We need three of the five members of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to vote for us and against the big corporations. So far one, FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein has made a public statement in support of new competition and open networks. Another, FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate, has not spoken on her position, and might be persuaded to be on the side of the using public. We need Commissioner Tate to issue a public statement in support of new competition and open networks. She can be reached at:
FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate:
Deborah.Tate@fcc.gov, dtaylortateweb@fcc.gov
Include your home town in your e-mail, and please make it clear we need a public statement BEFORE next week's vote.
Over 40 technology, insurance, and civic leaders sent a joint letter (http://tinyurl.com/2...) to the FCC asking the Commission to do two things:
1) Ensure new competition if we want every part of America covered, a significant portion of the new airwaves must go to new market competitors in order to prohibit incumbents from stifling competition.
2) Ensure open networks, by setting the terms of the auction so that whoever wins is not allowed to stifle innovation, for example by playing gatekeeper over which websites their customers can access online, which is what telephone companies do right now when they prevent handheld wireless customers from accessing internet-based phone service. Let the Market decide which net-based services win out, rather than self-interested "gatekeepers." Nor should auction winners be allowed to blacklist new technology, keeping it out of the market. In other words, companies must give consumers the right to attach any safe device to their own devices.
You may want to include these points in your e-mail to Ms. Tate. Let the market decide, isn't that supposed to be the American way?
This notice is based on a notice from MoveOn.org, and they also have a petition to the FCC available for you to sign at:
http://www.civic.mov...