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Oct 16, 2009

Contact: Candice Johnson, CWA Communications, 202-434-1168, cjohnson@cwa-union.org 

Washington, D.C. -- The Communications Workers of America has called on the Federal Communications Commission to ensure that its rulemaking process and discussions on how to preserve a free and open Internet take into account investment and job creation. 

CWA has long contended that the FCC is the appropriate place to address this issue, and 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.

Get text of the letter at www.cwa-union.org/cwafccletteropeninternet.

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.