Telecom markets are competitive and the FCC must resist calls...

FCC needs to get better data. The Wireline, Wireless and Media bureaus had sought comment on data collection. “A few commenters suggest that the Commission should take on extensive new data clearinghouse functions,” Verizon and Verizon Wireless said jointly. One company proposed that the agency remake itself into a single-source clearinghouse for pricing data, the carriers said. “The Commission’s role is not to serve as a massive data collection and processing entity … or to make value judgments between competing services,” they said. “Such a function would position the Commission as a competitive arbiter, a role that goes far beyond what Congress authorized.” Verizon submitted with its original comments a list of “outdated” recordkeeping and reporting requirements, which it asked the commission to eliminate. “As the Bureaus look to update their data handling practices in these proceedings the focus should be on eliminating outdated reporting requirements and better aligning the Commission’s data collections with its multiple statutory duties to regularly review and discontinue unnecessary collections,” USTelecom said. “The Bureaus should reject calls by some commenters to take on broad, new data clearinghouse functions, to increase regulatory reporting burdens on the Commission’s wireless licensees, and to re-impose ARMIS reporting obligations.” Telecom markets are changing “dramatically” and becoming more competitive, USTelecom said. The Wireline Bureau “and ultimately the Commission, will find that this increased competition and regulatory changes eliminate the usefulness of many of the Commission’s data reporting regulations,” the association said. Google said the FCC needs better data and should make the information more accessible. The Wireline Bureau “should collect from wireline and wireless facilities-based broadband providers data useful for measuring broadband availability, adoption, and competition, including information regarding providers’ service offerings and network management practices,” the company said. “The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau should collect and make available data on licensed spectrum usage that will assist the Commission’s spectrum planning and policy efforts. The Media Bureau should collect and publish data on interoperability and retail availability of video navigation devices.” CWA said the commission must continue to collect from carriers ARMIS data from carriers, which is on many telcos’ hit list for elimination. “It is the only publicly available data that allows comparisons between companies and states over time,” the union said. “It fills a significant gap because many states do not publicly report service quality data.”