Small Operators Also Applaud FCC Action On Cable Public File Requirements
PITTSBURGH, May 25, 2016 – American Cable Association President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement in response to pair of decisions today by Federal Communications Commission meeting:
“The American Cable Association applauds the FCC for moving forward on creating a sensible framework for distributing Connect America Fund (CAF) support through a competitive bidding process in eligible areas served by price cap incumbent carriers.
“ACA appreciates that the FCC in adopting this framework has sought to maximize participation in the competitive bidding process by adopting reasonable requirements for participation by smaller competitive providers. Specifically, ACA thanks the FCC for engaging with ACA for many months to address concerns that smaller providers would not meet the FCC’s proposed ‘audited financials’ requirement for entities that seek to bid or be able to obtain a ‘Letter of Credit’ from a bank meeting the FCC’s proposed eligibility requirements if they are a winning bidder. Addressing these issues and ensuring that the process of being designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier is not unduly burdensome will sustain smaller broadband providers’ interest in participating in an upcoming auction.
“The FCC’s next task is to develop the detailed procedures necessary to ensure that residents in these eligible unserved areas get the same high-performance broadband service that urban residents enjoy and will have access to over the next decade. Maintaining smaller broadband providers’ interest in participating in the auction is vital for the FCC to achieve this goal, and ACA looks forward to continue working with the FCC on the further rulemaking.
“ACA also thanks Chairman Wheeler, Commissioner O’Rielly, and the other Commissioners for adopting a rulemaking notice that seeks comment on whether cable operators must continue to maintain a physical public file at its premises for the sole purpose of disclosing the location of their cable head-ends. Given that the FCC is now requiring the contents of a cable operator’s physical public file to be posted online, eliminating the requirement to include a piece of paper containing a cable operator’s head-end location in an otherwise empty physical file is a commonsense update to the rules.”
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing nearly 750 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for nearly 7 million cable subscribers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA’s 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/