McDowell Expects to Participate in All FCC Decisions
FCC Comr. McDowell, who has now been on the Commission over a year, said Thurs. he expects to participate on almost all items that come before the agency in the future. McDowell has had to abstain on many wireline issues because of his previous longtime job as lobbyist for CompTel. McDowell couldn’t participate last year in the AT&T-BellSouth merger, forcing Chmn. Martin into a deal with the Commission’s 2 Democrats.
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“There’s a lifetime prohibition on rulemakings that I may have been substantially involved in, but at CompTel I wasn’t involved with any, really, except for many, many years ago,” McDowell told reporters after he spoke at the Broadband Summit: “The odds of that happening are really nonexistent… I shouldn’t have any restrictions voting going forward that I know of.”
Asked whether some issues may get more prompt attention as a result, McDowell replied: “All the kind of ‘when’ questions are better aimed at the chairman. I haven’t heard of any schedule changes as a result.”
McDowell started his speech joking about how his speech had been rescheduled. “Last Friday… was my first anniversary as a commissioner,” McDowell said: “That was the magic day when my now-famous ethics agreement released me from most of my recusal limitations. So I couldn’t help but see the humor -- and irony -- in the fact that my first speech after my recusal period expired was to have been sponsored by… AT&T.” McDowell observed that even after the change, he had been seated at the lunch next to AT&T Senior Vp James Cicconi: “They're quick. They're good.”
In other comments to reporters, McDowell said he remains concerned about the slow progress of 800 MHz rebanding. He said little has changed since he voiced concerns 2 months ago (CD April 5 p1). “Those concerns have not necessarily been assuaged, and I'm continuing to remain vigilant on that issue and want speedy and fair and equitable resolution of the 800 MHz issue,” he said: “All the parties involved -- whether it’s Sprint Nextel or public safety or if it’s the [Transition] Administrator -- all have a duty to get off the stick and resolve these things.”
McDowell’s speech focused on his concerns with the recent OECD report showing the U.S. slipping to 15th of 30 countries surveyed on broadband penetration. “The OECD study methodology is so flawed that, by one analysis, even if all of the OECD countries, including the U.S., enjoyed 100% broadband penetration of all homes and businesses, our rank would fall to 20th,” he said: “The OECD methodology measures ‘broadband connections per capita.’ Countries are punished or rewarded by the OECD analysis based on the number of persons living in a household or the number of people working in a business.”
McDowell said the report also doesn’t give the U.S. credit for Wi-Fi deployment. “The study simply omits the fact that 1/3 of the world’s Wi-Fi hot spots are in the U.S.,” he said: “Wi-Fi is not included in the OECD study unless it is used in a fixed wireless setting. I don’t know about you, but I can’t recall ever seeing any fixed wireless users cemented into a Starbucks.”