Verizon CEO Seidenberg: open to some compromises, not greater FCC authority over broadband

On June 22, Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg said that the company is willing to find a compromise on federal rules that would prevent it and other broadband Internet service providers from blocking or degrading traffic on their networks. But Verizon doesn't agree with a controversial proposal by the Federal Communications Commission to redefine those services as regular phone services.

"We are very concerned that, in attempting to address legitimate issues about access to the Internet, the FCC has proposed basically an unimaginative and overbearing set of rules that essentially tries to retrofit a new industry into an old framework and expand their regulatory reach well beyond what is necessary," Seidenberg said. "As we've said - and as we've demonstrated - communications companies will continue to work with the Commission and the other players in the Internet space to protect customers and ensure an open and robust broadband environment. The FCC's current course of action will really do little to achieve those objectives."