FCC Chairman Wheeler Recuses Self from AT&T IP Trials Decision

Federal Communications Commission chairman Tom Wheeler said he is recusing himself from the AT&T IP transition trials decision. Chairman Wheeler is a former board member at EarthLink, which has petitioned the FCC to participate in the AT&T trials.

He pointed out that there is plenty of other IP transition work to be done, and that he will be involved in.

In an update on AT&T's proposal to test retirement of traditional circuit-switched service in two wire centers -- in Alabama and Florida -- FCC staffers said at the June public meeting that the commission would employ a third party to insure no bias in the tests. They said that AT&T had agreed to work collaboratively with the commission.

The FCC has approved a framework for the AT&T tests, but has not provided final approval, which will depend on answers to a variety of questions, like how it will support legacy services like 911, health monitoring, credit card processing, and fax services with the new fiber and wireless replacement services.

Also a point of concern is how the replacement services will support Government Emergency Telecommunications Services (GETS), which allows public safety calls to get through when others can't.