Support One National Policy For Wireless
Hundreds of separate sets of laws and regulations in states and cities across the country threaten to delay wireless innovation, reduce consumer choice and increase consumer costs. States and cities are also raising the cost of your wireless service by imposing unfair and excessive new taxes and fees.
What would you tell your state and local policymakers who propose new regulations on your wireless service? You can help by urging your U.S. Representative and Senators in Washington to support meaningful telecommunications reform legislation in the Congress, which would provide one consistent national policy for wireless.
With the 111th Congress now in session in Washington, D.C., legislators must renew their commitment to pass a real communications reform bill, including one consistent national policy for wireless services. Right now, each of the 50 states can govern wireless 50 different ways. Since wireless doesn’t recognize state borders, the hundreds of separate state taxes, laws and regulations in states and cities across the country are creating a confusing tangle for consumers. The result is less innovation, fewer choices among services, plans and providers, and ultimately higher prices for wireless consumers.
Along with the constant threat of unnecessary and inconsistent state-by-state rules, consumers often face a myriad of unfair new state and local taxes and fees on their wireless services. In fact, some states impose wireless taxes at double the rate of other goods and services. The U.S. Congress can make forward progress for wireless consumers with a new telecom reform legislation that will ensure one fair, responsible national policy for wireless.
Flashback to 1993
Wireless simplicity, productivity, and mobility wasn’t always so prevalent. Rewind 16 years back to 1993, when consumers needed a dozen different devices, not to mention pounds of gear and miles of wire, to do everything they can do now on a small handheld wireless device. If consumers were lucky enough to have wireless services back then, they had few choices among service providers, plans, devices and features. Mobile video or Internet access was unheard of and pay phones were still the most common form of “mobile” communication.
Yet, policymakers in Congress and at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) saw the potential for wireless and gave it the freedom to thrive. Instead of imposing a mountain of restrictions and regulations on wireless, legislators and regulators empowered consumers to pick the real “winners” through the competitive market, and this choice factor pushed wireless to innovate. As a result, competition drove down prices, hastened innovation, expanded choice among products and services, and encouraged the swift expansion of nationwide wireless networks. By 2009, the number of wireless consumers had grown from 16 million to more than 270 million. Every day, wireless continues to empower consumers to communicate nearly anywhere and anytime, to be more productive at work, to connect with family and friends, to get help in emergencies, and to have some good fun.
State of the Separated Union
Unfortunately, the freedom, choice and value wireless consumers have come to enjoy today are threatened. Hundreds of separate taxes, laws and regulations are being proposed in states and cities across the country, creating a confusing tangle of costly wireless overregulation and taxation. If wireless is ruled by 50 different sets of state laws and regulations, not to mention additional local taxes, laws and regulations, consumers will suffer, with less innovation, fewer choices among services and providers, and ultimately higher prices.
Policymakers in Congress and at the FCC can promote a better wireless future. With one fair, consistent and responsible national policy for national wireless, policymakers in Washington can help relieve wireless consumers of the cost and confusion of scores of state and local taxes, laws and regulations. Wireless consumers deserve a future of mobility, of freedom, and of possibility, not one of uncertainty and spiraling fees and restrictions.
How is this true?
Imagine if every state had different traffic laws - some states drive on the left and some on the right; some have red/yellow/green lights; and some purple/orange/blue. Similarly, if states impose their own, unique rules on wireless service, what was once a seamless, national wireless service suddenly becomes a service subject to state borders, creating more confusion, more cost, and more complications for consumers. If any state imposes unique laws and regulations on wireless, then consumers in all states may be affected, because consumers will lose out on national plans and seamless mobility. The bottom line - a patchwork of inconsistent state laws and regulations on wireless will only create confusion for consumers, drive up costs, delay improvements to quality and service, and delay the introduction of innovative, new products.
How will one set of rules benefit consumers?
Wireless is a national service, one that does not recognize state borders. So it is important that consumers in Manhattan, Kansas, continue to get the same values, services, and choices as consumers in Manhattan, New York. With a consistent national policy for wireless, consumers in California will have access to the same affordable, quality products and services as consumers in Maine. If any state imposes unique laws and regulations on wireless, then consumers in all states may be affected, because consumers will likely lose the savings and choices associated with national product and service offerings.
How can you help?
At MyWireless.org®, it’s quick and easy! Please take a moment right now to urge your Legislators and FCC Commissioners to make meaningful telecommunications reform legislation a real priority in 2009. That will ensure more than 270 million American wireless consumers can finally benefit from one consistent national policy for wireless services. Let your federal officials know that 50 different sets of state rules threaten the mobility, value and choice you enjoy as a consumer with wireless service.