Public Knowledge Files FCC Reply Comments Supporting Competitive Business Data Service Markets

Public Knowledge, along with other public interest organizations [including the Benton Foundation], filed reply comments in response to the Federal Communications Commission’s Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on competition in the high-speed broadband “business data services” (BDS) market.

The record in the FCC’s BDS proceeding shows what observers have long known -- that the BDS market is overwhelmingly monopolistic and warrants increased FCC oversight. Incumbent BDS providers possess immense market power and use it to inflate prices, costing businesses, non-profits, community anchor institutions, wireless carriers, and local governments tens of billions per year in excess BDS charges. Ultimately, these costs are borne by all consumers and taxpayers. After a decade-long proceeding and the largest data collection in the history of the FCC, it’s now time for the agency to take action to reform the BDS market by promoting competition and protecting consumers, who bear the heavy burden of these costs.