evidence reaches the polar opposite conclusion.
“The study attempts to create a link between regulatory network unbundling mandates and broadband deployment where none exists. By fixating on unbundling and ignoring key factors, including facilities-based competition, direct government support, private investment and non-policy factors such as geography and demographics, the report seeks to steer the FCC down a path that would ultimately be harmful to our nation’s goal of connecting all Americans and continually improving the speed, capacity and sophistication of U.S. broadband networks.
“Perhaps of greatest concern is the report’s near-total disregard for the role of private investment in creating broadband networks and the jobs that go with them. The report assumes that unbundling will spur investment. In reality, such regulations would clearly undermine the enormous investment required to continually expand and upgrade these essential networks.
“We believe it would be a mistake for the FCC to rely on this deeply flawed analysis in crafting what we all want to be a successful and effective National Broadband Plan. The U.S. leads the world today in facilities-based broadband competition, which fuels $60 billion in annual private sector investment in our nation’s communications infrastructure. Our focus should be on continuing this important progress as we strive to connect all Americans and advance ever more robust U.S. broadband.”
Read USTelecom’s comments here.
The United States Telecom Association, USTelecom, is the premier broadband trade association representing service providers
and suppliers for the telecom industry. USTelecom represents companies offering a wide range of services across the communications
platforms, including voice, video and data over local exchange, long distance, wireless, Internet and cable services.