TMCnet News

FCC COMMISSIONER Jessica Rosenworcel A Leader With Perspective [Rural Telecommunications]
[April 11, 2014]

FCC COMMISSIONER Jessica Rosenworcel A Leader With Perspective [Rural Telecommunications]


(Rural Telecommunications Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) For a job that many believe comee uiith a heap of power and influence, the role of FCC commiesioner-as seen through the eyes of one of the newest regulators to carry the title-is linked to a surprising degree to the word of others. From the »rs that deliver the technologies govby federal communications policies to the consumers who rely on them, the work of a modern-day FCC commissioner Is informed by many voices-most certainly including those In the farthest reaches of the country.



All of those voices could be a bit overwhelming for someone who is not accustomed to hearing other points of view and learning from them. Fortunately for Jessica Rosenworcel this is a role she is more than qualified to play and one she has been preparing for her entire career.

Prior to joining the commission in May 2012, Rosenworcel, 43, served in a variety of public and private positions that gave her a helpful perspective on the issues that now lay before her. As a staff adviser for the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Rosenworcel worked first under the leadership of Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and then Jay Rockefeller (D-WVa.), laying the foundation for many of the regulations she now oversees. Before that, she held a number of staff positions "in the trenches" of the FCC, including legal adviser to former Commissioner Michael Copps and counsel to the chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau. In the earliest part of her career she practiced communications law at a private law firm.


Her many previous posts have provided her a front-row seat to witness lawmaking and policymaking in living color, and have afforded her opportunities to learn how many voices shape the process. "I have seen communications issues from the private sector side, the public sector side, the regulatory side and from a legislative side," she said. "I've been in the weeds and up in the sky, and I think that has been good preparation for this role." An Rppnaciabion for Rural Rmenlca Rosenworcel often draws from her time on Capitol Hill when assessing the potential consequences of policy changes, and her appreciation for how rules made in Washington affect those on the ground in rural America shows through when she talks about the full slate of issues facing the commission, including ongoing Universal Service Fund (USF) and intercarrier compensation (ICC) reforms, rural call completion problems and the IP transition-just to name a few.

"I try to keep rural America in mind in everything we do," she said. "Our economy is becoming increasingly dependent on these networks, and we need to make sure we extend their reach everywhere so that no matter who you are and where you live in this country, you have opportunity and access that new networks and broadband can provide." But having taken office in the midst of perhaps the largest rewrite of universal service policy, Rosenworcel and most of her cohorts on the commission find themselves in the position of carrying through on decisions made by others years ago-decisions she acknowledged have resulted in changes that are not easily understood and policies that still need to be adjusted. With regard to USF and ICC reforms adopted in 2011, Rosenworcel noted that she agrees at a high level with the reforms' purpose: to transition the USF high-cost program from a voice telephonyfocused program to a broadband-oriented support system. But uncertainty arising from the changes has caused some troubling outcomes as rural carriers have pulled back on investment in broadband infrastructure and in some cases been forced to raise service fees to unaffordable levels to recover the cost of doing business.

"At the highest level, I think [the reforms were] a smart thing to do. I think it's also good that we put [the program] on a budget and increased accountability in the program," she said. "But I will acknowledge that the changes we put in place are not simple. They are complicated. And I worry that that complexity can make it hard for providers that serve rural areas to get the certainty they need to invest in their networks going forward." Possible solutions to provide rural carriers more certainty and sufficient support for broadband networks have been in the works for some time. Recent developments, punctuated by the December 2013 announcement by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler that the agency is looking into eliminating the quantile regression analysis-based caps limiting USF support for some carriers, may indicate the fresh roster of commissioners joining Rosenworcel at the commission are more willing than their predecessors to revisit certain reforms.

From Rosenworcel's perspective, any proposals that attempt to make the program more easily understood within the confines of an established budget are worth considering. "If we can find ways to make the program simpler so that rural carriers have more certainty and invest more in rural America, and we can do that without breaking our budget, we should be open to them across the board." Unlocking bhe IP Tnaneiblon The IP transition has become a buzz phrase in Washington, bandied about in discussions about a possible rewrite of the Communications Act and efforts to entice consumers who have not yet made the switch to all-IP communications platforms. For Rosenworcel, the issue could not be more important-or more challenging. She counts having "a front row seat to witness the digital revolution" as the most rewarding and the most difficult part of her job. The latest chapter in this ongoing challenge is the question of what-if anything-the commission will do to promote the ongoing network transition to IP-enabled technologies.

NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association was among the first groups to encourage the commission to promote this transition by reviewing and perhaps updating existing policies that were crafted when TDM-based telecommunications were the standard. Innovation in the delivery of video programming is one example of the quickening pace of technological change, Rosenworcel said. "Consumers now want to watch what they want to watch, when they want to watch it, on any screen handy." But as with any sort of policymaking, the key, she said, is a finding a "light-touch" regulatory scheme that provides rules of the road while also allowing room for innovation to grow. "Because as exciting as all of this is, what you learn is that in an instant, innovation can invert what we think we know.

"That presents challenge for those in the industry that seek to build networks and offer services to consumers. It presents challenges for legislators who have to think about how to change and update laws. And it presents challenges for regulators who have to think about how to implement those laws in ways that make sense and serve the interests of the public and reflect modern technology." In the midst of a debate that is still stuck on where to Start, Rosenworcel is pushing for a back-to-the-future approach: Go back to where policies began and assess them on their merits.

"I think we need to evaluate the policy choices we make, not by combing through the statute and getting caught up in those details, but instead by standing back and saying, 'What are the essential values in communications laws that have inspired Congress from the very beginning and have influenced our policies for decades?'" Pnomoblng Public Bafeby and Broadband Rdopbion In the list of overarching principles driving policy decisions at the commission, public safety is almost always at the top. The theme repeated itself many times during a conversation about proposals to remedy rural call completion problems and about emerging technologies like telemedicine, which are reinventing the way many in rural America receive medical treatment.

The fact that some rural Americans are unable to receive phone calls because of the efforts of some bad actors is unacceptable, Rosenworcel said. But the solution is not easily in hand. She said she is happy with action the commission has taken to date to identify those responsible for lost and garbled calls, but the commission's enforcement activities are somewhat hamstrung until the agency has the data it needs to act. An order adopted in late 2013 implementing new call data retention and reporting requirements will hopefully give the commission the information it needs to pursue additional swift enforcement. "We want every call to connect. We want every call to go through," she said.

On the topic of using broadband technologies to promote better health and well-being, Rosenworcel brightens at the prospect of helping promote the proliferation of telemedicine services. But she also recognizes the growth of practices such as remote monitoring as viable alternatives to in-person care for rural and remote Americans is not just dependent on her work at the FCC. Indeed, this innovation has drawn the attention of additional federal agencies, the insurance industry and other trade groups outside of telecom, which each have a unique stake in its success. In other words, "the table is crowded," and the variety of interests involved could constrain future growth.

Of course, none of these applications would be possible without robust broadband networks and consumers who value them. While it's hard to believe any American would say no to the power of a high-speed Internet connection, Rosenworcel pointed out that 30% of the U.S. population still has not taken a broadband connection in their homes. A variety of reasons are at play: cost, perceived lack of relevance and a reluctance to engage with the complexities of the digital age. Another puzzle the commission continues to pursue is how to bring these late adopters into the modem age so they can reap the rewards of connectivity.

For Rosenworcel, the payoff is clear. Broadband is the future, and there's no turning back now.

"Broadband is not just a technology; it's a platform for opportunity," she said. "It is going to be how we communicate with one another, seek out jobs, grow our businesses, educate ourselves, improve our health care and entertain ourselves. It is going to be part and parcel with every activity in our economy. Making sure that everybody has access is making sure everybody has opportunity to be a full participant in the digital age, and we can't leave rural America behind." 0 Ready for E-Rate 2.0 In the spectrum of issues that come across her desk, one holds special importance to Rosenworcel, a mother of two: reforming and modernizing the E-Rate program to connect schools and libraries with high-speed broadband. The E-Rate program is a byproduct of the 1996 Communications Act, which Rosenworcel helped craft as a Capitol Hill staffer. Back then, she said, only 14% of public schools were connected. Today, nearly 95% of schools are connected, but many do not have the capacity they need to adequately prepare students for the digital age. By supporting investment in high-capacity connections, Rosenworcel said, the program can help sprout future masters of science and technology all over the country. "The next great STEM entrepreneur doesn't have to come from the coast," she said. "It's just as likely that they can come from some rural corners of this country." Laura Withers is director of communications for NTCA. She can be reached at [email protected].

(c) 2014 National Telephone Cooperative

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]