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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT:  December  8,  2003  Meribeth  McCarrick  at  (202)  418-  0654 
 Meribeth.  Mccarrick@  fcc.  gov 


 FCC  COMMISSIONER  KATHLEEN  Q.  ABERNATHY  PROMOTES  UNIVERSAL  ACCESS  OF  TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
 AT  GLOBAL  MEETING 
 Washington,  D.  C.  –  FCC  Commissioner  Kathleen  Q.  Abernathy  today  joined  telecommunications  regulators  from  around  the  world  to  promote  universal  access  to 
 telecommunications  services.  Commissioner  Abernathy  spoke  at  the  4  th  Annual  Global  Symposium  for  Regulators  hosted  by  the  International  Telecommunication  Union  (ITU)  in 
 Geneva,  Switzerland. 
 Commissioner  Abernathy  emphasized  that  the  goal  of  universal  access  is  “to  ensure  that  consumers  have  a  choice  of  innovative  telecommunications  services  at  affordable  prices.”  She 
 encouraged  other  regulators  to  achieve  these  goals  by  “having  faith  in  the  market;  ensuring  transparency  by  adopting  clear  rules  that  are  vigorously  enforced;  and  educating  consumers 
 about  regulations  so  they  can  make  intelligent  choices.” 
 The  Global  Symposium  for  Regulators  is  being  held  December  8-  9,  2003.  The  focus  of  the  Symposium  is  on  steps  international  regulators  can  take  to  increase  universal  access  to 
 information  and  communications  technologies.  The  Symposium  joins  national  regulatory  authorities  from  both  developed  and  developing  countries  to  exchange  views  and  experiences. 


 -  FCC  - 
 Commissioner  Abernathy  Contact:  Jennifer  Manner  at  (202)  418-  2400  or  Jennifer.  Manner@  fcc.  gov. 
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