Dear Congressmen Capuano and Markey:
Congratulations on your recent re-election to the United States Congress. As a small business owner living and operating in your district, I look forward to working with you on issues that will benefit your constituents.
My company, netBlazr, provides fixed wireless broadband services to residences and businesses in and around Boston. We compete with services provided by the local phone monopoly, Verizon, and the local cable monopoly, Comcast, by providing local customer service and offering consumers a choice for broadband services. All of our employees live in Massachusetts. We exclusively use unlicensed spectrum and are regulated by the FCC, and unlike many telephone companies, we receive no subsidies from the federal government. Rather, we rely on private financing and cost-efficient technology to deliver broadband services.
As you serve our district in the upcoming session, I ask you to keep the following thoughts in mind:
1) Ensure that the FCC balances the benefits of unlicensed spectrum (which removes significant barriers to entry) and licensed spectrum (which generates auction dollars). Unlicensed spectrum benefits the economy with technology that enables small businesses to flourish and innovation to thrive. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s recent announcements are a positive step in this regard.
2) Ensure that programs like the Universal Service Fund do not use Federal money to subsidize areas that are already being served by rural fixed broadband providers such as my company.
3) Ensure that the privacy of our customers is not compromised with well-meaning law enforcement legislation that places excessive obligations on Internet service providers.
I would be pleased to serve as a resource to you as questions about broadband service arise. To that end, please feel free to pass on my contact information to your Technology Advisor. I would appreciate your keeping my company in mind as a resource whenever you are asked about, seek to learn about, or look to consider legislation concerning spectrum, universal service and the Internet.
I understand that you must consider many factors in the bigger picture of governing our country and wish you well. I invite you to allow my small business background to aid in those decisions and to allow the Internet to prosper not only in this country but in your own district.
Thank you,
Jim Hanley
Founder, CEO
netBlazr – free your broadband