Wheeler rolls out
FCC boss to exit agency on Jan. 20
FCC boss Tom Wheeler is getting out of Dodge.
The controversial chairman of the agency that sets federal communications policy said Thursday he is departing.
His exit comes after Republicans said the FCC should stop making major decisions until the new government is in place.
The 70-year-old bureaucrat’s five-year term wouldn’t have ended until 2018.
Wheeler will be remembered for his strong stand in favor of net neutrality, which essentially means all internet content should be treated equally with no parties being able to pay to get faster or better treatment.
Wheeler’s net neutrality ruling was widely viewed as giving a leg up to Silicon Valley companies, like Netflix, that have benefitted from the growth of broadband use.
Some have viewed the ruling as penalizing big telecoms and cable operators, which argue they built and maintain the backbone of the internet and are more strictly regulated than giant Web firms.
“He should get a board job with Google,” quipped one person who is familiar with the FCC.
Wheeler has told friend she wants to take some time to travel. He may also go back to private equity, a source sug- gested. He was a special partner at Core Capital.
Most people believe that current FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai will step up and take the chairman’s role.
The Competitive Enterprise Institute issued a negative statement on Wheeler’s exit, calling for a complete revamp of the agency’s processes. A second lobby group, Free Press, said Wheeler stood up to industry pressure and was also open to changing his mind. “His legacy will be as one of the most effective chairs ever to hold the post — judged rightfully not by the number of unanimous votes but by actual accomplishments.”
Wheeler tweeted a number of goodbye messages on Thursday, saying, “I’m proud of our accomplishments: ensuring faster, open networks; improving universal access; protecting consumers and unleashing spectrum.”