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CWA: FCC Misses Opportunity to Boost Economy, Telecom Sector
Washington, DC --The Federal Communications Commission missed an opportunity to set out an effective, national policy that would promote facilities-based competition in telecommunications, the Communications Workers of America said.
A federal policy is necessary to encourage investment in the struggling telecommunications sector that will create jobs, CWA said. It also is critical to establishing a level playing field for competition and growth in technology based on quality service and innovation, the union added.
The move to shift decision making on UNE-P – the unbundled network element platform – to the states sets up policy battlegrounds in each of the 50 states, CWA pointed out. Individual states must conclude their reviews in nine months.
Particularly over the next nine months, there will be regulatory fights in the states over switching, a key UNE-P element, and CWA will be active in this fight to safeguard workers' jobs and promote investment, the union said.
On broadband, the FCC's action does encourage investment and job creation, moving policy in the right direction to promote the availability and access of information technology for all Americans, CWA noted.
CWA President Morton Bahr said the dissenting opinion of FCC Chairman Powell recognizes that the development and transformation of technology will only occur through an effective federal policy that makes investment and new competition possible.
"Powell's statement that 'facilities based competitors offer greater rewards for the economy' and create more jobs is exactly right," Bahr said.
CWA will continue to press for a federal telecommunications policy that will support investment and job creation and that will boost the struggling telecom sector and national economy.
For more information, see CWA Policy on Local Competition, Investment, and Universal Broadband Services at http://cwa-union.org/issues/telecom/cwa_policy.asp.
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CWA represents more than 700,000 workers in telecommunications and information technology, media and newspapers, broadcast television, health care, public service, airlines, manufacturing and other sectors.
A federal policy is necessary to encourage investment in the struggling telecommunications sector that will create jobs, CWA said. It also is critical to establishing a level playing field for competition and growth in technology based on quality service and innovation, the union added.
The move to shift decision making on UNE-P – the unbundled network element platform – to the states sets up policy battlegrounds in each of the 50 states, CWA pointed out. Individual states must conclude their reviews in nine months.
Particularly over the next nine months, there will be regulatory fights in the states over switching, a key UNE-P element, and CWA will be active in this fight to safeguard workers' jobs and promote investment, the union said.
On broadband, the FCC's action does encourage investment and job creation, moving policy in the right direction to promote the availability and access of information technology for all Americans, CWA noted.
CWA President Morton Bahr said the dissenting opinion of FCC Chairman Powell recognizes that the development and transformation of technology will only occur through an effective federal policy that makes investment and new competition possible.
"Powell's statement that 'facilities based competitors offer greater rewards for the economy' and create more jobs is exactly right," Bahr said.
CWA will continue to press for a federal telecommunications policy that will support investment and job creation and that will boost the struggling telecom sector and national economy.
For more information, see CWA Policy on Local Competition, Investment, and Universal Broadband Services at http://cwa-union.org/issues/telecom/cwa_policy.asp.
###
CWA represents more than 700,000 workers in telecommunications and information technology, media and newspapers, broadcast television, health care, public service, airlines, manufacturing and other sectors.