PITTSBURGH, September 26, 2023 – The following statement may be attributed to ACA Connects President and CEO Grant Spellmeyer:
“Broadband in America is a good news story that keeps getting better. Every year, ACA Connects Members invest billions to expand and upgrade their networks, delivering faster speeds, lower prices, and increased competition. This virtuous cycle is due in no small measure to the longstanding balanced regulatory approach that the federal government has adopted. That is why ACA Connects and its hundreds of Members are so troubled by the announcement that the FCC is considering subjecting smaller broadband service providers to onerous regulations that were crafted for the copper-line telephone business. Such utility-style regulations will inhibit our Members’ investment to the detriment of their subscribers. These regulations will also give Big Tech platforms even greater ability to leverage smaller broadband providers and their subscribers.
ACA Connects and its members are committed to upholding the principles of an open Internet. We support efforts in Congress to develop net neutrality legislation that adopts fair and comprehensive “rules of the road” for the entire Internet ecosystem, including Big Tech. But imposing burdensome new regulations on smaller broadband providers is not the solution.
In the meantime, we look forward to working with all FCC Commissioners to make sure our Members can deliver the robust, reliable broadband service that rural areas and small communities need if they are to thrive.”
About ACA Connects: America’s Communications Association –America’s Communications Association – ACA Connects is a trade organization representing approximately 500 smaller and medium-sized, independent companies that provide broadband, video, and phone services covering 29.5 million households. ACA Connects Members operate in every state, providing advanced communications to connect homes, companies, main street, schools, hospitals and more. America’s economic prosperity in smaller communities and rural areas depends on the growth and success of ACA Connects Members, who believe a connected nation is a prosperous nation.