For Immediate Release
Contact:Laura Withers, (703) 351-2087, [email protected]
Arlington, Va. (April 20, 2017)—NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association today thanked the FCC for correcting a flaw in the universal service capital investment allowance cap and for continuing to explore ways to expand broadband access in rural areas.
“While the FCC addressed a number of important items today, correcting the flaw in the capital investment limit for smaller rural operators is significant in removing a disincentive to broadband investment and allowing greater flexibility for smaller companies to design their networks to reach more consumers,” said NTCA Senior Vice President of Industry Affairs and Business Development Michael Romano. “We thank Chairman Pai and Commissioners Clyburn and O’Rielly for fixing this flaw and we look forward to more in-depth conversations on several other important items mentioned today, including the rate floor, the ‘punch list’ of other issues still teed up by our petition for reconsideration, and how we can otherwise make sustained progress on deployment of wireline and wireless infrastructure in our country’s hardest-to-serve locations.”
More information about the FCC’s actions regarding rural broadband deployment is available here.
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NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing more than 800 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.