Authorizing the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (“NASUCA”) to support the fair and equitable deployment of high quality Advanced Telecommunications Services (“ATS”) as mandated by Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act and to encourage regulators and policy makers to work with consumers and their advocates in obtaining this result.
WHEREAS, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 established a pro-competitive, deregulatory national policy framework for telecommunications, opening all telecommunications markets to competition so as to make advanced telecommunications and information technologies and services available to all Americans;
WHEREAS, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) convened a Joint Conference for state regulatory commissions and the FCC to facilitate the cooperative development of federal, state, and local policies to promote the widespread deployment of advanced services as defined in Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act;
WHEREAS, the FCC concluded that advanced telecommunications capability is being deployed in a reasonable and timely fashion overall, however, certain consumer groups, specifically inner city, low-income, rural Americans, minority, tribal areas, and consumers in U.S. territories are particularly vulnerable to not having affordable access to advanced services if deployment is left to market forces alone; and
WHEREAS, NASUCA supports the development of consumer education programs relating to ATS;
WHEREAS, NASUCA supports the development of market monitoring mechanisms relating to the development of ATS;
WHEREAS, NASUCA believes that the public should be made aware of the current status of ATS availability in their states;
WHEREAS, NASUCA supports the establishment of quality of service standards for ATS;
WHEREAS, NASUCA supports the enforcement of regulatory protections that ensure a level playing field for all providers of ATS;
WHEREAS, NASUCA supports the establishment of coalitions between ATS providers, consumers, and policy makers jointly to develop fair and equitable ATS deployment policies;
WHEREAS, NASUCA supports the creation of laws and regulations to prohibit misleading/false advertisement of ATS;
WHEREAS, NASUCA supports the enforcement of laws and regulations that prevent economic and geographic discrimination;
THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED, the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates supports the timely, equitable, reasonable and ubiquitous deployment of high quality ATS to ensure that residential and small business consumers have access to a global economy, participation in all forms of government communications, and benefit from enhanced economic development and educational opportunities;
THEREFORE, BE IT ALSO RESOLVED, that NASUCA may advocate policies and practices in all forums which are consistent with the intent of this resolution and are competitively and technologically neutral; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Executive Committee of NASUCA is authorized to take action consistent with this Resolution in order to secure policies and practices which are in accordance with it.
Approved by NASUCA: Submitted by: NASUCA Telecommunications Committee
Place: San Diego, California
Date: November 14, 2000