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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:  October  14,  2004  Mark  Wigfield,  202-  418-  0253 
 Email:  mark.  wigfield@  fcc.  gov 


 FCC  REMOVES  MORE  ROADBLOCKS  TO  BROADBAND  DEPLOYMENT  IN  RESIDENTIAL  NEIGHBORHOODS 
 Action  Harmonizes  Treatment  of  Deep  Fiber  Networks 
 Washington,  D.  C.  –  The  Federal  Communications  Commission  (FCC)  today  took  further  steps  to  encourage  deployment  of  fiber  optic  broadband  networks  capable  of  delivering  advanced 
 data,  video  and  voice  service  to  the  mass  market  by  incumbent  local  telephone  companies. 
 The  FCC’s  action  is  consistent  with  rules  first  adopted  in  2003,  and  upheld  by  the  U.  S.  Court  of  Appeals  for  the  D.  C.  Circuit,  that  relieved  incumbent  local  telephone  companies  of  most 
 obligations  to  lease  advanced  fiber-  to-  the-  home  (FTTH)  network  facilities  to  competitors  at  a  regulated,  cost-  based  price.  The  FCC  found  that  those  obligations  discouraged  incumbent  carriers’ 
 investment  in  FTTH  broadband  facilities. 
 Today’s  action  builds  on  those  broadband  principles,  and  relieves  incumbents  from  unbundling  requirements  for  fiber-  to-  the-  curb  (FTTC)  loops,  where  fiber  is  extended  within  500 
 feet  of  a  customer’s  premises.  The  FCC  found  that  FTTC  networks  can  deliver  many  of  the  same  benefits  as  FTTC  loops.  FTTC  networks  offer  enhanced  capability  for  providing  advanced 
 services,  including  the  ability  to  offer  voice,  multi-  channel  video,  and  high-  speed  data  services.  The  new  rules  free  companies  to  choose  between  FTTH  or  FTTC  networks  based  on  marketplace 
 characteristics,  rather  than  disparate  regulatory  treatment. 
 The  FCC  also  clarified  that  incumbent  LECs  are  not  obligated  to  build  time  division  multiplexing  (TDM)  capability  into  new  packet-  based  networks  or  into  existing  packet-  based 
 networks  that  never  had  TDM  capability. 
 The  FCC’s  order  addresses  October  2003  petitions  filed  by  BellSouth  Corp.  and  SureWest  Communications.  The  petition  asked  the  FCC  to  reconsider  portions  of  its  2003  Triennial  Review 
 Order  governing  the  incumbents’  obligations  to  unbundled  elements  of  their  networks. 
 Action  by  the  Commission,  October  14,  2004,  by  Order  on  Reconsideration  (FCC  04-  248).  Chairman  Powell,  Commissioners  Abernathy  and  Martin,  with  Commissioner  Copps  dissenting 
 and  Commissioner  Adelstein  concurring  in  part,  dissenting  in  part.  Separate  statements  issued  by  Chairman  Powell,  Commissioners  Abernathy,  Copps,  Martin,  and  Adelstein. 


 Docket  Nos.:  CC  01-  338,  CC  96-  98,  CC  98-  147 
 Wireline  Competition  Bureau  Staff  Contact:  Marcus  Maher  at  202-  418-  1580  -FCC- 


 News  about  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  can  also  be  found 
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 on  the  Commission’s  web  site  www.  fcc.  gov. 
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