CWA: FCC must preserve an open Internet while promoting investment, quality jobs

The Communications Workers of America expressed support for efforts by the Federal Communications Commission to protect an open Internet that are consistent with the need to promote investment in the nation's high-speed networks and create jobs.

In comments filed with the Commission, CWA pointed out that it was critical that open Internet rules "do not have the unintended consequence of dampening the private investment needed to build the next-generation broadband networks that will bring our nation's broadband capability up to global standards and create and maintain good jobs."

CWA strongly believes that people must be able to go to the websites they want, when they want, without degradation or suppression of viewpoints and lawful content.

CWA's filing pointed out that only significant investment in broadband buildout will enable the United States to catch up to the rest of the world in terms of broadband speed and accessibility. Over the past three years, the largest broadband network companies - including wireline, wireless, cable, and satellite companies - have invested more than $166.5 billion dollars in capital expenditures. The two largest network providers -- AT&T and Verizon -- invested $95 billion from the beginning of 2007 through the third quarter 2009. Their capital spending dwarfs investment by companies like Yahoo and Google, who invested just $8.5 billion over the same period.

At a time of 10 percent unemployment, the Commission must keep a laser focus on job-creating investment, recognizing that the companies that build, maintain, and service networks employ many more workers than application companies. In 2008, nearly 800,000 people were employed by the largest wireline, cable, wireless, and satellite companies, ten times more than the worldwide number of jobs at 21 leading Internet applications companies.

CWA has proposed a comprehensive framework to preserve free speech on the Internet while encouraging job-creating investment and a network platform that encourages innovation.

Providers would be able "to manage their networks and provide specialized service as long as they offer specialized services to all who want to purchase them without unjust or unreasonable discrimination." Providers also would be able to "manage their networks efficiently to avoid congestion and to ensure that time-sensitive traffic receives priority over less time-sensitive traffic, again as long as providers reveal their traffic management practices and do not unreasonably or unjustly discriminate in a way that harms consumers or competition," CWA said.

CWA supports rules that protect consumers' access to vibrant competition and transparency among all Internet participants, including network providers, application and service providers and content providers. The Commission should adopt truth-in-labeling rules that would require network operators to report the actual, not just the advertised, speed of broadband connections.

Comments of the Communications Workers of America (CWA)