19 Feb UTC Supports Commission’s Goal to Enhance Competition and Broadband Internet Access
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 19, 2014
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Paul Lekan
202.833.6815
paul.lekan@utc.org
UTC Supports Commission’s Goal to Enhance Competition and Broadband Internet Access
Washington, DC—The Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) applauds today’s announcement by the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler regarding his goal to “look for opportunities to enhance Internet access competition,” following the DC Circuit Court of Appeal’s decision on Net Neutrality.[1] As Chairman Wheeler rightly observed, “One obvious candidate for close examination was raised in Judge Silberman’s separate opinion, namely legal restrictions on the ability of cities and towns to offer broadband services to consumers in their communities.”
Utilities, including municipal utilities, are uniquely positioned to promote competition and broadband Internet access, particularly in rural areas where utilities already provide essential electric, gas and water services and where they own, manage and maintain extensive communications networks that could be leveraged to provide broadband. UTC and its Rural Broadband Council look forward to working with the FCC on this important issue as it has opened a new docket (GN Docket No. 14-28) to investigate broadband Internet access and competition, following its decision not to appeal the DC Circuit Court of Appeal’s decision on Net Neutrality.
“This week, over sixty electric cooperatives and municipal utilities from across the country will gather in Washington, DC for the first of a series of workshops being conducted by UTC on the critical issue of extending broadband access to millions of underserved citizens,” said Connie Durcsak, UTC’s President and CEO. “These utilities have the skills, motivation and resources, along with a growing mandate from their members and customers, to help rural communities achieve long overdue connectivity to the new digital economy. UTC will remain their strongest advocate in supporting good policies to allow them to achieve this important objective and will fully support the efforts of the FCC in this regard.”
###
About UTC
Utility information and communications technology (ICT) is integral to reliable and secure utility services. UTC is the premier trade association for information, telecommunications, and operations technologies to identify, innovate and enable mission critical solutions for essential utility services. Since 1948, UTC is the source and resource for ICT solutions, collaboration and advocacy for utilities and other critical infrastructure industries. Visit – www.utc.org
About RBC
The Rural Broadband Council is an independent operating unit of the Utilities Telecom Council dedicated to promoting opportunities for utilities to bring robust, reliable and affordable broadband services to rural America. The RBC was formed as a home for utilities that are actively offering broadband or interested in doing so to the customers that they serve. These utilities are uniquely positioned to offer broadband because they have extensive communications networks and other infrastructure that can be leveraged to provide broadband to areas that are currently unserved or underserved by other commercial service providers. Visit –www.ruralbroadbandcouncil.org
– See more at: https://www.utc.org/press-release/utc-supports-commission%E2%80%99s-goal-enhance-competition-and-broadband-internet-access#sthash.IPOA9ppP.dpuf