Red-tape cuts for Gulf Coast telecoms
Federal regulators have been cutting red tape in order to speed the recovery of the communications network in the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast.
Federal Communications Commission officials issued a statement Tuesday assuring the public they have been working closely with area telecoms in order to get New Orleans and surrounding communities back on line.
"The commission has been in continual contact with the industry and has taken prompt action, where necessary, to provide regulatory relief to facilitate restoration efforts," said the statement attributed to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and three fellow commissioners.
The commission thanked repair crews toiling to get wires and cell sites up and running and said it was paving the way for telecom providers to deploy "alternative means of communication in the affected regions."
Copyright 2005 by United Press International
