Looking Good for Fibertower to get Spectrum Back Soon:
“Burdensome regulations”
Many Republicans see Wheeler’s tenure as one of “burdensome regulations” and are only too eager to start the process of undoing all his work, or “rolling it back” as they like to say. Just when we thought we had a period of stability and certainty (isn’t that what the industry has long been calling for?), it’s all about to come crashing down. Yet again, the only financial winners will be the lawyers.
Yet Rosenworcel is not your typical dyed in the wool Democrat, and has challenged party policy on telecoms in the past – most recently with the set-top box bill, another of Wheeler’s initiatives that will now never come to pass.
But despite her refreshing independence at times, she was a supporter of net neutrality, which is more than can be said of wannabe chairman Pai (who will also most likely be installed as interim chairman, being the longest serving of the two republican commissioners). Pai is not exactly a supporter of net neutrality.
During the presidential campaign, Trump called net neutrality a "top down power grab" and "Obama's attack on the Internet." Mind you, Trump said a lot of things during his campaign… But it’s now odds on that net neutrality policies and broadband reclassification will be back on the agenda for a total rethink. We can think of several large US telcos that will be rubbing their hands with glee this morning.
“It would be disingenuous to suggest that we did not have significant differences with the direction the FCC took under Chairman Wheeler," said Bob Quinn, AT&T’s senior EVP of external and legislative affairs, in statement to Politico. Still, it’s never a good idea to kick a man when he’s down, and so in this season of goodwill to all, there’s time for some friendly comments: "Following [his] illustrious career, and when most people would have hung up their spikes, he chose to enter public service where he was a dedicated and tireless advocate.”
AI
