FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski declined to
comment on the timing of the FCC's decision on the Comcast/NBCU joint venture
Tuesday, but did say the FCC was investigating a complaint by broadbandbackbone company Level 3 against Comcast. That came at a
press conference following the FCC's Nov. 30 meeting.
"I don't have comment on the timetable,"
he said of Comcast/NBCU. "It is an important obligation to review it
thoroughly and we are in the process of that." About the Level 3
complaint, he said it would be premature to comment but that the FCC was
"looking into it."
The chairman also refused to address reports he
was preparing a network neutrality item for the December public meeting that
would pave the way for expanding and codifying network neutrality principles
without reclassifying broadband. "I know that there is interest in
the open Internet topic, but I am not going to address it here," he said.
"When we have something to announce, we will do so."
The chairman is expected to announce his
intentions for the Dec. 21 meeting by Wednesday, Dec. 1, to give the other
commissioners the requisite time for comment, discussion and proposed
edits.
Genachowski was asked whether the pattern of
meetings with stakeholders on the network neutrality proceeding suggested the
commission was striking "a cozy deal" with AT&T and other
carriers. "I am proud of the process we have run on the commission,"
said Genachowski, calling it a "participatory process engaging with the
broadest possible array of stakeholders."
In a complaint Monday, network services provider Level 3 claimed that
Comcast was violating FCC open Internet guidelines by requiring higher payment,
while the cable company accused Level 3 of not paying its fair share for
increased content delivery costs.
