Advocacy Issue
Spectrum & Content Issues
Although they started as hometown telephone companies and cooperatives filling gaps left behind by “Ma Bell” in providing basic local calling, NTCA members are full-service technology solution providers today, with many providing voice, video, data and mobility services to their rural communities. Wireless services represent important parts of the communications mix for a rural community, particularly in areas where larger national and regional providers offer limited or no service at all. Similarly, because “content is king,” the ability of smaller rural providers to provide their customers with access to content—whether online or through traditional video channels—is essential to help sustain their businesses, to make the best use of their broadband networks and services, and ultimately to ensure that those living and working in rural America have access to the same kinds of content as urban residents. Providing smaller operators with a reasonable opportunity to obtain and make effective use of spectrum resources, addressing fundamental failures and archaic rules in the video “marketplace,” and ensuring reasonable access to content in the online ecosystem are all among NTCA’s top policy priorities.
Why It Matters
Wireless
Gaining reasonable access to and making effective use of spectrum and content present challenges for smaller operators. Spectrum holdings have increasingly fallen into the hands of larger providers as smaller operators find it difficult to secure reasonable roaming agreements and access mobile devices on terms comparable to those of the larger firms. Ever-escalating prices for content make the traditional video distribution business a challenge for even the largest national providers and an increasingly unsustainable line of business for smaller operators.
Video
The 1992 Cable Act should be fundamentally rewritten to reflect today’s video world, including technical updates and corrections to allow today’s market forces to operate more effectively. Although the 1992 law would benefit from a comprehensive rewrite and retransmission consent reform is much-needed, targeted market-based reforms could help address several key flaws in the interim, including transparency in broadcaster pricing, discrimination against different video providers, consumer choice over content purchased, consumer protection in the case of disputes between broadcasters and video providers, unfair negotiating practices such as forcing purchase of little-known channels to gain access to other channels, and forcing providers to pay to deliver broadcast channels to customers who don’t receive them over-the-air.
Online Content
More Americans than ever are changing their viewing and media consumption patterns, moving to online content from traditional video channels. Smaller rural broadband providers are essential to this transition, providing the robust networks needed to view this content in a seamless and reliable manner. But if “gatekeepers” online can limit the ability to access content on certain networks or impose unreasonable barriers for smaller and rural providers to share this content with their users like larger national or regional providers who operate predominantly in urban and suburban areas, this will harm consumers and competition.
