CCA Thanks House Small Business Committee for Hearing on Expanding Broadband Access

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                      Contact: Lucy Tutwiler
July 18, 2012                                                                                                                                      (202) 449-9866

CCA Thanks House Small Business Committee for Hearing on Expanding Broadband Access

Washington, DC – Today, the House Committee on Small Business held a hearing, “Digital Divide: Expanding Broadband Access to Small Businesses.”  CCA – The Competitive Carriers Association thanks the Committee for the hearing and thanks Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski, Rural Utility Service Administrator Jonathan Adelstein and NTIA Assistant Secretary Larry Strickling for testifying before the Committee.  Competitive carriers must have access to critical inputs for mobile services such as interoperability, Universal Service Fund support and economical roaming arrangements to ensure consumers and businesses across the country can benefit from access to broadband.

In a statement, CCA President & CEO Steven K. Berry said, “I thank the Committee for recognizing the importance of expanding broadband to all Americans, whether in rural, suburban or urban areas.  Consumers and small businesses need and deserve the innovative services provided by competitive carriers.  But until decisions are made on essential issues including interoperability, data roaming and special access, competitive carriers may not be able to further deploy their networks and provide these critical benefits.  Many competitive carriers are small businesses themselves and policymakers’ decisions greatly impact their ability to serve their customers and provide jobs in their local communities.”

Berry continued, “I am pleased Chairman Genachowski recognizes the significant spectrum challenges that lie ahead.  Demand for mobile data continues to grow at exponential rates, placing increased strain on spectrum, a limited tax-payer resource.  Competitive carriers must have access to usable spectrum to meet this ever-increasing consumer demand, and it is up to the FCC to ensure competitive carriers can access such spectrum.  Access to spectrum combined with an interoperability requirement will give competitive carriers the essential tools they need to expand their networks and help achieve the important goal of expanding high-speed broadband services to all Americans.  I look forward to working with policymakers on these issues.”

About CCA

CCA is the nation’s leading association for competitive wireless providers serving rural and regional areas of the United States. The licensed service area of CCA’s more than 100 members covers 95 percent of the nation.