Lawmaker is Author of Mandate Requiring National Broadband Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), author of the requirement in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that directed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to develop a National Broadband Plan, today issued the following prepared remarks at a hearing entitled “Oversight of the FCC: The National Broadband Plan:”
“Today we celebrate America's first, formal National Broadband Plan....but the reality is that the first Broadband Plan was the Telecomm Act of 1996.
“Why is that? Because the ‘96 Act de-monopolized communications markets & unleashed a torrent of telecomm investment & innovation
“In 1996, how many residential consumers had broadband? Zero.
“Yet government action prompted ruthless Darwinian competition in the private sector. And then American households started to see things change....they saw cable modem services, they saw the Bells respond with DSL, they saw fleet-footed competitors opening up hitherto monopoly markets to competition in the residential, small business, and enterprise markets.
“America started off the Internet era, leading the world.
“But then in the last 10 years, we saw incumbent telephone company giants go to court, go to the FCC, and we saw a chipping away at the pro-investment, pro-competition rules. We saw a retreat from full-throttle competition.
“And what happened? America started to fall behind. We dropped in the international rankings, falling behind in terms of broadband deployment and adoption - we now rank 15th in the world behind Luxembourg, Finland and Canada by some estimates.
“And to turn this trend around, what did we have? America had no Broadband Plan -- at best, it was benign neglect.
“So, in the Recovery Act last year - I successfully added the provision requiring the FCC to develop a National Broadband Plan.
“The FCC has produced a comprehensive, serious, compelling, inspirational and practical plan.
“If fully implemented, it will spark new investment, innovation, and competition - the lifeblood of America's broadband policy.
“If fully implemented, it will create jobs and bring better broadband speeds, choices, and business-related apps to the small business market.
“If fully implemented, it will connect America and all its people to the communications medium of the future - broadband.
“If fully implemented, it will keep faith with the American value of bringing all people in all regions along with us to that future through a wise and sensible conversion of universal service to 21st Century technology.
“If fully implemented, it will also fulfill the congressional mandate to bring innovation, investment & consumer choice to the smart video box market.
“So, Mr. Chairman, and fellow Commissioners – congratulations: You have before you an historic task.
“There will be those who will try to dissuade you from achieving the lofty goals the Plan has set. Have courage. America's previous generations addressed these challenges - with electricity, with phone service, with our national highway system -- I am confident you will do no less.
“I stand ready to assist you - as do many on this panel. You have the Vision. You now have the Plan. Congratulations. Time to get to work.”
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