New FCC gets ready for business

The U.S. Senate confirmed a new chairman and three other members of the Federal Communications Commission last week, ushering in what's expected to be a pro-competition panel of members that work well with each other, Congress and the industry.

William E. Kennard, a Democrat who's been the agency's general counsel since 1993, replaces Reed E. Hundt as chairman. Washington insiders predict that Kennard-the first African-American to head the agency-will be a more collegial figure than the combative Hundt.

"Bill Kennard should be lower key and less confrontational with just about everybody," said John Windhausen, general counsel at the Competition Policy Institute.

The new FCC is going to be much more of a full commission, with policy debates and different opinions aired more openly during meetings, added Scott Cleland, a telecom analyst for Legg Mason Precursor Group.

As expected, the Senate also confirmed two Republicans: Harold Furchtgott-Roth, the House Commerce Committee's chief economist, and Michael Powell, chief of staff of the Justice Department's antitrust division.

Gloria Tristani, a New Mexico state regulator, joins Kennard and holdover Susan Ness to maintain a Democratic majority.

Upon confirmation, Kennard pledged to continue the FCC's efforts to replace regulation with competition and to hasten the delivery of many new telecommunications services to the public. The near-term agenda likely will include universal service restructuring, enforcement of local competition rules and the Bell regional holding companies' long-distance market entry.

Long-awaited rules on telephone customer privacy and manufacturing by the RHCs are also expected, Windhausen said.