For Immediate Release
Contact: Carolyn Just, 703-351-2015, [email protected]
Arlington, Va., (April 30, 2020)—NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association issued the following statement from Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield regarding the “Keep Americans Connected” pledge extension by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
“Hundreds of NTCA members have answered the call in committing to keep Americans connected in the most rural and remote parts of the country. These companies and cooperatives share Chairman Pai’s interest in sustaining these kinds of efforts, and our members will of course do everything within their power to keep delivering on the promise of connectivity for the communities in which they live and serve.
“At the same time, it is difficult for smaller and rural operators to keep the Internet lights on – or even keep their own lights on – when an increasing amount of customers fail to make payment. This is why NTCA called upon Congress earlier this week to provide funding to help providers keep services up and running when customers can’t pay, and we hope in particular that the bipartisan Keeping Critical Connections Act will form the basis for policies that sustain essential broadband services for customers in the midst of this public health and economic crisis.”
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