Tauke: National broadband policy is critical

Verizon Communications' Tom Tauke, senior vice president for public policy and external affairs, called on the Federal Communications Commission this week to take bold and decisive action to clarify its rules governing broadband networks and to create a national broadband policy. Tauke, who spoke at a conference sponsored by a national investment firm, further said the FCC's Triennial Review order fell short of delivering the promised clarity. Specifically, Tauke said the commission failed to clarify whether the Bell companies still must unbundle fiber as part of their Section 271 obligations, despite the fact that the Triennial Review order relieves them of their obligations to unbundle fiber to the home and hybrid fiber. Tauke also said the FCC failed to clarify whether incumbents still are required to unbundle fiber to multiple dwelling units and neglected to make a distinction between the enterprise and mass market.