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 SEPARATE  STATEMENT  OF  CHAIRMAN  MICHAEL  K.  POWELL 
 Re:  Federal-  State  Joint  Board  on  Universal  Service 
 I  am  pleased  that  today  the  Commission  addresses  the  list  of  supported  services  that  our  universal  service  mechanism  supports.  We  could  not  have  reached  this  decision 
 without  input  from  the  Federal  –  State  Joint  Board  on  Universal  Service.  The  Joint  Board’s  recommendation  greatly  informed  today’s  decision  and  I  wish  to  thank  each 
 member  of  that  body  for  their  contributions. 
 Perhaps  one  of  the  more  contentions  questions  on  which  the  Joint  Board  sought  comment  is  whether  the  Commission  should  alter  the  manner  in  which  competitive 
 eligible  telecommunications  carriers  (ETCs)  receive  universal  service  support.  In  connection  with  this  question,  some  have  proposed  that  ETCs  provide  equal  access  to 
 providers  of  long  distance  services  as  a  condition  of  receiving  support.  I  have  grave  doubts  about  imposing  such  a  requirement  and  believe  that  doing  so  may  well  run  afoul 
 of  the  statutory  scheme.  Reflexively  imposing  equal  access  on  wireless  carriers  fails  to  appreciate  the  distinct  market  and  competitive  conditions  of  CMRS  providers.  I  greatly 
 appreciate  the  support  of  my  colleagues  in  reaching  today’s  decision  to  consider  this  issue  as  part  of  the  Portability  Proceeding  pending  before  the  Joint  Board  and  the 
 Commission.  That  rulemaking  will  examine  the  process  for  designating  ETCs  and  rules  relating  to  the  funding  of  ETCs  in  rural  areas.  I  look  forward  to  further  consideration  of 
 the  impact  of  these  rules  -  particularly  as  they  relate  to  wireless  carriers  -  in  that  proceeding.  We  should  complete  it  expeditiously. 
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