NTCA Responds to FCC DIRS Vote

(January 25, 2024)—NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association released the following statement from NTCA Executive Vice President Mike Romano after the FCC voted to require broadband and other kinds of providers to submit infrastructure status into the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) after a major disaster:

“NTCA and its members are committed to the reliability and resiliency of networks that serve their rural areas. However, unlike their larger counterparts, rural broadband providers typically have key employees serving in multiple roles, and their offices and employees are usually situated in the areas they serve. In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, these small companies are immersed in the business of assessing damage and restoring service and often must operate in the face of direct impacts on employees and office locations. While NTCA recognizes the FCC’s need for information, we are disappointed that the new rules will compel the submission of daily regulatory reports rather than permitting companies to focus specifically on restoration activity and on the immediate needs of the community while providing updates on network status when feasible.”