FCC chair tells Europe it’s ‘time for choosing’

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FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has accused regulators in Europe of harbouring anti-American biases against US tech firms

This article was originally written by Brad Randall, Editor of our sister publication Broadband Communities

It’s choosing time for Europe, at least according to comments from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr in a recent interview with the Financial Times.

Carr’s comments came as he accused countries in Europe of protectionism, saying that anti-American sentiment has played a factor in decisions made by European regulators.

“If Europe has its own satellite constellation then great, I think the more the better,” Carr said to the Financial Times, referring to low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology. “But more broadly, I think Europe is caught a little bit between the U.S. and China. And it’s sort of time for choosing.”

Carr’s comments also tried to downplay concerns about Starlink. In the past, Starlink has been criticized for lacking affordability versus the price tag for connections from fiber providers.

“If you’re concerned about Starlink, just wait for the CCP’s version, then you’ll be really worried,” Carr told the Financial Times, referring to the Chinese Communist Party.

He also reportedly urged Nokia and Ericsson to move more manufacturing operations to America.

Previously, Brian Hendricks, VP of Policy and Public Affairs for Nokia Americas, has told Broadband Communities that Nokia supports bringing manufacturing back to the United States.

However, he also called Trump’s tariff policies “extremely difficult to predict,” describing the current situation as “a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.”

Hendricks said the lack of predictability is causing “a real bottleneck” for those who are excited about the U.S. market’s potential and want to make investment choices but are concerned about recent events.

“So, it’s counterproductive. I think that’s what worries me,” he said.

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Author: Ernestro Casas -

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