Last week, the GAO issued a report on its investigation into the FCC’s Lifeline program, a program designed to deliver essential communications services to low income families but one that has grown at an alarming rate. The report’s findings are both expected and surprising – expected in that the report highlights areas of weakness in…
Read MoreLatest From Our Blog
AT&T Statement on President Trump’s Nomination of Brendan Carr to Federal Communications Commission
The following may be attributed to Robert Quinn, AT&T Senior Executive Vice President of External and Legislative Affairs: “President Trump’s nomination of Brendan Carr comes at a critical point as our nation embarks on transitioning to the next generation wireless communications infrastructure. His commitment to public service and wide range of expertise, especially in the…
Read MoreThere Are Still Payphones?
The first payphone was installed in New Haven, Conn. in June 1880 with payphone usage peaking in 2000 when there were more than two million payphones in service. By 2009, AT&T had exited the payphone business and, by the end of last year, it was estimated that less than 100,000 payphones remained in service in…
Read MoreAT&T Statement on FirstNet and Alternative State Deployment Plans
The following may be attributed to Joan Marsh, AT&T Senior Vice President of Federal Regulatory: “AT&T commends the FCC for moving quickly to adopt a FirstNet order, which paves the way for meaningful and in-depth Commission review of any alternative state deployment plans. It is critical to our nation’s first responders that states that propose…
Read MoreAT&T Statement on Nomination of Jessica Rosenworcel as FCC Commissioner
The following may be attributed to Bob Quinn, AT&T Senior Executive Vice President of External and Legislative Affairs: “AT&T is pleased that President Trump took action to ensure that the FCC will once again benefit from Jessica Rosenworcel’s considerable intellect. Her service as Commission Staff, Congressional Staff and FCC Commissioner provides a depth of experience…
Read MoreThe Surprising (to me) Narrowness of the D.C. Circuit’s Title II Decision
I have to confess that, at the time the D.C. Circuit upheld the FCC’s 2015 Title II order, I did not focus on the court’s analysis of the First Amendment claims raised by other parties. Only after reading the concurrence in the recent court decision declining to rehear the appeal, did I understand the panel…
Read MoreThose Who Gave All
By Matt Nodine, AT&T Assistant Vice President of Federal Regulatory (Lieutenant Colonel, United States Marine Corps Reserve) Honoring America’s fallen warriors has a rich and storied history. Originally created to remember those who died during the Civil War, we now pause nationwide at 3 p.m. on the last Monday of May each year for a…
Read MoreReturning to Sound Policy and Restoring Internet Freedom
Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to begin the process of revisiting whether internet access services should be classified as “information services” or “telecommunications services” as defined by the Telecom Act. From its inception, and throughout Republican and Democratic Administrations, internet access was treated as an information service. It was this light touch approach…
Read MoreThe Real Debate Over The Open Internet
Yesterday, Chairman Pai announced that he would open a proceeding to revisit the question of whether Congress directed the FCC to regulate the internet using the regulatory framework adopted in 1934 for the monopoly-era telephone networks. To be clear, this proceeding is not about whether the open internet will continue to be protected and preserved….
Read MoreAT&T Supports Internet Openness
The following statement can be attributed to AT&T Chairman & CEO Randall Stephenson: “AT&T continues to support the fundamental tenets of net neutrality. And we remain committed to open internet protections that are fair and equal for everyone. “The bipartisan, light-touch regulatory approach that Congress established at the internet’s inception brought American consumers unparalleled investment…
Read More