We now have a global economy that respects few geographic boundaries. I believe it is the height of extravagance to force some of America's finest companies to cease moving data at some imaginary boundary known as the LATA's edge. I know it will come as no surprise to many of you that Title II of the Communications Act was lifted almost verbatim from the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, an act written when railroads held a transportation monopoly in many parts of the country. I find it absurd that the FCC is regulating 21st century data networks on the basis of a 19th century railroad statute. There are no monopolies in data transmission.
Consumers are free to select the supplier that best suits their needs.
Yet the digital age is being stifled by antiquated rules written for the carriage of railroad freight, not the carriage of bits on the information superhighway. We hear a lot about the broadband crunch, or broadband bottleneck. What we need are government policies that expand the use of that equipment, not restrict it. Some Members of Congress have called for a re-opening of the Telecom Act because they say it has led to an unprecedented spate of mergers and acquisitions. I must say that I, too, am concerned about the ever-increasing amount of consolidation that is occurring.