FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 
WASHINGTON 
OFFICE OF 
THE CHAIRMAN 
The Honorable Gene Green 
U.S. House of Representatives 
24 70 Rayburn House Office Building 
Washington, D.C. 20515 
Dear Congressman Green: 
November 17,2016 
Thank you for your letter regarding the Commission ' s business data services rulemaking 
proceeding. 
Business data services (BDS), historically known as special access services, are critically 
impotiant in our connected economy and society. Offices, retailers, banks, manufacturers, 
schools, hospitals, and universities use these dedicated network connections to move large 
amounts of data. As you note, consumers use them indirectly every time they withdraw cash 
from an ATM or swipe their credit card at a retail store. And mobile networks depend heavily 
on the use of BDS for the backhaul of mobile traffic. 
Earlier this year we sought broad public comment on reforming and modernizing the 
existing, fragmented regulatory BDS structure with a new framework. Recently, I circulated to 
my fellow Commissioners proposed rules to reform the regulatory regime for BDS to promote 
fairness, competition, and investment in this important marketplace. The circulated Order 
provides a new framework that strikes a balance between targeted regulation for legacy services, 
where evidence of market power is strongest, and lighter-touch regulation for packet-based 
services, where, as you note in your Jetter, there has been new entry and competition may be 
emergmg. 
With respect to your concern regarding the BDS data collection, I share your interest in 
ensuring an accurate dataset, including data submitted by major cable operators. In the BDS 
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted earlier this year, the Commission emphasized 
that it sees the entry of cable operators into the BDS marketplace as a very positive development 
and an important factor to be considered in any final rules. While some parties have expressed 
concern about potential shortcomings in the data collected, this collection represents the most 
robust dataset available to date on the suppliers and purchasers in the BDS industry. The 
proposed Order is grounded in the comprehensive record of this proceeding, including careful 
review of the sophisticated economic analyses presented by multiple parties as well as other 
record evidence, including developments since the 2013 data collection. 
Page 2-The Honorable Gene Green 
I appreciate your interest in this matter. Your views will be included in the record of the 
proceeding and considered as part of the Commission ' s review. Please let me know ifi can be 
of any further assistance. 
O FF IC E O F 
T HE C H A I RMAN 
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 
WASHINGTON 
November 17, 2016 
The Honorable Bill Flores 
U.S. House of Representatives 
1030 Longworth House Office Building 
Washington, D.C. 20515 
Dear Congressman Flores: 
Thank you for your letter regarding the Commission's business data services rulemaking 
proceeding. 
Business data services (BDS), historically known as special access services, are critically 
important in our connected economy and society. Offices, retailers, banks, manufacturers, 
schools, hospitals, and universities use these dedicated network connections to move large 
amounts of data. As you note, consumers use them indirectly every time they withdraw cash 
from an A TM or swipe their credit card at a retail store. And mobile networks depend heavily 
on the use of BDS for the backhaul of mobile traffic. 
Earlier this year we sought broad public comment on reforming and modernizing the 
existing, fragmented regulatory BDS structure with a new framework. Recently, I circulated to 
my fellow Commissioners proposed rules to reform the regulatory regime for BDS to promote 
fairness, competition, and investment in this important marketplace. The circulated Order 
provides a new framework that strikes a balance between targeted regulation for legacy services, 
where evidence of market power is strongest, and lighter-touch regulation for packet-based 
services, where, as you note in your letter, there has been new entry and competition may be 
emergmg. 
With respect to your concern regarding the BDS data collection, I share your interest in 
ensuring an accurate dataset, including data submitted by major cable operators. In the BDS 
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted earlier this year, the Commission emphasized 
that it sees the entry of cable operators into the BDS marketplace as a very positive development 
and an important factor to be considered in any final rules. While some parties have expressed 
concern about potential shortcomings in the data collected, this collection represents the most 
robust dataset available to date on the suppliers and purchasers in the BDS industry. The 
proposed Order is grounded in the comprehensive record of this proceeding, including careful 
review of the sophisticated economic analyses presented by multiple parties as well as other 
record evidence, including developments since the 2013 data collection. 
Page 2-The Honorable Bill Flores 
I appreciate your interest in this matter. Your views will be included in the record of the 
proceeding and considered as part of the Commission' s review. Please let me know if I can be 
of any further assistance. 
Sincerely, 
Tom Wheeler