2003 is the year of the FCC and Michael Powell is the man in the hot seat! He has our digital future in his hands! Will he buck the tradition or will he give the Baby Bells what they want? According to The Washington Post this morning, “The FCC is considering changes in the rules specifying which parts of the network the Bells must make available. The changes also might preempt the states’ rate-setting authority, in light of court decisions that have questioned the fairness of, among other things, rates varying from area to area” In the same story, Powell rejects “the notion that he seeks mindless deregulation, or that the contemplated changes would necessarily shift the media and telecommunications balance in dramatic fashion.” In case you wanted to read more about Michael Powell, check out this article from The Post archives. Here is a link to Paradox of the Best Network, a letter to Powell from the likes of David Isenberg and other telecom luminaries. If you are interested in reading more about the problems facing the Baby Bells, here is a link to my recent article in Red Herring. More to follow in about a week!