Speaking at The Cable Show in Los Angeles, FCC boss Julius Genachowski yesterday discussed the FCC’s recent decision to partially reclassify broadband providers as common carriers under section two of the Communications Act. Despite the fact that more than 85% of the public lives in a largely uncompetitive duopoly market, Genachowski informed the crowd that “I believe virtually every market has competition.” He also reiterated that rate regulation and unbundling (line sharing) were “off the table,” while trying to calm an audience that truly believes any sector regulation is akin to puppy torture:

Genachowski is very skilled at telling everyone precisely what they want to hear, but it’s still not clear if trying to please everyone all the time is going to work moving forward. The FCC’s broadband plan still doesn’t tackle a lack of competition — and it’s fairly clear the agency’s boss is willing to at least pretend that’s not really a problem anyway.

Robust competition would organically improve many sector problems (predatory billing, network neutrality, high prices, network investment) without the need for the additional regulation the sector so despises. Yet with a sector opposed to both competition and regulation — and an FCC unwilling to truly stand up to them on hard issues — forward progress from the consumer perspective remains a murky path at best.
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Tags: american success story, Cable, competition, consumer perspective, FCC, Julius Genachowski, Los Angeles, regulation, robust competition, sector, sector problems, sector regulation

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