Industry leaders react to the loss of the progressive FCC head
FCC Chairman Michael Powell gave the industry almost two months’ notice that he’s moving on.
The Republican and champion of deregulation is hailed as one of the more progressive commission heads by many. Then again, maybe a little too progressive by others (CLECs) stung by his policy loosening philosophies.
Some snippets of reaction from around the industry:
“Without question, Michael Powell ‘gets it,’ ” remarked Matthew J. Flanigan, president of the Telecommunications Industry Association. “It really is unprecedented for a regulator and policymaker to have such a keen appreciation and understanding of the dynamism and fast-moving nature of the communications industry.”
“Chairman Powell has been a visionary in his leadership of the FCC as he truly understands Internet technology and its implications for the future of our country,” states Cisco CEO John Chambers. “His tenure as Chairman will be remembered for accomplishments in broadband deployment, allocation of spectrum for wireless broadband, and avoidance of crippling regulation on [VoIP].”
And then this, from Information Technology Association of America President Harris Miller:
“Though Chairman Powell has been an advocate for allowing new technologies to come to market, he leaves a far more consolidated communications marketplace than when he began. Business users and consumers have fewer alternatives because of his policies. Assuring affordable access to innovative services and applications over the resulting bottleneck networks will be a significant challenge.”
There will always be debate over whether Powell’s ideals most benefited the consumer or the incumbent carrier. But there can be no argument that he re-energized an industry reeling from the bubble and infused a sense of emergence from the rubble.
We can only hope President Bush, for all of his foibles, misreads and misdeeds, nominates someone equally up to the task, another lightning rod for moving telecom onto a new technological foundation and into the 21st century.
