WASHINGTON -- On Thursday at its open meeting, the Federal Communications Commission issued an order to proceed with service-based trials under the IP transition.

Free Press Policy Counsel Jennifer Yeh made the following statement:

“The Commission rightly acknowledged that the values of competition, consumer protection, universal service and public safety must guide the transition to an IP-based network. While we applaud the FCC's commitment to these values, the agency's focus is misplaced. Without clarifying the policy framework that will apply to the transition, these values are unenforceable.

“We urge the Commission to reassert its authority over the public communications network. Although the technology underlying this network is evolving, the FCC needs to continue to fulfill its obligation to promote competition, interconnection, universal access and other consumer protections.  The FCC needs to clarify that it has authority over the public telecommunications network, and it needs to assert that a technological upgrade doesn’t nullify its authority to oversee that network.”