Cable, Wireless Groups Applaud 'Hands Off the Net' Resolution

NCTA, CTIA support strong statement out of House Energy & Commerce Committee

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/20/2012 11:08:43 AM

Industry reaction was swift and positive to the House Energy & Commerce Committee's passage of a resolution championing the current multistakeholder model of Internet governance.

"We applaud the House Energy & Commerce Committee for approving this important resolution which sends a strong and clear message that the United Nations and International Telecommunications Union should cease its efforts to assert and impose unprecedented governmental regulation over the Internet," said the National Cable & Telecommunications Association in a statement. "As history demonstrates, the success of the Internet is firmly rooted in its current multistakeholder governance model which incents private investment, consciously avoids government controls, and yields innovative new ways of increasing consumer welfare around the globe. We especially applaud the bipartisan leadership of Chairmen Bono Mack, Upton, and Walden and Ranking Members Waxman and Eshoo for their efforts to introduce and guide this resolution through the Committee. We are hopeful the resolution will be soon considered by the full House."

CTIA: The Wireless Association CEO Steve Largent was on the same page. "Today's bipartisan vote sends a strong signal that a hands-off policy, with respect to the Internet, is the right way to encourage the sort of investment and innovation that is the hallmark of the U.S. wireless ecosystem," said Largent. "CTIA commends Representative [Mary] Bono Mack [lead sponsor of the resolution] and the leadership of the Energy and Commerce Committee for coming together to advance this strong statement in favor of a free, unfettered Internet. We hope that policymakers here and abroad rally to the notion that the way to advance broadband access and deployment, and the political and economic freedoms broadband can support and advance, is by keeping the heavy-hand of government off of the Internet."