Ammori: Broadband Plan Must Address Competition, International Trade Obligations

In drafting a national broadband plan, the Federal Communications Commission should consider the United States' international trade obligations requiring our nation to open our telecommunications markets to competition.

These trade obligations would likely require the FCC to provide reasonable, cost-oriented access to telecommunications networks to ensure market access. Notably, the obligations could require the FCC to address the politically sensitive issues of special access regulation and open access policies. In the interest of international comity and respect for our international obligations, the FCC should analyze whether a national broadband plan without certain competitive policies -- notably special access and open access rules -- violates our international treaty obligations