FTC Comr. Blasts Municipal Broadband Opponents

Speaking at the National Association of Telecom Officers & Advisors (NATOA) meeting last week, Federal Trade Commissioner Jon Leibowitz said the municipal broadband dispute fits within the FTC’s advocacy ambit, since competition over consumers’ pocketbooks is its focal point. Intensified legislative efforts regarding urban broadband and bars to it on the books or being considered in many states has spurred the Commission’s Policy & Planning Office to do a study. Commissioner Leibowitz said he wants staffers to come to consensus on "whether we should be on record opposing attempts to restrict municipal broadband." His mind is made up, he said, reminding NATOA the FTC is a consensus-driven body, "so we'll see what our policy staff and my colleagues on the Commission think collectively." The FTC isn't in the business of deciding what model or technology may work for a given municipality, or even whether broadband is right for every community, Commissioner Leibowitz said. "At a minimum, we could provide guidance concerning the competition and consumer protection issues that state and federal legislatures may want to consider before enacting legislation in this area," he told the group. "The interests of consumers and competition seem squarely aligned with your efforts to provide broadband."
[SOURCE: Communications Daily, AUTHOR: Andrew Noyes]
(Not available online)
* Municipal Broadband: Should Cities Have a Voice? (full text of speech)
http://www.ftc.gov/speeches/leibowitz/050922municipalbroadband.pdf