For Immediate Release
Contact: Hillary Crowder Smith, 703-351-2086, [email protected]
Arlington, Va. (May 5, 2016)—NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association issued the following statement from Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield applauding a bipartisan letter led by Reps. Kevin Cramer (R–N.D.), Kurt Schrader (D–Ore.), Bob Latta (R–Ohio) and Collin Peterson (D–Minn.) that was sent to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler this morning regarding the set-top box proceeding:
“NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is grateful for the bipartisan leadership from rural allies such as Reps. Cramer, Schrader, Latta, and Peterson. They, along with 56 of their House colleagues, sent a strong message to the FCC today to consider the threats to rural consumers and small companies before pressing ahead with a mandate requiring implementation of technology that does not yet exist.
“The cost of implementing the commission’s set-top box proposal could devastate the video business in rural areas, where many consumers do not receive an over-the-air signal and many small, rural telcos already struggle mightily with the costs of delivering video services. Now that the commission has heard from a broad, bipartisan cross-section of elected officials on an array of concerns with the set-top box proposal, we hope the agency will heed these calls and reconsider the proposed rules.”
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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.