Genachowski FCC Called More Active on Competition, Innovation

The current FCC is more active in finding solutions to broadband issues than its predecessor under Chairman Kevin Martin, telco officials said on a CompTel panel. “I think there has been a change in tune with respect to competition since the Martin administration,” said Tony Hansel, Covad assistant general counsel. Martin said “you have to choose between competition and investment,” and current Chairman Julius Genachowski “has already acknowledged that’s a false choice.” Stephen Crawford, Alpheus senior vice president, said, “It is exciting that they realized they've got to have those long-term goals, but at the same time the FCC is saying tell us what we can do right now."

"There are things they can do immediately to stop some of the incumbent local exchange carrier behaviors,” Hansel said. “Right now the incumbent local exchange carriers are replacing some of the copper facilities with fiber and knocking existing competitive LEC customers off the network.” The commission should “put a moratorium on copper retirement.” Hansel said pending forbearance petitions have a large impact on CLECs and “they need to be resolved pursuant to statutory deadliness."

"I think for intercarrier compensation, Universal Service Fund and special access, I'm very hopeful that a couple of stop-gap measures can be put in place,” said Nancy Lubamersky, public policy vice president at TelePacific. “It seems there should be clarity around whether one is entitled to recover costs of terminating a call."

The commission must move quickly, speakers said. “There’s so much to do that’s so important for communication in this country,” Lubamersky said. “They're working really hard,” but “how long can they do that, and what if a few court cases go against them?"

"I think if you get caught into a long, drawn-out process, it’s not going to be very effective,” said moderator Andrew Lipman of Bingham McCutchen. “It’s incumbent upon competitive carriers to get their ideas and quick hits to the FCC as quick as possible.”