Industry leaders line up to praise Powell

Michael Powell took his fair share of heat during the four years he served as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, for things he did – and didn’t do. In fact, for much of his tenure, Powell was the target of critics on both sides of regulatory issues for the broadband market uncertainty created by the FCC’s lack of definitive resolution on key matters.

Within minutes of the news of his resignation, however, telecom players of all kinds were tripping over themselves to praise Powell and wish him all the best. Even H. Russell Frisby Jr., CEO of CompTel/ASCENT, whose CLEC members suffered mightily under King Michael’s reign, wished the outgoing chairman well and credited him with being “a strong advocate for the principles in which he believed.”

In a prepared statement, Sprint, which started Powell’s tenure as a long-distance power and wound up a wireless player with an ailing wireline business, also applauded Powell’s principles. “At every juncture, Chairman Powell laid out his vision, made a strong case for the commission, and worked hard to forge decisions that reflected his vision of how to ensure a smooth technology evolution and the best results for Americans,” the statement read.

Not surprisingly, Powell’s fondest farewells came from within the Voice over Internet Protocol industry, which won its independence from regulation under him.

“Michael Powell has demonstrated, during his tenure at the FCC, that he understands the needs of communications innovators and entrepreneurs,” said VoIP advocate Jeff Pulver, CEO of Pulver.com. “He has tried to create a regulatory environment that will simultaneously promote innovations and competition for new communications applications and services and allow for broadband deployment and network upgrades to support new technology and services.”

Cisco President and CEO John Chambers called Powell a “visionary” whose term will be remembered for “accomplishments in broadband deployment, allocation of spectrum for wireless broadband, and avoidance of crippling regulation on VoIP.”

USTA President and CEO Walter B. McCormick, Jr. praised Powell but also made a pitch for his replacement to be someone “who shares his commitment to clearing out the 'regulatory underbrush' that today holds back more vigorous private sector investment and competition that can deliver new services, choices and value to the American consumer,” he said in a prepared statement.”

Chances are McCormick will get what he wants, says industry analyst Danny Briere, CEO of TeleChoice.

“I think you can look for another Bush administration ‘yes man,’ to come in Powell’s place,” he commented. “With the Bush administration backing the same principles, that’s all you can expect.”

Speculation as to Powell’s successor has centered on current Commissioner Kevin Martin, but there are other names being bandied about.