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August 18, 2014 Kim Hart, 202-418-8191
Email: kim.hart@fcc.gov
STATEMENT FROM FCC CHAIRMAN TOM WHEELER ON 
OMB APPROVAL OF SPECIAL ACCESS DATA COLLECTION 
On Friday, the Office of Management and Budget approved a plan to collect data from providers and 
purchasers of special access service for the purpose of conducting a comprehensive evaluation of 
competition in the marketplace. Special access lines are dedicated high-capacity connections used by 
businesses and institutions to transmit voice and data traffic. Special access services are widely used to 
transport massive amounts of voice and data traffic from cell phone towers and buildings, as well as 
carry transactions from ATM machines and credit card readers. 
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler issued this statement:
“Special access service has become increasingly important in the digital economy, enabling businesses 
large and small to connect to their customers around the globe.  Consistent with the terms of OMB’s 
approval, we will move forward with data collection and fact-based analysis that will help the 
Commission better understand competition in this marketplace, and the impact on consumers as we 
pursue the Commission’s statutory mandate to ensure special access services are provided at reasonable 
rates and on reasonable terms and conditions.”
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