U.S. telecom policy should promote open Internet and private sector investment

The Communications Workers of America maintains that it is critical for U.S. policy makers to creatively combine the important goals of Internet openness with the need to encourage investment in building a 21st century broadband system, so that the United States can regain its standing among industrial nations as a leader in broadband technology.

CWA supports the initiative announced today by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski to develop rules to protect an open Internet. At the same time, we look to the FCC to move forward in setting rules and policies that will encourage investment, ensure reasonable network management, safeguard transparency, promote media diversity and lead to the growth of good jobs in the telecommunications industry.

CWA looks forward to working with Chairman Genachowski and the FCC in the rulemaking to ensure an open Internet.

In the past, our nation has missed several opportunities to set out an effective, national policy that would promote the deployment of broadband networks. Such a policy is more important than ever, to encourage investment in the next-generation networks that is critical to economic growth and boosting our lagging economy.

Protecting an open Internet should not follow the path of network unbundling requirements that discourages investment. This and other practices have contributed to the United States' poor ranking among industrial nations in terms of broadband penetration - where the U.S. ranks 15th - and broadband speeds - in which the U.S. ranks 28th.

Over the past four years, CWA's Speed Matters program has focused the attention of policy makers and the public on what the United States must do to ensure that all Americans have access to the promises of high speed Internet.

Preserving a Free and Open Internet: A Platform for Innovation, Opportunity, and Prosperity (Remarks of FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski)

Principles for High Speed Internet Policy (Speed Matters)