Press Release
Free Press: FCC Report 'Divorced from Reality'
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
WASHINGTON -- Today, the Federal Communications Commission reported to Congress that broadband is being deployed to "all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion." The report's conclusions stand in stark contrast to those of numerous recent studies that characterize the U.S. broadband market as a duopoly lacking meaningful competition.
This report is required by the 1996 Telecommunications Act, which directs the FCC to enact policies to speed up broadband deployment and "promote competition" in local markets should they determine there is a need for action.
S. Derek Turner, research director of Free Press and the author of several reports on U.S. broadband policies, made the following statement:
"We are astonished that the FCC could paint Congress such a rosy picture of the broadband market in the United States. This report is completely divorced from reality. The FCC has declared 'mission accomplished' on broadband despite the mountain of evidence of America's broadband market woes.
"The commission was presented with hundreds of pages of irrefutable data from consumer groups and others showing that millions of Americans have little choice in the broadband market. We pay far too much for connections that don't even meet the congressional definition of broadband -- and millions more lack the ability to subscribe to any high-speed Internet services at all. The FCC's blatant disregard for the facts is troubling. We hope that future FCC broadband reports focus less on myth and more on reality."
Read the FCC's 706 Report: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-08-88A1.pdf
Read Free Press' initial comments: http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6519411795
Read Free Press' reply comments: http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6519508108
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Free Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. Through education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and independent media ownership, strong public media, and universal access to communications. Learn more at www.freepress.net.
This report is required by the 1996 Telecommunications Act, which directs the FCC to enact policies to speed up broadband deployment and "promote competition" in local markets should they determine there is a need for action.
S. Derek Turner, research director of Free Press and the author of several reports on U.S. broadband policies, made the following statement:
"We are astonished that the FCC could paint Congress such a rosy picture of the broadband market in the United States. This report is completely divorced from reality. The FCC has declared 'mission accomplished' on broadband despite the mountain of evidence of America's broadband market woes.
"The commission was presented with hundreds of pages of irrefutable data from consumer groups and others showing that millions of Americans have little choice in the broadband market. We pay far too much for connections that don't even meet the congressional definition of broadband -- and millions more lack the ability to subscribe to any high-speed Internet services at all. The FCC's blatant disregard for the facts is troubling. We hope that future FCC broadband reports focus less on myth and more on reality."
Read the FCC's 706 Report: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-08-88A1.pdf
Read Free Press' initial comments: http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6519411795
Read Free Press' reply comments: http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6519508108
###
Free Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. Through education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and independent media ownership, strong public media, and universal access to communications. Learn more at www.freepress.net.
