Former FCC Commissioner Copps attacks Verizon/cable deal

In January 2011, Michael Copps was the only FCC commissioner (2001-2012) to vote against the NBC Universal merger. Now, Copps is an ex-commissioner and he recently presented a blistering attack on the telecom industry to the Freedom to Connect Conference (“… devoted to preserving and celebrating the essential properties of the Internet.”).

He was particularly incensed at the proposed Verizon/cable deal. “No matter what you call it – cabal, cartel, collusion, conspiracy in restraint of trade – I don’t see how anyone can claim that reducing competition in both wireless and wireline somehow advances the well-being of consumers,” he said.

Speaking more broadly, the government as an advocate for consumers and workers has been severely weakened. He said: “It’s been upended, first, by the undisciplined power of money in our politics and, secondly, by the inability of the public sector to exercise anything approaching adequate legislative or regulatory oversight.”

We live, said Copps, in a society where “stockholders trump stakeholders too much of the time.”

Ex-FCC commissioner laments decline of competition (The Hill, May 21, 2012)
 
Freedom to Connect 2012 conference (May, 2012)