RCA Commends Chairman Rockefeller’s Call for Prompt USF Reform

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Lucy Tutwiler
August 3, 2010 (202) 449-9866

RCA Commends Chairman Rockefeller’s Call for Prompt USF Reform

Washington, DC – Today, RCA (Rural Cellular Association) commended Senator Rockefeller, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, in his call for prompt USF reform. In a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski, Senator Rockefeller urged the FCC to “proceed with urgency” to help bring wireless services to unserved and underserved areas in rural America.

In a statement, RCA President & CEO Steven K. Berry said, “Chairman Rockefeller is right; USF is in vital need of reform. As more and more consumers continue to choose wireless, it is imperative that the FCC work to ensure that both consumers and public safety have access to wireless services no matter where they live or where they travel. Without technology, competitively, and revenue neutral USF reform, broadband and wireless providers cannot continue to deploy networks in rural, insular, and high cost areas like those highlighted by Chairman Rockefeller. As the wireless industry begins deploying 4G services, support for wireless carriers in rural areas is even more important to ensure reasonably comparable services.”

Berry continued, “The FCC must work to ensure that consumers in rural and hard-to-reach areas have access to communications services comparable to their urban counterparts. A more efficient USF program would focus primarily on providing support to hard-to-reach rural and regional areas. With additional funds, the largest, national carriers would overlay their current 3G footprint with 4G deployments. Whereas rural and regional carriers, with USF support, would expand next generation wireless services in unserved and underserved areas – thus helping fill the gaps in the communications infrastructure.”

About RCA
RCA is the nation's leading association for wireless providers serving rural areas of the United States. The licensed service area of RCA's nearly 90 members covers more than 80 percent of the nation.

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