Network Management
AT&T is committed to maintaining an open Internet and providing competitive choices for consumers. We want our broadband networks to enable new applications and new services, while ensuring our customers have the tools they need to protect their privacy and security. We understand the Internet is an essential medium for free expression and communication, for education and creative endeavors and for innovative business activities. We are committed to maintaining this for all Internet users.
We believe that the FCC's existing framework — its broadband principles — promotes Internet openness and innovation. By applying its principles within a fact-specific context in the Comcast-BitTorrent Order, the FCC has shown that its Internet policies work and are sufficient for handling any concerns that arise.
Our nation is facing significant economic challenges and other critical social policy issues, such as improving education, health care, energy efficiency and protecting the environment. The highest communications policy priority should continue to be supporting broadband development, using broadband to help address urgent social policy issues and encouraging investment and the resulting direct and indirect job creation.
Summary of AT&T’s Comments to FCC on Net Neutrality (PDF)
January 15, 2010
Washington, D.C.
AT&T supports an open Internet that provides consumers with access to information when, where and how they want it. That is why we agree with the goal of this rulemaking: to preserve the openness of the Internet while maintaining the right incentives for deployment of next-generation "smart" networks needed to support all the applications, content and services that consumers want. Although undoubtedly developed with the best of intentions, we don't believe that the FCC's proposed rules, as written, will accomplish these goals.
AT&T Comments to FCC on Net Neutrality (PDF)
January 14, 2010
Washington, D.C.
- AT&T Comments to FCC on Net Neutrality (PDF)
- Gerald R. Faulhaber & David J. Farber, The Open Internet: A Customer-Centric Framework (PDF)
- Jeffrey H. Reed & Nishith D. Tripathi, The Application of Network Neutrality Regulations to Wireless Systems: A Mission Infeasible (PDF)
- Declaration of Marius Schwartz (PDF)
Letter to Julius Genachowski, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission (PDF)
January 12, 2010
Washington, D.C.
Dear Chairman Genachowski:
In my December 15th letter to you in this proceeding, I highlighted the October 21st letter from Senator Olympia Snowe, as well as the joint blog post by Lowell McAdam of Verizon Wireless and Eric Schmidt of Google, as a productive framework for discussion of issues raised in the Commission’s Preserving the Open Internet proceeding.
Letter to Julius Genachowski, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission (PDF)
December 15, 2009
Re: Preserving the Open Internet, GN Docket No. 09-191
Dear Chairman Genachowski:
Your speech earlier this month at the Innovation Economy Conference, titled, "Innovation in a Broadband Word," neatly summarized the last 25 years of Internet innovation – technological, business and social – that has transformed the economy.
AT&T Statement on FCC's Proposed Net Neutrality Rules
October 22, 2009
Washington, DC - The FCC today adopted draft rules regarding the preservation of a free and open Internet. The following statement may be attributed to Jim Cicconi, AT&T's Senior Executive Vice President, External and Legislative Affairs.
AT&T Statement on Google Voice (PDF)
October 14, 2009
AT&T today filed a letter with the FCC to reiterate its support to preserve the "free and open" nature of the Internet and discuss why the Commission cannot rationally exempt any provider of Internet-based information services from any rules designed to preserve a "free and open Internet."
AT&T Statement on Hill Letter Calling for Investigation of Google Voice
October 8, 2009
Today's letter from a group of bi-partisan Members of Congress asking for an investigation of Google's call blocking underscores the importance of this issue.
AT&T Statement on Google Voice and Net Neutrality
September 25, 2009
WASHINGTON, DC – AT&T today filed a letter with the FCC reiterating its support for a vibrant, open Internet and the four principles contained in the Commission’s Internet Policy Statement. In particular, AT&T highlighted the importance of the fourth principle, which calls for fair competition among providers of networks, applications, services and content. AT&T noted numerous press reports indicating that Google is systematically blocking telephone calls from consumers that use Google Voice to call phone numbers in certain rural communities and, as a result, is reducing its access expenses. A June 2007 FCC decision prohibits other providers, including those with which Google Voice competes, from taking such action. Google has dismissed the Commission’s order, claiming that Google Voice “isn’t a traditional phone service and shouldn’t be regulated like other common carriers.” The following statement may be attributed to AT&T’s Senior Vice President-Federal Regulatory Robert Quinn:
AT&T Statement on FCC Chairman's Brookings Institute Speech
September 21, 2009
Attribute the following statement to Jim Cicconi, AT&T Senior Executive Vice President, External and Legislative Affairs.
"We commend Chairman Genachowski for his speech today, which begins a public process of considering very important issues that will affect the Internet, and broadband investment, for many years to come."
