It looks obvious

For awhile now I’m posting my unfavorable opinion about the FCC and its role in the telecom market. In short my criticism is mainly focused on the facts that the FCC decisions are not serving the public best interest but represent the needs of the telecom companies. In addition I argued that in trying to regulate the telecom market the FCC creates more problems than it fixes, and in an infinite cycle of regulations it created a nightmare of telecom market that is being focused in regulatory and lobbying efforts instead of in innovation and development. I don’t think that the FCC commissioners or staff employees are corrupted. I believe that the problems with the FCC are typical to any government regulatory institution.

Additionally I expressed my criticism about the FCC’s role in limiting our freedom of speech. Although it doesn’t seem to be directly connected with the FCC regulating the market, the legal and philosophical justifications the FCC uses are based on the same bases as it justifications to regulate the market to the extent it does.

Last week FCC’s decision to deregulate Verizon’s high volume data lines is a great example for my arguments. Although the outcome of deregulation is always favorable the process and the limited focus of the decision are very important. Susan Crawford’s narration of the latest deregulation decision pictures a problematic decision making:

Even though Verizon apparently didn’t provide any hard data about its non-dominance in particular geographic markets; even though it provides the only loop to many many commercial buildings; even though it got specific about what services it was talking about only six weeks before the FCC’s decision; even though just a few months ago the FCC rejected Verizon’s request; and even though Verizon made promises in connection with its merger with MCI that are apparently now trumped — despite all of this, and opposition from many quarters (including from inside the Commission), the Commission decided to move ahead.  

It’s enough to make you lose faith in the administrative process.