Communications Daily is a service of Warren Communications News.
Broadband Reclassification Urged

Copps Reaffirms His Call for an Open Internet

Net neutrality rules and an open telecommunications infrastructure were urged by FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, Democratic State Representative Antonio Maestas of New Mexico and Chief Geoffrey Blackwell of the FCC Office of Native Affairs and Policy. They spoke Tuesday at a Free Press-sponsored public hearing in Albuquerque. New Mexico ranks 47th in broadband access.

Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article

Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!

Copps again praised FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s proposal to reclassify broadband as a telecom service under Title II of the Telecom Act (CD Aug 23 p1) , and laid out what he called a clear set of goals for the commission. He said it needs to “guarantee an open Internet where you can access any legal content of your choice, run the applications and attach the devices you want, enjoy the fruits of a more competitive environment, be assured of nondiscrimination and also receive maximum transparency."

Copps warned of congressional gridlock following the Republican takeover of the House and stressed that citizens should not wait for Congress to enact changes in broadband legislation. “As we saw this fall, that even with the leadership and tenacity of” House Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and “others, moving legislation is not an easy feat and it’s gonna get harder,” he said.

Advocates for net neutrality said little has changed since August when Free Press held its first public forum in Minneapolis, where Copps also spoke. “People are still waiting for the FCC to take action,” said Managing Director Craig Aaron. “They are concerned about whether and when they can get fast and affordable Internet.” Aaron urged more commissioners to get out of their offices and listen to the perspectives of everyday citizens. “Too often the FCC only hears from organizations based inside the Beltway,” he said. “That’s why it’s so important to get outside of D.C. and get a taste of what average Americans are thinking about."

The FCC needs to act more like a consumer protection agency, said Copps, to ensure that “someone has the authority to make sure our telecommunications infrastructure truly serves the people.” Amalia Deloney, director of the Center for Media Justice, agreed: “If we learned anything from community struggles with oil, gas and mining industries, we know that without real protections from corporate abuse, big companies will always prioritize their profit margins at the expense of our survival. We cannot afford to replicate this with broadband."

Other speakers lashed out against cable companies and telcos, portraying their lobbying efforts as greedy and self-serving. “Instead of spending money and time on building out networks to unserved and under-served communities, the phone and cable companies like Comcast, AT&T and Qwest are spending money lobbying in Washington to disrupt the open Internet in ways that would curb investment and innovation so they can pad their bottom lines,” said Loris Taylor, executive director of Native Public Media.

Copps derided the legislative framework proposed by Google and Verizon in August. “Deal making between big Internet players is not policy making for the common good,” he said. “I will not settle and you should not settle for gatekeepers of the Internet striking deals that exchange Internet freedom, yours and mine, for bloated profits on their quarterly reports to Wall Street. … The Internet was born on openness, it flourished on openness and depends upon openness for it’s continued success. And we must never allow the openness of the Internet to become just another pawn in the hands of powerful corporate interest."

The forum’s setting in Albuquerque had particular significance for members of the local Native American and Hispanic communities, two demographic groups that struggle with low levels of broadband penetration. In July the FCC found that less than half of the Hispanic population is online and fewer than 10 percent of residents on tribal lands have access to broadband. “Not all of our of population has access to the tools and technologies they need to thrive in the 21st century,” said Copps. “It’s a national disgrace and we need to fix it.”