To Read The Full Comments

To Read a Version in "Word"

To Read the Speech By FCC Commissioner Martin

Tell The FCC What You Think: 

Chairman Michael K. Powell: mpowell@fcc.gov

Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy: kabernat@fcc.gov

Commissioner Michael J. Copps: mcopps@fcc.gov

Commissioner Kevin J. Martin: kjmweb@fcc.gov

Commissioner Johnathan S. Adelstein

TeleTruth has filed Ex Parte Comments with the FCC over statements made by Commissioner Kevin Martin pertaining to the FCC's proposed broadband rules.

Taking his direction from Verizon spokesperson Tom Tauke, Commissioner Martin suggests that the FCC's proposed rules should block competition on any new fiber-based broadband networks of the local Bell monopolies. (The Bells are BellSouth, Qwest, SBC Communications and Verizon.) He also proposes blocking Internet Providers from using the DSL networks.

Teletruth has documented that state by state, the Bells made commitments to rewire the states with a fiber-optic network. They collected billions of dollars per state for this and never built what they stated. In fact, in Pennsylvania alone, Teletruth estimates that each residential customer paid over $785 to Verizon for a product they never got. This same scam happened throughout America, and there's plenty of documentation that the FCC has failed to examine. Customers have funded the Bell network upgrades, not the shareholders.

What proof does the FCC have to show that the Bell companies will deliver anything once they grant them these new regulations? There is plenty of evidence from numerous sources that the FCC analysis is based purely on fantasy – Bell hype, and has nothing to do with any history.

We also point out that the current situation for customers using a small competitive ISP and competitive local phone/broadband competitors is unacceptable and it has harmed the entire telecom and tech sector. ---40% of all broadband orders have problems currently, caused mostly by the local monopolies. Complaints have been ignored at the FCC and the agency has failed to enforce the current laws. And it will get even worse. The Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy has independently found that the FCC's proposed plans will hurt small competitors.

This will harm not only the companies offering service, but every customer who uses an independent company.

In short, Teletruth proposes the FCC stop listening to the Bell companies who have done absolutely nothing for the US phone and broadband customers. Instead of reregulating competition out of business, the FCC should investigate the current problems. The FCC's inactions has, in a large part, been responsible for the entire telecom and tech sector crash, and the harm to the economy.

Let the facts presented in our attached document speak for themselves