FCC’s Martin: Commission should focus on facilities-based competition

FCC Commissioner Kevin Martin said the commission needs to work faster and more reliably in its decision-making and specifically needs to take action on the three open proceedings on unbundled network elements, performance measures and broadband.

Speaking to attendees of the Alliance for Public Technology and the High Tech Broadband Coalition policy breakfast, Martin added that there are no “silver bullets” available to cure telecom’s woes. However, he said the FCC could contribute to market stability by establishing a more stable and reliable regulatory environment.

“Regulatory uncertainty and delay can function as entry barriers in and of themselves, limiting investment and impeding deployment of new services,” Martin said.

He added that the FCC should place a higher priority on facilities-based competition, which is the key to achieving true deregulation. “Without it, you will always need a regulatory body to set wholesale and retail prices,” Martin said.

However, he said it was important for the commission to continue assuring that incumbent networks remain open to competitors. He said the FCC also must address pricing issues, specifically whether prices for network elements should be “slowly” transitioned from the TELRIC (total element long range incremental cost) pricing model to a wholesale-based model. Other important issues that need to be addressed include the necessity for electronic loop provisioning to ensure continued access to incumbent networks, and whether existing standards should apply to new facilities and infrastructures being built by ILECs.

Martin concluded by saying the FCC should avoid placing additional financial burdens on carriers working to deploy broadband services, and that state and local governments should work to remove regulatory hurdles – specifically those related to local rights of way, zoning permits and franchise fees – that get in the way of broadband deployment.

“By doing all of these things, we can begin to remove financial disincentives and regulations that discourage broadband deployment,” Martin said.