Publication Type: Statement
Date: 6/21/2008CONTACT: Brian Dietz, 202-258-2881
"We have not yet seen the FCC decision, but in response to news reports and statements issued by the FCC, we thought it was appropriate to comment.
The FCC had a very precise question before it, which was whether Verizon violated a privacy law intended to promote competition and protect consumers. We are pleased that the majority voted to reverse the previous Enforcement Bureau decision and find that Verizon’s practice of using proprietary customer information when a customer has already made a decision to switch to a competitive provider undermined both competition and the customer’s privacy.
We continue to encourage the Commission to take another pro-consumer step by shortening the current four-day number porting interval – which is based on outdated technology from the last decade – so that voice customers can realize the benefits of their choice more quickly. Customers want and deserve the ability to change providers if they so choose quickly and seamlessly. Shortening the porting interval would promote competition and choice for all consumers.”
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NCTA is the principal trade association for the U.S. cable industry, representing cable operators serving more than 90 percent of the nation's cable television households and more than 200 cable program networks. The cable industry is the nation’s largest broadband provider of high-speed Internet access after investing more than $130 billion to build a two-way interactive network with fiber optic technology. Cable companies also provide state-of-the-art digital telephone service to millions of American consumers.