The Telecommunications Research and Action Center today released the following statement from TRAC Chairman Samuel A. Simon regarding today’s rejection of FCC phone rules by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals:

"The FCC’s failure to get the rules of the road right once again is damaging to consumers, the economy, and the industry. The FCC should be humbled by this apparent rebuke and move quickly to set in place rules that encourage investment and facilities-based competition. TRAC is distressed at the seemingly never ending intra-industry legal and regulatory battles that are resulting in continued uncertainty in the telecommunications and technology sectors. What is at stake is consumer choice, deployment of new and advanced technology and the livelihood of tens of thousands of workers whose jobs have been lost in this telecommunications recession. TRAC urges not only the FCC but also the industry itself to end these battles and to devise rules that make sense and which will provide the certainty and incentives needed to free up major investment in the telecommunications sector. Consumers and workers will win only when this happens."

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MEDIA CONTACT:

John Breyault, TRAC, johnb@trac.org, 202-263-2943

ABOUT TRAC:

The Telecommunications Research and Action Center (TRAC), founded in 1983, is a non-profit membership organization based in Washington, DC that promotes the interests of residential telecommunications customers. TRAC staff researches telecommunications issues and publishes rate comparisons to help consumers make informed decisions regarding their long distance and local phone service options. TRAC can be found on the web at http://www.trac.org.