WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV today released the following statement on the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) action today to begin a process to better understand the impact on consumers of technology transitions.

“As our communications networks evolve and as companies continue to upgrade technology, we must make sure that communications services are available at comparable rates for everyone in this country – no matter who they are or where they live. I am pleased that the FCC, under Chairman Wheeler’s leadership, is taking a thoughtful and deliberative approach to understanding the impact these technology transitions will have on consumers, with a particular focus on those living in rural areas. I remain convinced that smart regulation and strong consumer protection by the FCC is as necessary today as it was when the Communications Act was passed almost 80 years ago. And I agree with Commissioner Rosenworcel that the agency must be guided during these transitions by the principles undergirding decades of communications law and policy: universal access, consumer protection, competition, and public safety.”  

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