AT&T Statement on FCC Comcast/Bit Torrent Ruling
August 1, 2008 2:58 PM
Background - Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruled that Comcast, in its treatment of certain P2P applications, violated the FCC's national internet policy principles. The FCC's principles seek to encourage broadband deployment to all areas of the country and to preserve the open Internet, including promoting competition among network providers, application and service providers, and content providers. Please attribute the following statement to Jim Cicconi, senior executive vice president of External and Legislative Affairs:
FCC Testimony
July 21, 2008 4:40 PM
ROBERT W. QUINN, JR.
AT&T
Senior Vice President-Federal Regulatory
Public En Banc Hearing at Carnegie Mellon University
On Broadband and the Digital Future
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
I would like first to thank Chairman Martin and the Commission for inviting AT&T to testify at today's hearing on Broadband and the Digital Future. We are in the midst of an unprecedented transition from the era of narrowband analog voice communications, to an era of broadband digital communications that include voice, video and data. Indeed, from where we sit, we are far enough along in this transition to say that today's hearing is actually about the Broadband and Digital Present as well as its Future.
Statement on Senate hearing on the Future of the Internet
April 22, 2008
Statement on Senate hearing on the Future of the Internet
Background
The U.S. Senate today held a hearing on "The Future of the Internet." Topics of discussion included the current P2P controversy, and the FCC's broadband Internet Principles.
"AT&T supports and abides by the FCC's broadband principles and the FCC already possesses the authority to ensure that all providers adhere to them. No additional regulation or legal authority is required."
"This debate has finally begun to focus on the necessity for network providers to manage the vastly expanding bandwidth demands of broadband users. As FCC Chairman Martin observed this morning, the proper framework for evaluating reasonable network management techniques is a case-by-case examination."
— The preceding can be attributed to an AT&T Spokesperson
Statement on Comcast/BitTorrent Hearing
April 17, 2008 11:15 PM
"We have filed comments at the FCC explaining our views on what we consider to be reasonable network management. We are also happy to participate in any forum discussing the FCC's broadband principles, which AT&T strongly supports and abides by."
"However, this hearing pertained mostly to the Comcast/BitTorrent matter and to that company's practices about which we have no firsthand knowledge. Furthermore, we have consistently made clear that we do not use TCP resets to manage network congestion."
— The preceding statement can be attributed to an AT&T Spokesperson
Before the Federal Communications Commission
February 28, 2008
In the Matter of Broadband Industry Practices.
WC Docket No. 07-52
Reply Comments of AT&T Inc. on Petitions of Free Press and Vuze.
AT&T Statement on Broadband Network Management Practices
February 25, 2008 11:19 PM
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today conducted a public hearing in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on broadband network management practices. The policy framework for these practices is enshrined in the FCC's open Internet policy statement, which was enacted in August 2005 to encourage broadband deployment and to preserve the open and interconnected nature of the Internet.
"AT&T has long supported the FCC's open Internet principles and believes the authority of the FCC to uphold and safeguard these principles is best conducted on a case-by-case review of the specific facts.
Before the Federal Communications Commission
February 13, 2008
In the Matter of Broadband Industry Practices
WC Docket No. 07-52
Comments of AT&T Inc. on Petitions of Free Press and Vuze.
AT&T Reaction to Rep. Markey's Legislation
February 13, 2008 10:21 PM
"The sponsors of this bill suggest that it merely requires the FCC to perform a study of the broadband marketplace. It is far more than that. It would enact a new broadband policy for the United States that would include unprecedented regulation of the Internet. As such, this bill will jeopardize billions in badly needed Internet investment and stifle broadband deployment. Equally troubling is that the bill clearly sets the stage for regulating the Internet and the operations of all private broadband networks in the US."
— The preceding can be attributed to an AT&T Spokesperson
AT&T's Statement Regarding DOJ's Letter Urging the FCC to Reject Internet Regulation
September 6, 2007 7:06 PM
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) today submitted a filing in the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) broadband industry practices proceeding, which seeks to establish the facts surrounding the "network neutrality" issue. In its filing, the DOJ urges the FCC to reject demands to regulate the Internet. The following can be attributed to an AT&T spokesman:
"The Department of Justice filing joins a long and growing list of expert and independent voices, including the FTC and the OECD, warning of the dangers of regulating the competitive and innovative Internet marketplace. The DOJ specifically cites the increased costs to consumers that these proposed rules would cause.
"We continue to urge policymakers to focus on the real issue of the broadband era, which is to promote the benefits of broadband services at affordable rates for all consumers."
Before the Federal Communications Commission
July 16, 2007
In the Matter of Broadband Industry Practices
WC Docket No. 07-52
Reply Comments of AT&T Inc.
Before the Federal Communications Commission
June 15, 2007
In the Matter of Broadband Industry Practices
WC Docket No. 07-52
Comments of AT&T Inc.