Posted by: AT&T Blog Team on April 12, 2011 at 4:05 pm
The following statement may be attributed to Tim McKone, AT&T Executive Vice President – Federal Relations:
“We congratulate Senators Kerry and McCain for their bi-partisan leadership in establishing a thoughtful and comprehensive legislative framework to address individual privacy in the Information Age. In particular, we are gratified that the Commercial Privacy Bill of Rights Act of 2011 both recognizes and specifically addresses the potential for overlapping regulation of communications providers by multiple federal agencies and establishes a solution that eliminates wasteful and inefficient regulatory duplication. We look forward to continuing to work with the bill’s sponsors and stakeholders to establish a commercial ecosystem characterized by consumer trust, a level playing field for all players and a growth engine for jobs.”
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Posted by: AT&T Blog Team on April 7, 2011 at 12:24 pm
The following statement may be attributed to Bob Quinn, AT&T Chief Privacy Officer and Senior Vice President of Federal Regulatory:
“Roaming agreements for both voice and data are in place throughout the country, and were reached through normal commercial negotiations. The evidence presented in this proceeding demonstrated conclusively that proponents of a roaming mandate were seeking government intervention, not to obtain agreements – which are plentiful – but rather to regulate rates downward. While we will thoroughly review today’s order, we continue to believe that a data roaming mandate is unwarranted and will discourage investment and build out of broadband facilities for both those seeking regulated roaming rates and those forced to wholesale facilities at those rates.”
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Posted by: Frank Simone on April 7, 2011 at 11:56 am
The FCC stepped up to the plate today to remove barriers to broadband infrastructure investment and lower the costs of broadband deployment, a key recommendation of the Commission’s National Broadband Plan. It was a good day at the dish, but it looks as if this game is headed to extra-innings.
As many of you know, the Commission’s pole attachment Order, adopted today, confirmed its authority to oversee all pole attachment rates, but it failed to set a benchmark rate for traditional phone companies, such as AT&T. What this means, at least for the near term, is that traditional phone companies will continue to pay rates that are multiple times higher than their broadband competitors – cable companies and CLECs.
So, you can say that the Commission took a step in the right direction, and they should be applauded for that. But this game is far from over.
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