FCC struggles to convince judge that broadband isn't "telecommunications"

[SWBTATTReg]

6. Generally, experts are called in to prep the attorneys who are preparing to go before the FCC...

and testify. Lots of materials used are prepared by SMEs within the telephone companies too, in advance of the testify dates, so attorneys and their staffs are usually pretty well prep'ed or have detailed position papers on the topics to be discussed.

I hope senators and legislators are prepared in a similar manner (I don't know about them), but I did help prep our (at my former place of work, a major telecommunications company) in-house teams going before the FCC in some matters. The FCC and staff, I'm not sure about, on how they prep'ed, you would think that they would have the technical qualifications to judge on matters related to telecommunications but I doubt it, being a political appointed office (perhaps their staff have the qualifications).

This is one of the sad things about regulation via the FCC, or each states' regulatory commissions, in that every time a rate increase is needed or a new service or etc., is developed, a trip to the public utility commission and/or FCC was mandated. Some deregulation allowed certain factors in a company's mix of business (fall below a certain percentage, land lines within a market) allows it to finally escape regulation.