FCC Chairman Faces Growing Pressure To Delay Vote

FCC Chair Kevin MArtin is being pressured by nearly 75 members of Congress to postpone next week’s commission vote on the restructuring of telecom interconnect charges. The Congressional Representatives are asking for two months of public review and comment about the commission’s proposed wide-ranging changes in the fee structure that companies charge each other for network access.  Martin is also favoring an overhaul of the $7 Billion Universal Services Fund. The plan is facing stiff resistance from rural carriers who feel that the proposed changes will severely hurt their businesses.  Martin argues that most of the items in the plan have been debated for years and that the Commission is under court order to reform, by Nov. 5,  certain items that are included in the plan.