ACA Praises Efforts Of Its Very Smallest Members
PITTSBURGH, February 18, 2015 – American Cable Association President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement regarding the effort by the nation’s smallest Internet service providers – those serving fewer than 1,000 subscribers – to obtain relief from Title II regulations:
“A realistic appraisal of the negative impact of Title II on small and medium-sized Internet Service Providers requires the Federal Communications Commission to forbear from applying common carrier regulations to them. This reality is no more apparent than when one considers the impact of its rules on the country’s smallest ISPs that serve fewer than 1,000 subscribers. The notion that the FCC is going to impose the same Title II burdens on all ISPs, including these very small ISPs, is unreasonable and an uncharacteristic departure from the FCC’s usual willingness to adjust its rules to lessen the impact on small business owners.
“FCC forbearance is justified and required because small and medium-sized ISPs do not have the incentive or ability to block, throttle or obtain paid prior prioritization tribute from edge content providers. These ISPs seeking to obtain FCC forbearance obviously pose no threat to the open Internet, and the FCC should recognize that and provide appropriate relief.”
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing about 850 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/