For Immediate Release
Contact: Hillary Crowder Smith, 703-351-2086, [email protected]
Arlington, Va. (June 9, 2016)—NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association today requested that the FCC reconsider the buildout of the Charter Communications, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks—now known as New Charter merger approval. In its petition for reconsideration, the association argued that the commission failed to provide proper notice that it was considering a requirement that the newly merged company offer broadband to at least 2 million new customers, at least one million of which must be outside of its footprint and already receiving high-speed broadband Internet access service from another provider.
The association further contended that this condition could put at risk substantial investments by private operators in hard-to-serve rural areas and undermine the public policy benefits of the commission’s universal service programs which are also currently aimed at driving broadband deployment and stimulating broadband adoption in high-cost areas.
NTCA issued the following statement from Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield regarding its petition:
“While the commission’s intentions in proposing the buildout requirement were undoubtedly good, the reality is imposing such a condition creates artificial competition in areas that cannot support it, which will ultimately undermine, rather than further, broadband availability and affordability in higher-cost areas in particular. The lack of consideration and coordination with other public policy efforts will lead to duplicative and wasteful efforts to reach certain locations, even as other unserved locations remain ignored altogether in frustration of the commission’s stated objectives. The last-minute, unforeseeable imposition of this condition has the unintended potential to harm consumers.”
###
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.