NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th 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).
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
TTY: 1-888-835-5322
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEWS MEDIA CONTACT
May 6, 2010 John Giusti, (202) 418-2000
john.giusti@fcc.gov
STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER MICHAEL J. COPPS
ON CHAIRMAN GENACHOWSKI’S ANNOUNCEMENT
TO RECLASSIFY BROADBAND
“Today Chairman Genachowski announced his plan to remove the legal cloud hanging 
over the FCC’s ability to protect America’s broadband users. This plan can put us on the right 
road—if we travel that road swiftly, surely and with the primary goal of protecting consumers 
foremost in our minds.
“Frankly, I would have preferred plain and simple Title II reclassification through a 
declaratory ruling and limited, targeted forbearance—wiping the slate clean of all question 
marks. The quicker we can bring some sense of surety and stability to the present confusion 
emanating from the Comcast court decision, the better off consumers—and industry, too—will 
be.
“But we should welcome this step toward bringing broadband back under the Title II 
framework where it belongs. It was a travesty to move it in the first place, and those decisions 
caused consumers, small businesses and the country enormous competitive disadvantage.
“The devil will be in the details as we work to put the Commission back on solid legal 
footing. For example, it is clear that broadband will merit some forbearance from certain Title II 
stipulations, but we must avoid another forbearance binge. We experienced a mad rush to 
forbearance in previous Commissions and it usually created many more problems than it 
resolved.  We must also understand that the world of technology changes at warp speed and we 
must protect against any unintended consequences of forbearance or closing other doors that may 
need to be opened down the road. As we address the short-term legal problems before us, I hope 
we will have the good sense to avoid boxing ourselves in on our ability to react to future changes 
in technology and the economy.  The path we start down today must do more than just put this 
agency’s authority over broadband back on life-support—it must ensure our going-forward, 
healthy ability to protect consumers.  One near-death experience is enough.”  
--FCC--