Contact: Lauren Gaydos, 703-351-2015
Arlington, Va., (May 13, 2022)—NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association issued the following statement from Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield regarding the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program Notice of Funding Opportunity:
“NTCA welcomes the BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity and thanks the leadership and staff of NTIA for their hard work in preparing today’s release. NTCA’s small community-based members already provide high-capacity broadband services in some of the hardest-to-reach parts of the country, and today’s notice initiates a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bridge the digital divide in other areas still left behind. We need to get this right—and I am encouraged by the notice’s focus on prioritizing fiber projects capable of delivering high-quality services for decades to come, along with detailed expectations for demonstrated capabilities and performance and a strong indication that providers of all kinds should be placed on equal footing when it comes to seeking funds.
“NTCA members have shown their commitment to community and to quality time and again in leading the broadband charge in rural America, and they are up to the task of expanding their reach and making the most of this broadband moment moving forward. We look forward to continuing to work with NTIA and with states to ensure effective implementation of the program and the delivery of more affordable and robust broadband connectivity in areas still waiting for such service.”
###
NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing nearly 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovative change in smart rural communities across America. In an era of transformative technological developments, regulatory challenges and marketplace competition, NTCA members are advancing efforts to close the digital divide by delivering robust and high-quality services over future-proof networks. Their commitment to building sustainable networks makes rural communities fertile ground for innovation in economic development, e-commerce, health care, agriculture and education, and it contributes billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Visit us at www.ntca.org.