CenturyLink, Verizon Optimistic After Meeting With Trump

President Trump this week told telecom and technology leaders he will fight government regulations they consider too strict, as well as barriers to investment in technology and network infrastructure.

Trump stopped short of announcing any specific policies aimed at their industries, Fox Business reported. CenturyLink, Verizon, AT&T and Honeywell were among the more than 20 companies that met with the president at the White House.

“We want our innovators to dream big,” Trump said. “We want them to create new companies and to create lots of jobs.”

“As a company that deploys infrastructure for the benefit of anchor institutions, businesses and consumers,” said CenturyLink spokesperson Linda Johnson, “we are supportive of the direction the administration and the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) are taking in removing regulatory and other barriers to innovation through technology and broadband availability.”

“Our goal will be to work as collaboratively as possible with FCC Chairman (Ajit) Pai and the White House to identify those barriers and to develop workable solutions to improve our nation’s infrastructure for the future,”

John Stratton, Verizon’s executive vice president and president of customer and network operations, discussed with Trump and his administration several issues, including 5G networks, small cells and broad infrastructure.

“John Stratton had a very productive and forward-looking discussion … with the administration on policy initiatives and new opportunities in next-generation networks that will benefit our customers, the industry and our entire nation,” said Rich Young, Verizon spokesman. “We look forward to continuing these discussions as we collectively work on ways to enhance broadband infrastructure and unleash the full potential of 5G networks and the innovation that will follow.”