Telecom Awaits New Congress

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Just because telecom policy might not make for scintillating presidential campaign politicking doesn’t mean it’s slated for a back seat next Congress.

After a year of trying to get piecemeal telecommunications legislation passed, industry lobbyists say they expect several long-standing issues — including reworking the universal service fund, furthering broadband deployment and overseeing the digital television transition — to get attention next year.

A new Congress and administration, as well as expected changes at the Federal Communications Commission, are also expected to create changes on the regulatory front, lobbyists say.

“Every time there is a change in administration it always sparks a lot of activity, regardless who wins,” said Greg Rohde, former assistant Commerce secretary during the Clinton administration who now heads the telecom lobby shop e-Copernicus.

Whether Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) or Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is elected president, “I think both of them are going to come in with a flurry of activity,” Rohde said. “They have very different records and viewpoints on some issues, but it’s safe to say there will be a lot of initiative and energy from a new administration.”

It is still unclear how central telecom reform will be in either presidential candidate’s agenda, but the industry says it is hoping to be a beacon of economic hope during hard times.

“The next administration’s challenge is going to be to continue the innovation agenda,” said Tim McKone, executive vice president of federal relations at AT&T. “You have seen, especially in this economy, that telecom is thriving. We’re investing in our networks, creating new jobs and bringing lower prices.”

The U.S. Telecom Association’s Alan Roth concurs. Roth said that greater access to broadband could help spur economic improvement, but he warns that more regulation would stymie growth.

“I think broadband deployment and adoption can certainly be a major contributor to the economy, both improvement of our economic situation and improvement of individuals’ situations,” Roth said.

McCain, who served as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee from 1997 to 2001 and again from 2003 to 2005, has long had an eye toward deregulation of the industry. For instance, McCain voted against the 1996 Telecommunications Act, arguing that it didn’t ensure competition.

Obama’s telecom policy record is less clear. But several lobbyists point to his reliance on online fundraising as an example of how Obama will push for more deployment of computers and Internet access to rural and underprivileged areas.

“He said he watched Sen. Clinton’s [concession] speech by means of the Internet, that was a really different thing,” said Kevin Curtin, a telecom lobbyist who represents Verizon Communications, referring to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).

One key area that would dramatically change industry regulation is the appointment of FCC commissioners. Besides the current regulatory issues, the FCC likely will face Congressional scrutiny as it attempts to auction, for the second time, part of the D-Block spectrum, which will be used for a national public safety network.

This Congress hasn’t taken on massive reforms in telecom; instead, lawmakers have approached legislation in both the Senate and House committees by focusing on specific issues.

“Obviously, after the big push on the telecom rewrite in 2005 and 2006, this year was much more piecemeal,” said Kyle McSlarrow, head of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association.

Still, McSlarrow points to broadband mapping and enhanced 911 legislation as two issues that are likely to pass quickly in the next Congress if they aren’t finished by the end of the year.

The mapping legislation, which at one time was attached to the farm bill, would create a format to locate where broadband has been deployed across the country and where it needs to be expanded.

The program is modeled after a state-based approach in Kentucky that identified underserved areas and later encouraged public-private partnerships to enhance the state’s broadband capacity.

Enhanced 911, which allows an operator to know the location of a wireless caller, is also expected to pass quickly. The legislation would codify an FCC rule that allows Voice-over Internet protocol callers to use the 911 service as well.