On January 30, 2014, the Federal Communications Commission unanimously voted to allow regional trials in which phone companies may switch networks in a particular area to newer digital technology and gauge the impact on consumers and small businesses. The following may be attributed to Benton Foundation Director of Policy Amina Fazlullah:
The Benton Foundation welcomes today’s important step taken by the Federal Communications Commission to update the nation’s existing landline telephone system, while preserving the traditional values that have made that system the best in the world. The FCC’s Order aims to ensure universal availability and accessibility, competition, trustworthiness, robustness and resiliency for a new, digital-based network. Moving forward, as the FCC considers applications to conduct trials and as it evaluates these trials, Benton urges the Commission to also consider how the transition will result in a network that is fast and open, and reflects our nation’s diversity.
In December 2013, Benton released The New Network Compact: Making The IP Transition Work For Vulnerable Communities in which we asked the Commission to be mindful of a wide array of vulnerable communities that could be unfairly disadvantaged during this conversion. Depending on how this transition is done, these communities stand to benefit immensely or be disproportionately harmed. Only by fully understanding the possible pitfalls and opportunities of such a change can the FCC develop a set of “rules of the road” that will best serve all of the country’s residents.