FCC Bails on Intercarrier Compensation

Again.  The FCC continues to rewrite the definition of the word ‘deadline’, canceling its planned vote tomorrow on an overhaul of intercarrier compensation.  Today four commissioners rebelled against Chairman Kevin Martin’s proposal.  Precisely why is hard to say, because apparently it has not been made available for public view.

I can’t really think of a good reason for not making it public, the most likely one is that Martin thinks it couldn’t pass otherwise.  But it turns out couldn’t pass this way either.  Smaller carriers have complained loudly that they were about to get screwed.  The defection by four commissioners does seem to imply that there were imbalances in the plan, and Mr. Martin has been developing a rather pro-RBOC reputation.    So perhaps their fears are justified, I certainly would be wary of a plan I wasn’t allowed to see that is being pushed by someone I don’t trust.

What remains to be seen is the response of the federal court which demanded action by November 5, will the judge just roll with it or will we get to finally see what ‘or else’ might mean?  The new non-deadline deadline appears to be set for December, but does anyone really believe that one will not be pushed back too?  One thing seems sure though, lawyers will continue to have a field day litigating all this stuff for a long time to come.

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Categories: Government Regulations