For Immediate Release
Contact:Laura Withers, (703) 351-2087, [email protected]
Arlington, Va. (April 3, 2017)—NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association today released the following statement from Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield regarding the FCC’s elimination of a broadband buildout requirement as part of Charter Communications’ acquisition of two other cable groups.
“When it first became public that the FCC was considering a far-reaching, late-breaking buildout mandate in connection with the Charter-Time Warner merger, we expressed serious concern about the implications of such a ‘condition’ on private investment,” said Bloomfield. “NTCA noted in particular that the notion of ‘mandated competition’ in high-cost rural areas would undermine the goals of universal service and needed careful coordination with the FCC’s own Connect America Fund reform initiatives. The FCC ignored these calls for coordination, and proceeded forward nonetheless. We are pleased to see the course correction in today’s order to help ensure that artificial measures to inject competition will not undermine private investment initiatives or our nation’s shared goals with respect to universal service in rural America.”
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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.