Communications Workers of America Urges FCC to Ensure Open Internet Rulemaking Supports Job Creation

The Communications Workers of America (CWA) called on the Federal Communications Commission to ensure that its upcoming rulemaking on policies to preserve a free and open Internet put investment and job creation front and center.

CWA and Speed Matters have long contended that the FCC is the appropriate place to address this issue. The process should lead to "reasoned discussion among all stakeholders about the technical requirements of network management and the economics of broadband build-out to ensure continued private sector investment in advanced high-speed Internet networks while protecting an open Internet," CWA President Larry Cohen said in a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.

Cohen stressed that the United States depends on private capital to invest in next-generation wireline and wireless networks and to create and maintain jobs in the industry. It's critical that this rulemaking process "does not have an adverse impact on investment and job creation," he said.

CWA called on the FCC's rulemaking process to:

• Put network investment and associated job creation at the center of the discussion, acknowledging that telecommunications is essential to economic recovery and our nation's long-term economic competitiveness.
• Frame a proposed fifth principle protecting consumers from unreasonable discrimination that includes robust carve-outs for managed networks and reasonable network management, while promoting a dynamic, open and public Internet.
• Protect consumers' access to vibrant competition and transparency among all Internet participants, including network providers, application and service providers and content providers.
• Formulate rules regarding wireless networks that recognize the vibrant competition, capacity constraints and other unique characteristics of wireless, especially the financial and legal ramification of the most recent 700 MHz Auction.

The FCC has announced that it will issue at its open meeting on October 22 a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on policies to preserve and open and free Internet. It is likely that the comment period will extend through next year. Speed Matters will keep you posted on developments in this proceeding.

Letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski on Open Internet, Investment, and Job Creation