WASHINGTON-Wireless and other telecom manufacturers urged the Bush administration to establish a national information and communications technology policy framework that encourages marketplace competition and stimulates investment.
The Telecommunications Industry Association recommended, among other things, that such a framework embrace a “light-touch deregulatory approach” and technology neutrality in White House policies. In addition, TIA urged President Bush to avoid vague pronouncements and implementation requirements, fearing such official expressions eventually will lead to litigation and uncertainty in the market once the Federal Communications Commission writes regulations.
TIA also asked for White House help in ensuring that telecom legislation in Congress is targeted covers “only what is necessary for immediate relief.”
“Overly burdensome legislation that presumes what the future of broadband and broadband-enabled services might encompass will hinder instead of foster growth,” said TIA President Matthew Flanigan in a Jan. 25 letter to Bush.
In a separate letter to House and Senate leaders, Flanigan urged Congress to pass legislation setting a date certain for broadcasters to return valuable 700 MHz spectrum as part of the TV industry’s transition to digital technology.
