The New Administration’s Approach to Telecom
The next four years of telecommunications policy will be unlike anything Wall Street and other stakeholders have ever seen, according to one long-time analyst and former Federal Communications Commission staff member who has seen his share of changes and administrations over the past three decades. “The questions for investors are, what does the President want to have happen, and then how does that get implemented? How do the governors react to that?” said Blair Levin, U.S. Policy and Regulatory Advisor, New Street Research. “Trump’s approach to telecommunications and media is going to be just completely different than what investors have expected in the past.” Levin noted the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) had a strong backer in the incoming Vice President. Affordable access to reliable, high-speed, low-latency broadband is a necessity in today’s society regardless of the administration, Levin asserted. Due to the need to access vital services such as education, job training and placement, health care, and government services on the internet, it is cheaper and more effective for all involved if everyone has access to broadband, most especially for economically at-risk households that need access to assistance.
The New Administration’s Approach to Telecom