Earl Comstock Named Head of CompTel/ALTS

CompTel/ALTS today named Washington telecommunications attorney and former senior Senate staffer Earl W. Comstock to lead the newly merged organization.

Comstock will start as president and CEO of CompTel/ALTS on June 1, succeeding H. Russell Frisby Jr., who resigned earlier this year.

In his new role, Comstock will serve as the competitive telecommunications industry’s chief advocate before Congress, the FCC, the White House and other Federal and State agencies.

Comstock is currently a partner at Sher & Blackwell LLP, a Washington, D.C. law firm representing ISPs, applications providers, wireless carriers and CLECs. Prior to joining Sher & Blackwell LLP in 1998, Comstock worked for 10 years for Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.

While working on Capitol Hill, Comstock was involved in every major piece of communications legislation enacted from 1991 to 1997, including the landmark Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Sherman Henderson, the chairman of the Board for CompTel/ALTS, said, “We are excited to have a person with Earl’s reputation and experience as the new president and CEO of CompTel/ALTS. His leadership will be vital as the competitive industry faces the challenges that lie ahead on Capitol Hill and at the FCC.”

Comstock says he looks forward to representing the dynamic industry sector, and working to protect the essential ground rules that Congress established to ensure that communications networks remain open to all businesses and consumers.

“The competitive communications industry has driven broadband deployment and given America better service and lower prices. My job will be to help convince Congress and the FCC not to eliminate the pro-competitive requirements that prevent a few facility owners from becoming the gatekeepers for innovation and consumer choice.”