For Immediate Release
Contact: Ted Hearn
(202) 713-0826
[email protected]
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 25, 2019 — ACA Connects President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement on the introduction of the Clearing Broad Airwaves for New Deployment (C-BAND) Act (HR 4855), a bipartisan bill sponsored by Reps. Mike Doyle (D-Penn.), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Communications and Technology Subcommittee; Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), Subcommittee Vice-Chair; Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Oh.), and Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.). The bill requires the FCC to hold a public auction of C-Band spectrum, allows for no less than 200 megahertz and no more than 300 megahertz of C-band spectrum, and ensures that incumbent C-Band users will be protected:
“ACA Connects salutes the House subcommittee for its introduction of this bipartisan bill. The bill appropriately recognizes that any repurposing of C-Band spectrum for 5G must ensure the same or better service for existing users of the band, including the cable operators that rely on the band to deliver video programming to millions of households across the nation. If cable operators encounter any reduction in reliability, capability or quality of that service, or any increase in costs, it is competition and consumers that will ultimately suffer, especially in rural America. To head off these concerns, it is important that any C-Band transition fully compensate cable operators for any costs they incur in opening up the band for 5G, and that receiving programming via fiber instead of satellite is an option. We applaud the subcommittee for its leadership and look forward continuing to work together on this critical public policy issue.”
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