NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association released the following statement from CEO Shirley Bloomfield regarding the FCC’s vote to adopt new rules related to the provision of broadband internet access services.
“NTCA has long advocated that core principles such as protecting consumers and ensuring universal service must be the touchstones of broadband regulatory reforms and initiatives. In the context of open internet policy, this should include making sure that right-sized, light-touch rules apply to all entities that can affect the seamless transmission of data consistent with consumer expectations and demands, while avoiding the imposition of heavy-handed regulations on any one sector involved in the delivery of such content. Unfortunately, today’s order appears to reinstate a regulatory framework that focuses upon only one sliver of the broader online ecosystem and, while we need to see the precise details of the item, we are concerned that the order could impose burdens on smaller broadband providers in particular in the course of doing so.
“Moreover, NTCA remains deeply concerned about the implications of how the FCC might exercise forbearance when it comes to universal service contribution obligations in the context of this order. We will need to review the item once released to determine precisely how it discusses and addresses these issues, but it would be a missed opportunity indeed if the FCC has effectively tied its own hands to consider thoughtfully and enact future universal service contribution reforms due to firm forbearance that is difficult to unwind in the future.”