dslreports logo
 story category
With Comcast Block, Tom Wheeler Cements Consumer-Friendly Rep

Back when Tom Wheeler was announced as the new boss of the FCC, few (myself included) had high hopes that the former cable and wireless industry lobbyist would put consumers and competition first. That's thanks in large part to twenty years of FCC history where both concepts were paid on fleeting lip service, and the agency's behavior made it clear its primary mission was to serve the whims of the nation's largest, wealthiest telecom companies.

Click for full size
But with the FCC boss spearheading new net neutrality rules, a new 25 Mbps broadband standard, fighting protectionist municipal broadband bans, and now fighting to block the Comcast merger, the 69-year old FCC chief has actually emerged as one of the most consumer-friendly bosses in FCC history.

"Comcast and Time Warner Cable’s decision to end Comcast’s proposed acquisition of Time Warner Cable is in the best interests of consumers," Wheeler said in a statement this morning.

"The proposed transaction would have created a company with the most broadband and video subscribers in the nation alongside the ownership of significant programming interests," said Wheeler, adding that the merger "would have posed an unacceptable risk to competition and innovation -- especially given the growing importance of high-speed broadband to online video and innovative new services."

With no industry think tank career waiting in the wings, Wheeler's showing he's willing to stand up to industry giants AT&T, Verizon and Comcast, something none of the FCC bosses in broadband's recent life cycle -- regardless of political party (Powell, Martin, Genachowski) -- were willing to do. He's also forging a reputation for a leader that actually acts based on the available facts on the table and is able to change his mind when those facts contradict closely-held beliefs, an increasingly rare animal indeed.

That's going to make getting Wheeler out of office a top priority for incumbent ISPs as we head toward 2016.

Most recommended from 26 comments


gaforces (banned)
United We Stand, Divided We Fall
join:2002-04-07
Santa Cruz, CA

4 recommendations

gaforces (banned)

Member

KUDOS

I was as surprised as anybody. Net neutrality, standing up to Verizon and Comcast, DAYAM he has some brass ones.

Thanks Chairman Wheeler

bluefox8
join:2014-08-20

2 recommendations

bluefox8

Member

Wow

I've got to hand it to Tom Wheeler. I'd thank him in person if I could.

History will remember him as being on the right side at the right time. He made major nation (and even world) benefiting decisions of this century, such as net neutrality and preventing formation of mega-communications-corps. By contrast, most won't remember the McCains and Romneys.

Is there a Wheeler fund/foundation I can donate to?
XJakeX
join:2005-03-05
Coventry, RI

2 recommendations

XJakeX

Member

Is he done yet?

It's certainly a refreshing change for Wheeler, considering his past. After the Title II reclassification, even though it wasn't the full Title II we were hoping for, I kept waiting for his next move that would be in the industry's favor. But it never came. Instead, we have the 25MB minimum broadband suggestion, his backing of municipal broadband efforts, and now the merger we all figured was a done deal - broken. Perhaps he really has changed his stripes.

Now if we could just get him to move over to the FDA, maybe we could get GMO labeling, GMO safety testing, prescription drug ads once again banned from TV, and all sorts of toxic chemicals removed from our food