O!nngrenn nf tqe llnite~ §fates lllasf1ington, 111Qt 20515 The Honorable Tom Wheeler Chairman Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St SW Washington, DC 20554-0004 Dear Chairman Wheeler: October 3, 2016 ReceivP.rl ~ lnsnected OCT 0 7 Z016 fCC Mall Room Thank you for your continuing efforts to improve broadband access for all Americans and to promote competitive broadband markets. We are writing to share our concerns about the FCC's May 2 Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) on Business Data Services (BDS). Millions of consumers depend daily on BDS when they use their smartphone, visit a major retailer, withdraw cash from an A TM machine, or start their workday online. It is an essential service for all communities that rely on a broadband connection to support their business and stay connected. Moreover, the impact on investment to broadband and increased consumer access to technological advancement, including telemedicine and educational opportunities, speak to the need for the Commission to further promote infrastructure investment and not impose obstacles that stifle broadband deployment and adoption in the communities we represent. As the Commission completes its rulemaking on business data services, we hope the new rules will encourage economic development, more jobs, and additional opportunities in the communities we represent, including for small businesses and minority-owned contractors who often do business with BDS providers. A successful policy would encourage multiple BDS providers to compete with each other through real investment in their networks, bringing new services to places they had not previously reached and increasing high-speed data capacity to the businesses that need it for continued expansion. One key to accomplishing this is using all available industry data to recognize and support competition where it has developed, especially as additional providers have entered the market in recent years. And, in the markets where competition has not yet developed, the regulations must be based on the real cost to provide service, taking into account the challenges of reaching rural markets or other places that are often the last to benefit from such investment. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER If these steps are pursued methodically, we see this as the best and most appropriate path to completing a BDS proceeding that will balance competing interest for the benefit of economic development, job growth, technological innovation, and expanded consumer broadband adoption in our respective states. ~L ~ 1\a'c~ _ _":Iowo.- Eddie Bernice Johnson Member of Congress Member of Congress ~s:') Cedric L. Richmond Member of Congress Sincerely, Member of Congress tq~~/ AlmaS. Adams Member of Congress ~~ Barbara Lee Terri A. Sewell Member of Congress .. Bennie G. Thompson Member of Congress Cc: The Honorable Mignon Clyburn, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission The Honorable Michael O'Rielly, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission The Honorable Ajit Pai, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission The Honorable Jessica Rosenworcel, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission Member of Congress