STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER AJIT PAI APPROVING IN PART AND CONCURRING IN PART Re: GN Docket No. 13-5; Technology Transitions, USTelecom Petition for Declaratory Ruling that Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers Are Non-Dominant in the Provision of Switched Access WC Docket No. 13-5; Services, Policies and Rules Governing Retirement of Copper Loops by RM-11358. Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers, There are some franchises that you just love. James Bond thrills. explodes with Terminator action. And inspires. But not every iteration of a franchise has the same magic. Recall Rocky The Living or you not that these are terrible films; Daylights, Terminator: Salvation, Rocky Balboa—if can. It’s just not much going for them. there’s This latest in our IP Transition franchise—carries forward the tradition. The Order—the Order claims to advance that transition, something I certainly support. Indeed, for four years, been calling I’ve on the FCC to expedite the IP Transition, to end the burdensome regulations that tie up carrier resources and slow the deployment of next-generation networks. And the headlines accompanying release today’s are catchy: It will away the outdated and our and “strip unnecessary,” “modernize rules,” “maximize opportunities for creative disruption.” But like many summer blockbusters, this up to the trailer. In a world where film doesn’t live consumers are embracing the IP Transition in growing numbers each and every day, this agency shouldn’t be timid—and yet we are. The highlights of this include letting incumbents file certain tariffs a Order few days later, correcting a technicality regarding copper retirement, and automatically granting petitions to discontinue services with no customers. Not much action there. And the bulk of the is devoted Order to laying out the various tests, numerous conditions, and multiple obligations of carriers that volunteer to undergo a discontinuance process for voice services—a framework sure to scare away “streamlined” most, if not all, volunteers and thus unlikely to have much practical impact. And so, much like the final season of that recent James Patterson novel, and every Super Lost, Bowl halftime show since Janet Jackson, just not that much new being revealed. That said, I do there’s approve of the limited relief granted, and I concur on the remainder of the Order.
STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER AJIT PAI APPROVING IN PART AND CONCURRING IN PART Re: Technology Transitions, GN Docket No. 13-5; USTelecom Petition for Declaratory Ruling that Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers Are Non-Dominant in the Provision of Switched Access Services, WC Docket No. 13-5; Policies and Rules Governing Retirement of Copper Loops by Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers, RM-11358. There are some franchises that you just love. James Bond thrills. Terminator explodes with action. And Rocky inspires. But not every iteration of a franchise has the same magic. Recall The Living Daylights, Terminator: Salvation, or Rocky Balboa—if you can. It’s not that these are terrible films; there’s just not much going for them. This Order—the latest in our IP Transition franchise—carries forward the tradition. The Order claims to advance that transition, something I certainly support. Indeed, for four years, I’ve been calling on the FCC to expedite the IP Transition, to end the burdensome regulations that tie up carrier resources and slow the deployment of next-generation networks. And the headlines accompanying today’s release are catchy: It will “strip away the outdated and unnecessary,” “modernize our rules,” and “maximize opportunities for creative disruption.” But like many summer blockbusters, this film doesn’t live up to the trailer. In a world where consumers are embracing the IP Transition in growing numbers each and every day, this agency shouldn’t be timid—and yet we are. The highlights of this Order include letting incumbents file certain tariffs a few days later, correcting a technicality regarding copper retirement, and automatically granting petitions to discontinue services with no customers. Not much action there. And the bulk of the Order is devoted to laying out the various tests, numerous conditions, and multiple obligations of carriers that volunteer to undergo a “streamlined” discontinuance process for voice services—a framework sure to scare away most, if not all, volunteers and thus unlikely to have much practical impact. And so, much like the final season of Lost, that recent James Patterson novel, and every Super Bowl halftime show since Janet Jackson, there’s just not that much new being revealed. That said, I do approve of the limited relief granted, and I concur on the remainder of the Order.
FCC-16-90A1.docx