WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kevin J. Martin is a man with a mission. The new chairman of the Federal Communications Commission since March of 2005, Martin believes that “the changes that are occurring in telecommunications today are affecting every aspect of the way people are interacting.” Because of this, he believes that ensuring that broadband technology is affordable and available to all Americans should be a top priority for the FCC.The devil, of course, is in the political details, but the 39-year-old Republican has managed for forge an alliance with the FCC’s two Democrats, which has contributed to agreement on a number of difficult issues, including unanimous approval of three major telephone mergers and requirement that broadband telephone companies provide 911 service. Given that the FCC currently has a 50-50 partisan split, getting the two parties to cooperate on these issues has been “a significant accomplishment,” according to Martin.
Under Martin’s leadership, the FCC has mandated the sharing of high-speed lines between phone companies and their competitors, including cable TV providers. It has also resolved that broadband customers have a right to full online access.
Among the challenges presented to the FCC by its resolution and the Telecommunications Act of 1996 is encouraging competition by ensuring that high speed technology is appealing for providers to offer and explore. According to Martin, competition between cable and telephone companies has resulted in lower prices, faster speeds, and greater availability. Some of the means by which providers have wanted to expand has met with public and Congressional disapproval, however, among them FCC recommendations that media companies be allowed to expand into other technologies, such as cable providers owning newspapers in the same cities. The Third U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the FCC had not provided enough justification when it recommended that the number of media properties that any one company could own in the same market be increased, although it did agree to allow newspapers to own broadcasting properties. As Martin sees it, these changes are needed to reflect the new realities of the communications marketplace and supporting technologies.
Martin believes that the future of high speed telecommunication will be increasingly available to all Americans and that it will also be increasingly provided by wireless technology.
