The new President-Elect, Donald Trump, has promised to be a pro-business, keep jobs in America type of President once his cabinet takes over on January 20, 2016. One of his key proposals is to withdraw and/or modify some of the key trade deals in which the United States is currently engaged. As a result, businesses and corporations, especially those in the telecom industry, are a bit nervous as to what impacts will be in the coming year.
For example, it is highly anticipated that Trump will appoint a new FCC Chairman. When this individual is actually confirmed by the Senate, his or her first mandate will be to get rid of the pro-competition deals and policies which have been set forth by the existing chairman, Tom Wheeler.
One of the first pieces of legislation expected to be scrapped is that of the “Business Data Services.” According to telecom industry experts, “. . . We expect regulation of BDS (formerly special access), and set-top boxes (STB) to be altered (i.e. watered down), or more likely eliminated.”
It has been speculated that one of the reasons why this specific piece of legislation will be disbanded is that Trump is highly expected to name telecom leaders and policy to his Cabinet who are very conservative. For instance, he has already named former Sprint lobbyist Mark Jamison and economist Jeff Eisenbach to manage the transition to the new FCC chairman. It has also been highly anticipated that Jeff Eisenbach himself could be nominated as the FCC chairman.
With this transitory leadership at hand, it is also expected that a majority of the FCC constituents will be Republican. Other reforms which are expected to take place in the telecom industry as Trump becomes President include the following:
- Regulate lower pricing regimes for next-generation Ethernet and packet-based services;
- The further governing of the various “Price-Cap” regulations.
Time will tell what Trump and his administration will bring to the telecom industry.
GeoTel Communications, LLC, is the leading provider of telecommunications infrastructure data in a geographic information system (GIS) and internet-based spatial technologies for over 15 years. GeoTel takes telecom infrastructure data and makes it tangible. By layering this data in GIS software or by viewing it in one of our web-based platforms, we make it possible to analyze detailed fiber optic maps and other telecom data sets throughout America. These integrated data sets are digitized onto the highest quality street data and aerial imagery available, providing companies and government entities with the leverage and insight necessary to make informed location-based and fiscally sound decisions.
