The FTTH Council monitors federal, state and local legislative activities that may affect the fiber to the home community. It also advocates Council positions and concerns on issues related to the future of broadband and the regulatory environment for FTTH services.

FTTH Council's Activities Related to the Economic Recovery Package

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100 Megabit Nation

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National Broadband Plan

The FTTH Council has submitted information to the Federal Communications Commission with regard to its consideration of a National Broadband Plan.  These include two studies by the telecommunications strategy consultant CSMG -- one outlining the projected cost of wiring up the country with FTTH, and the other exploring the range of next-generation digital services and applications that will likely come about as a result of the proliferation of all-fiber networks in the U.S.  The materials submitted by the Council to the FCC are available below...

• CSMG Study on the Cost of Building Next-Generation Fiber Networks
• CSMG Study on Next-Generation Applications and Services
• FTTH Council Vision and Policy Proposals for the National Broadband Plan
• Council Comments to FCC Urging that the NBP Oppose Barriers to Municipal FTTH Deployments
• FTTH Council Further Comments on Accelerating Access to High-Speed Broadband
  • Accompanying Presentation on Expanding Next Generation Access
• FTTH Council Comments on Muni FTTH Experience with Open Access vs Retail
• FTTH Council Filing on Proposed "Net Neutrality" Regulations

Future of Broadband

• The FTTH Council has issued a white paper noting how deregulation at the state and federal levels has helped advance the deployment of next-generation networks. Download the paper here.
• On April 24, 2007, FTTH Council Joe Savage submitted testimony for the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee's hearing on the state of broadband in the United States.  Download a copy of his testimony.
• On May 6, 2007, the FTTH Council submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission calling on the FCC to update its definition of broadband.  Download a copy of the comments.

Video Franchising

The FTTH Council believes that states should streamline the video franchising process so that fiber-to-the-home providers are not discouraged from entering new markets and bringing competitive choices to consumers with regard to video, voice and data services.

• Read comments provided by the FTTH Council to the Federal Communications Commission in February 2006.
• The results of a study on broadband deployment in Texas following that state's enactment of a streamlined video franchising process.
• FTTH Council press release on a 2007 FCC order on video franchising.
• FTTH Council press release on progress at state level in enacting streamlined video franchising legislation.
• An FTTH Council Amici brief supporting the FCC's action on video franchising.

Municipal Broadband

Many municipalities across the country are deploying next-generation, high-bandwidth telecommunications networks as a means of stimulating economic growth and development. The FTTH Council opposes the efforts of some states to frustrate these efforts by local governments.

• Council Comments to FCC Urging that the NBP Oppose Barriers to Municipal FTTH Deployments
• A paper issued in April 2008 by the Council on the state of municipal FTTH, including a list of FTTH systems that are operated by local governments and public electric utilities.
• A letter sent to U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) in support of their legislation to preempt efforts to restrict municipal deployments of next-generation networks.
• A letter sent to state legislators and other officials in North Carolina expressing the FTTH Council's opposition to legislation that would restrict the ability of local governments to offer broadband services to their residents.
• Testimony submitted by Council President Joe Savage to a February 2006 U.S. Senate Commerce Committee hearing on municipal broadband development.

"Network Neutrality"

The FTTH Council has urged the FCC not to adopt of a principle of non-discrimination in the transmission of content over the Internet.

• Read the council's June 15, 2007 press release regarding its filing of comments at the FCC on "net neutrality."
• Download the filing.

Fiber Unbundling

The Council strongly supports the continuation of the FCC's 2003 policy exempting all-fiber networks from requirements that incumbent telephone companies lease out access to their lines to other service providers.

• FTTH Council and Telecommunications Industry Association Comments to FCC on Fiber Unbundling  

Multiple Dwelling Units (MDU's)

The Council has urged the FCC to refrain from adopting any additional regulations to prohibit exclusives in MDU's by non-cable operators.

• Download the FTTH Council comments filed at the FCC.