NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association released the following statements from Executive Vice President Mike Romano with respect to certain votes at today’s FCC open meeting.
Regarding the vote to increase the benchmark speed for fixed broadband service to 100/20 Mbps and establish a longer-term objective of 1 Gbps/500 Mbps:
“For a long time, NTCA has advocated that we should aim higher and do better as a nation when it comes to the delivery of robust and reliable broadband to consumers. NTCA has also consistently advocated for a longer-term perspective to setting such goals, recognizing that networks should be built to last decades rather than merely responding to demands here and now. NTCA therefore applauds the FCC for today’s changes to the benchmarks, and its members look forward to continuing to sustain and build upon the substantial progress they have already made toward these objectives.”
Regarding the vote to require all-in pricing for cable and satellite television service:
“If the goal of this proceeding is to provide consumers with greater visibility into and understanding of pricing for certain video services, the failure to give consumers any insight whatsoever into perhaps the most material component of such pricing – the retransmission consent fees paid for content – will undermine achievement of this goal. Unless video service providers can include a detailed breakdown of such costs as part of ‘all-in’ pricing disclosures, consumers will receive an incomplete picture of what really drives the prices they pay for video services. Transparency should mean providing customers a clearer understanding of the factors that most affect their rates, empowering them to make more informed purchasing decisions in a more transparent video marketplace.”