For Immediate Release
Contact: Hillary Crowder Smith, 703-351-2086, [email protected]
Arlington, Va. (February 3, 2016)—NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association issued the following statement from Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield in response to the launch of the bipartisan Congressional Rural Broadband Caucus by Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Bob Latta (R-Ohio), Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) during a briefing today. Bloomfield and NTCA Senior Vice President of Policy Michael Romano spoke during the briefing about policies that have succeeded in spurring greater deployment of broadband to rural communities and the important role of community-based telecom providers.
“I applaud the work of Reps. Pocan, Latta, Welch and Cramer in creating the Rural Broadband Caucus and look forward to working with them to ensure that broadband services are not only delivered to unserved rural communities, but are also sustainable to handle the changing needs of rural consumers and Internet-enabled technologies,” said Bloomfield. “I encourage the caucus to consider the decades of experience community-based telecom providers have in delivering the latest technologies their customers want and need, and to look for opportunities to shape policies that build on existing federal programs that have contributed to these providers’ success, including the vital Universal Service Fund.”
###
NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing nearly 900 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovation in rural and small-town America. NTCA advocates on behalf of its members in the legislative and regulatory arenas, and it provides training and development; publications and industry events; and an array of employee benefit programs. In an era of exploding technology, deregulation and marketplace competition, NTCA's members are leading the IP evolution for rural consumers, delivering technologies that make rural communities vibrant places in which to live and do business. Because of their efforts, rural America is fertile ground for innovation in economic development and commerce, education, health care, government services, security and smart energy use. Visit us at www.ntca.org.