CTIA: FCC Boss Says Light Touch Needed For Wireless Regulation
In a talk this morning at the CTIA trade show in Las Vegas, FCC Commissioner Kevin Martin cited the need for light regulations over the emerging wireless broadband market. Martin pointed to the FCC’s approach to regulating the cable modem and DSL markets as a model — but it’s unclear exactly how to interpret the comments. Does the FCC really want to stay out of the market to encourage competition and let it grow? Or does it just not care if the market becomes dominated by a few large players, with new entrants facing massive barriers to entry? The wireless market isn’t fraught with the same broken promises and abuse of public resources as the fixed-line market, though it does involve many of the same companies, so perhaps there’s less of a justification for government interference. But it’s hard to imagine that concerns over wireless competition will get much attention in the current regulatory environment.
