August 7, 2013
IIA Urges FCC to Move Forward to Approve “Real-World Trials” to Accelerate Transition to High-Speed Broadband Internet Services across America
Says regional market trials will provide FCC with evidence to develop forward-looking, pro-investment, pro-consumer policies for build out of next-generation, IP-enabled networks and services
WASHINGTON, D.C. – August 7, 2013 – The Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA) today issued the following statement based on its Reply Comments to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) request for input on the proposed “real-world trials” designed to advance the transition toward nationwide consumer access to next-generation Internet Protocol (IP)-based networks and services:
“Local market trials provide the next step toward speeding the modernization of America’s legacy telephone networks. Initiating market trials for IP network deployment would continue innovation and enhance economic growth resulting from the deployment of next-generation technologies. The Commission’s principal focus should be on how high-speed broadband networks should replace antiquated telephone networks and how market trials can contribute to the development of a new regulatory model that promotes broadband growth, increases subscribership and maintains fundamental and essential consumer protections.
“Real-world market trials offer the best means for assessing the costs and benefits of accelerating the IP Transition and should not be used to help advance certain outmoded business models. Fear of theoretical and unproven harm to certain competitor business models dependent on never-changing regulatory mandates is simply not a compelling reason for inaction. The trials represent a unique window of opportunity to gather information to ensure that the IP Transition will occur with minimal disruption to consumers.
“Market trials should proceed under the same lighter regulatory framework applied to other rapidly-proliferating IP networks, rather than the outmoded and shrinking TDM-based networks. Any market trial should enable IP-based networks to demonstrate their capabilities and the impact of the transition on consumers subject to the same real-world environment in which all other IP networks currently operate. A regulatory hand applying pressure on the scale and conditioning the trials toward certain outcomes is, of course, a prescription for trials that will not be truly scientific and will fail to achieve their basic purpose. Just as we seek to avoid locking in old technology, such as the rotary phone or dial-up Internet service, the nation cannot afford to permanently lock-in old rules that would ultimately harm innovation, job creation and economic growth.”