INTERNET FREEDOM AND BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT ACT OF 2001 -- HON. TOM SAWYER (Extensions of Remarks - June 13, 2001)

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HON. TOM SAWYER OF OHIO IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wednesday, June 13, 2001

Mr. SAWYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1542, the Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act of 2001. While this bill is controversial, I believe that it is fundamentally headed in the right direction. In fact, I authored an amendment to this bill to assure that, if the Bell Operating Companies receive relief to deliver high-speed Internet services, they would be required to deliver Internet services to underserved areas.

The bill would free the Bells of regulation to compete freely with long-distance providers and cable companies for high-speed Internet services. Of course, those companies which are already unregulated in providing high-speed Internet services oppose putting the Bells on an equal playing field.

I am less interested in the great turf wars among competitors than I am in how fair competition benefits the consumer, and whether technical advances--especially high speed Internet services, or broadband--will be made available across America.

Broadband access, along with the content and services it might enable, has the potential to transform the Internet--both what it offers and how it is used. For example, a two-way high speed broadband connection could be used for interactive applications such as online classrooms, showrooms, or health clinics, where teacher and student (or customer and salesperson, doctor and patient) could see and hear each other through their computers. An ``always on'' connection could be used to monitor home security, home automation, or even patient health remotely through the Internet.

The high speed and high volume that broadband offers could also be used for bundled service where, for example, cable television, video on demand, voice, data, and other services are all offered over a single line. In truth, many of the applications that will best exploit the technological capabilities of broadband, while also capturing the imagination of consumers, have yet to be developed.

My amendment, which was adopted by the House Committee, requires the Bells to make
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20 percent of their central [switching] offices capable of carrying high speed data within the first year after enactment. In the second year, that number would rise to 40 percent of the central offices, and in the third year, 70 percent. After five years after enactment, 100 percent of the offices must be able to provide high-speed Internet access. While this does not mean that 100 percent of the nation will be hooked up, it will make an enormous leap in availability.

The amendment is flexible in that it allows the Bell Operating Companies to provide service through alternative technologies other than Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL), which utilize copper and fiber telephone infrastructure, in meeting this requirement. If a company would like to provide wireless or satellite as an alternative to DSL, they can under my amendment. A failure to comply with the requirements could trigger substantial Federal Communications Commission (FCC) fines.

Finally, the amendment requires the affected companies to report annually to the FCC on progress in deployment of these services to the underserved communities.

I believe this is a reasonable approach, that simply holds the Bells accountable for what they have promised if they get relief.

The bill, with my amendment, was accepted by the Energy and Commerce Committee on May 9, 2001. The Judiciary Committee has also held a hearing on the bill and plans to consider it before it comes to the floor of the House for a vote later this summer.

The future of telecommunications is full of uncertainty as competing companies and industries try to anticipate technological advances, market conditions, consumer preferences, and even cultural and societal trends. Congress should work to ensure industry competition and to provide for service to all sectors and geographical locations of American society. I believe the bill, with my amendment, has the potential to reach this public policy goal.
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