Investment in Rural Broadband will Spur Economic Growth and Jobs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                      Contact: Lucy Tutwiler

February 25, 2011                                                                                                      (202) 449-9866

Investment in Rural Broadband will Spur Economic Growth and Jobs

Washington, DC – Coinciding with yesterday’s inaugural meeting of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, featuring top technology executives, President Obama made it clear that these priorities, jobs and competitiveness, will be the driving focus of the council and continued economic recovery.  Supporting these goals, RCA’s newly released economic study, “Economic Impact of Wireless Broadband in Rural America” by Dr. Raul Katz, concludes that full deployment of rural wireless broadband will create 117,000 jobs in 19 rural states.  RCA commends the President’s initiative to focus on job creation and encourages the Administration to continue to push for full deployment of broadband in rural areas, which can be achieved by extending roaming obligations to data services and requiring interoperability among all carriers operating in the 700 MHz spectrum.

In a statement, RCA President & CEO Steven K. Berry said, “It is clear that creating jobs is a priority for the President.  Creation of 117,000 jobs in the 19 most unserved and underserved states concluded in Dr. Katz’s study should catch the attention of the Administration and of every Member of Congress that represents those states! .  Reaching the President’s goal of 98% availability of broadband is a rural issue.  Investment in rural wireless broadband will have an enormously positive impact on the U.S. economy. The FCC has the ability to initiate this investment immediately by requiring interoperability throughout the 700 MHz band and by extending data roaming obligations.”

Berry continued, “Consumers and American families should not be left waiting, especially when these crucial policy decisions on interoperability throughout the 700 MHz spectrum and automatic data roaming can be made today.  I hope that Congress and the FCC will take a close look at Dr. Katz’s study to see how investment in rural broadband will help achieve the President’s important initiative.”

About RCA

RCA is the nation’s leading association for wireless providers serving rural and regional areas of the United States. The licensed service area of RCA’s nearly 100 members covers more than 80 percent of the nation.

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