AT&T, Critics urge FCC to forget Network Neutrality

Telecommunications policy experts say it is time for the Federal Communications Commission to put network neutrality issues to rest so that the agency can move on to addressing other items on its agenda, such as implementing the National Broadband Plan.

A representative from AT&T was joined by former FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and other policy wonks on a panel at the 4G World trade show to discuss the FCC's progress on implementing the National Broadband Plan. Robert Quinn, senior vice president of regulatory affairs for AT&T, said progress on achieving goals set out in the plan presented to Congress earlier this year have been painfully slow. "We are frustrated at the slow progress," he said. "The Broadband Plan does a good job of isolating the problems, but now there are rule-making proceedings spread over the next 18 months. And we have no idea when these will turn into real rules." He went on to say that many of the issues that the FCC is trying to deal with as part of this plan are complex and will not be handled easily. But he chided the agency for spending too much time on the Net neutrality issue instead of writing policies that can get broadband deployed more quickly throughout the nation.