Lack of Broadband Competition? Here's How We Prevail Anyway

There are many challenges to getting better broadband connectivity and choice in the U.S. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is championing competition as a means of ensuring Americans have access to advanced services. The question is, how do we outside the D.C. Beltway play an effective role in facilitating better policies at the FCC and other Federal agencies that lead to more communities getting faster affordable broadband?

Representing private-sector companies devoted to bringing better broadband solutions everywhere, Comptel Chief Advocate and General Counsel Angie Kronenberg lays out strategies for listeners to join this good fight for a competitive communications marketplace. She addresses issues such as:

• what are some short-range local tactics that we can engage in this year to begin blunting the effect of anemic competition;
• how can communities create partnerships with private companies to level the playing field;
• what are the top two or three issues in D.C. that the grassroots should attempt to influence?

Kronenberg, who previously worked five years at the FCC, provides our audience with valuable insights to some of the inner workings of the agency so proponents of vigorous competition can align with FCC and Congressional efforts in this area. Of particular interest to communities are the changes happening as the FCC reviews ongoing technology changes, Congress reviews the nation's telecom laws, and the Commission continues implementing reforms in its Lifeline and E-Rate programs.