PITTSBURGH, November 16, 2016 – American Cable Association President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement regarding FCC Chairman Wheeler’s decision to remove the Business Data Service (BDS) order from the Thursday, November 17, 2016 Open Meeting agenda:
“From the beginning of the BDS proceeding, ACA has urged the FCC to continue its four-decades-old policy of applying light-touch regulation to non-incumbent providers of BDS. This policy has been enormously successful, resulting in non-incumbents investing billions of dollars to deploy extensive fiber facilities and greater choice and lower prices for consumers. We were heartened the Wheeler Commission heard our message and was moving in the right direction, though some issues were still outstanding. With the deletion of the item from the Nov. 17 agenda, ACA members will not face any additional regulatory headwinds and will continue to build new infrastructure to the benefit of commercial customers and the economy as a whole.”
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/