August 1, 2019

ACA Connects Issues Statements On FCC Actions Of Importance To Independent Video And Broadband Providers

For Immediate Release
Contact: Ted Hearn
(202) 713-0826
[email protected]

PITTSBURGH, August 1, 2019 – ACA Connects President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement related to Federal Communications Commission actions today of importance to independent video and broadband providers:

Rural Digital Opportunity Fund:

“ACA Connects commends the FCC for initiating the process for establishing the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). Last year, the FCC demonstrated that by awarding universal service support via auction, it can bring higher-performance broadband service to unserved areas far more cost-effectively that using a cost model. We therefore are heartened that the FCC proposes that the RDOF too should award support via auction. But the FCC should not merely rest on the laurels of the last auction. As ACA Connects has demonstrated, too many potential providers sat out the last auction because of flaws in the FCC’s rules – and those flaws can be readily corrected. By adopting rules that maximize participation, the FCC can drive even higher-performance broadband service using less federal support. We look forward to working with the FCC to make these refinements and to expediting implementation of the RDOF.”

Broadband Mapping:

“ACA Connects has long agreed with the FCC and many Members of Congress that the FCC’s current broadband deployment data collection needs to be improved by making it more granular and accurate. At the same time, any new collection requirements should not swamp the many hundreds of small broadband providers that must file with new obligations they are simply not equipped to handle. Based on those objectives, ACA Connects believes today’s action by the FCC, requiring broadband providers to file geospatial coverage data and enhancing this information with crowdsourcing, is a reasonable step forward. That said, the FCC now needs to get the details of the collection correct, including by ensuring smaller providers can easily comply.”

Franchising Order:

“ACA Connects supports the FCC’s adoption of the Section 621 Order, which will ensure that franchising authorities cannot charge smaller cable providers twice to occupy public rights-of-way and which will impose reasonable limits on franchising authorities requiring smaller cable providers to make in-kind contributions related to their provision of cable services. These actions are based on real-world problems smaller cable operators face, sound readings of the statute, and pro-competitive policies. Further, they correctly balance the FCC’s mandate to establish national communications policy with the right of state and local government to oversee their public assets.”

911 Order:

“ACA Connects welcomes the FCC’s adoption of rules to implement Kari’s Law and Section 506 of RAY BAUM’s Act. In this Order, the FCC is taking important steps to improve 911 service for students, hotel guests, office workers and other users of multiline telephone systems, and to ensure that first responders can locate 911 callers promptly. We applaud the FCC for its careful work in this Order to adopt flexible requirements and to avoid prescriptive technology mandates that would impose undue burdens on smaller entities.”

About ACA Connects: America’s Communications Association – Based in Pittsburgh, ACA Connects is a trade organization representing more than 700 smaller and medium-sized, independent companies that provide broadband, phone and video services to nearly 8 million customers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA Connects’ members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit: https://acaconnects.org